Love at First Bet

Chapter two - She is amazing!

Alexander

I cast one last glance out the window of my penthouse. From there, I could see miles of lights that made the city never sleep. I approached the bed, where I had already laid out the clothes that I would wear nothing but sleek and sophisticated — a black button-down shirt and a matching black suit. I opted not to wear a tie that night, but I didn't forget to put on the cufflinks with my initials A.A., in cursive handwriting.

I was finishing checking if my hair was well-groomed when my cell phone rang. It was my grandmother.

"Hi, Granny 'Celeste, buttercup color'." I answered, laughing.

I inherited this joke from my late grandfather, who always called her "my Celestial blue, buttercup color!" If my grandmother's name meant the color of the sky, her skin was in a rather yellowish tone, and her light brown hair.

"But will you ever stop talking like your grandfather?"

"Only when I pass, grandma!"

"Don't even joke about that, Alex! I don't want to bury my only grandson!" Her voice is firm and concerned. "Have you been to the doctor?"

"Grandma, it was just a joke. Did you call me for some reason?"

"Yes! To complain to you! I have the most negligent grandson in the world! Never comes to visit me!"

"I won't come over! I've told you to come live with me if you don't want to live with Dad! As much as it's a retirement home for millionaires, it's wrong! I'd do my work-from-home job to keep you company!"

"N-N-N-No-No-No! I'm better off here, sitting by the pool, having a liqueur with Elizabeth, beating the rest of the 'gang' in poker than with you glued to the computer or phone all day!"

"'Gang', grandma? Since when do you say 'gang'?"

She ignored my question.

"Do you remember Judith?"

"No, grandma. Who is Judith?"

"She was our neighbor when you were a brat! She moved in here too!"

"Grandma, can we talk about this later? I'm going out to meet some friends."

"Meeting some friends or falling in love with someone and giving me a granddaughter? I want great-grandchildren, Alexander!"

"Grandma, all in due time! When I find the right woman, I'll give you grandchildren!"

She insisted a lot on this story. It was downright irritating!

"Alright, Alex, I won't harp on this anymore! Have a good night!"

She hung up abruptly. I loved my grandmother, but her insistence on wanting me to get married drove me crazy.

I finished dressing, dabbing a light perfume on my wrists and then on my neck. When I'm ready, I look at myself in the mirror. I'm satisfied with my appearance. I leave my apartment and head to a black Ferrari, my sweetheart, waiting for me in the garage.

I was already inside the car, ready to start the engine, when my phone rang again. It was Thales Riverdale, my lawyer and longtime friend, who had scheduled a whiskey date today to catch up on life since, for the past few months, we'd only met during work hours for boring meetings.

"Don't tell me Sophia tied you down at home again?" I answered, already complaining.

"No, but I'll be a bit late. I need to drop her and the kids off at my in-laws', but it'll be quick! Look, can we change the venue?"

"Why's that, if you love the bar we picked?"

"Yeah, but it's on the other side of town, man! I'll be even later. I'll send you the location of a club that opened recently. It has an excellent private area for conversation. See you later, Sophia's already on my case here!"

It would be futile to argue, especially since it was the second hang-up call in my face without much respect for me. I must be getting soft, although I've always bowed my head to my grandmother. It would be embarrassing if any paparazzi caught me getting a spanking from her with her flip-flops.

As I drive, I think it's been quite a few years since I've been in a relationship with anyone, not in a serious way. My last girlfriend was Lisa, whom I met during college, and then she moved out of state to continue her studies, and soon we found out that long-distance love wasn't promising. Since then, I've only dedicated myself to work, and even though I've met stunning women, none have captivated me enough to earn my exclusive dedication. Just pleasure. Maybe my grandmother is right, and even with all the business commitments, it's time to find someone, settle down, and even start a family.

But not today, after all, I didn't come to find the love of my life at a nightclub.

I parked in front of the building, noticing that my security guards, who were coming in a car behind me, also stopped. I've always hated going out with them trailing me, but it was my father's orders, and yes, it seems that in that family, nobody cared much about my opinion on my own decisions. I let out a somewhat irritated breath, but there wasn't much to be done. I handed the keys to my Ferrari to the club's valet and entered the premises.

The nightclub was packed with people, the music was loud, and the lights were flashing. I made my way through the crowd, looking for a place to sit. I promised myself that Thales would pay for that inconvenience. He knew well that I preferred quieter places, with jazz playing, without those lights that seemed like they would make me faint at any moment — a place to converse and meet interesting people.

Even though the bar was crowded, I managed to order a drink, and the bartender assured me that the wristband I wore granted access to the VIP floor. Better yet, perhaps I should use a sharpened knife instead of a dull one to kill Thales. I grabbed the served whiskey and took a sip, surveying the surroundings. I saw people dancing, laughing, and chatting. They were all excited, but their energy didn't infect me.

As I scanned the crowd, searching for the best way to reach the staircase on the other side of the hall, I saw a woman dancing on the dance floor. She was beautiful, with long flowing hair and bright eyes. She danced freely, her body moving to the rhythm of the music. I couldn't take my eyes off the movement of her body. I confess that the first feeling I felt was lust, but as time passed — yes, I stood there, as if disconnected from the world around me just to watch her — I began to feel other things beyond desire itself. I wanted to get to know her.

Taking advantage of an empty bar stool, I sat down. I would watch her, dumbfounded, at least until Thales arrived. I ordered another drink and felt the pocket where my phone was vibrating. It was Thales, saying he would be later than expected.

I even thought about leaving when my eyes caught her again, among the people dancing. The lights from the dance floor danced on her skin, and her disappearing and then reappearing before my eyes gave her an even more mysterious and captivating appearance. I didn't dare take a step.

She danced with several guys, and I felt a twinge of envy when they touched her waist for a bolder dance. However, I noticed that she didn't let herself be hugged or kissed by anyone. She just danced to one song and moved on to another partner, suggesting that she was close to everyone, but none of them was special to her.

I noticed when she and two other women approached a table closer to the bar, where I had a privileged view of her. I realized it was no longer time to pretend intentions, and when she glanced in my direction, I made sure she noticed me and sensed my desire.

"Now," I said to myself, realizing that if I delayed acting, she might leave with her friends or be called to dance with some of her colleagues. I approached with firm and decisive steps, noticing that her friends were already whispering about my little boldness.

"Good evening, ladies!" I greeted them. I spoke to all of them, but my eyes fixated on her, leaving no room for doubt.

How a simple "good evening" directed at the right person can turn an unpleasant night into an extremely pleasant one! Evelyn, as I discovered her name to be, was a young woman, freshly graduated, intelligent, and with a good sense of humor. We only had a five-year age gap, and so much, so much in common! Traveling, a taste for the business world, movies, music. She seemed perfect! So perfect that it crossed my mind that she would certainly be Dona Celeste's dream granddaughter!

But everything started to unravel when one of my security guards came up to me, telling me that Thales was at the club's door, waiting to speak with me.