The Wedding Date

Chapter Two

Amelia

Abbey and Damien had really spared no expense when it came to this wedding. The entire bridal party was given the trip all expenses paid. So, when Lizzie told me our seats where in first class I wasn't shocked. In fact it was pretty parr for the course. However, now that i was actually on the plane I felt a sick sense of deja vu. Thousands of times I flown back and forth. London. Milan. Paris. I had seen the world spending my daddy's money living the high life. Now sitting where I had once so casually sat made me feel almost dirty.

I had gone from the daughter of the owner of one of the largest conglomerates in the world to working in a bank. Living paycheck to paycheck. Before I would have sat in that seat and drank myself silly counting the hours until landing. Now i felt as if I did not know how to behave. Everything felt familiar and somehow at the same time it felt as if I were experiencing it for the first time all over again.

"Relax a little," Lizzie suggested to me softly reaching out to touch my hand from across the aisle where she was sitting. I let out a breath I had not realized I'd been holding. Maybe I shouldn't have come, I thought to myself. Maybe it's too soon.

"Listen, just say the word. If you want me to claw his eyes out I will." Lizzie whispered passing me a glass of champagne. I groaned internally. I hated that I had lied to Lizzie about what had really happened between Skyler and I. But, to be fair I had lied to everyone, not just her. I had told everyone I had caught him cheating and ended it. As it stood now the only people who knew the real truth were me, Abbey, my mother, and of course Skyler himself. I chuckled despite everything I had been through, I could picture Lizzie attacking him in my mind. She was just crazy enough to do it, that thought itself made me happy.

"I definitely might take you up on that." I laughed.

"You look beautiful by the way. In a different way than when you were at school. A happier beautiful." Lizzie told me. Her words made my heart ache I smiled gently at her. It was so wonderful to know I had met such a supportive friend. She always knew what to say to me. Maybe this trip will be worth it. I dared let myself think for the first time. I hoped what she said was true. She definitely was not one to lie. I wasn't exactly focused on my looks anymore but, it felt good for someone to tell her she was beautiful.

A few hours later I snuck away to the bathroom. Not because i needed to use it but, because I needed a second alone to try to mentally prepare myself for this week.

The first class bathroom was occupied but, I was in no hurry so I decided to wait in the small walkway near the bathroom. With a heavy sigh I leaned up against the paneling behind me. I let me head fall back and closed my eyes. Not matter what happens I have to remember my new life. I told myself.

Since leaving my old life behind I had found new friends in unexpected places. One day while on a grocery run a little old woman had stopped me for idle chitchat. At first I had been annoyed by the pointless conversation but, I reminded myself that was the old me. Always in a rush. Every conversation needed purpose or the words meant nothing. I forced myself to talk to her when I had wanted to walk away.

Her name was Lucy and she ended up being quite the conversationalist. She was eighty-five years old and had lived a full life filled with adventures. They had ended up chatting in the middle of the cereal aisle for an unseemingly amount of time. Saying they had hit it off was an understatement. Soon i was going over to her house twice a week to make her dinner, and she came to my apartment every Sunday to bake a sweet treat for us to share.

Thinking of Lucy brought a smile to my face. I hummed softly thinking of how I would need to call her as soon as we landed so she would not worry.

Someone nearby cleared their throat pulling me from my thoughts. My eyes snapped open and immediately found the source of the sound. They quickly landed on a figure standing in the middle of the aisle.

The man standing casually looking at me with a curious gaze, well, there could only be one word to describe him. Stunning. He was shockingly good-looking. Definitely older than me his hair is jet black mixed with silver giving it a salt and pepper look. He cut a striking figure. Tall with broad shoulders. Even in his bussiness suit I could tell just by the way he was filled out that he was muscular beneath the fabric. A suit that would have impressed me a few months ago. Hand made, by a high end designer. It wasn't hard to tell looking at the beautifully laid material. It fit his body like a glove.

His face is what really caught me off gaurd. Immediately it brought a painting to my mind. Like i had seen his face hanging in a museum somewhere. His features were simply art. High cheeks bones, stunning jawline, full pouty lips. There was a hardness to his features. An aura about him. I felt my face redden as I realized I had looked up a while ago and had been stairing at him in complete silence.

"What takes you to Jamaica?" He asked her in a deep sexy voice. It was gravely and deep. Like something from a wet dream. For a few more seconds I stood there as if dumbstruck by the question.

"Oh... I um-" I started but, then paused considering my answer for a few long moments. I was sure I seemed insane to this handsome stranger but, that was a nice part about the new life I had started. I no longer concerned myself with what others thought of me because I had once let it control my world. Now all I wanted was to be myself.

"I'm looking for the love of my life." I told him in an even cool tone flashing him a smile I had once used to melt men's hearts. "Maybe you'd be interested in a trial run?"

"I might be interested in taking you up on that offer." he told me in a serious tone. He stepped closer when he said it his gaze slowly grazing over my face and down my chest. For the first time in months I did not feel disgusted by a man's gaze. Infact, it felt as if my whole body had been lit on fire.His eyes trailed back up and met mine. He had beautiful carmel brown eyes. Gazing up at him after being so bold i suddenly felt as if I was under a microscope, my smile faltered and I turned my head breaking eye contact with him.

I turned back seconds later ready to make some lame excuse for breaking and blushing but, the handsome stranger was already gone. Was he uninterested or simply perceptive? I wondered.