The Unlikely Fiance

Chapter 4

THERE ARE several muscles in the body that were meant to stay dormant for the rest of your life but Pam managed to get her personal trainer to discover them on Clarissa and make them active again. Clarissa could barely get out of her car without groaning. Every joint ached and every muscle quaked with the after-shocks of the intense workout session. To make matters worse, Pam made sure that she signed up for the monthly subscription of the gym where she was expected to attend at least three times a week.

Clarissa never saw the need to work out. She didn't have any extra body fat to burn no did she need to run after a bus or a taxi. When Sidney woke up early in the morning for a run down to the park, Clarissa turned to the other side of her bed and cozily snuggled deeper into the soft and opulent mattress. Oh how she loved her bed.

When she entered the apartment, her sister was out and it was dark. Sidney must have gone to work and Mick, the five star Master Chef, was gone too. A pout appeared on her face as she practically crawled  her way to the bathroom and jumped into the bathtub for a nice hot bath to sooth her aching body. After that, she pulled her pale hair into a high pony and wore her pajama pants with a white vest before she went hunting for food.

Please let Mick remember to leave some food. Please! She sent a silent prayer and opened the microwave to find a yummy piece of lasagna and veggies.

"Thank you, Mick!" she jumped up and down then as she was about to sit and eat, she noticed the note stuck on their fridge.

Hey Clarie, food in the microwave. Sidney's sleeping over at my place today so don't wait up.

P.S. I made some chocolate pudding and it's in the fridge. Enjoy! See you on Saturday!

"I love you, Mick." she kissed the note and went on to eat.

It didn't disturb her so much that her sister was going to sleep over at a man's house. She was twenty four, she was old enough to take care of herself. Clarissa was only envious that Sidney would be well fed while she downed frozen dinners.

Does Nicholas know how to cook? She had no idea where that thought came from but it had her choking out broccoli and minced meat. Why couldn't she stop thinking about him? He was forbidden, bad news and all the red lights were on and the warning bells were ringing but Clarissa found herself more and more intrigued by him. Her mouth was suddenly dry and she poured herself a nice tall glass of water. What did he mean by that French verse he used on her? She remembered the exact words and that gave her an idea.

She quickly cleaned up her plate and loaded it into the dishwasher before she made her way to her room. She sat down for a moment then opened up her laptop and Google translated the sentence.

"A la proche enfoer." she typed and frowned when the Google Translate suggested a different sentence. Did you mean A la prochaine fois?

Clarissa clicked on the suggested sentence and waited. Her eyes bulged out as the meaning appeared; until next time. All this time she feared retaliation but all the bloody sentence meant was until next time? Clarissa smacked her forehead. "Stupid, stupid, art teacher. The fact that you even know Pierre Renoir and his works is a wonder! Ooh!" she collapsed on her bed and closed her eyes.

FRIDAY MORNING came with rain clouds and a cold breeze. Madeline was back since Wednesday and so Clarissa didn't have the opportunity to see Nicholas again after that. Sigh! It was good news for her because she wanted to forget ever meeting him. She was still very much heartbroken and wasn't looking for anything complicated...not that she ever thought of dating Nicholas.

Cough! Cough!

She wasn't looking for anything at that moment other than her career as both an art teacher and an artist. Her phone buzzed loudly from her handbag as she made her way from the parking lot towards the school entrance.

"Miss Langston?" A male voice came through.

"Yes? Who is this?" She frowned as she straightened her pale peach silk blouse over the V under her neck and just above her breasts.

"My name is Victor Huston. You had a portrait of my son painted for his memorial several weeks ago." The voice sounded sad.

Clarissa remembered him. He was a rich man in his seventies who had his son in the army based in Palestine. Unfortunately, the son's platoon truck struck a land-mine and everyone died on the spot. His daughter worked with Sidney and told her that his father wanted to do something entirely different from what a memorial should be. Sidney suggested that the father did a portrait painting instead of having an enlarged photo that could get distorted and immediately informed Clarissa about it. Clarissa gladly did it and was paid handsomely though most of the cash went to servicing her crappy car and buying more material for her artwork. "Of course I remember you, Mr. Huston. I was at the memorial."

"Well, Darren was my only son and I needed something that would keep his memory going. The portrait was the best piece of art I saw in a long time. Looking at it was as if he was alive and I was looking at my son again. I wanted to thank you for giving the opportunity to see him as how he would have been if he were still alive." Mr. Huston's voice shook with unshed tears and Clarissa felt tears sting at the back of her eyes too!

"I did my best to make that portrait as memorable for you as possible. You deserved it." Clarissa assured him.

"I guess you must have several works that you have done with the same quality. I'm a man who loves his artwork and I have been dealing with it for quite a long time and I can tell good artwork when I see it. Miss Langston, your work is outstanding!" The sadness was soon replaced by anticipation.

Clarissa stopped short of the entrance and grinned. "Thank you, sir. It really means a lot to me that you think that way. I have done a lot of work but I don't have a studio where I can display them and sell them. Usually I get orders from clients and work from there."

"I have an offer for you. I'm hosting an art showcase several weeks from now to auction off some old pieces I don't need anymore, why don't I showcase your work too?" He asked.

Clarissa gasped out loudly. "I—I don't know what to say."

"Say you will do it. Tell me the place where you are located and I'll come and see your work and choose some pieces for the showcase. I know even if I choose a few, by the time the auction is over, you will be in high demand."

Clarissa imagined Mr Huston coming into their apartment and looking through her work then cringed. "How about this, I'll make digital copies of my works and come meet you whenever you are free. I don't want to take up your time by having you drive all the way to my home." and see how normal and messy it is. She bit her tongue when the words wanted to escape.

"That is a good idea too. I'll have my driver come pick you up and bring you to my house on Sunday morning. I'll be traveling on Saturday."

That was when Clarissa remembered. "Oh no, I have a charity event this weekend. Can we do it Monday evening, maybe after five?"

Mr. Huston laughed lightly. "That will be fantastic. At least I will have company for dinner."

Clarissa's cheeks heated. "I'll see you then."

"We will talk about your share of the profit then too. Have a good day." He said then he hung up.

Clarissa grinned down at her cellphone and clasped it on her chest. This was the opportunity she had been waiting for, for such a long time and now she finally had it! It seemed that the day she met Nicholas, her luck had changed...and speak of the devil, as Clarissa's eyes looked around to make sure no one saw her in her moment of thrill, their eyes collided and she was frozen in place. Even after all the children had been taken away from the parking lot, Nicholas was still there leaning on the door of his Spyder and watching her intently. He looked dashing in his black jeans, a navy blue shirt with a collar ironed so sharply, it could cut through skin and a gray and white horizontally stripped cardigan. Clarissa's mouth ran dry. Now that she saw him, she understood just how much she missed him in the last two days. He pushed off his car and got in then without looking back at her, he drove off.

The friggin nerve! 

How could get her all hot and trembling and just drive off. Clarissa scratched off the last star she gave him. He didn't deserve anymore stars if this was the attitude he was going to give her.

She whipped her head around and headed inside with her chin up and her shoulders back. He wasn't going to dampen her day. Her work was going to be showcased at a very wealthy man's gallery. People were going to see it and were going to buy it. He could intimidate her as much as he liked but she was not going to whimper and hide behind her mother's skirt.

Hmmm!

"HEY, PAM!" Clarissa called from her room as she got ready for a night out with Pamela and her friends. Clarissa never had so many friends because she didn't have the time to see them. "Can you come and zip me up!"

"Keep your panties on! I'm coming!" Pam exclaimed.

Clarissa frowned when she heard the fridge door open then the clanging of glass and steel and finally the heels against the wooden floor. Pam entered Clarissa's room when a bowl of chocolate pudding and her eyes dreamy. That was her chocolate pudding. From Mick the chef! There was only so much a friend could borrow or share but Mick's chocolate pudding was not one of them.

"Pam!" Clarissa growled as she snatched the bowl from her and glowered. "This is my pudding."

Pam licked her fingers and grinned. "That is the most delicious pudding I have ever tasted. Damn! I can feel it all the way into my bones."

Clarissa licked at the spoon and pouted. "Mick made it. Sidney's so lucky she has a boyfriend who can cook so well."

Pam's eyebrow arched up. "You should give me this Mick's number."

"Forget it!" Clarissa rolled her eyes and laughed. "Besides, you have Anthony."

Pam grinned as if she remembered a private joke then said. "He will be joining us tonight."

"Pam!" Clarissa groaned. "I thought you said this was a girls' night out. If you bring your boyfriend and I'm become lonely spare wheel then what fun is that?"

Pam looked a little nervous for a moment. "About that...i sort of asked him if he came with his drop-dead gorgeous best friend Martin. You will love him, Clarie. I tell you, girl, he is funny, cute and a lawyer."

Clarissa's eyes widened in disbelief. "You are taking me to a blind-double date?"

Pam shrugged biting her lip. "It will be fun. I promise. If it doesn't work out with Martin then I'll try my best to stay out of your business."

"You think!" Clarissa snapped. "I'm not interested in men right now. I just want to concentrate on my boring little life with my boring little job. Is that too much to ask?"

"Whoa!" Pam raised up her hands. "First of all, this is not dating, it's just having fun with friends and secondly, don't give me that bullshit about not being interested in men when you keep on ogling Nicholas Renoir like he is today's special."

"I don't ogle!" Liar! A small voice hissed in her head and she swiped it down immediately. "And I haven't seen Nicholas for the past three days. He's in the past, Pam. Past!" Liar, liar, pants on fire. The little voice sang but she clobbered it down with her imaginary shoe. She knew she emphasized on the past word for her own benefit as if warning her body to behave whenever he showed up.

Pam crossed her hands and gave Clarissa the I'm-not-buying-that-bullshit face. "In that case, a simple dinner with me, Martin and Anthony will not hurt, will it?"

Clarissa felt a scream of hysteria itching to come out but instead she breathed in hard and released the air slowly then turned to Pam and shook her head in disbelief. "You always corner me, Pam...and sometimes I think you really enjoy it."

Pam grinned and did a little dance. "Thank you, Clarie! Now, turn around and let me zip you up."

CLARISSA AND Pamela stepped out of Pam's car and made their way to the entrance of the expensive looking restaurant. When they left the apartment, Clarissa felt a little overdressed in her lilac lace and chiffon dress that had a scooped neckline and reached just above her knees giving hint to the unblemished skin underneath. Her hair was piled up in a loose chignon while tendrils of blond locks framing her oval face. She wore a chain and pedant that settled cozily in between her breasts and a matching bracelet then finished off with a pair of silver stilettos that made her feel mighty tall! She put a touch of make up and she was ready but as she stood beside Pam, she felt overshadowed by the gorgeous model-like best friend she sometimes hated because she always got all the attention.

They made their way in and were warmly greeted at the counter. The pretty middle aged woman took them to their table where two men were seated sipping down some good vintage wine while waiting for them. When they noticed them, the men stood up and politely greeted them.

A chocolate brown, sexy and yummy man placed a kiss on Pam's lips and turned to Clarissa.

"Baby, I'd like you to meet my best friend, Clarissa Langston. She's an art teacher at Preston." Pam slipped her fingers onto Anthony's crook.

Anthony was a tall and elegant man not to mention very handsome. Pam really outdid herself this time. Clarissa felt a little insecure when she remembered Julian's visage. He wasn't bad to look at but he wasn't as handsome as these two men standing in front of her. When Anthony smiled, Clarissa swore her temperature flew to above normal.

"Nice to meet you, Clarissa. I have heard so much about you." he extended out his hand.

Good looking and a gentleman...two things that worked so well together. She mused as she accepted the hand. "I hope what you heard is all the good stuff."

Anthony laughed as Pam continued with the introductions. "This is my baby, Anthony Pattison and his friend Martin Strom. Both Anthony and Martin work at the DA's office."

Clarissa smiled politely at Martin as he took extended his hand to her. He had sandy hair and gray eyes and his smile was a killer! Maybe this wasn't such a bad idea. Clarissa thought to herself as they sat down.

Dinner was fantastic and like Pam said, Martin was a very funny man. Clarissa enjoyed both men's company and she knew she needed this. It was crazy how Martin always turned to her when he said something as if to gain her approval. It felt great to be the center of attention once again.

"This way, Mr. Renoir." Clarissa heard from a distance and turned to see which Renoir had come for dinner there.

Her face paled like the mushroom sauce oozed over her chicken when she noticed Nicholas walking purposely behind the pretty middle aged woman who took them to their seats. Nicholas had a pretty dark haired young woman behind him who had to do a bit of a jog to keep up.

Serves her right! Clarissa thought but she didn't know why she hated the woman. She was busy concentrating on Nicholas that she didn't calculate how many centimeters she needed to lift her wine glass off the table to clear the height of her plate of food. The bottom of the wine glass tucked itself under the plate and the glass tipped over giving Clarissa's food a new ingredient; Baked chicken breasts with mushroom sauce and dill siding with white rice and fried baby marrows swimming in a glass of Joie. 

Double Crap!

Nicholas' head turned their way at the disturbance and his eyes sparkled for a moment before his sexy full mouth turned into a thin line. He turned away as if he didn't know them and proceeded to his table.

"Oh, I'm such a klutz!" Clarissa took hold of her napkin and tried clean up the mess. "I'm sorry."

Martin quickly touched her hand to stop her as a waiter rushed over to take care of the situation. An ugly dark stain spread on her lap and Clarissa felt tears burn at the back of her eyes in humiliation. Clarissa felt hysteria inch in as she grabbed another napkin and tried to rub the stain on her dress away.

She looked up at Pam and everyone looked concerned for her. Clarissa tried to laugh at her own clumsiness but ended up choking back tears as she got up knocking the remaining folks and knives down catching more attention from the other customers.

"Will you excuse us?" Pam quickly got up and took Clarissa's hand then led her out of the commotion.

By the time Clarissa got to the ladies' room she was a teary mess. Her throat felt tight and she couldn't breathe. Pam got one of the clean hand towels rolled and stacked in neat pyramids on the side of the sinks and ran it over some cool water then dabbed Clarissa's forehead to try and calm her but Clarissa's couldn't control her body. This had never happened to her and did she didn't understand why seeing Nicholas there would cause her so much discomfort.

"Try to breathe, baby girl, breathe." Pam patted her back with one hand and held the wet towel on her forehead with the other but it wasn't helping.

Suddenly the bathroom door flew open and Nicholas' body filled up the entrance. His eyes narrowed down to Clarissa who was bent over a sink trying some breathing exercises. Pam gasped loudly and frowned at him.

"You shouldn't be in here." She retorted.

Nicholas ignored her as if she was talking to the door and got hold of Clarissa's shoulders. He forced her on a crouching position and mimicked it in front of her then began to rub her back with the ball of his palm just under his thumb.

"Go tell the waiter to give you a glass of whiskey." He instructed Pam.

"But--" Pam stopped and followed the instructions when Nicholas looked up at her with his dark eyes.

"Breathe in through your mouth." He directed.

Clarissa looked up at him with her teary eyes. "What's--happening?" she managed to pass through her bouts of tears.

"You are having an anxiety attack. Now, breathe." Nicholas explained it as simply as asking about the weather!

Clarissa breathed through her mouth. Nicholas' hand was warm on her back, making sure strokes up and down her backbone. "How do you know what to do?"

One side of his mouth quirked into a smile but the movements of his hand didn't stop. "My step-sister."

Clarissa envied the fondness that sparkled in Nicholas' eyes as he talked about his step-sister.

A new gold star for Nicholas Renoir shimmered in front of his name. His first-aid skills were not as rusty as her own. Though her chest felt as if it were on fire, she couldn't help but let the gratitude soak into her. He was able to come to her rescue even though he had a date.

"Why isn't that boyfriend of yours here with you?" He looked irritated.

"He's not my boyfriend." Clarissa muttered feeling the tightness around her chest fade away. "He's just a friend I met today."

Again, Nicholas' lips quirked. "You're on a blind date?"

"Something like that." A quake when through her body but she was able to get air in and out of her lungs without her throat closing up. "Your date will be worried, you should go."

"She can wait." The door swung open and Pam returned with a small glass of an amber liquid and a smartly dressed man who looked nervous. Behind him, Anthony, Martin and the dark haired woman followed.

"Clarie, the manager is worried about you." Pam's small voice came through.

Clarissa wanted the earth to open up and swallow her in. So many eyes were on her and it felt crowded. She hated crowded places.

"I'll be alright." she croaked. "Give me just one moment."

Pam nodded and handed the glass to Nicholas then turned around and walked out with the grizzly bunch.

"Drink." He placed the rim of the glass on her lips and tipped the glass slightly. "It will warm you up from the inside and relax you enough to breathe normally again."

Clarissa opened her mouth and let the fiery liquid run down her throat. Immediately the warm liquid spread its fiery tendrils to all parts of her body. She closed her eyes and took in a shaky breath. When she opened them, Nicholas' face was right in front of her, his lips just a breath away from hers. His minty cool breath washed over her and his eyes churned like the stormy seas.

"Nicholas--" she barely heard the whisper herself but his warm elegant finger stopped her.

"Shhh." He told her as his lips got closer to hers, slightly teasing her lower lip with the tip of his tongue...