TEN DAYS IN PARADISE

DREAMS BEDDED

" Did I make myself clear Evangeline?" Evangeline shot her head up to see the elderly woman who had just judged her book again . 

" yes Mrs Trunk I will make effective adjustment ." Evangeline responded quickly even though she had not been listening throughout to Mrs . Trunk's complaint about her book .

Stuck writing her first novel , being an editor and amateur photographer. This was just another heartbreak from Mrs .Trunk for her , for today she expected an acceptance at least but it was still the same response Mrs. Trunk gave every time and she did not bother to listen as she knew already.

"So until you  perfectly portray the feeling of unending and undying love in your two main characters Miss Rosewood , I am sorry I will have to keep rejecting your books . I am sure you are aware about our company high volume of book submission so I might have to tell you this , we will only give you just this last chance ." 

Those words fell on her shoulders like she was able to crumble , she took her steps backwards trying not to fall back . She held herself firmly trying not to fall . 

" Thank you Mrs. Trunk , I promise to do a better job ." 

Evangeline bowed before she stepped out since the old woman did not have anything to say to her anymore . Getting outside the small room , she saw her ex best friend Belinda Grant standing just outside the door .

" you were eavesdropping ." 

Evangeline knew how Belinda will do everything to let her down . Belinda has always been good as a writer unlike her . Belinda was currently one of the top selling New York writers worldwide , one of the best and richest . This has always been Belinda's dream since school days and she was very happy for her. Until they drifted apart for no reason according to Evangeline .

" you think I am jobless to want to pry into your boring life , you flatter yourself Eline ." Belinda laughed sarcastically as she stood akimbo . And the fact that she called Evangeline Eline was one reason she laughed so loudly too . She knew how Evangeline hated been called Eline .

" will you atleast excuse I have better things to do rather than wasting my time with you ." Evangeline said as she made her way to leave .

" wait I have something for you ." Belinda said as she brought out her new book from her bag " this is an invitation to my new book signing . I am sure you don't want to miss out honey ." 

Evangeline hesitated for a while before she took the book , she knew Belinda was not doing this genuinely and definitely up to something she could not predict . 

" Nice shoes Eline ." Belinda grinned before she knocked on Mrs.Trunk's door . 

Evangeline looked at her shoe , and it was then she realised her heels were pulling out and almost broken , she wasn't the dress up person like Belinda . Only that she had the nicer body . 

" Thank you ." She responded before Belinda went into Mrs. Trunk's office  .Frustrated with anger she threw her book against the wall angrily . She definitely needed to focus on her photography now more than anything . She will give up on the dream of writing and do other things too . Writing made her have less time to date nor enjoy good food she craved as she was always busy .

Tears fell from her eyes as she tried to move , it was sad because she wanted this dream more than Belinda , she put a lot of effort rather than Belinda or maybe she didn't she thought . 

As she took a step the heels finally went off , she picked the shoes up miserably as she began to work out of the company barefooted , she saw lot of eyes on her but she didn't mind , she was too sad to bother about a broken shoe or working without one right now .She took it off quickly without embarrassment .

Outside the company she saw a car packed outside and immediately she felt more embarrassed than she could imagine , for peter sake she wondered what her boyfriend was doing there at that moment . And then she remembered she had told him her book will definitely be accepted today and they needed to celebrate it .

She wanted to run away but she could not , she waited as Drake Westford came down from his car happily , she did not want to spoil his mood as he was so delighted to see her without the book thinking it has been accepted .

" congratulations honey ." he said as he hugged her tightly " let eat every good food you want to eat honey ." he said as he led her towards the car happily .

" But first you need a new shoe ."

She didn't want to ruin the moment so she forced herself to smile like she was very happy . She will tell him later when she could for she didn't want to ruin his mood either .

" I will eat everything nice today honey ." she responded quickly as she entered the car confused about Drake's intentions as he was more than unusually dressed.

They reached the restaurant after they had both branched at a shoe store to buy her a pair of shoe . He led the way inside, requesting a quiet table

“You’re going to love this place.”

They were shown to a candlelit table near the back, in a more secluded location.  He ordered Champagne. Again Evangeline became confused about Drake’s intentions. She told herself she was reading too much into it; although she was single and if he was too then they were doing nothing wrong. But though he was gorgeous and seemed to be a genuinely nice guy, she didn’t feel drawn to him when all she could feel was Daniel’s presence inside her. She and Drake had barely dated three month and if it was what she was thinking . It better should not happen as she was still in love with her ex Daniel .

Drake kept the conversation light, talking more about the different characters in his office, entertaining her with humorous anecdotes about them, funny stories about things that had happened in the office over the last couple of days, things that she needed to know  about his work according to him . Talk inevitably turned to work as they waited for their food. Perhaps he had picked up on her reticence to talk on a more personal level. 

"Are you enjoying it here?” he asked her.

“Yes, it’s a great team.”

“Daniel’s pretty demanding though, I bet?”

“He certainly is.” She was thankful it was dark; sure her face would have given away some truth as to exactly how demanding her boss had been with her earlier. And having dated her boss before was definitely a topic she never told Drake before .

“You know, apparently he had the same assistant before you for so long. I don’t know how she managed. She stayed here until here she retired.”

“Wow.”

“Yeah, I think she worked for his Father before him.”

“Ok. Did you know Daniel’s Father?”

“Oh, no, I think he died many years ago.”

“Oh, that’s a shame.”

“He built up an amazing Empire.”

“Yes. How long have you been here?”

“Daniel head-hunted me from Elias Holdings a couple of years ago.”

“Oh.”

“He made me an offer I couldn’t refuse. He’s very generous.”

“Really?”

“Yeah. He’s got a ruthless reputation in Business. That’s how he stays at the top. Suits me just fine.”

“I’m sure it does.”  

Drake was clearly a big fan of Daniel. The salary he was on would be massive, not to mention the bonuses which was what really boosted his pay packet. Though most trading was done on Wall Street, a few niche boutique hedge funds operated in D.C. where there were some incredibly wealthy clients. 

" you seem to know too much  about Daniel? ." 

" yes we are good friends ." 

Not long after their food came and they ate in silence for a while , Evangeline prayed silently that he doesn't do what she was expecting as she was not ready for marriage .

" so I ..." 

" I should leave now , let's talk tomorrow Drake ." Evangeline cuts him off sharply as she stood up with her bag 

" But you hardly touched your food ." Drake said as he stood up too 

" I am fine , I need to go home now . I will see you tomorrow Drake. " She raced outside the restaurant before he could say anything else .

Evangeline hopped into the first cab she saw quickly without hesitation for she was not ready to give Drake an explanation. 

" you have a shoot tomorrow morning ." Ash Beverly said quickly when she saw her friend walk in . 

" cancel it . I need a break right now ." Evangeline responded quickly as she sat down on the sofa beside Ash trying to hold back her tears .

" Did that old witch reject your book again ." Ash asked as she sat upright .

" she said my book still need to perfectly portray the feeling of unending and undying love in the two main characters." Tears flowed from her eyes as she told her story to Ash .

" Do you think she is lying ?." 

" you know I don't read but I am sure you did well." 

" I will take a break and focus on my photography for now . I don't think I want to write anymore ." Evangeline stretched her length on the sofa as she grieved silently.

" You can do this Evangeline I believe in you ." 

" I am sorry but I don't want to anymore .''

" I have an idea ." 

" what?"

" go on a vacation to an island or anywhere nice ."

" what has that gotten to do with me and my bad writing ?."

" I am sure you will find lovers there and meet new people talk to them about their love life and I am sure you might find love too ." 

" I have someone in my life !."

" really , we both know you are not in love with Drake . You are with him because ..." 

" it is fine Ash , I will think about it ." upset that she just remembered how she treated Drake that night made her feel so bad again , and just as Ash just said she didn't love him , all she had for him was using him pass time . Who she really wanted was her boss Daniel Hastings who was now dating her ex best friend after they broke up .

 " I am sorry Evangeline but I really want you to be happy ." Ash said quietly 

" Drake almost proposed to me today ." she said quickly " I am not sure , I only guessed though , I left before we could finish the dinner because I was not going to say yes and breaking his heart was the last thing I wanted to do right now ."

" ewww that must have shocked you ." 

" I was shocked ." she admitted quickly

" but I think he needs to know the truth honey ." Ash defended

" the truth about what?"

" you obviously don't love him Eva , you are just using him pass time and that is absolutely not fair ."

" please can we have this conversation tomorrow I need to rest and wake up very early for a shoot ." She stood up quickly as she walked up the stairs to her room.

She knew Ash was right about everything she said , all the men in her life was just to pass time over her breakup with Daniel.She really can not get over him and the last thing she wanted to do was to let go off Drake .He made her happy and she enjoyed his company.Telling him about her true feelings will break his heart , she knows she sounds greedy but she just can't .

" are you eating dinner?''

" no I ate with Drake already. "

She shouted back so Ash could hear her before she fell on her bed .