Cold Feet

Chapter 29

VIOLA

I am angry. So angry. Angry with Rick, with myself, and with the whole damn world. Why does life have to be so complicated? I think I’m angriest with Rick. If I hadn’t met him at the club I would still have been there or maybe found some other nice guy by now and be jumping his bones right now.

What a waste.

Amber sends me a message. Everything okay? Did you get lucky?

I answer, No. Don’t want to talk about it either.

She calls me anyway. I answer because I need to talk to someone anyway. I tell her the whole story and I can tell she’s genuinely sorry for me.

“At least he was honest enough to tell you,” Amber says. “Who knows where it would have led if he didn’t tell you and you developed feelings for him?”

“You’re right. Besides, it is partly my fault,” I admit.

When I end the call I feel better. I’m glad he told me and didn’t lie and lead me on. I was ready to be intimate with him and who knows what would have happened after that? Can you really say it would just have been a one night stand, I ask myself?

Well, if he’s in a relationship with someone else now then maybe he has changed for the better. Maybe there is a chance to be with him now.

My inner voice starts up. Get real. He’s with someone else. Duh. I sigh. I know it’s true. He’s not with me and he might never be. Maybe the universe is just trying to tell me something. Sometimes we find

that one person we’re attracted to but for whatever reason, it’s never the right time. It seems to me that he is shaping up to be that person. Maybe I should just stay away, I tell myself.

Despite that last thought when I get into bed I finally give in to my desire and as I resort to the DIY version of taking care of my sexual needs, I close my eyes and fantasize about the unspeakable things I want him to do to me.

The weeks pass quickly. I don’t hear from Rick again and I don’t contact him either. I think of him again and again though. I keep myself busy with work and before I know it, I’m standing at the launch of the business Lara asked me to head up. The launch is held in a ball room at the Four Seasons in Beverly Hills. Celebrities have been invited, particularly some celebrity couples who made the decision to elope as opposed to having a big wedding. Two of them give testament to the fact that eloping doesn’t mean cheap and doing it because people don’t approve. The media have been invited and as soon as my presentation is finished, they begin to ask questions. I quickly realize that Dana Rothschild is present.

“Do you enjoy skirting the edges of the norm?” she asks when I give her the opportunity to ask a question.

I shake my head, “I’m sorry I don’t understand the question.”

“Well, a few months back you were practically run out of town after people discovered you used a wedding whisperer to coax them into going ahead with their marriage when they had doubts about doing so. Yet, here you are now offering a service that encourages couples to run away against their parent’s wishes and get married.”

“That is not the case at all,” I reply. “We only provide a service to people that are eighteen or older. All our clients are old enough to make their own decisions legally and mentally.”

“Viola is it?” Dana says sarcastically. “Can you honestly say anyone is old enough to make a life decision, especially a decision to runaway and get married at the age of eighteen?”

“It is not my place to judge,” I reply.

“As long as they can fork out the money, you’ll arrange it for anyone then. Is that right?”

I know Dana is trying to push me into an argument. I just don’t know why. I get a feeling and I wonder if I’m right. My feeling tells me she’s been sent by someone.

“Miss Rothschild, I do apologize. Perhaps we can speak more a bit later. I see there are others with questions as well and our time is limited,” I say. Before she can answer, I move on and answer the other guests questions ignoring her altogether.

When I have answered everyone else’s questions I close the session and ask everyone to stay and socialize if they wish and tell them that I’m available to answer any further questions they may have.

Dana Rothschild is first in line.

“What if a couple’s parents are against the marriage?” she asks.

“It’s still their decision as long as they’re old enough to make it.”

“Well, what if they steal their parents cash or credit card to pay you? That would be theft correct? And you accepting the card would make you an accomplice.”

“We have protocols in place,” Miss Rothschild. “I do not need to explain those protocols to you. We are satisfied with the measures we take to ensure that every experience is genuine in every way.”

“Do you not think you are making a joke of the institution of marriage? People who think they are in love but who are just a little bit too drunk to know the difference, people in lust, or people who want to run away and get married spontaneously because it sounds like the in thing to do are all going to come knocking. Not to mention if they discover they’re pregnant and need a shotgun wedding?”

“That’s not it at all…”

“Did you add shotgun weddings to the brochure?” Dana interrupts me.

“We have done our research and we are quite comfortable with the service we are offering. We do have values and we stick to them. There will be people who will see things as you do. No-one can please everyone all of the time and trying to is the most successful recipe for failure. Now if you’ll excuse me, I have guests to attend to.”

I push past Dana and make a point of greeting guests as far away from her as possible. I am fuming but I know that if I lose my patience here it will be the wrong thing to do. The more I speak to guests the calmer I get. When I look for Dana a while later, she is gone.

“You really handled that bitch well,” Lara says after the last guest leaves.

“What? Her?” I ask thinking Lara is talking about the guest.

“No,” Lara laughs. “Dana Rothschild.”

“Oh,” I shake my head. “What a nightmare. She really has it in for me.”

“It sure looks that way. Just be strong,” Lara says putting her hand on my shoulder as she smiles at me.

“I will. Thanks,” I reply and smile back. “Thank you so much for everything tonight.”

“Hey, we’re in this together,” Lara says.

“Thank you,” I say again.

Word about the business spreads quickly. Soon we are doing a lot of business and couples who want to elope aren’t the only ones. We get calls from husbands or wives who think our service is perfect for a romantic anniversary getaway. We begin to advertise it as a service and soon we are busier than we ever imagined. We have couples that want to renew their wedding vows using our service and then we even have couples who divorced and want to be remarried.

The business does so well that soon we’re starting to take international reservations. People from other countries who want to elope and get married in America.

The demand starts in South America and quickly gathers momentum. I never knew there were so many wealthy people in South America. Demand comes from Colombia, Venezuela, Bolivia, Peru and Mexico and other places. Contentt bel0ngs to N0ve/lDrâ/ma.O(r)g!

I cannot believe how blessed we are. We quickly establish marketing efforts in South and Central America as well as develop a network of charter companies. It’s amazing how easily everything falls into place. It’s almost too easy…