Chapter 23

Waiting For The Call

When Pammie didn’t call me later that night or the next day, I figured she was tied up with her husband or maybe she was upset by the moment we had in the board room a few days before. And being that it was Saturday I checked my phone consistently to make sure I hadn’t missed a call from her, and checked with Beth to make sure she didn’t contact her. I was sure that when I asked her the other day, that she was going to come.

I actually always liked Saturdays, not one meeting!

I had been keeping some information to myself about my proposal to take over a hotel in the next board meeting. In the past few days my financial advisor’s and I had been looking at three mid-class hotels nearby that were suffering financially and could be a good opportunity. I needed Beth to work on the weekend because I needed so much more information, so I ended up texting her asking whether she had found any events that could get me in the same room as some of my competitors.

Come 5pm my phone rang. I didn’t know the number, but I guessed it was Pammie.
“Hey Sean…”
“Cutting it close aren’t you love? Were supposed to meet in about an hour…”
“Yeah I’m sorry… I’ve just had a few full on days at work and I just haven’t been able to free up time,” she replied.
“Sure, I bet you you’ve tried on everything in your closet twice before giving up and going shopping before calling me…” The line went quiet, and I was being a little cheeky and didn’t expect to be right.

“I know Le Gavroche is a fancy restaurant. I …uh…” she said nervously.
“And your husband?” I asked.
“Uh. I told him I’m with a colleague for dinner. He is fine with it.”
“Okay well I’ll meet you there at 6pm… okay?” I finished.
“See you.”

Fuck I almost thought she wasn’t going to call.

I hit the button on my phone that would have Rose in my room as soon as possible while I ran the shower. I didn’t really have a huge amount of time since I hadn’t even stopped to get her flowers or anything. I was in the shower when I heard a knock on the bathroom door,
“Monsuier Sean. Are you alight?”
“Yes, yes Rose. I need you to lay out a black suit and tie and get someone from downstairs to run and errand for me and go to a florist to buy 12 long stem red roses…”
“Oui,oui Monsuier…” I got out the shower after 5 minutes and ran around my dressing room placing my watch on before Rose turned up again.
“Oh…” she gasped. She went to turn away but I stopped her before she left.
“Don’t be silly love, you have seen me in much less than this. I said before standing in front of the mirror blow drying my hair. She walked in cautiously and started to part my suits in the closet. Rose was as fragile as a flower and I loved to tease her. But she was always a friendly face when I needed a little bit of cheering up. I grabbed my suit from her a minute later and got ready briskly as she chose cufflinks and a tie.

“Do you have a special evening planned monsieur?”
“Actually… I don’t know what’s going to become of tonight.”
“Is she a special lady?” Rose said already knowing it was a date of sorts.
“She’s special, but she’s married. I just don’t know if it’s all worth the headache. I don’t want to tempt her to ruin her marriage… I mean she’s already lying to her husband about who she is going to be with tonight…” I said slinging the tie around my neck.
“No. It wouldn’t be right to confuse and have less trust in her marriage. Maybe your date is not a good idea Monsieur Sean…”
“I mean I had opportunities with her 6 years ago and I didn’t follow through with her. I don’t know why I’m trying again when I didn’t before…”
“Maybe you’re ready to really love someone. But this woman is not the right choice for you Monsieur Sean. She already has love with someone else…” Rose said looking at me seriously before waving herself out of my dressing room.

 Rose’s morals about love and marriage were obviously strong and maybe she was right on some levels. I had obsessed a little about Pammie before, and that’s why I had to explore the idea.

Could she be right about me not wanting to be lonely any more?