Chapter 75

Actually I’ve Never Felt Like This …

I felt really relaxed after lunch. Beth had lifted my spirits. I strolled across the road and into the lobby not really worried about who would see me. I wasn’t going to run away anymore, I was a grown ass man … and I knew I couldn’t keep running. I had to face my problems no matter how embarrassed or sad I was about my current situations.

Victoria was at the desk and seemingly chirpy,
“Hey… I, um thought you might like to know that Ms Cromwell checked out,” Victoria smiled.
“Oh yeah. About that. Uh, I didn’t mean to sound all superior about being an owner when I asked her to leave. I was mad and I wanted her to go. I didn’t need to keep crossing paths with her. I mean if this is my work place I think we should be comfortable right?” I said almost egging her on to mention the ‘unmentionable love conversation’  from earlier today.

“I agree. She seemed a little bit cheeky and quite rude actually, so I’m glad she is gone. For your sake at least…” In a matter of days Victoria had become a different person. She was actually being incredibly nice.
“Well it’s not even that, people know I’m here. This could be good for the hotel. I might actually talk to these magazines myself about our new endeavour. If that is okay with you?”
“Sure. But what about that celebrity lady? Miss Becke?” Victoria asked.
“Look I don’t think that will change anything. If it’s in one magazine and there’s my name on it. She’s probably seen it. I don’t think I can hide from it…”
“Look I only ever read in papers about this woman, but is she actually dangerous?” she wondered.
“Yeah she is. I mean you saw Pammie when I first checked in right?” Victoria nodded, “Well yeah that was her. She drugged her, kidnapped her and beat the living day lights out of her for days. If I didn’t find her… Pammie would have probably died. Regardless of the argument before, I’m glad I found her. But she is no longer my responsibility…”

“Would Samara hurt you?” she asked. It seemed sweet for a minute that Victoria actually cared about my welfare. With every nice thing she said to me it gave me confidence to just be me. I knew I was a bit of a flirt and charming to some … but I hadn’t tried to be any of them things to her. I always had a guard up because Victoria was always quite serious, but I was beginning to see a softer side of her. And it intrigued me to want to see more of it.
“I don’t think so. She was unhealthily obsessed about me. Don’t know why. But if I offered any kind of affection or niceness she would usually match it. But yeah it might be an idea to hire a door man for security reasons until she is caught so we don’t have her show up.”
“That is a good idea if it makes us all a bit safer…”
“I’m not concerned too much about me. But I care about you. I mean I care about you and all the others here too….” I felt like slapping my own face. “You know what I mean…” I said laughing it off.
“Yeah, yeah I got it…” she said smiling back.

“Anyway. Uh. I arranged the kitchen guys for Monday. And I wanted to maybe have dinner and maybe discuss some ideas for some final designs if that’s okay?” Victoria looked at Daphne and Daphne glared at her and nodded before Victoria looked at me.
“Tonight ok? I mean the sooner the better. So the guys have a few days to get this all together…”
“I mean it’s mainly demolition Monday and then we can finalise the décor and floor plan for the dining with your 100% input.”
“That’s great I’m excited…” she smiled.
“I will bring my tablet along and show you some designs and some colours. I’m sure there is a great design there somewhere,” I replied.
“It’s a date…” Victoria said before her eyes widened. She immediately gulped down and fiddled with a curl on her neck. I raised my eyebrows at her in surprise, “You know what I mean. It’s like saying … let’s do it!” Victoria covered her forehead before she giggled.

“Okay so if it’s a date and were gonna do it… I’m definitely looking forward to it…” I said biting my tongue between my teeth holding back a laugh.
“Oh my god…” she said bursting out laughing. As her laugh erupted out, I snorted out mine in unison with hers. Victoria had laughed herself to tears where she had to hold my shoulder to laugh hard because she had a stitch. When she finally caught her breath she would start giggling every time she looked me in the eye.

“This isn’t awkward right? I mean you knew what I meant … didn’t you?”
“I get you. But I like you like this. Your smile is incredibly infectious. You should do it more.”
“I haven’t felt like this in years. I mean I haven’t laughed like this since… since. I don’t think I’ve ever laughed like this…” she said trying to recall a moment in time.
“Maybe it’s me…” I smirked. She smiled for a moment and then looked away. “Or maybe it’s just my big wads of money showering over Major hotels…” I continued.
“I knew you would be a jerk!” she said playfully smacking my arm and smiling at me…. “You got me, i have to admit that could be true too…” she said realising her hand had lingered on my arm.
“Okay uhm, well I’ll meet you here in the lobby at 7? I’ll make a reservation…” I said waving my hand and stepping back into the elevator. My confidence was back. The talk I had with Beth shifted my whole attitude in a different place and the minute Victoria changed her mind about me … I knew I could be me again. The happy me, the person I hadn’t been in months. She wasn’t the only one smiling. I couldn’t wipe the grin off of my face. It was branded there and even though my cheeks hurt, I pinched them only just to smile harder. When it was good like this, the way I felt about her bubbled up in my stomach and I felt like yelling it out from the rooftops.

I was in love with that woman, and I didn’t care that she knew. She knew it, I knew it … there was no point trying to side step it anymore.