Captivation

Captivation Part 42

It was at that stage that Nigel reached the two women. "Here you go." Nigel handed Caitlin a drink. "Sorry I took so long, got side tracked. So, how have you been?" He asked Caitlin as he handed Candy another glass of wine.

"Fine. And clearly from the looks of the two of you, life is pretty special." Caitlin teased and raised her glass, "Congratulations, again!" She took a sip of her drink.

Candy threaded her arm through Nigel's arm. "Thank you. And, yes, life is pretty special! Yes." She smiled openly and warmly as she looked up at her prospective husband.

"I'm really pleased for both of you." Caitlin watched Candy and Nigel share a secret smile and was completely unprepared for Nigel's question.

"So, you and Jared what's going on there?" Nigel asked Caitlin as he drew Candy closer to his side. It was amazing how much of a difference it made to one's confidence when you had a woman beside you who really cared about you. With Candy beside him he felt he could tackle anything.

Caitlin shrugged and tried to look more interested in the people at the party as she said, "The guy can't stand me, I.."

"You are so off the mark." Candy corrected and frowned.

"Candy is right." Nigel added quietly. Then deciding that he might as well give his opinion he said equally quietly, "If you want my opinion, I think Jared likes you."

Caitlin shook her head, "You two are incorrigible. Just because cupid has hit you both squarely on the butt, does not mean the rest of us get to be so lucky!" She smiled even as she went on to remonstrate, "If I hadn't forgiven you for that stunt you pulled with the cinema tickets I'd still be mad at you."

Nigel went pink but he defended their actions by saying, "We didn't want to go with you. I needed an excuse to get Candy on her own, so ..."

Caitlin had heard the excuses and given the latest turn of events, she couldn't find it in her heart to be mean. "Yeah, ok." That evening was one she had gone over and over. The fact she and Jared had talked and argued and been honest suggested that the link between them was strong. The trouble was that was now a couple of weeks ago and Caitlin wondered whether what they'd established that night was built on firm foundations.

"So, are you going to cut him some slack?" Candy asked. "I know you like him."

"What do you want me to do?" Came Caitlin's droll response as she glanced over toward Jared and spotted him in the midst of a group of animated people. He was never short of company. But that was to be expected. Women were attracted to him, men wanted to be him.

"Ask him to dance would be a start." Candy proposed and tried to make it sound like a perfectly normal thing to do. Candy knew it would take guts to go up to Jared and ask him to dance.

"Oh, yeah, right." Caitlin snorted. "Like I'm going to do that!"

"Go on." Candy encouraged despite knowing she did not have the nerve to saunter up to a man and ask him to dance!

"And what if he says no?"

"Then you don't dance." Nigel grinned as he stated the obvious.

"I'm not making an idiot of myself again. I think I ..."

"Just ask him." Candy suggested firmly.

"Fine. I'll ask him later." Which was an out and out lie. The minute she left Candy and Nigel she was going to put their suggestion behind her. She was savvy enough to know that asking Jared to dance would take a lot of nerve.

"Now." Candy insisted seeing the cogs turn in Caitlin's head.

"Later."

Candy shook her head. "Coward. You'll slink off and then pretend we've never had this conversation." Candy commented.