Sheila was sad to leave the club, she was having such a good time but Kyle and Wes said they had one more surprise in store and they didn't want her to miss out. She gave Monte a kiss on the cheek before she left assuring him she would be in touch and he looked positively thrilled.
Back in the limo, Sheila let out a sigh of contentment. It had been quite some time she realized since she had this much fun. She centered her life around work and competing and she really had forgotten what fun for the sake of fun felt like.
"Everything okay?" Wes said misinterpreting her sigh.
"Couldn't be more wonderful," Sheila said. "Thank you both for doing all this for me. You have no idea what an uplift it's been to my spirits."
"Well, you deserve it and so much more," Kyle said smiling at her.
"So where to next," she asked the excitement of another new adventure taking hold once more.
"Got a reservation at La Lanterna di Vittorio," Wes said, "That's why all the hurry. I don't want to be late." Wes had a secret ulterior motive as well but he was keeping that to himself.
Cozy. La Lanterna di Vittorio sat across the street from Washington Square Park, a little European village quite out of place in such a bustling part of the city. As they entered Wes grabbed hold of Kyle's hand and they stopped walking.
"I just forgot," Wes told them, "I left a present for you in the limo. I may need some help," he said to Kyle. Kyle felt confused but knew Wes well enough not to contradict him and played along staying by Wes' side. "Yes, we will be right back," Kyle said and Wes smiled at him gratefully and his heart fluttered.
"Just give them my name Lil' sis and well be back lickety-split. You won't even have a chance to miss us. I promise," Wes told her as he started dragging Kyle back towards the door.
"Oh...Okay?" Sheila stuttered, thinking it all rather odd. What were those two up to? she wondered.
She did as instructed and the hostess smiled and said, "Follow me." She leads Sheila up a flight of stairs to another level of the restaurant. Heading towards a cozy table for two tucked away near a fireplace. She set the menus down.
"I'm sorry," Sheila said, "there must be a mistake the reservation should have been for three."
The hostess smiled before saying, "I see. Well have yourself a seat and I will see what I can do."
Sheila nodded and sat down wondering how long they would have to wait for a table that would accommodate the three of them.
This place was beautiful, its romantic ambiance was not lost on Sheila but without the company of her friends, she began to feel a little melancholy.
"May I join you?"
Sheila's breath caught in her throat and her heart nearly leaped from her chest. The only word that could escape was, "Christian."
Christian smiled at her. She looked pleased to see him and that made his heart take flight, and gave him back the hope he thought lost.
"May I?" he asked again looking at the empty seat.
Sheila felt torn. She did want him to sit with her but she was waiting for Wes and Kyle and she knew Wes and Christian did not get along. "Ah..." she looked behind him for someone to come to her rescue but no one came.
The hope Christian started feeling began to falter.
"I guess it would be alright?" Sheila said waving for him to take the chair.
Christian exhaled. "You look amazing!" he said as he sat across from her and Sheila shied under his gaze. In the candlelight on the table, she positively glowed.
Sheila could not believe he was here. There was so much she wanted to say, but now faced with him sitting across from her looking so devilishly handsome she did not know where to begin.
"I've missed you, Shelly," Christian said taking her hand in his.
Sheila looked nervously behind him to the stairs.
"He's not coming," Christian said, knowing she was waiting for Wes to reappear and the thought still managed to get under his skin even though he totally owed him for making this possible. He could hardly believe the text he had gotten from him that said, "Sheila wants to see you. She will be at La Lanterna di Vittorio by 9 pm. Be there! – Wes. He found out from his assistant Crystal when he dropped off the divorce papers who Wes was and that he had tracked him down through his website and she gave him his cell number.
"What do you mean he's not coming? They just left a moment ago to get something from the limo?"
"Wait, they?" Christian asked there was someone else. Please let it be a woman?
"Kyle?" she said wondering what was going on.
Damn another guy. "Who's Kyle?" Please don't let this be a kiss-off date.
"Kyle is Wes' partner," Sheila said the words and then quickly covered her mouth. She could not believe she just outted Wes to Christian. There are so few people who knew Wes was gay, a very elite inner circle and she just broke it wide open. What was she thinking?
Christian laughed when the truth sunk in. "Wes is gay? I don't know whether to be relieved or mortified?"
Sheila did not see the humor in the situation. "He's not just gay. He's my very best friend and an MMA fighter. So, you can relax. Your pride is intact."
He made her angry, whoever this guy was he had her love and devotion, something he envied greatly. "I'm sorry," Christian said, "it was Wes that arranged our meeting. I had thought it was because you wanted to see me but it would seem Wes, your best friend, is trying to play matchmaker. I'll go if you like?"
The last thing he had wanted to do was spring himself on Sheila, he had come thinking it was her idea but obviously that was not the case. As he made a move to leave, Sheila grabbed his hand, "Don't go."
"I did want to see you. I went to your hotel today but they told me you had left for a few days?"
"You wanted to see me?" Christian asked finding it hard to believe.
"Yes, I had gotten a visit from James today."
Oh, Lord. He didn't get a call from James. He had wondered how things went. Obviously, they went well or she wouldn't be here.
"About that," Christian said, "he lied."
"What?" Sheila said shocked, and the waiter chose this moment to show up.
"Can I get you..."
"NO!" They said in unison.
"Alright then, how about I just come back in a little while," the waiter said backing away from the table as quick as he possibly could without seeming rude.
"You're not separated from your wife?" Sheila said leaning back crossing her arms over her chest.
"Oh, that! No, that's true. In fact, that's why I came back to New York. She finally signed the papers," Christian said. "I meant the part about James being in love with you."
"Oh no, no, no, no," Sheila said. "This is bad. This is REALLY bad."
Christian was thoroughly confused by Sheila's strange reaction. He had thought she would have been at least a little bit happy to know he got the papers signed. Instead, she appears to be more upset about James not loving her. Great the brilliant plan backfired and now she's in love with James.
Sheila stood up grabbed her clutch purse and said, "Well, are you coming?"
"Where are we going?" Christian asked as Sheila took his hand. She began weaving them through the tables at a rather rapid rate.
"Tell me you have your car?" Sheila asked bounding down the steps at a rather impressive rate of speed for the heels she was wearing.
"I'm parked a few blocks away."
"Perfect!" she said and when spotting the hostess Sheila apologized, "We won't need that table. Thanks!" And she pulled Christian out the door with her.
"You care to explain yourself. I feel like I've fallen behind and missed something here."
Sheila did a quick scan but the limo was gone. She pulled out her phone and sent a quick text.
...Wes won't need a ride home. Thanks for the present. Catch up with you later. <3 xoxox
She threw the phone back into her bag and said, "Which way to your car?"
Christian pointed to the left. She took off in that direction, only to stop briefly to look back at him slightly annoyed, waving for him to keep up.
He did in about two strides and had to admit as they got to the next block Sheila was in really good shape as she wasn't even winded. He, on the other hand, was beginning to get a stitch in his side. She was a woman on a mission. He just wished he knew what that mission was.
He paid for his parking and she tapped her foot the entire time and then drug him into the elevator. It would have been awesome if her impatience was due to wanting them to be alone together but he knew that was not the case.
"Explain, now please?" he said as he hit the button for the 4th floor.
"In the car," Sheila retorted. "Right now I need to do this."
She closed the few inches left between them and captured his lips with her own. Sheila greedily kissed his lips, mingling her tongue with his, feeling the erratic beat of his heart beneath her fingertips as her hands rested on his chest.
Christian crushed her to him, grabbing hold of her and never wanting to let go. He was far beyond teasing and enticing her. His need for her was real and he planned on letting her know just how real. If he were playing the fool again, he didn't care. He was a man traveling through a wasteland and had stumbled upon an oasis.
The elevators opened and Sheila broke free. She took his hand in her's and the race it would seem was back on. Only this time she said, "Come on! We have a wedding to save."