'Sophie, come and meet Garrett Walker' my dad took my hand and dragged me across the room. He'd been talking about this guy at his firm I should meet for weeks, and this benefit dinner was the perfect time for him to try and play match maker.
I tried not to act like a grumpy child being manhandled by their parent and confidently walked behind my father. We made our way over to a group of suited guys, all stood talking and swigging their respective drinks.
'Please god, let him be the tall one' I mentally begged, as the group turned our way. The three guys, all in their late thirties, early forties stopped their conversation and stood up a little straighter. I'd like to think that was because I had made an effort but it was more likely that their firm's founder and boss was heading their way.
'Gentlemen' my father greeted them 'I hope you're all having a pleasant evening, I'd like to introduce my daughter, Sophie' I smiled and tried not to blush as the men smiled my way. 'Sophie this is Harrison Butler...' I shook the hand of the short round guy who looked a little sweaty '...AJ Williams...' the oldest looking of the guys who smiled too much and had a limp handshake '... and Garrett Walker.' The taller of the three men, thank god, smiled and shook my hand. He was actually pretty damn hot close up. His short messy hair was greying but in a sliver fox kinda way, his blue eyes sparkled when he smiled and he looked (from what I could tell in a quick suit-covered glance) in pretty good shape.
'Ah, so you're the famous Walker I've heard so much about'
Garrett had been at my dad's New York firm for quite a while but had recently become a partner and was discussing with my father about a change to a political career. He was late thirties, single, never married but had had a few girlfriends that my dad had heard of. Dad was smitten and had been keen to see if we'd hit it off. The age gap didn't worry him, or me for that matter, and I had been a little lonely recently. I'd been working really hard for the last year on broadway and hadn't really had time to do anything other than hang out with the cast (who were mostly gay or married). So I didn't protest at the idea of being slightly set up. And now I was there, I was very pleased!
'So, I get the feeling that we are being set up' Garrett leaned in and said. We had chatted with the group for a while and had made our way alone to find another drink. The music was a little louder near the bar and we had to be close to be heard.
'Yup!' I smiled back. 'In fact my dad has been rather excited about getting us in the same room. I'm sorry if it's a bit awkward'
'God, no. Sorry I didn't mean it to sound like that. In fact, I'm very grateful. I'm not sure I would have had the balls to introduce myself to the bosses daughter otherwise' he smiled again and my stomach did a little flip. He took a sip of his drink, and leaned in closer, I could feel his breath on my neck 'especially when you're looking like that' he stood back up straight and left me slightly lost for words. 'Shall we find somewhere sit' he held out his hand and I did my best to gain my composure. He looked worried that he said something he shouldn't, I paused for a moment before taking his hand and watching his face relax as we walked back into the main hall and found a seat.
We found a table with some of the guys from Dad's firm and their dates, wives and partners. I didn't really take all that much notice of them. Garrett and I talked. We talked for the whole evening. Getting to know each other. We discussed our careers, homes, education. He'd told me how he'd had some serious girlfriends in the past but they'd never been able to share him with his job and hadn't lasted longer than a year or so, and that for the past year he'd been focused on making partner and then looking towards a political career. He'd been making headway in the Democratic Party in new York and was thinking of trying for congress. It sounded to me like he had a really clear goal. He became really excited about his plans and I was nice to see someone talk with such passion about a new future. I filled him in on my dating history. A few boyfriends when studying in the Uk but nothing serious since coming back to New York the last few years. But that I had a break in projects and was looking to do some writing and so I was a bit lonely. His face lit up with a cheeky grin as he made a joke about maybe being able to help out with my loneliness.
As the night went on, the drinks had been flowing - perhaps a little too freely. At these benefit dinners the best way to make money is to get people pissed. People bid more, pay more and become a whole lot more generous when they weren't going to remember much about it the next day.
Garrett had paid over the odds for a few raffle tickets and the seat prices alone were more than enough to feel like we didn't need to hang around for the auction.
'Fancy getting some air?' I asked as I leant in and placed my hand on his thigh to steady myself. He stared at my hand as if it was burning him, then grabbed it and practically dragged me out of the room and on the decking out side.