chapter Eight
Bubbling
Talina
I walk off the stage in a daze. The backstage coordinator is talking to me, but I don’t hear a word. I’m still in shock. I feel like I’m floating in a dream.
A bidding war, for me. I can’t believe any of it. Three million dollars. I’m not even sure how to take what just happened. I mean, what does it mean?
“Here, take this, honey. You look a little pale,” the coordinator says, handing me a glass of Champagne.
I take the Champagne and down it without thinking. I place the glass on a nearby table and rub my temples. A tray passes with Hors d’oeuvres and I reach for a few. I know I should have asked what the little bites are that I’m shoveling into my mouth, but my brain is just not firing the way it should be.
“Hope I can come close to your numbers,” I handsome blonde says, with a wink, as he passes me by for the stage.
“Three million dollars,” I whisper like a nitwit.
“Yes, honey. You pulled in three million. Jack Knight didn’t look none too pleased either, I thought he was going to counter,” the coordinator says.
Her red glasses perch low on her nose, as she looks me over. She’s looking at me as if she’s trying to find out what’s so special about me, how I warranted such a high bid. She doesn’t know that I’m trying to figure the same thing out.
I snag two more Hors d’oeuvres as the tray passes again. I eat when I’m stressed. As much as I wanted Nelson to win, I now have so many questions and thoughts running through my head.
Why in the world did Nelson bid so much money for me? This is his charity. Maybe he won’t have to cough up the cash. Will he seriously take me on a date? Why was he so pissy about me being his date earlier, if he was going to turn around and bid three million dollars for me?
“There you are,” Detra sings, as she appears. “Nelson was concerned about you. Everything alright?”
“Yes,” I press out. “I think I’m just in shock.”
Detra pulls a face looking at me like I’m crazy. “Did you or did you not look in the mirror before you left the house?” Detra frowns at me. “I swear you two make no sense.”
“Huh,” I wrinkle my brows.
“Nothing, come on. He will shut this thing down if we don’t turn up soon,” Detra sighs.
“I haven’t completed getting all of Ms. Valentine’s information for the date,” the coordinator pouts.
“I got it, Andrea. Give it a rest,” Detra tosses over her shoulder.
Detra pulls me closer and leans into my ear. “That chick is weirder than glowing cat shit,” she whispers.
I cover my mouth, as a laugh bubbles up. I nudge Detra for making me laugh so suddenly. She just gives me a look and shrugs.
It hits me that I can get some answers from her. I stop, placing a hand on Detra’s arm. She pauses and gives me a quizzical look.
“Can I ask you something,” I whisper, looking around at all the other people moving about.
“Of course, is everything okay?” She replies with concern in her eyes.
I wring my hands before me. “Does Nelson usually place a bid so high?” I chew on my lip, after asking the question.
Detra gives me a mischievous smile. “He never bids. He writes a check at the end of the night,” she answers. “Although, those checks are never as high.”
“Sh…should, I bid for him. I know I won’t be able to outbid the others, but should I at least try? Do you think it would look bad, him being my boss and all?” I stammer.
Detra sighs. “He won’t be up for auction. Fucker had me pull him at the last damn minute,” Detra twists her lips.
I wrinkle my brows. “But he would have brought in so much money,” I say in confusion.
“You and I know that,” Detra shakes her head. “Listen, we better get back. We’ll get into the mind of Nelson some other time. I’m sure you will have loads of questions after London and your date.”
Her last words are said with a saucy hint to them and a smile that takes over her face. While amusing, I also feel like Detra isn’t saying something. I let that thought go, as out of nowhere, my stomach begins to cramp a little.
I let Detra take a few steps in front of me, before looking around to make sure the coast is clear. Seeing no one in the corridor, I squeeze out a little wind, praying it will remain a silent one.
Crap, what the hell did I eat. I place a finger under my nose and run from my own smell. Please don’t let that have been shrimp or any type of seafood, I pray in my head. My stomach has no tolerance for the stuff. Seafood runs right through me.
I wish I would’ve asked what those appetizers where. Oh, God, did I drink Champagne too? Note to self, get some water in your system.
~B~
Nelson
I wasn’t completely sure I made the right decision, not until the look Talina gave me when the bid was final. The way she looked at me through her lashes, made me reassess everything. I know that look.
It’s the look I get after fucking the shit out of one of my dates. It’s the look I get when the shock wears off and they want more. The moment they realize good looks doesn’t equate great sex.
The moment they begin to desire me as a man, not a potential shopping spree or payday. Only Talina has never had me between her legs to eat her soul out through her pussy. She has yet to learn that I’ll dick her down until she can’t breathe, but still can’t stop begging for more.
She knows none of that, but that look in her eyes read desire, a desire for me. I want to see her up close. I want to see that look in her eyes, when I’m looking down at her.
It’s why I sent Detra looking for Talina. I didn’t expect her to take so long coming from back stage. The nagging voices in the back of my head try to tell me, Talina is second guessing what just happened.
I shut those voices down, just like I had to do to climb my way out of the pit of a life I had as a kid. So much has changed. I can’t subscribe to the bullshit that used to be my past. I refuse to, which means from here moving forward I’ll be as aggressive about pursuing Talina, as I’ve been about everything else in my life.
“I found her,” Detra announces, as she and Talina return to the table.
I take notice that Talina lags behind a little. I feel my chest begin to pound. There’s a little frown on her face, her hands are clenching her stomach.
“Are you okay?” I lean to whisper in her ear, as I pull out her chair.
“Um, yes,” she replies, but her face says otherwise.
I reclaim my seat, after Talina takes hers. I try not to stare, as I see the discomfort on her face. Could I really have imagined it all?
I must have because she won’t even look at me now. I watch as sweat begins to dew on her forehead. Her hand goes up to cover her face, while she looks down into her lap.
The auction is still going on in the background, but I can’t pull my eyes from Talina. I should’ve kept my mouth shut. My mother was right. I will always be the fool for a pretty face.
“Is everything okay?” Detra leans over me to ask Talina.
“Yes, yes, I…I just. I’m not feeling too well,” Talina says, making a face.
“Would you like to go home? I can call the car around,” I offer.
“I don’t want to ruin the evening,” she says softly.
“If you are unwell, we can call it a night,” I say tightly.
I’m trying to hide my frustration and failing terribly. I clench and unclench my fists under the table. I can command a boardroom, know exact moment I’m going to close a deal, but I can’t read the one woman that matters most to me.
I should have never bid for Talina. I’ve just created an awkward situation for everyone. Look at her, she won’t even look at me.
“Oh, excuse me,” Talina says, standing quickly.
“Fuck,” I hiss under my breath, when she’s gone.
“Stop over thinking things,” Detra says next to me.
“She can’t stand to sit next to me. I shouldn’t have bid for her,” I mutter.
“Nelson, you have got to stop waiting for the other shoe to drop. You’ve learned over the years, nothing is as we perceive it to be. Just relax,” Detra huffs.
“Um,” I respond.
We sit through three more volunteers being auction off, and still there’s no sight of Talina. My stomach knots with each passing minute. I’ve berated myself a hundred times in the last fifteen minutes.
“That’s it, I’m going to find her,” I lean in to murmur in Detra’s ear.
“Nelson,” she calls my name, as I get up and move from the table.
I have no idea what I plan to say to Talina once I find her. I just know I’m not going to sit and let this continue. If she wants the date with Jack Knight, I’ll set them up.
~B~
Talina
This is so embarrassing. This has to be the worst night of my life. That had to be some type of seafood. I gobbled them down so fast, I don’t even remember what they taste like.
I wince as I cut wind and release another wave of shit. It hasn’t let up. Sweats pouring from my face, I have my dress balled up in my hands, and I’m sitting on a public toilet covered in doubled sheets of toilet paper.
I almost didn’t get the toilet covered in time. I’m just happy I made it into the bathroom in the first place. If I would have sat at that table a moment longer.
I groan, my stomach cramps and my butt seems to answer my groan. I call on all sorts of baby Jesus and angels to make this stop, but it doesn’t. I don’t know if it ever will.
“Ma’am are you okay in there,” I hear through the stall door.
Just my luck. There would be a bathroom attendant at an event like this. I can’t even shit in peace.
How did I go from feeling like a beautiful princess at the ball, to this? Oh, God, I’m on a date. Not officially, but I’m sure after this, Nelson won’t want that three-million-dollar date.
“I’m fine,” I moan.
“Okay, Miss,” I hear the attendant reply.
On second thought, I may need a little favor. My shoulders sag, as I think of what I’m about to do. My stomach seems like it’s going to finally allow me to move from this seat.
“Excuse me,” I call out softly.
“Yes, ma’am.”
“I’m going to ask you a favor. I will pay you five hundred dollars after,” I say and hold my breath for an answer.
“Okay, what can I do,” I hear, after a brief pause.
“I need you to make sure no one else comes into this bathroom. I need you to step outside the door and tell them it’s out of order,” I say, my brows raised in hopes she will agree.
“Um, okay,” she says, after a longer pause this time.
I close my eyes in relief. This is so fucking embarrassing, but there’s no way I’m leaving this bathroom without washing my ass. No way in hell.
I roll toilet paper around my hand and clean myself up as best I can. Reaching down, I pull my thong from around my ankles, balling it into my free hand. I stand and the toilet automatically flushes. Lifting my foot, I kick the toilet paper covering inside. I still have my gown bunched up around my waist. With my dress still in my grasp, I open the stall door and peek out.
I sigh, when I don’t see anyone inside the bathroom. I rush to the sink, where I noticed the attendant’s basket of fresh hand towels. I snatch one and do my best to juggle my dress and thong in one hand, and the towel in the other.
I hold the towel under the faucet, since it’s one of the hands free ones. However, nothing comes out. I huff and start to wave my hand under the sink. Panic fills me as the water still doesn’t run.
I lift the back of my hand to my forehead and inhale. Wrong move. I’ve lit this place up. Frustrated, I try to hold the towel under the water again. Finally, the water starts to run.
Once the towel is wet, I reach over to allow the soap to run onto the fabric. I go to town cleaning my behind. This soap is probably going to chafed my ass, but at this point it’s better than nothing.
Someday, I will look back on this mess and laugh at myself. Tonight, I just want to go home and cry. Once I’m clean enough for me and my mother’s standards, I slip on my thong and smooth out my dress as best I can.
I need to phone a friend. I would love to be beamed right out of this bathroom into my own home. I shake my head at that thought. I still need to get to my purse to pay the attendant that five hundred.
I toss the towel in the trash and wash my hands for good measure. I dab at my face with a fresh towel and discard it in the proper soiled linens basket. Looking in the mirror, I know this is as good as it’s going to get.
With my stomach still bubbling, I know I need to get out of here. I rush out of the door to find the attendant looking a bit frazzled. My cheeks heat with embarrassment.
“Thank you so much,” I say. “I need to go get my purse. I promise I’ll be right back.”
“What do you need your purse for?” I hear rumbled behind me. I close my eyes and want to crawl into myself.
What did I do to deserve this?
~B~
Nelson
At this point, I figured Talina was trying to cutout on me. Memories try to breakthrough my barrier, but I won’t let them. I will not stoop to feeling like that kid so many years ago.
“Here’s your purse,” Detra says from behind me.
“Oh, thank you,” Talina responds.
She looks nervous and as she should be, embarrassed. She was the one that offered to accompany me tonight. I can’t believe this is how the night has turned out. I had been optimistic, when I first saw her step out of her building in her gown. So much for that.
“I’m sorry, I’m having a bit of a feminine issue. I’m going to have to call it a night,” Talina says, clutching her purse to her chest.
“Detra will see you home,” I snap and spin on my heels.
I was wrong, she’s just like all the rest. Its better I know it now. I’ll never repeat the past.