26
Emily
I woke up the following morning and couldn’t believe it was Friday already. With my new infatuation with Chad, I was losing track of time. I was getting my work done, but I was having a really difficult time concentrating. I had this nagging feeling that there was something going on that night, but for the life of me I couldn’t remember what it was. I got up and walked into the kitchen to look at the calendar I’d put on the refrigerator. Oh, crap. It was the BIC Benefit.
BIC referred to Believe in a Cure. My father and grandmother had started the foundation after she’d gone through treatment for breast cancer. The benefit raised a great deal of money for cancer patients and their families every year. BIC had helped countless families in and out of the New York City limits. My sister had even been working there for a few years.
I was supposed to be going with Martin that night. I doubted he had removed it from his calendar. I was sure he had figured out that I wouldn’t be going with him and that I wouldn’t want him there. He was pretty dense, however. He may still have thought we were going together since he left countless voicemails on my phone demanding me to return home where I belonged. God, that would be awkward if he showed up. I thought I’d better send him a message to reiterate that we wouldn’t be going together.
“There is no need for you to come tonight since we aren’t dating.”
A few minutes passed before I heard back from him.
“When are you going to stop this foolishness and come back here where you belong?” I thought he would have gotten the hint when I didn’t return the countless messages he left me.
Had he not read what I’d written? He was incorrigible…and frustrating.
“It’s over, Martin. I don’t want to be with you anymore.”
“It’s not over. I’ll meet you at the benefit tonight, and we will talk.”
Why wouldn’t he get the hint? I didn’t want to be with him anymore. What could I say to make him understand? Then I had an idea.
“I’m taking someone else with me. Don’t embarrass yourself by showing up.”
“Taking your sister does not constitute as a date. I’ll meet you there.”
“No, please don’t. I’m bringing another man.”
“Another man? Have you been cheating on me?”
“No, I haven’t been cheating on you. I’ve met someone since we broke up. That’s all.”
“Well, aren’t you just like your mother? One good man wasn’t enough for you.”
“It was unexpected. I have to go.”
“I can’t believe you’re doing this to us. It’s going to be the biggest mistake of your life.”
I didn’t respond to the last message. I couldn’t. I was too upset. He was delusional. He couldn’t get it through his thick skull that I wasn’t going back to him. Hopefully telling him I was going with another man would keep him away. Now I had to see if that other man would be willing to join me.
I was almost late getting to class, so I knew I’d have to wait until the class ended before I could talk to Chad. As the professor walked away from the podium, I turned to Chad. “I need to ask you something. Are you by chance free tonight?”
He smiled at me before answering. “Are you asking me on a date?” Oh, he was being cute.
“As a matter of fact, I am—”
“I accept.” He playfully interrupted me.
“You don’t even know what we’re doing,” I said sternly.
“I don’t care. As long as we do it together, I’m sure it will be fun.”
He was so pleasantly agreeable. “I need to be honest with you though. It’s a black-tie affair. It’s for a cancer foundation my dad and grandma started. There’s an open bar, dancing, and a lot of gourmet food. They raise a great deal of money every year. It’s actually the function where my father fell in love with his wife, Katharine.
“Anyway, I was supposed to go with Martin. I messaged him today to remind him it isn’t necessary for him to accompany me, since we broke up. He was still planning to come so he could talk to me. He thinks I’m going back to him. I never will. I’m sure of that. He wouldn’t concede to staying away until I told him I had a date. He assumed it was my sister. I told him it was a man. I was hoping you would be that man.”
Chad listened to me patiently while I blurted all of that out. I sat still, just waiting for a response. He rested his elbows on the table and put his chin in his hands. “So let me get this straight. I might get the chance to duke it out with ole Marty at a formal party dressed in a tuxedo? I am so in!” He beamed.
“Well, I hope he won’t show, but if he does, I would be proud to have you by my side defending my fragile and tainted honor, as he so rudely suggested.”
“Oh, you’re giving me ammunition. Believe me, I don’t need any. I hope he shows up. I’d love to show him what he lost.”
Chad stood up and grabbed his stuff. We were walking toward the door when he stopped me. “Hey, you know anywhere I can rent a tux? I can’t say I have one just lying around in my closet.”
I had no clue. “Let me ask my dad. He’ll probably know where you can get one. Let me give him a call.”
“I’ll meet up with you later. I have a meeting with my advisor in a few minutes. We can figure the specifics out after next class.” Chad sauntered away in the sexiest, most cavalier way. He wasn’t trying to do anything noteworthy but simply walk, but his muscular frame and confident demeanor exuded sex. I continued to watch him until he rounded a corner and was out of my sight. Man, I was getting more smitten by the minute.
I went and sat down on a bench so I could call my dad. He picked up on the first ring. “How is my aspiring attorney today?” he asked me.
“I’m actually doing great, Daddy. Listen, I have a question. I’m bringing a friend with me tonight to the benefit, and he needs to get a tux. Any suggestions where he can rent one?”
“So you aren’t bringing Martin?”
“Absolutely not. I even messaged him today reminding him that we weren’t dating anymore and that he shouldn’t come tonight. He still thinks I’m moving back in with him. He doesn’t believe it’s over. I hope he doesn’t show tonight.”
“So who’s the young man you’re bringing with you?”
I’d had a feeling he would ask me about Chad. “His name is Chad Baldwin. He’s another second-year law student from California. He’s a really nice guy. We actually went paintballing Tuesday night. It was such a blast. He doesn’t know many people in town yet, and I thought it would be nice to bring him with me.”
There were so many things running through my mind about him. He was the best kisser I had ever met. I never knew the simple act of kissing could stir up so many feelings in the rest of my body. He was the only person who had made me climax twice in a few minutes. Hell, I didn’t even know my body was capable of doing that. He was also the only person who ever made me climax by grinding our bodies together and sucking on my breasts. That was incredibly sexy. Most importantly, he made me feel beautiful and adored. I’d never felt like that before either. Yeah, he was something special. I’d keep all the sexual details to myself, however.
“I look forward to meeting this young man. You know, sweetheart, I have four or five old tuxedos hanging in my closet where you’re staying. Is he close to my size at all?” my father asked me.
“Actually, he’s probably about the same size. He is a little taller, though.”
“Why don’t you take him to the apartment and see if any of those tuxes fit him? There may even be a few shirts in the closet. I never brought everything to the new place. He’s more than welcome to borrow one of mine.”
“Thank you so much, Daddy. I’ll tell him. See you at seven.”
“Bye.”
I went to the next class one half hour early hoping to talk to Chad before class started. I got lucky, since he showed up about ten minutes later.
“Hi there,” he said as he sat down next to me.
“Hi back. Good news—my father has several tuxedos in a closet where I’m staying. He said you could borrow any one of them if they fit. I thought we could go there after class and check it out.”
Chad looked surprised, but grateful for my dad’s offer. “That’s great. Why don’t I swing home and grab my shaving kit and some shoes, and I’ll meet you there as soon as I can?”
“Sounds like a plan. I’m glad you’re coming with me. It’s a really special organization and it’s always a fun night.”