17
ALISTAIR
Okay, I think I have everything ready for my date with Eloise tonight. I hired an event coordinator to put the entire thing together. There are a million and one candles lighting up the room and vases of red roses scattered all around. My dining room table has a large floral centerpiece with candles, a fine linen tablecloth with a silver setting, and crystal glasses. I’ve hired a chef to prepare dinner for us tonight, and it’s all waiting in the ovens ready to go. I didn’t want anyone around when Eloise arrived, I wanted the two of us to be alone together.
There’s light jazz playing through the speakers, and the lights are dimmed to the perfect balance for romance. I’m pulling out all the stops for her tonight as I want her to know that I like hera lotand that I want to maybe try to see where this spark between us goes.
I nervously walk around my apartment, watching the clock counting down the minutes until she arrives. I’ve forced myself to not be a stalker and message her every two seconds to double-check she’s still coming.
I continue to walk around and check to see if all the candles are still lit. Then I touch the roses because I’m fidgety with anticipation while I wait. I stalk back across my living room floor and stare out the windows that look over Hyde Park. It’s a cold and miserable night, which isn’t surprising for London. So I stand and stare at the droplets of water that are running down the glass.
Maybe I need to light a fire?
Why the hell did I not think of that earlier? It’s romantic.
As I rush over to my fireplace and press the button on the fancy thing, it instantly springs to life with a swoosh that ignites the fire, warmth instantly radiating out.
I check my watch—it’s past eight, so she should be here soon. I pace around my apartment again, wearing a path into my floorboards while watching the clock. I need to do something productive, so I head into the kitchen and plate up the starter. My eyes keep flicking to the clock in the living room as I watch the minutes tick by. I place the first course down at each of our places and walk back into the kitchen to double-check the champagne is chilled. I won’t pop it yet as I’m not sure what she feels like.
It’s now a quarter past, and she’s still not here.
She is probably stuck in traffic, so I check my phone, but as I look down at the screen, it’s empty. I’ll wait a little longer, I’m sure she’s not far.
I make another lap of the living room.
It’s twenty past. Should I message her?
Yeah, I should.
I need to know she is all right.
Reaching out, I grab my phone and send her a quick text message, and it doesn’t go through. A message pops up telling me I’m unable to contact this person. My heart leaps from my chest.
Has something happened?
Has she had a car accident on the way here?
Damn, I should have picked her up.
I call her number to see if it’s just messages not going through but nothing. I’ll try her socials that might indicate where she is, or perhaps I can contact her roommate to see what’s going on. I type in her handle, and nothing comes up.
Huh? I don’t understand what’s happening?
What the hell is going on?
I pick up my phone and call Jasper.
“Hey, man, why the hell are you calling me? Shouldn’t you be on your date?” he asks.
Seeing as Jasper is the one who busted Eloise and me months ago, he’s the only one I can talk to about her.
“She hasn’t shown up, and I can’t get through to her on the phone. And all her social media has disappeared,” I explain to him.
“That’s fucking strange,” he states.
“It is, isn’t it? Something’s happened to her, I can feel it in my bones.”
“What’s her handle?” he asks.