After that, I avoided her at all costs. We still had some of the same friends, so if I knew she was going to be at a particular social event, I’d make up some excuse not to go. Most of our friends knew it and respectfully didn't invite us both to the same events. A few of them made a point of doing the opposite and intentionally trying to bring us together in attempt to mend old wounds. It seemed Vick had become one of those.
Gwyneth seemed to be reading my mind as we swayed out on the dance floor in time to the music. In an almost apologetic voice, she smiled and said, "Vick means well. Let's just give him this one dance to show that we tried, and then we can go back to avoiding each other."
"I'm not avoiding you," I objected just a little too quickly, making Gwyneth smile.
"Actually, I was talking about me; but now you have me wondering if I'm not the only one."
"You're saying you've been avoiding me?" I was genuinely surprised. Gwyneth had the kind of power, sophistication, and charisma that she didn't have to avoid anyone. She commanded any room and it was up to others to clear in her wake. I couldn't believe it was possible that she might have felt intimidated by me.
"Didn't you wonder why I didn't go to Krista and Jeremy's wedding, or to Vick's house warming party?" she asked with large eyes.
"No because I didn't go to either of those because I thought you'd be there," I said, and we both laughed with chagrin. It felt good to genuinely express an emotion of joy with her, and all the unease between us was dissipated in that moment. The band started playing a slower ballad. I pulled her into my arms with a grand twirl, and we danced cheek to cheek, smiling as we spun around the dance floor wrapped in each other's arms.
"Well, I'm glad Vick tricked me to coming here tonight," she giggled as the song came to an end and a faster tune filled the air. "He told me we were going to an art exhibition. I nearly punched him when the limo pulled up in front of this hotel, but by then I couldn't refuse to get out the car, so I had to come in."
"Well, I'm glad you did. I'm sorry I've been avoiding you, and I'm really sorry for everything that happened back when..."
I didn't need to finish the sentence. Gwyneth put her finger to my lips in a shushing gesture and smiled softly. "I know. I'm sorry, too."
"Well, let's go thank Vick for our resolution of conflict." I led her from the dance floor to find my oldest friend standing by the bar. I slapped him on the back in a hearty hug and the three of us toasted to the good old days and times past.
"I knew that if I could just get the two of you in same room for more than five minutes that you'd work out your differences," Vick said.
"Yeah, but don't think that just because Gwyneth and I have made up with each other that we're both not still mad at you about it," I said, holding up a fist in mock anger.
He passed us both a champagne glass from the bar and held his up in a toast. "To old friends."
"To old friends," I parroted as we clinked glasses, but as I brought mine to my lips I stopped just short of taking a sip of the sparkling white wine within. Staring at me from across the room was the one woman I'd been searching for all evening: Kayla.
She looked radiant in the mermaid-cut evening gown made all in white with delicate crystal beads shimmering all over. It made her look like an angel just descended from heaven. Her long, blonde hair was swept up in a pile of curls on top of her head, with just a few, soft tendrils left loose to frame her beautiful face. Her make-up was subtle, with just a hint of pink gloss to highlight her kissable lips and a swish of mascara to darken her lashes. She didn't need anything more. She looked absolutely stunning, but she also looked upset.
There was an almost imperceptible crease in her brow that told me she was withholding negative emotions and the smile on her lips was only on the surface and didn't shine through to her eyes. I knew her well enough to see the truth behind the facade.
What was wrong? Had she seen me dancing with Gwyneth? Did she think I had betrayed her as my date? I wanted to run to her, to pull her into my arms and tell her she was the only girl for me, but the very thought had me frozen in place, helpless to move as Vick continued to tell his tale and Gwyneth laughed all around me.
"Who is that, darling?" Gwyneth suddenly asked me, using the old familiar pet name from when we were kids.
"Who?" I was startled from my thoughts and stammering over my own tongue.
"That girl you can't keep your eyes off of. Is she my replacement?" she teased, but her taunt had hit too close to the mark.
It broke the spell I'd been cast under and I was once again able to move and speak. I saw Kayla start to turn away, and I knew that in a moment, she'd slip back out the door and I would lose her. I had to act quickly, so I threw up my arm and called out to her jovially. "Kayla, there you are. Come here, I want to introduce you to everybody."
She strolled across the floor with gently swaying hips, the perfect blend of graceful and sultry. When she got to me, I pulled her into my arms.
"I've been waiting for you, but the way you look is well worth it," I said and she blushed under the compliment. "These are my friends from college: Victor Bruckheimer and Gwyneth Manzranni. This is..."
I was about to introduce Kayla by name when she abruptly cut me off. Holding out her palm to shake hands with Gwyneth, she said clearly, "I'm his girlfriend, Kayla Brandt."
Gwyneth’s eyes grew wide as she shook hands with Kayla, and then she turned to me with a mischievous wink and said, "So, she is my replacement."
I was caught completely off guard. It was obvious Kayla had seen me dancing with Gwyneth and wanted to establish that we were a couple to drive away the competition. I didn't know what to do or say.
In reality, this was my first date with Kayla. The afternoon under the oak tree had been part of work and the night together after the cover shoot couldn't quite be counted as a date, either. This party was the first time I had asked her out and we'd gone on a planned activity together. Did that make her my girlfriend? If not, and I called her on it in front of Gwyneth, Kayla would be humiliated. Not to mention, Gwyneth had made the situation so much worse by making it clear to Kayla that she was a former girlfriend of mine.
I was faced with two deadly choices: agree with Kayla and be trapped in the role of boyfriend for the first time in twenty-five years, or denounce her and lose the chance to ever get to spend time with her again. As much as I hated being bound in a romantic relationship, the alternative was too horrible to fathom. So, with a huge grin on my face, I put my arm around Kayla's petite waist, stared into her crystal blue eyes, and said, "Yes, she is."
Chapter Seventeen: Kayla