Winning Her Heart

I shudder at the thought. I don't want some creep all over me. No, it's better if I stick to hosting. I tell myself it's safer, and I'll still make good money that way. Deep down I know the real reason is because nothing will be the same as it was with Gabriel.

Trying to push him from my head, I think about the plans that my grandmother and I talked about. If I were to participate in the auction I would have enough to carry out those plans, but my heart won't let me. I know I have already made my final decision. Try as I might, I just can't get my mind off Gabriel.

In just one night, somehow he left an indelible emotional mark in my heart.

Chapter 13 - Gabriel

It's late evening when I find a parking spot on the crowded street. The sun has barely gone down. I check my hair in the rearview mirror before turning off the engine. Dressed in my most stylish suit, I grab my car keys and phone and put them in my pocket and take a deep breath. "You can do this." I say to myself.

For a second I believe it and get out of the car. I close the door carefully and look around. I always feel uneasy in areas of town that I am not familiar with. But I shrug it off because now is neither the time nor place to be worrying. I need to focus tonight. I’m on a mission. There's a reason I'm doing what I'm doing, and I shouldn't lose sight of that.

This is a quiet part of town. There aren’t a lot of businesses around here. I'm actually not all that familiar with this area. I search my pockets and pull out a piece of paper. There's directions written on it. I follow them as I walk down the sidewalk. I don't know why I agreed to be here tonight. Well I actually do, but I don't like thinking about it, but I can't stop myself. I hope tonight will be the distraction that I need. I want my life to go back to normal, but I don't know if that's possible. Nothing has been the same since I met her. I keep thinking about how strange and frightening that is.

It all started when I was at the bar last night with Tim. We had already had a few drinks when he turned to me and asked, "Hey, there's another auction happening tomorrow night. Are you interested?"

I took a long sip from my beer. "I don't know…." I replied hesitantly.

I still haven't sorted out my feelings for Lorelai. Going to the auction would only remind me of her, and of that night. I didn't want to relive those feelings, or that experience.

Tim downed his beer and ordered another. "Listen, forget about that girl and find another. These things are all about having fun and getting laid. That's the whole reason you go anyways," he pointed out.

I fidgeted with my empty beer bottle. He was right, I guess. I couldn't keep living my life like this. I took a long drink for courage.

Finally I looked at him, "All right, where is it supposed to be?” I asked him.

"That's my boy!" He cheered.

He patted me on the back. "I don't know exactly but let me write down the address and directions. That's what they did for me,” by then, his speech was a little slurred.

He pulls a pen out of his pocket and writes the information down on a napkin on the bar, then hands it to me and we finish our beers.

I stayed up all night, I second guessed my decision, but in the end I decided once more that I had no choice but to come.

I slow my steps, looking up from his scribbled directions. "This area is starting to look a little familiar," I murmur to myself.

I keep walking. I'm puzzled because I never visit this area of town. Why would it seem so familiar then? I glance at my watch, the auction should be starting soon. I sigh happily, it will be nice to have some fun here and get Lorelai off of my mind. I need to get back to the person that I used to be.

Do I really want that? I can't answer that question. Meeting her has made me feel so many different things. It's also made me think differently about myself and my life. Those are things that I don't like doing. I felt like things were going perfect up until now. It's like she’s turned my whole world upside down. I'm going to get another migraine if I keep thinking about this.

I read the address on the napkin. It's a few seconds before I realize that I'm walking right in front of it, and I pause to look up at the building. My mouth hangs open in shock. It's a bridal shop, and I recognize the name.