Hate at First Sight (11 page)

I leaned on one elbow, watching Megan. She was sound asleep and I didn’t want to wake her — we had a long day to live through.

The memories of the last night flashed in my head, and I smiled to myself, delighted. I was right about making love with Megan: it was something very special, beyond understanding. I liked being kissed, held and touched by her. All I wanted at the moment was to live and breathe in her, near the beating of her heart, where her senses mixed with mine, where her skin burned mine, where her body danced with mine; where I loved her, and she loved me….

Who would have thought that one day saying the words of love would sound good and so natural? I doubted there was any other woman, besides Megan, able to make me say them.

Something was different about her. Even when she wasn’t doing anything extraordinary, the world still seemed to be spinning around her, obeying her every word.  And I was a part of that world too. Her every wish was sacred to me, and I was ready to do anything for her.

My eyes traveled down the lines of her back, and I reached my hand to touch her skin. She turned onto her back, and a soft smile touched her lips, and I wondered what she was dreaming about. I felt the need to kiss her, to move closer, so I could draw in her life, her laughter and her words.

I moved closer and put one arm around her. Slowly she rolled on her left side, facing me. Drawing barely tangible lines on her back, I brushed her lips with mine. They were so inviting, I couldn’t resist my instincts.

“Morning,” I said quietly.

“I thought I would have to wait forever for your kiss,” she replied, embracing me.

“I didn’t want to ruin your dream.”

“You wouldn’t ruin it, as my dream was about you. But ...” She stopped for a few seconds to kiss my lips. “The reality is so much better than any dream.”

I couldn’t agree with her more. I slid my hand down her leg, intending to wrap it around my hip, but Megan grabbed my hand, smiling. “We don’t have time for that.”

“What if we set a new time record?”

She giggled, smacking my chest. “No way. Someone may hear us.”

“You didn’t care about that last night.”

“Last night the house was empty, and I was sure we were free to do anything we wanted.”

I sighed, disappointed. “What about one more kiss? A quick one?”

In the blink of an eye, Megan turned me on my back, and leaned over me.

“You know how much I like you being on top of me.” I smiled up at her.

“Really?” She paused, watching me mischievously. “I will remember that.” She moved closer, teasing my lips with the edge of her tongue. When it slid into my mouth, the world around me exploded. Everything she did had that effect on me.

I locked her in my embrace, enjoying the kiss, and the way my body reacted to it. Even though I knew it wouldn’t be followed by anything else, I savored the moment, drinking in the sweetness of Megan’s lips, moving smoothly over mine.

“We need to get dressed,” she said in a whisper. “Otherwise you will have to face the full force of my brother’s anger.” And before I could say anything in response, she jumped from the bed and went to the bathroom. “Your clothes are in your room, Aiden.”

“You are kicking me out, right?”

“Well, I could suggest something for you from my wardrobe, but I doubt Owen would approve of your outfit.”

I smirked at her comment and dragged myself out of the bed, where I would gladly stay for the rest of the day.

Half an hour later I was standing in front of a mirror, trying to win the battle with the black tie. I hated the thing, and apparently the feeling was mutual. Finally I looked one last time at my reflection, and went to see my best friend.

Owen looked nervous. He fastened the cuff links and took another sip of what looked like a whiskey.

“Hey, I thought you of all people wouldn’t be nervous today,” I said, pouring some water for myself.

“And I thought you of all people should know how hard it is to bind yourself with obligations.”

“You and I treat obligations differently.”

“I hope you are not talking about my sister, whose bedroom you left not so long ago.”

Crap…

“I think I need to explain things.”

“You could try at least.”

Owen didn’t sound happy, and I wasn’t sure what to start my explanations with. But there is nothing better than the truth.

“I love her,” I said.

Owen stared at me, speechless.

“And she says she loves me too.”

“Wow … you guys don’t waste any time. Does it mean that she’s moving back here?”

“We didn’t have much time to talk about that.”

“Okay, I don’t want to hear what the two of you were busy doing. But, Aiden … are you sure this is what you both want?”

“Trust me, Owen, she’s the first woman I ever wanted to spend the rest of my life with.”

“Then you have my blessing for everything that makes her happy.”

I smiled, patting his shoulder. “Thanks.”

“But only for what makes her happy, and not breaks her heart.”

“I got it.”

“Good.” Owen took a deep breath. “Now, it’s time to get married.”

“Don’t lose courage, my friend,” I said, following him to the door.

The wedding ceremony was supposed to be held at St. Joseph and Teresa Church in Wells. The guests had already arrived, and everyone was waiting for the bride.

“You sure she hasn’t changed her mind?” I asked Owen, jokingly.

“She hasn’t. We’ve been dreaming about this day for what feels life forever.”

I knew Mary loved my friend too much to hurt him, and I was sure they would make a great couple.

When the first sounds of the organ filled the church, all eyes turned to the doors. Two girls in pale-pink dresses entered the church, scattering the petals of roses all the way to the altar. Then there were the bridesmaids. They walked along the carpet of flowers, and stopped at the opposite side of the altar. I was surprised not to see Megan among them, but then I looked at the entrance again, and there she was … wearing the very turquoise dress we bought yesterday, holding a small bouquet in her hands, with a smile playing on her lips.

I froze, fascinated. Our eyes met, and I smiled back, nodding approvingly.

“Breathe, man,” Owen said quietly. “I don’t want you to faint right in the middle of the church.”

“Shut up,” I said, still smiling.

Megan stopped next to the other bridesmaids, gave me one last glance and switched her attention to the door, where the bride and her father were standing.

When the vows were s
aid, and the guests applauded the newly wedded couple, we all went back to Axbridge, to enjoy the rest of the wedding day. The reception was organized in one of the local restaurants that had a huge terrace opening to the ocean.

Finally Megan and I got a chance to say a few words to each other.

“You were right about the dress,” I said. “It looks much better than the one chosen by Mary. What did she say about it?”

“She said she knew I would never wear that awful dress.”

“Do you know what the best part of this one is?” I asked, looking at the vent that made the fantasies in my head go wild. “I can already imagine you taking this dress off.”

“Leave your dreams for later, Aiden. There are about eight hundred guests that we need to entertain for the next six hours.”

“Six hours … God, help me.” I sighed, watching Megan go to her parents’ table.

The rest of the reception was surprisingly good. People danced and laughed, sending their compliments to Owen and Mary. Even Megan and I got a chance to share a dance. It was nothing like tango or salsa, but the feeling of holding her in my arms was still good. When I was about to lead Megan back to our table, I saw someone whom I never expected to see that day.

“What the hell is he doing here?” I asked, pointing to her old friend.

Megan’s eyes followed my hand, and her smile vanished. “Jeff’s mother baked cakes for the wedding,” she said uneasily.

My jaw tightened. “Would you like a glass of champagne?” I asked, hoping the drink would help me calm down.

“Sure.”

I nodded and went to the bar.

When I returned a few minutes later, Megan was nowhere around. Her father said one
of the guests had spilled his drink on her dress, and she went home to get changed.

“Great,” I muttered, leaving champagne on the nearest table. What was supposed to be a perfect day was getting worse and worse, with every passing second.

I reached for my cell phone and called Megan.

“Aiden, sorry I had to leave.”

“Yeah, I know. Don’t be upset about the dress, we will….”

“Megan!” a man’s voice said at the other end of the line.

“I need to go, I’ll be back soon,” she said to me.

What the hell? I cursed mentally. Was it Jeff talking to her? I needed to get the answer to that question right away, so I found a taxi and went to Owen’s.

It was dark in the hall, but I could hear voices coming from the kitchen. I opened the door, but there was no light inside the room. I took a few steps forward and froze. There were two people standing near the washstand. And they were kissing.

One of them was Jeff. He stood with his back to me, and I couldn’t see the face of the woman he was with, but I could see her dress … the one that Mary had chosen for her maid of honor.

I couldn’t stand that view any longer, so I stormed out of the kitchen, my blood boiling in my veins. I couldn’t believe Megan did that to me … it was beyond my understanding and everything I knew about her.

She was kissing with Jeff….

Now I knew exactly what the reason for her escape to London was. Apparently there was a time when she loved the guy, but the feeling wasn’t mutual. Well, time changes everything.

I was a little drunk, but I didn’t care about the fact when I started the engine of my car and sped back to Bristol. The wedding was almost over, and Owen didn’t need me anymore, so I sent him a message saying I had some urgent things to deal with, and left Axbridge, leaving my dead soul in a small town close to the ocean….

I returned to the party in an awful mood. First, my perfect dress was ruined, and second, I didn’t expect to see Jeff at my parents’ house. As it turned out, he went there to leave a few more things that his mother baked for the reception. Besides, he wanted to talk to me. He said he knew I heard the words he said on the day of our prom, and he deliberately said them loud enough to be heard by me. He said he felt guilty for what he did, and wanted to apologize.

I wasn’t the only person whose mood was ruined that night. One of Mary’s bridesmaids tore off the strap of her dress, and needed to get changed too. That’s why I offered her to go with me, and gave her the dress that I was originally supposed to be wearing today.

And one more thing that made me nervous was Aiden’s absence. I had been looking for him everywhere, but no one saw him leaving, and he didn’t answer my calls.

“Do you know where Aiden is?” I asked my brother.

He looked surprised to hear my question. “I thought you knew … he left.”

“He what?” Now it was my turn to be surprised.

“He texted me about an hour ago saying he had some urgent things to do.”

“Huh…” I laughed nervously. “You’ve got to be kidding me!”

“Hey, you okay?” Owen asked worriedly.

“Better than ever!” I snapped.

There was no way Aiden could do that to me. Everything was so perfect! Maybe even too perfect, my inner voice said. Was it just that simple? He got what he wanted and left without saying good-bye? I couldn’t believe I trusted him….

That night was one of the worst nights in my life. Even Jeff’s words, said two years ago didn’t hurt as much as what Aiden did. I tried to call him a few more times, but every one of those times I had to listen to his voice mail, asking me to leave a message. But I didn’t know what to say, so no messages were left.

I think I was too shocked to understand what was going on. Even when the next morning came, and I still didn’t have any news from Aiden, I packed my bags, as if nothing had ever happened and went to the airport.

The only thing I was thinking about on my way back to London was my failed week at home.

One of the biggest advantages of living in a big city is the indifference that it meets you with every time your life comes crashing down. People don’t pay any attention to your bad mood, or messy hair. They are too busy dealing with their own problems. And the life around you keeps going just the way it used to go, before your own world changed.

I crossed the threshold of my apartment around noon, unpacked my suitcases, took a shower and stared at the TV, showing
The Bachelor
.

How ironic, I thought to myself, watching twenty women trying to win a guy’s heart. The bachelor was good-looking, and he reminded me about my first meeting with Aiden. Who would have thought that it would take him less than a week to turn my hate into something completely different….

My cell phone rang; I looked at the screen and turned it off without answering. It was Owen again. I guess he wanted to talk about Aiden, and I didn’t know what to say. So I typed a message saying that I got home safely, and sent it to my brother hoping it would be enough to leave me alone at least for a while.

There was one person who always knew what to say to make me smile, so I called Zack.

“Oh, Dear, you sound like you’ve just swallowed a lemon. What happened?”

“How about a meeting in half an hour?”

“I’m game!”

“Great. See you soon.” I hung up the phone and dragged myself to the wardrobe, to find some clothes that wouldn’t give away my misery.

“A red mini dress? Seriously?” Zack stared at me as if I had just slapped him in the face.

“What about it?” I asked, puzzled, looking down at myself.

“Here, put this on,” he said, giving me his jacket. “I don’t want people to think that I found you on the street.”

“I thought I looked sexy.”

“Well, yes … for someone who’s looking for quick sex in  the back seat of his car.”

“Please, spare me your sarcasm. And by the way, you helped me choose this dress, remember?”

“But it was a dress for Halloween! And you were supposed to be a sexy demoness, and not a miserable girl with a broken heart.”

“Who says my heart is broken?”

“Your dress, Dear.”

I rolled my eyes and took Zack’s jacket to cover up myself. He suggested going to
Nic’s
— one of our favorite pubs. It wasn’t as overcrowded as the rest of London’s pubs on Sunday night, and we liked spending time there.

Apart from Zack I had only a few friends in London. Not that I didn’t like making friends, but I thought that my career was more important than parties and the rest.

“Now, tell me what happened and who the guy was that stole the smile from this pretty face?”

And so I told Zack about Aiden, our three unforgettable dates, and about the last night that ruined my beliefs in everything good about this world.

“Oh, I’m so sorry to hear that, Honey. But you should have known better: guys like your Aiden always bring troubles. And in your case this trouble has a name — love.”

“How could I have been so stupid?” I swallowed the rest of my Martini, and hid my face in my hands.

“We always fall for the wrong guys.”

“Something must be seriously wrong with us.”

“Who knows? Maybe we are too perfect for them?” Zack and I laughed.

I remembered the first ti
me we met. It was on his twenty-first birthday. He had a party, and one of my roommates made me go there. I would have never thought that Zack was a gay, if it wasn’t for the number of guys at that party. All of them were too handsome, well-groomed and gallant to be true.

Zack and I became good friends, and there wasn’t a day when I regretted meeting him. Unlike someone else….

“I think it’s time to call it a night,” I said. There was no point in staying in the pub, as everything I was saying or thinking about still reminded me of Aiden.

“Okay, time to go.” Zack emptied his glass, and we left.

I was actually glad to be back home. Even though there wasn’t anyone to distract me from my sad thoughts, now I liked the silence around me. I changed the awful dress to a pair of shorts and a hoodie, and curled up on a couch to read a book.

I liked reading. And unlike anything else, my choice of books was always good.

The next morning I was supposed to start my new job at
O’Brian’s Enterprises
. It was a trading company that specialized in electronics. I thought it wasn’t the best time for going on holiday, so I decided to dive into my work and new duties.

My boss, Mrs. Delancour, was a strict, but fair manager. At least that was what other people were saying about her. I knew her previous assistant, Eliana, who was also a graduate of my college. She was the very person who suggested me sending my CV to
O’Brian’s
. And now I couldn’t wait for my first day at work to begin.

“Next week we have a meeting of the founding parties, so these calculations should be ready as soon as possible,” Mrs. Delancour said, giving me a stack of papers. “Read them carefully and tell me if you find anything incorrect. Here is y
our office,” she added, opening the glass door. The office wasn’t big, but I liked it.

“Thanks, I will start reading the documents immediately.”

“Good, let me know if you need anything.”

“Okay.”

I put my jacket on the back of my chair, and went to the window that opened to a small park. My brother still kept calling me non-stop, and I kept ignoring him. I had less than thirty hours to get used to the idea of being used. Unfortunately, no other word for what happened came to mind. So I took a deep breath and got to my work.

Half an hour later someone knocked.

“Hey, sorry for interrupting. I’m Josh, another assistant of Mrs. Delancour.”

“Oh, nice to meet you, Josh. And I’m….”

“Megan, right? Eliana told me about you.”

“I hope she didn’t tell you anything bad.” I smiled at the guy. He looked like he was only a few years older than me. His eyes were green, contrasting with his tanned skin and dark-brown, almost black hair.

“You don’t look British,” I said.

“Well, yes, I’m half Spanish. I used to live in Barcelona, together with my parents. But since my father got a job here a few years ago, we had to move to London.”

“You don’t like living here, do you?”

“How did you know that?”

“No sane person would ever change sunny Spain for rainy Britain. At least not willingly.”

He laughed. “True. Okay, I’m not going to take any more of your time, but I would gladly talk to you later. How about having lunch together?”

“Sure.”

“Great.”

Josh left, and I leaned back against the back of my chair, sighing. Something was definitely wrong with me if I agreed to have lunch with a guy I barely knew without hesitation. Or maybe it was some stupid protective reaction of my hurt ego? Anyway, I didn’t have much time to think about that, as I still had work to finish.

Some time later I got a message from Angeline. She and Jessie were going to London for the weekend, and they wanted to see me. It was also the weekend of my graduation ball. That’s why I said I would find two more invitations to take my friends with me.

I wasn’t going to let my feelings and worries take control over me and ruin my life; I was stronger than that, and no Aiden Murphy could take it away from me.