I get in the car and Mr Bidder takes the wheel, like myself, the driver looks at him like he's grown another head. I'm not trying to avoid him by sitting in the front, I need to clear my head a little and he's...going to drive?
Things I've noticed about him so far, he doesn't talk much. He's gorgeous, he's rich; he doesn't want to give me his name - not that I've asked but I did, his assistant and he didn't want to say. So if I'm in a romance novel, Mr Bidder is a boss of some crime syndicate in hiding or taking a break.
I'm letting my imagination run wild here, bear with me - if he was well known, I'd have seen him before.
"What you did last night isn't safe."
"What did I do?"
"Going home with a random guy." Not this talk. Not from him.
"You're not some random guy."
"How do you figure?"
"We met at the charity event and you bought me a painting, thank you by the way...it meant a lot."
"Oh, how many guys have you met that didn't buy you a gift just after your first meeting?"
None. A lot. I don't know? He makes a valid point but he isn't random - in my book, I wouldn't go anywhere with him if there was a slightest bit of discomfort I got from him. I party, I'm not loose. Huge difference. He can't assume things.
"Yes, I was wrong...not going to happen again." It's better this way than trying to get my point across. Don't they all just think because she's out partying most of the time, she's been with a lot of people?
Living that kind of life, how can she be pure? For some reason I'm not going to explore, it bothers me he thinks that way. What did I expect? My phone rings and saves me from continuing that line of thought - thank heavens - saved by the bell.
"Hello."
"Miss, Lisa and I are shopping today, can we do lunch? She wants to apologize for yesterday." She doesn't, I know she meant everything she said yesterday; why the fuss now?
I still have a favour to ask Mama Jewel though, her daughter's feelings for me don't outweigh the severity of how much I don't want to face my parents.
"Okay. Tell me where and I'll be there soon."
I'm not ready to face my parents but I have to set things straight with Melissa, I'm going to be in York using her wedding as an excuse after all; if she wants to spite me and tells my parents I'm lying...then?
"You can drop me here."
"I'll take you." What, he doesn't think it's dangerous to have a random guy drop me somewhere?
"I'm Fin."
"What?"
"My name is Fin."
"Oh."
"This is where you tell me yours..."
"Trent." I don't want to talk to you, my tone is literally trying to kill the conversation...let it but I don't want to be rude so, I have to endure.
What a pity. I like his face. His height. his voice. his body. A real pity.
"I wasn't implying anything."
"What?"
"About the random guy, I was just saying I better be the only guy who takes you home." Oh... oooooh. The only one?
"Are you safe?" My brain has stopped functioning properly.
"To you."
I don't how I got out of the car, made my way to the restaurant. He brushed his fingers against my chin...so feathery. It's... it's more intimate than...
Fin. He doesn't look like a Fin. He looks more like an Adrien.
Get your head in the game Trent. Right. I'm having lunch with Melissa. I refuse to believe she's capable of ruining my mood today. Nope, won't let her.
I met someone...
"Mama Jewel, Melissa. I hope I didn't make you wait long."
"No, no Miss. We just got here."
"Oh, that's good. Have you ordered? I'll only have dessert if you haven't. I just ate."
"We have, I added dessert just in case. Miss, I'm sorry about yesterday, my niece told me what Lisa said to you; I'm really sorry, it was thoughtless of her."
"No, it's okay. No, it's not but Melissa is entitled to her feelings and I shouldn't have invited myself over. I can understand how that resentment would bubble up."
"Resentment?"
Why, I didn't see her there!
"If not?"
"Is anything I said yesterday wrong?"
"From where you're sitting it isn't but from where I am, it couldn't be more wrong. We'll never agree on this so, it's better to let it be."
What is the point even if I try, looking at her you-owe-me attitude, it's better to let her keep her opinion and not to be unsympathetic; her mother was - still is well compensated for her services. She's good at doing her job and is being paid well for it too. Do I have to tell her all this?
It doesn't matter.
"Have my parents called you yet?" I don't want to waste time on Melissa, I know her type all too well - my mother is a domestic worker and the family she works for should be grateful to her. The why does it matter if I take this one dress when she has so many type. It's useless trying to get her to see a side that disagrees with hers...then, why bother?
"Yes. All week but I didn't answer. I was waiting for you to tell me what's going on." Bless Mama Jewel, she's a darling.
"You can answer it when they call and tell them I'm attending the wedding."
"What did they do this time?"
"They..." I loose track of what I was going to say.
I'm lost, I'm not sure if I'm hallucinating but I'm seeing that prick - Margaret's scum of an ex walking towards us.
Why's he here?
Why in the world did I have to come across this bastard? He...
"Sorry I'm late, my meeting took longer than I expected." What? The world can't be this narrow right? It can't be, this prick?
"Miss, this is Mark Thompson, Melissa's fiance; Mark this is Trent Dion."
Ha. It really is narrow. He's doing so good for himself after putting Margaret through hell. The hell - he would even get married, this prick who put his hands on Margaret...
She should've put him in jail!
"How nice, your life is going so good." When Margaret can't sleep sometimes because she's scared she'll wake up strapped to the balcony!
"Trent, long time no see." Yuck. The scumbags are always nice at talking and planting smiles on their disgusting faces...How vaulting, beneath the surface is rotten ugliness.
"Not long enough, not nearly long enough."
"You guys know each other?"
Her tone is funny, I don't know whether to laugh or cry. From her tone, is she implying this prick and I used to be a couple?
Judgmental, entitled. If she wants to value this woman abusing scum, she can do so - don't put that revulsion on me.
"Know each other? I wouldn't phrase it like that, we were acquaintances at best."
"Ms Dion, can I speak to you for a moment?"
Took words right out of my mouth. I've beaten this guy up so many times in my head but in reality - I can't even raise my voice at him. Not that I'm scared of him - maybe a part of me is but because, my hate for him isn't the same as Margaret's pain.
The beatings are reserved for my Margaret alone, only when she can't do it will I get my turn.
"How is Margaret?"
"Ha. You're funny. So hilarious, when did you start caring about her?"
"I know you won't believe me but I loved her." Loved, so much he'd lock her up for a week without letting her out or anyone in. So much love.
"You're sick. How are you getting married, when did you get back?"
All of these scumbags, where are they popping out from suddenly? First Sebastian, now him? They couldn't have planned it - right?
"Trent, I want you to know I've changed. I'm not like I was in the past and I really love Lisa. Don't ruin this for me." Ruin? He's kidding.
"Why would I need to do that? If she knows what you are, she'll leave on her own."
"We all have a past..." Prick.
I'm not a meddler but I won't in good conscience let Melissa marry him without knowing what she's getting herself into. What is he getting at?
"I wouldn't be impulsive if I were you..." He shows me pictures in his phone... explicit pictures of Margaret and himself, Margaret alone...
He carries them...in his phone...all the time? Changed alright, I'm the one in the wrong. Why do I consider him human?
"You wouldn't."
"Don't interfere in my life and I won't have to."
I slap him. Argh, my hand. Dammit, it doesn't say how painful this is on TV.
"You're scum Mark Thompson."
What am I going to do?