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A/N: Sorry I've been a while updating. My computer broke (very annoying!). Thanks for all the reviews and I hope you enjoy this chapter
Chapter 7: Moving on
Rays of sunlight flickered in through the gaps in Louise's curtains. She squinted sleepily and grumpily pulled the coves over her head. She was getting blinds as soon as she felt well enough to get out of bed – blinds were much more stylish anyway. Feeling unwell had nothing to do with illness but a lot to do with a certain person and a trip to a certain Connecticut town. She had managed to get a flight pretty quickly and was home by the late evening the same day. She had been hauled up in her darkened room ever since. She didn't know how she was going to face going to work tomorrow, she had already used up the 'sick' excuse enough times for them not to believe her. She reached for her remote and turned on the radio, rolling onto her back and gazing up at the ceiling. The old Cardigan's song 'Lovefool' came blaring through the airwaves. 'Love me love me/say that you love me/fool me fool me/go on and fool me/I don't care about anything but you'. Louise turned of the stereo in disgust and lay there quietly, not letting herself give in to tears. She had cried enough already on the way back, the flight attendant had been quite worried and kept bringing Louise tissues and cups of tea. The phone rang loudly, obnoxiously ruining Louise's solitary wallowing. She reached for it, checking the caller ID before answering to make sure it was not Dean. It was Tanya from work.
"Hello?" She answered grumpily.
"Hey Louise." The voice on the other end cooed. "It's Tanya. I'm calling to tell you about this fabulous party you just have to come to on Wednesday. I'm away in Dallas for a few days, honey, but I'll be back by then. You can come, right?"
"I'm not sure if I can make it that day."
There was silence on the other end of the phone. "Hello?" Louise barked irritably.
"Honey, are you ok?" Tanya asked, concern evident in her voice. "Because the Louise Grant I know would never miss a party. Oh no, did you spill wine on your Jimmy Choos?"
"What?" Louise growled in confusion.
"Because that happened to me once, and I swear, it made me miserable for a whole three days."
"It's not my Jimmy Choos." Louise sighed. "I just – I just broke up with my boyfriend, that's all"
"Oh honey." Tanya said sympathetically. "I'm so sorry. You must be feeling so bad right now. But a party would make you feel so much better huh?"
"Not this time Tan." Louise said firmly.
"Uh, honey? I wasn't really asking you, it was more of a request. Victor rang me up and told me that you and I had to go to this party. Some sort of influential fashionistas will be there, it's going to be one of the hugest parties in fashion in Chicago. We have to go and meet, greet and hopefully make new clients. You know how it is." She gave an affected laugh.
"Fine. If Victor said I have to, then I guess I have to. He does control my pay cheque."
"Excellent!" Tanya squealed. "Now make sure you wear something fabulous! I know you always do but this time you have to blow them all away. I have to go now honey. Ta ta."
Louise slammed down the phone. She really hated Tanya and her phoney laugh right now. She crawled out of bed and made her way over to her bulging closet, rifling her way through the expensive outfits, flinging each unacceptable one onto the bed. She needed to go shopping for a new outfit, some retail therapy would take her mind off Dean. And who knew, maybe this party would bring some great fashion opportunities for Louise. Perhaps she would get a job working for Ralph Lauren, or even Versace! She had been neglecting her career goals for the past few months, it was time to focus. She needed the old Louise to come back. The shallow, bitchy, selfish, opportunistic girl who cared only about having a good time and taking care of her own needs. The transition would be easy enough. But – the thing was – she wasn't sure if she wanted that girl back.
"Darling! There you are, I've been looking all over for you!" A woman shrieked through her heavily glossed pout. She looked to be about mid – thirties with curled dark hair, a low-cut tight red dress – expensive but not the most classy – and killer heels that looked painful to walk in.
"Hey Tanya," Louise replied, giving her a brief hug. She stepped back and gazed at her closely. "You look…really great. Young."
"Just my natural beauty darling." Tanya laughed loudly. She lowered her voice. "Botox and collegen. Had it done yesterday but the effects haven't worn off yet, I can't smile or anything. You are going to have to do that for me."
Louise nodded, rolling her eyes as Tanya looked round for a waiter to bring them both a Mai Tai.
"Oooh, is he gorgeous!" Tanya whispered to Louise and the Mediterranean – looking waiter gave them their drinks and departed with a smile. "Maybe I could have a little fun tonight after all the work…"
"I don't think you'd really be his type." Louise snorted. When Tanya began to protest in she added, "I think he prefers them…with a little more balls."
Tanya's face dawned in understanding and burst into a fit of embarrassed giggles, Louise joining in a few moments later. She had forgotten how much fun parties could be, how much she fit in there.
A couple of hours and cocktails later and Louise decided she had done enough mingling for work, it was time to have some fun. After all, all work and no play made Louise a dull girl. And that she definitely did not want to be. Making her way onto the dance floor she spied a handsome blonde man dancing with a petite redhead. Louise narrowed her eyes. What she needed was some hot guy to get over Dean, some carefree, no strings attached sex for one night. And that redheaded bitch was getting in the way of the hottest guy in the room, the guy Louise wanted. Louise usually got what she wanted, even if it meant playing dirty to get it. She shimmied across the dance floor, pretending to let herself go in the music and not notice all the admiring glances she was getting from the men and the envious ones from the woman. She looked good in the backless blue halter dress which showed off her slim figure perfectly, and the high heels made her legs look even longer. No use in being humble. She grabbed a cocktail from a passing waiter and sipped it nonchalantly, still swaying to the beat of the music, getting nearer and nearer the couple. She swirled around so that she was nearly facing the woman and pretended to stumble, lurching forward, contents of the glass spilling down the front of the woman's light green dress. The woman squealed in outrage and Louise hid a smile.
"Oh my God, I am so sorry." She gushed, sounding not the least bit sorry. She reached into her clutch and handed the woman a bill. "Here, this should take care of the dry cleaning. You better go and get cleaned up."
The woman shot her a look of pure venom and stormed off the dance floor. Louise waggled her fingers and smirked. The blonde man was still standing there, looking slightly dazed about just what had happened. Louise slid closer to him and started to dance.
"Sorry about that." She gazed up at him through lowered lashes. "To make up for it, I'll save you looking stupid on the dance floor and dance with you while your girlfriend is gone."
He looked down at her in amusement. "She's not my girlfriend, just a friend. And I don't think us dancing would be a very good idea."
She slid one arm onto his waist as she continued dancing to the Latino beat of the music. "Why not?" she breathed. "If she's just a friend, there is no harm in you dancing with someone else. Someone much more exciting and with a better taste in fashion."
He laughed reluctantly and began to dance with her. A slow song came on and without missing a beat she moved her arms up to around his neck.
"Not really playing hard to get, are we?" he grinned.
"Not tonight." She replied. "I'm not going to play games. I know exactly what I want."
He smirked down at her. "And what's that?"
"The same as what I want."
"And how do you know what I want?"
"Please." She rolled her eyes. "We're cut from the same cloth, you and me. We have the same needs."
"Oh yeah?" he raised an eyebrow at her.
"Yeah. I'm guessing rich family, prep school then Ivy League, now you are high up in business – probably your father's – and you had to attend this party because of work. You've been to hundreds like these and you are bored. You're in a strange city having a crappy time at a party with an obligation date that you don't really like, and all you want is some stranger whom you'll never meet again to come up and offer a way out."
"Wow." He looked down at her with a hint of laughter in his eyes. "You're a mind reader. That talent shouldn't go wasted, really. But you're wrong about one thing."
"Mmmhmm?"
"I don't need a stranger to be my way out. I can find that all by myself."
"Oh." She removed her arms from around his neck. "It's been a pleasure."
She began to walk away from him, a deliberate sway in her step. She felt a hand grab her wrist gently and smiled victoriously. She swung around so she was facing him again, dangerously close to him.
"You never told me your name, mystery woman." He grinned at her wolfishly.
Louise felt a pang. Dean had said she was a mystery woman. No, she rebuked herself, stop thinking about him, he's in love with his ex and not right for you, you are here to forget about him once and for all.
She smiled at the man flirtatiously. "You can call me Scarlett". After the glamourous protagonist in her favourite movie. "And you are?"
The sound of the doorbell ringing loudly woke Louise from her fitful sleep. She gave a startled gasp at the person sleeping beside her. Rolling out of bed she threw on her bathrobe and stumped down the hall towards the front door. What was done was done. She couldn't change what she did last night, she didn't want to. She wasn't in a relationship anymore, she could sleep with whoever the hell she liked. Telling herself this still didn't stop the pain. She flung open the door and prepared to glare and yell at whoever stood there. She drew to a halt suddenly and stood stock still, staring breathlessly at the person opposite.
"Can I come in?" he asked nervously.
"No" she fired back at him, eyes flashing.
Dean gave an exasperated sigh. "Look, Louise. You haven't answered any of my calls or answered any of my messages. I didn't come here because I was trying to give you space but I couldn't stay away any longer. We need to talk."
"There's nothing to talk abut. You're in love with someone else, we broke up, end of story."
He slammed his hand against the doorframe. "That's crap! If we can just talk about it –"
He was interrupted by a call of, "Hey babe, where do you keep the bread?" The blonde man walked up to where Louise was stood and slid an arm around her waist, before noticing Dean, who was staring daggers at them both.
"Oh, sorry didn't know you had company. I'm guessing this must be the…"
"Boyfriend." Dean said dangerously.
"Ex boyfriend." Louise replied at the same time.
Dean glared at them angrily. "God, I should have known. Jumping in bed with the first guy you see, I guess it didn't take too long to get over me huh? Some people never change."
"Hey man, there's no need to be like that" the other guy said, grabbing his arm.
Dean shook it off violently. "What the hell do you think you're doing? We can take this outside if you want!"
The guy looked at him in disgust. "I'm not going to fight you."
"Why?" Dean snarled. "Afraid you're gonna loose?" As he took a step towards him he paused momentarily and looked at him, angrily curious. "Do I know you?"
The blonde man raised an eyebrow. "I don't think so."
"I've see you somewhere before" Dean insisted darkly.
The guy shrugged and then held out a hand mockingly. "Pleased to meet you, jealous jackass. I'm Logan Huntzberger."
