Chapter 4

The second chance

Though my genius plan was pleasantly warming my heart and I couldn't wait for Thursday to see Haddock's face when it would succeed, I was also terribly worried about Eret. Would he ever listen to my apologies and would he believe in this crazy misunderstanding? Well, fifty percent of hope for another date depended on what Haddock had said to him. And knowing his unhealthy interest in ruining my life, I doubted Haddock was polite and nice to a person who could get his hands on me before that muttonhead. And the knowledge of their conversation would really have helped me to say the right things to Eret when I would see him on Monday. If he would like to see me, of course. All I could do was to hope for the other fifty percent to do their work – pray that he really liked me and wasn't going to give up that easily.

To save myself from overthinking and worries I spent the entire Sunday doing a thorough cleaning which was a rare thing for me. I focused my thoughts on every surface I was mercilessly polishing up. I switched off Haddock's phone yesterday soon after Tuff had left my home to spare myself from endless calls from Hiccup's girlfriends.

After everything was neat and tidy and I ran out of anything else to clean in my small flat, I faced the problem of spending the rest of the evening. Since I hadn't got my phone, I couldn't ask my friends out or invite them to watch something on TV and have some pizza. Of course, I could invite my sister and brothers but Ruff would definitely refuse because she and Snot usually watch baseball all weekend and Tuff would find a thousand reasons not to show up here for a long time after what I made him do for me. Fishlegs wasn't an option neither. Firstly, he preferred books over films. Secondly, he and Haddock were best friends since school. And finally, I wouldn't be able to keep my mouth shut and not to spill my genius plan right away. So, I had nothing left but to spend this Sunday evening in company of my beloved Toothless rewatching Pride and Prejudice for the hundredth time.

My big fluffy baby was sleeping peacefully on my lap by the time Mr Darcy and Elizabeth Bennett had met at the ball. And looking at them, I caught myself still thinking of words Tuff had said about me having feelings for Haddock. Maybe, that muttonhead was attractive like Mr Darcy but instead of Jane Austin's iconic character, there wasn't anything behind the mask of arrogance on Haddock's face. He wasn't a gentleman. If a man truly and deeply loves somebody, he will never keep consistently turning his lady's life into a nightmare. Thus, I doubted Lizzy would fall in love with Mr Darcy if he had a notebook, full of names of all noble ladies he had ever written to.

Toothess rolled on the other side, distracting me from thinking of Haddock as he knew it always brought me nothing but pain. I patted his black fur slowly watching Lizzy declining Mr Darcy's marriage proposal.

"See, Toothless," I whispered, "that's what always happens when a man can't express his love in the right way."

He purred in an attempt to say something but except for his loud "meow" in the mornings I couldn't understand anything. After the film had ended, I went to bed and had to switch Haddock's phone on to set an alarm clock for tomorrow. And before it began to explore with missing calls and tons of messages, I pressed the "in an airplane" button then set the alarm clock and finally fall asleep.

In the morning, I left home without having breakfast because I was so nervous to meet Eret and terrified by a necessity to explain him all that mess. To tell the truth, I still didn't come up with what to say to him. It was silly to apologize since it wasn't my fault and to play a dumb girl wasn't my plan either. "Everything will depend on his mood," I tried to calm down. "Just ask him out for lunch and then you'll find the right words."

It appeared that the odds were in my favour, though. After his usual meeting at quarter past nine, Mr Bludvist called me in and asked to go to the head designer to sign some important documents. I couldn't stop checking my outfits – a dark leather skirt and a woolen sweater while I was waiting for an elevator. However, when I was about to knock at Eret's cabinet, I heard his loud irritated voice.

"I don't need your excuses! It's your job to do everything so we could get our orders on time!"

I froze, not sure what to do. On the one hand, I was doing my job and I knew I wouldn't get the second chance to talk to him. But in such bad mood he wouldn't even want to listen to me.

"You can come in," his assistant tried to cheer me up.

"Are you sure?"

Before she could answer the door in front of me opened and I saw Eret's concerned and frowned face. He was angry, I could see it in his brown eyes. I pressed the folder with documents to my chest and bit the lower lip.

"Astrid," Eret said frostily.

"Good morning," I tried.

"Very good, no doubt," he said with sarcasm. "Do you need something?"

I held out the folder.

"Mr Bludvist wants you to sign this."

"Come," he took the folder and invited me inside his cabinet. I closed the door as he walked to his table, sat and opened the folder. Eret didn't say a word while he was reading the documents and signing them. After a few silent minutes, he closed the folder and reached it out to me.

"Done. Give it to Ms Berserk in room 19 on your way back."

With trembling fingers, I took the folder, turned to the door and stopped. Astrid Hofferson wasn't a coward.

"Eret, I had to explain what happened on Saturday," I began and he finally looked at me. "It is a silly misunderstanding. Believe me I never wanted to cancel our date. It meant a lot to me. It still means…"

Ratz stood up, wearing a mask of indifference on his face, so I couldn't see whether he believed me or not.

"I thought you went on a date with another guy," he said.

"I didn't. It was my cousin-in-law you spoke to…"
So I told him the very brief version of two identical phones and their owners who now had no opportunity to be in touch with their friends and colleagues.

"… I wanted to call you right away but I don't know your number," I finished as Eret came to me that close that I could smell his perfume. At the next moment, he took the folder out my hands, put it on his table and then my hands were in his. I nearly forgot how to breath.

"Astrid, I trust you," he whispered and his hand moved up to my shoulders. "And you know what I want?"

"I don't," I breathed out. His left hand was in my hair while his right grabbed my tight and pulled me very close to him. I heard how he was breathing heavily and I could feel the heat of his body right under his suit.

"I don't think that I can wait till our next date," his lips were so close to mine.

"Neither do I," I managed to say before he kissed me.

His passion radiated through every move of his lips that crushed on mine with such force that I had to lean on the table behind me to save myself from falling. Eret's hands roamed over my body igniting sparks in every place they touched whereas his tongue found its way in my mouth. And I succumbed to temptation to enjoy every second of it, to feel myself loved and desired. Without breaking the kiss, Eret lifted me on his table; my skirt pulled up as he positioned himself between my legs.

"I want you now," he breathed out, leaving wet kisses down my neck.

I moaned quietly, throwing my head back and allowing him to get to that sensitive spot behind my ear. What came over me? It wasn't me; it was another strange and wild girl… And Eret… I had no idea how passionate he was. As much as I wanted to say the same words to him, I wasn't ready to lose my head completely after the first kiss and let him have me on his table, knowing that behind the thin wall there was his assistant.

"Eret… Eret, we must stop," I said firmly and caught his face with my hands to make him look at me. "Do you hear me? Just not here."

We both were breathing heavily, coming to our senses after that powerful wave of passion that crushed upon us so suddenly. My body was still trembling and I almost emitted a moan of disappointment when Eret stepped back leaving me sitting on his table.

"Sorry," he said hoarsely and coughed to clean his throat.

"For what?" I asked jumping off the table and checking my skirt.

"I'm mad about you since the day I had met you at that café. I can't work knowing that you are right here, one floor above. I can't think when I see you so divinely beautiful and tempting."

My cheeks blushed and I opened my mouth to say I feel the same but he closed it with his hand.

"I'm sorry for throwing myself at you. You can't imagine how I felt when that cousin of yours said that you are not available for me anymore. But we will do it right, ok? May I invite you to dinner on Friday night?"

I smiled as he moved his hand from my mouth to cup my cheek and nodded:

"Of course. Only on Friday?" I added, slightly disappointed.

"I'm leaving for Paris today to check how my project is going on till Friday. So, you may choose the place for dinner."

"Ok."

Strangely, my heart wasn't that overwhelmed like it had been when Razt had asked me out for the first time. I felt only a warm wave of content that slowly ran throw my body. He wasn't indifferent to me. He liked me!

The next moment I felt his lips on mine again but this time the kiss was soft and tender. And it felt even better that a few minutes ago.

The phone rang, forcing us to part again. Eret returned to his place to pick the phone and I hurried to take the folder I came with.

"Yes, I've read them and signed. Ms Berserk will work on this project. Ms Hofferson will give all documents and plans to her on her way back."

Eret was looking at me as he was speaking on the phone. I smiled and whispered 'till Friday' before I left his cabinet.

I was walking through designers' offices, thinking about Eret's magical hands and places on my body that they touched and would touch next Friday. Lost in those fantasies, I didn't notice how I reached room 19 and knocked. I didn't even pay any attention to the familiar voice that invited me to come in until I saw Ms Berserk at her table.

Her raven hair was braided in the same way it was last Friday but this time she wore a green sweater that matched her eyes perfectly. She wasn't as much surprised as me when I said:

"Heather?"

The woman smiled widely: "Nice to see you, too, Astrid!"

"Wait, you are working here?" I asked still not believing that she was here.

"For two years already," she admitted. "Can I help you?"

Her question made me recall the aim of my visit here. I held out the folder and finally smiled back.

"I was asked to give you this. As far as I know, it's your new project."

Heather took the folder and opened it; her eyes ran through every page before she returned her gaze at me.

"Yes, it is." She was beaming with happiness. "My first big one, to tell the truth!"

"Congratulations," I smiled. "I know you do your best!"

"Thank you!"

Despite the fact she was introduced to me by Haddock, I had to admit that I liked her. I spent only one evening in her company but knew deep inside that she was intelligent, kind and nice. We could become good friends.

"Well, I should go before Mr Bludvist will look for me. See you at lunch?" I suggested, wanting to know more about her and to ask how it went with my brother on Friday.

"Deal." She agreed.

Well, this Monday would definitely become one of the best in my entire life.