Another Chance (2 page)

Chapter 3

As they waited at the restaurant bar to be met by Paul’s friends, Tamara asked her again whom the note was from.

“It was nothing.” Said Felicity.

“It’s just you seem to be acting really distant.  I know you have a lot on your mind, but anyway, you know you can tell me anything.”

“Of course.” 

Just then a group of three came over to join them.

“Ah!  Let me introduce you to my friend Tamara, and to Felicity, who is launching her magazine at the hotel tomorrow. Tamara, Felicity, this is Susan, Adam, and Geoffrey.”

They exchanged greetings.

“So, shall we have another drink at the bar or shall we sit at the table?”  Paul questioned.

“Oooh, I’m starving.” Said Susan.  “Can we sit to eat?”  The group nodded in agreement.

Victorian art graced the walls of the large establishment.  They were led to a big round table in the corner, flanked with a white tablecloth and laden with crystal glasses.

Susan sat beside Felicity who had Tamara to the other side.

“So, what magazine are you launching?” asked Susan.  She was a pretty woman, in her early thirties, with a slim athletic build and short blonde hair.

“Inspire.” Replied Felicity.  “It is an off-shoot of the magazine I work for now, ‘Privilege’.”

“Oh wow, so you are in the top game.  Privilege must be world famous by now!”

“Yes, it has been doing well.” Said Felicity. 

“Inspire’ will be a very different sort of magazine, much more creative, and dare I say it, holistically minded.”

“Sounds amazing, I know mind body spirit can be frowned upon, but I have nothing against it.” Susan smiled.

Felicity returned the smile.

“What do you do?” she asked Susan.

“I look after horses, and prepare them for races.”

Susan replied.  “I live in country in Kent, and I grew up with horses and have always loved them.”

“Mmm, I love horses to, though I don’t ride as much as I like.”

Adam and Geoffrey, who had been listening to the two women, joined in the conversation at this point.  Adam told of a riding injury in he had in his teens which had stopped him riding, and Geoffrey admitted that he had never gotten over his fear of horses nor ever dared to ride one.

Paul and Tamara were whispering quietly to each other.

As the evening went on, and dinner came to an end, the group decided to go to the nightclub at the end of the road.

“I had better head back to the hotel.” Said Felicity. “I have an early start in the morning.”

They said their goodbyes.

“Do you want me to come with you?” asked Tamara.

“No, I will have an early night.” Felicity replied.

That night as she tossed and turned thinking of her speech in the morning she fell into a deep slumber.  The thoughts she had been fighting all day crept into her dreams.  She dreamt of Mick and her, making love with the intense passion she had only ever known with him.  They laughed and played, and then found themselves in thrusting and pounding each other with unquenchable sexual desire.

“Mick, Mick.”  Felicity murmured.

“I will never leave you.” Mick whispered to her as he kissed and caressed her neck.  The dream evolved into one of more lovemaking, this time soft and sensuous.

Chapter 4

The next morning Felicity awoke to the radio alarm playing ‘Video Killed the Radio Star” by the Bugles.  She stretched across the bed, and leant over to turn the volume down.  Memories of last night’s dream lingered in her mind.

Suddenly she sat bolt upright in bed.

He is in this hotel! 

My speech!

The thought came in consecutively and she raced to the shower and let the warm water cascade over her. 

She had two hours before she had to be at the conference room to deliver the speech to the hundreds of industry professionals and magazine well-wishers.

She did feel excited, as well as butterflies in her tummy.  She tried to place all thoughts of Mick out of her mind as she went over what she was to say.  She had prepared well for months and today was finally feeling confident.  She knew she could make a success of any magazine, and this was one that she really wanted to do.

As she stood up on the stage looking over the audience, who seemed to appear up at her with unhidden admiration, she spoke of the values of living with health, and feeling inspired.  She spoke of how words of inspiration stayed for years, and how they led to more inspiration and more creativity.  She told of the first time she had had the vision for ‘Inspire’ magazine and how excited she was to now at last be able to share it with all it’s readers.

At the end of the speech a huge rapture of applause broke out from the crowd, who stood and cheered.

“So tonight we are looking forward to seeing all of you at the launch party, held in the private bar downstairs.  Cocktails and Champagne are served from 8pm.  Thank you, to ‘Inspire’.

Felicity bowed and slowly made her way from the stage.

Wow, it was finally over, the speech she had been working on for months!  It had gone well and she was pleased.

Heading up to her hotel room, she bumped into Paul in the hallway.

“Hey, great speech, congratulations.” He said.

“Oh thanks.”

“Where is Tamara?” Felicity asked.

“She was inside watching your speech.  I guess she is still in there.”  Said Paul.

“Ok, well tell her I have gone to change.”

“Sure thing.” He replied.

As Felicity entered her hotel room she saw a huge bouquet of flowers waiting on the table.  They were her favourites, orchids, roses and lilies.   She opened the card inside the bouquet.  A plain white card with only two words, “Love Mick.”

Chapter 5

The launch party was a success. Waiters served champagne in crystal glasses and Felicity had chosen her favourite rock band “Low Pressure.” Who were performing.  Felicity had her auburn hair tied high above her head and wore a gold and black strapless dress, which showed her slender frame.  A diamond necklace adorned her and earrings hung delicately from her ears.

The entire crew from Privilege were there, and Felicity smiled and received warm congratulations from everyone.  A few times that evening she had seen Mick, hovering closely and he had tried to approach her on several occasions but she had successfully avoided eye contact, and remained enthusiastically engaged in conversation with whomever she happened to be speaking to at the time. 

Felicity glanced around and could not see him anywhere.  She felt a strange mixture of relief and disappointment.

John, one of the main writers for Privilege and one of her closest friends came over to her.

“Still with the same great taste in music.” He said as he sidled over.

“John” smiled Felicity. “Is Cathy here?”

Cathy, John’s wife, was also a close friend of Felicity’s.

“No, we couldn’t get a babysitter, so she is at home with the little ones.”

“Though I tell you who I did see.” Said John. 

“Who?”

“Mick” he replied.

“Oh yes, I know, I bumped into him earlier.”

Said Felicity off-handedly.

John looked at her curiously.

“Come on, let’s dance.”

They headed over to the dance-floor.

“They just have such a great sound!” exclaimed Felicity, as her and John moved together on the dance floor.

After a few more songs, Felicity went outside to the terrace to get some air.  She had had lots of people coming up to her on the dance floor when she had just wanted to dance.  Yet she knew this was business, and it was her night, so she remained a gracious hostess, smiling and charming to everyone.

As she looked out into the clear night sky, the stars twinkled above her.  It seemed peaceful and quiet outside.  She felt a presence behind her and turned around to face Mick.

“You did well tonight.” He said.

“Mick. Um, thanks.”

“Have you been avoiding me?” he asked gently.

“When?” she asked, and immediately regretted it.

“No.” she continued quickly. “I have just been busy.  You know.  Anyway I haven’t seen you in a long time.”

She knew that her words and voice betrayed more emotion than she was willing to admit to herself.

Just then Tamara joined them outside.

“Hey you two.  This looks like a blast from the past.”  There was an awkward silence and Mick smiled at Felicity who looked away.

“I’m going inside to get a drink.” Said Felicity.

“I will go with you.” Said Tamara.

Chapter 6

“What is going on with you two?” asked Tamara. “You could cut the tension with a knife!”

“God Tamara, I just don’t know, he is being really sweet and romantic, but, but, but…”

“Hey, don’t worry.” Tamara said gently.

“There is a lot of emotion there, there always was with you to, and you know, you weren’t expecting to see him.”

“I know, it has really thrown me off track.  Thank God I did the speech ok.”

“You were brilliant.” As they stood at the bar Felicity saw Mick standing alone, looking over at them.  She could tell he was waiting for her.  She continued to talk to Tamara.

After a while Paul joined them and again she lost sight of Mick.  Again she felt that strange mixture of relief and disappointment.

“Ha ha!  Tamara!” suddenly John joined them from the dance-floor. “I have not seen you in years.  I remember you could bust some moves!  Why aren’t you on the dance-floor?” he asked Tamara.

Tamara laughed and embraced him.  Paul looked nervously at Paul.  Felicity, ever aware of everyone’s feelings introduced Paul to John, as John being the husband of one of their close friends.  Paul looked relieved.

Suddenly, Paul noticed someone and called out.

“Mick!  Hey Mick!”

“This is my friend I was telling you about.” He told Tamara and Felicity.

“Yes we know each other” they replied in unison, Tamara looking awkwardly at Felicity.

Mick joined the group, positioning himself closely beside Felicity.

“Oh, so you are giving the speech for the golf courts?  I thought you had stopped playing?” Felicity asked Mick.

Mick looked deep into her eyes before responding.

“There are a lot of things I wish I had never stopped Felicity.”  He said.

“Oh.”

John broke the silence.

“What a great hotel eh?!  Lovely design!”  He looked around the room.

“I must bring Cathy here one day!”

“Yes do tell her I wish she was here.” Said Felicity.

“Come on, let’s hit the dance-floor.” Said John.

The group made their way to the dance-floor and as the tracks slowed Felicity found herself and Mick dancing closer together.  Suddenly without realising it she found that the rest of the group had disappeared.

“Oh God.” She thought to herself as she found her head resting on Mick’s shoulder as he embraced her gently.  He had the same old familiar sweet scent of musky aftershave.  She could feel desire welling up inside her.  It was as if she could fight it no longer, and they found themselves closer and closer together.  He took her hand and led her from the room.

As they stood outside in the hallway, he held her hand to his chest.

“Felicity.” He said.

“I never stopped loving you.”

“Stop.  Mick.  Don’t.”

“Please.” He said.

“I can’t be without you.”

Someone from Privilege magazine came over to Felicity and congratulated her.

Felicity smiled and thanked them saying she was looking forward to Inspire magazine.

“Not here Mick.  Please.”

At that moment a photographer came over and asked if she could snap a shot.  As Mick and Felicity posed together it was like old times again.  The photographer asked for Mick’s name.

“Mick Green.”  The photographer made a note.

“Come on Fliss.” Said Mick.

“Let me take you upstairs.”

Felicity felt a tingle rush through her, she felt that safe feeling, where she felt tired and she knew she could trust Mick to take her home and take care of her.

They were silent as they made their way into the lift. When the lift doors closed they found themselves locked in passionate embrace, the fire over desire from so many years, overflowing as they kissed, squeezed, hugged and sucked at each others faces and hands, holding each other close, murmuring each other’s names.