A Night to Forget (2019)

A NIGHT TO FORGET

by Lucy Eleazar 

CHAPTER ONE

„You need a man for a one-night stand!“

Eva skeptically looked at her eighteen-year-old sister who was ardently commenting on her love problems. Her little sister was obviously not that little any more.

„You know, fight fire with fire! Eva, you can't just keep on suffering because of this stupid asshole! He left you? Well, big deal! He had never deserved you anyway. Let alone the fact that he was a total nuisance! Plus, his shirts always showed wet sweaty stains.

Eva nearly let a smile out while Sissy was frowning in disgust and her pretty nose wrinkled. Sissy threw her lush blond hair back and disapprovingly reviewed the shapes of her sister.

„Well, look at you! You've been neglecting your appearance for months now, you look like a granny and you're not even thirty-two yet. I haven't seen proper makeup on your face for ages! Occasional dresses and only those baggy trousers and plain one-colour blouses. Who's going to look at you? And you used to be such a hot chick! It seems that the lack of...“

„Sissy, mind what you're saying!“ Eva finally reacted to her speech while inadvertently smoothing her simple cotton blouse to her body. „There are still a lot of things you are too young to understand...“

„Too young, bah! It is not a must to be so old to see that you're letting yourself go over a snobbish trump. Moreover, my experience with dating boys seems to be bigger than yours...“

„This isn't a thing to boast about“, Eva tried to insert to a parental tone in her voice. „Is mum aware of your rich experience?“

Even if she was embarrassed, Sissy didn't show it. She turned towards the mirror door of the wardrobe in the tiny bedroom, which their parents had long ago appointed to be the kids' bedroom. Eva nostalgically looked at the walls where once her own posters used to hang; at the desk where she used to do her homework dreaming about the most popular boy in the class; at the cupboard where her own toys used to be stuffed.

„It doesn't make any difference if she knows or not, because I have already turned eighteen and she cannot tell me what to do.“

„Oh, yes, you did, some seven days ago“, Eva briefly reported and went on to another topic. „Choose faster what you'll wear and let's go meet the guests. Don't let dad wait for us.“

They had gathered at their parents' home for their father's birthday. For the event of his sixtieth anniversary he had invited so many friends and relatives that she was already getting dizzy imagining the questions aunts, uncles and cousins would address her with. The guests were about to come and fill in the limited space of the apartment any moment. She could already hear their whispers in her head: Oh, is she thirty-two already? She's not married and has no children? Oh, when I was thirty-two my kids were already at school. Me, by that age, I had already had a divorce and remarried again. She works as a marketing manager, she must be devoted to her career? Is she really not in any serious relationship?

Eva had no wish to report her life to anybody. She was tired of arguing that a woman can be happy and successful without a husband and children and there were other important things in life. She was fed up with being attacked with advice about her own future.

Sissy had laid all the contents of her wardrobe onto the bed and kept on changing apparels.

„Goodness, Sissy, are you really thinking of appearing in that cut-out thing? Grannies and grandpas will collapse when they see you!“

„They'll collapse when they see you. What is that workaday blouse? Instead of highlighting your wonderful bosom, it makes your waistline too big. And these trousers put at least ten kilos on you!“

„Okay, Sissy, I got your opinion about my clothes, can you now just focus on yours? And please don't forget that at our father's birthday party there will be no boys you could impress with your provocative dresses.“

„So what? Does that mean I have to dress up like a nun?“ Sissy finally chose a shiny golden dress following closely her body curves. She reviewed it from all aspects, put it on and turned to her sister. „How do I look?“

Awful, Eva wanted to say. But she kept the words to herself. Sissy was short and slim and had beautiful shiny hair framing a pretty, charming face. Eva could see her as an „improved edition“ of her own self their parents had created – as if by chance – some fourteen years after their first daughter. The two sisters definitely looked alike. However, Eva had higher cheekbones, which gave her face the combative looks of an Amazon girl. The eyes nested over those cheekbones were like two emerald stones glittering behind long eyelashes. Unlike Sissy's thin girlish body, Eva's was taller and femininely lush.

„I find it better than the previous option“, Eva mumbled and added: „Sissy, I think you should be more humble. Your beauty is apparent but you would be more interesting and enigmatic if you keep something hidden to show only to special people and not demonstrate it all to everyone.“

„You don't demonstrate yours, so what have you achieved?“ Sissy turned once again to the mirror. „Now I have to choose the proper jewellery“, she grabbed a box and started checking various necklaces. „Will you tell me after all, what happened with Jeremy?“

„There is nothing to tell“, Eva sulked. Her mouth suddenly went dry. „He just left for the United States. Things between us... obviously didn't go well and he decided it inadequate to plan our future together.“

„Blah-blah-blah. There's something more about it. Why do you think there is something I am „too young to understand“?“ Sissy turned her gaze away from the mirror and pivoted her big brown eyes on her sister.

Eva shifted uneasily into her seat. Could she really explain to Sissy what Jeremy had done and why he had offended her so much? Could she really tell her what exactly had happened? And was it, in fact, right to put the overwhelming load of this story on an eighteen-year-old girl? Eva shook her head.

„You're right, I overreacted it. There isn't anything you can't understand. It is just that sometimes people don't get along. You're an expert at dating, you must know it.“

Sissy pouted and stared back at the mirror to avoid answering.

„How many boyfriends have you had?“

„Well, in fact not so many... But even one or two are enough to judge what men are worth. One thing is for sure, I didn't like your American at all.“

„So you can only be happy you're not going to see him around anymore“, Eva exaggeratedly laughed.

„I'm so happy you didn't get married to him“, Sissy sighed theatrically oblivious to the sudden sharp of pain, which cut Eva through. „Look, that necklace matches perfectly my dress, doesn't it? Do you want to choose something for you, too?“

„Sissy, please, let's go, dad's waiting. People will come to see him and not my or your necklace.“

 Sissy grimaced again but this time agreed without further ado. She finished her makeup to fit her dress and was ready. Eva could not hide her admiration – her little sister looked really adorable. The bad thing about it was that Eva suddenly felt old, unnecessary and dressed in a sack compared to her. And even worse, she had to appear this way in front of all relatives and guests...

The evening turned out to be as bad as she had expected. Her little sister twirled around collecting all fascinated looks on herself. People then reluctantly turned to see Eva and nodded sympathetically. They commented on her professional success and then remarked that career chasing often influenced private life. As if she didn't know it... After the story with Jeremy her feminine self-esteem was brutally slashed. Ah, Jeremy...

Eva tried to stop further thoughts and to concentrate on the tables she was filling in. She shouldn't have let a simple party and the stupid remarks of her sister and some distant relatives get her out of control.

„Miss Hudson's just called“, Stella stated from the next desk. „She said she would be here for the reports at noon.“

„Have we got all the sales figures inserted?“ asked Eva.

„No, of course not“, Stella distorted her lips. „We haven't even collected all the reports from the shops.“

„Since Miss Hudson is coming at noon, she will insist on seeing them.“ Eva sighed. Her report couldn't be completed before the others had done their job to fill in the numbers. Unfortunately, apart from having the title of a Marketing Manager, she had no other tools to make them work faster.

„Phew, could she have probably called even later?“ Stella groaned.

„You know what she is like. I think I've never seen this woman smile.“

„Definitely. Me neither. She could have warned us at least a day earlier that she wanted those reports ready, couldn't she?“

„Maybe, or maybe not. Grab the phone and start asking the shops for their reports. Immediately.“

„Phew“ puffed Stella again. „She is not like Jeremy Wyatt. It was so easy to work with him.“

Eva's heart trembled. Stella surely didn't mean to hurt her.

„Everybody has their own style of working...“

„Style? It's not a matter of style, but the person. She is just a genuine bitch whereas he was a cool guy“, Stella carefully surged behind the screen to check if Eva was looking at her. „Well, you probably have a different opinion of him but I know him only as a boss and he was super cool. It's such a pity he had to leave and we were sent this grumpy old spinster!“

Familiar uneasiness crept into Eva's veins and she resettled uncomfortably on her chair. The only lucky thing about it was that her colleagues did not know the real reason why he had left... She took a deep breath and wondered how to escape from the topic.

„Let's not be impolite. I also find it more difficult to work with her but I doubt it has something to do with the fact that she's not married. Come on, Stella, there's no time left, get down to work so we can have something completed before she arrives.“

Stella shrugged her shoulders and picked up the phone. Eva grimaced. She knew she would be scolded again for not having organized her people effectively. The position of a general manager she had so long dreamt of seemed to float even further to the distance...

Miss Hudson arrived within about an hour. With the fling of the door open, the room was filled with coldness coming from her grey eyes, pivoting on each worker one by one. All conversations came to a sudden end; eyes guiltily stared at the screens. With the dignity of a stylish lady in her mid fifties she greeted curtly, trotted solemnly through the room and immediately asked Eva to join her in her study.

Miss Hudson showed her to a chair and went straight to the point. Even if it had been months since they'd started working together, Eva still had a problem with her Boston accent. The pure thought of having to speak with Miss Hudson, made Eva's nerves tight.

„Miss Petrova, I haven't received your report on the advertising campaign of Clover shampoos yet. I would like to ask you to present the details on that report along with the reasons for your delay.“

„Miss Hudson, I started working on it as soon as I got the first data. I don't think there is any delay“, Eva dared to object. She hated those moments when those magnified eyes made her feel like a schoolgirl unable to answer the questions posed.

„If I am sitting at this desk and waiting for this report, that means there is a delay.“Miss Hudson pursed her lips and her face went ever more rigorous. “Have you got anything to show me at all?“

Eva took out her laptop and opened the file she was working on. She knew too well the grumpy bulldog in front of her wouldn't be satisfied with it. The data was only partly inserted and no conclusions could be drawn from it. Miss Hudson impartially nodded to her explanations and kept on expecting more details until all Eva's words were over.

„Miss Petrova“, Miss Hudson put down her glasses and firmly looked at her, „I am sure you understand perfectly well that what you have just presented me is not to be considered a report. You have worked long years for our company and we highly appreciate your skills and abilities. It seems though, you have till recently been subject to special protection which had led to reducing the quality of your work and to not abiding by the company's policies.“

Eva's face turned red. How long was Jeremy's ghost going to chase her? This is not true, she wanted to shout. I have never mixed my work obligations with my private life! And the same definitely referred to him too. The fact they had shared a bed hadn't prevented him from turning into a tyrant during the day and surveying her work performance as much as, if not even more than the other colleagues'. But she just pursed her lips and kept silent.

„Since you started working under my control, you haven't been really concentrated and focused on your work. You often omit details and find it hard to meet deadlines. I must warn you that I won't be able to tolerate such attitude much longer. I assume you're having your personal hard times but our company cannot allow corporate interests to suffer because of this“, Miss Hudson demonstratively closed the laptop and handed it back to Eva. “I'll be expecting your report by the end of the day today, along with your analysis of the figures. Please, ask Mister Simeonov to come into my office!“

Eva grabbed the computer, nodded stiffly and rose. The moment she went out of the room, she released her long-held breath with a low whistle. All of her colleagues were staring at her in awe. Eva just shook her head and made an expressive gesture:

„Simeonov, appear in court!“

No, it couldn't go on like that! Eva was sitting at the dressing table, gazing at the mirror while putting the makeup away from her face. She was so exhausted after the long working day that her sight was blurring. She got the feeling miss Hudson had a personal reason to hate Jeremy and put it on her. Was there never going to be an end to this torture? As if her own pain was not enough, she had to also stand  other people's never-ending comments.

Jeremy Wyatt had been given a temporary assignment as a managing director of Lea Advertising Bulgaria because of the numerous faults of the former manager. He arrived in Sofia two years ago and she – as the marketing manager of the company – appeared to be under his direct control. At first they worked on pure business terms. Of course, she had been attracted right from the start by the natural and friendly American who treated her as if they'd been friends for years. She was amused by the difference in their mentalities, by his way of perception of the Bulgarian lifestyle and culture she was so used to. Then came that business trip where they were both sent to a conference at the headquarters of the company in Paris. She had already noticed those particular looks of his, the way he prolonged their meetings just a little more than necessary. When they had to organize their trip together, it was more than natural to have seats next to each other on the plane and to book neighbouring rooms at the hotel.    Butterflies had been fluttering in her stomach during the whole journey. She wondered whether he’d make any advances. Jeremy was not even an evening late. After the Welcome Party on the first night, he put his arm around her shoulder as they said goodbye to the others and somehow forgot to move it away all the way back to their hotel. Eva was not surprised when they passed by his hotel room and didn't stop there but went together to the door of her room. She was still a bit embarrassed by him and didn't let him too close but answered his kisses. And she found out she liked it. He was nice and tender with her and never too insistent or aggressive. Even though she hadn't let any further intimacy develop during the business trip, their relationship got serious soon after they were back in Bulgaria. Eva appeared to be involved in what she thought an engagement. Stupid and naive enough, she believed in Jeremy. She introduced him to her friends, to her parents, to her family. She even let their relationship be official at their workplace. Giving him all the love hidden inside her, she eventually gave in to his insisting requests to share his bed, even if she had been brought up in a conservative way while her sexual experience was really vague. She believed him when they discussed having children and tried to not to be alarmed by this suggestion to wait a little longer. Being already thirty, for her there was nothing more to wait but she wanted him to be happy with that too. It had all been going well – or at least she had thought so – until six months ago when Jeremy had to suddenly leave for the US. It had happened before – he occasionally had gone back to the US for a week, once every couple of months. Eva had thought it normal for him to go back and meet his family and friends and was looking forward to the moment he would invite her to join him and introduce her to his family. This time, however, it was different. He had recently come back from a visit home and then left without a notice except for a short text on Messenger. Eva tried to reach him worried something bad might have happened to a person from his family. He didn't answer any message. Several days later, when she asked the headquarters when to expect mister Wyatt back, she got an answer that he was actually never going to come back. His wife was pregnant and he had required a permanent position in the US so he could stay with her. The local office should expect – the woman from the headquarters had added – Miss Hudson, an expert at Middle East markets, to come over as his replacement. Eva didn't know how she had managed to keep her consciousness at that information. Just the thought that they had been discussing their own child.... and during all this time he had been married and had regularly flown back to his wife!

  Eva cleaned up the last track of makeup and stared at her own reflection as if it could speak. Well, Jeremy hadn't really liked those eyes. He hadn't fallen in love

with this face, no matter how many lies he had told. He hadn't really loved that body although he had used it. And he had never reached as deep as her soul, or he would not have found it normal to never write or talk to her again after those ten months they'd spent together. Not a word. As if it was the most common thing on Earth to talk to her about the names of their future children and their house in the suburbs and then to go back to his lawful wife whose existence he had somehow forgotten to mention. Eva tried hard but still found it impossible to accept this behaviour.

Eva was still living in a trance, incapable to come to terms with her past. The most annoying thing of all, though, was that both her sister and Miss Hudson were actually right. Devastated by her own drama, Eva had let herself live day by day. She made no more efforts than the absolute minimum neither in her work, nor in her private life. Even if she had never followed the latest fashion trends like her sister, she had never paid so little attention to her looks either. She hadn't really neglected her work performance but her attitude had nothing to do with that that ambition that had driven her fast up the career ladder in the company. And with the appearance of Miss Hudson, her former dream of becoming the managing director of the company was swiped away into the air.

 She heard the beep of her messenger, slowly rose and approached the computer to check who had written to her. Sissy was sending a link to her maths teacher's profile, a thirty-five-year-old bachelor. Ah, Sissy! Eva was annoyed and amused at the same time. Sissy often changed the objects of her interest and the moment a boy irritated her, she turned her back to him and looked at the next one. She thought it a universal solution to the problem. Or, maybe, Eva suddenly thought, Sissy was right. Eva had really little experience in love affairs – a long unmarried love and a short relationship with a man who seemed to have fallen out of love soon after they got together. It was obvious she found it really difficult to get out of the sticky cobweb of the depression that had enveloped her after the breakup with Jeremy. So she had to intentionally do something to get her life back in control! Driven by sudden determination, Eva clicked on the profile sent to her.

The man looked nice. Probably a bit dry. Or soft. She couldn't imagine him going to the rescue of his damsel in distress. Then she suddenly realised it had already been ten minutes of looking curiously at his face and her thoughts – what a marvel! - had flown away from Jeremy. The heavy sorrow which had captured her heart tight in a vice was now released and her heart soared freely and happily. Yes – the idea shone on her like a bright flashlight in the darkest night – she had to find someone, something to shortly occupy her mind and take her out of this deep hole she had fallen into. Something to oust the memory of Jeremy and bring back her faith in her femininity. No expectations, no emotions, just a fleeting refreshing adventure.

CHAPTER TWO

The woman at the corner side of the bar was watching him in careful contemplation. The woman? The girl? He couldn't have a proper guess about her age in the dim light of the night bar. She had beautiful dense blond hair ambiently flowing around her face. The abundant makeup shadowing her eyes gave her that thrilling image of a fatal woman. She was wearing a provocative skimpy top and he soon caught himself leaning back or forth trying to get a better glimpse of the milky skin of her bosom, reaching as far as the dress allowed. What would he see if his hands removed those straps and unleashed the lush flesh? Andrey felt sudden discomfort on his chair and changed his position while having a sip of his drink.

„How's it going, Andrey? Having fun?“a broad tough hand slapped him over the shoulder.

„Jordan, I'll never forgive you for taking me to a place like this“, Andrey wryly smiled at his friend shouting over the loud music. „Don't you think we look kind of funny here with those nineteen to twenty-year-olds? You could be one of their father’s.“

„Oh, come on, boy, relax! There's life outside the walls of your office too! Stop thinking about how old you are and come dance with us. “

„Dance? “Andrey laughed. „Do you want to put me in a compromising position? “

„And send it to the media? Can you imagine what a sensation it would be to have footage of your VIP dancing in a night club? “

„If it hadn't been for your birthday, my dear friend, I would have never let you drag me inside this awkward place. Now, go have fun with the girls. You seem to manage your popularity levels high, there's an impressive fan club of girls waiting for your return“, Andrey gestured towards the dancing floor where several heated up girls were waving at his friend.

„So what about you? Sitting still on that bar chair, you'll never get to know your popularity levels.“

„Popularity is none of  my  concern . “

Andrey picked up his glass showing he deemed this conversation exhausted. Jordan shook his head, slapped him on the back again and went back to the dancing girls. Andrey had another sip. The whisky spread pleasant warmth all over his body and he felt his tension relax. He leaned forward over the bar. His eyes involuntarily strayed aside. The girl was still there and was still watching him obliquely. A strange thrill drove through his stomach. Along with a sudden inexplicable desire to lift up her face, gaze through the shuttered eyelashes and plunge his fingers into this abundant copper hair. He swiftly turned his look away. There was no use giving her signs her interest might be shared. Andrey suddenly wished he had a cigarette to keep his fingers busy. What was happening to him? It was ages since he had last smoked. The rest of the whisky was poured down in one huge gulp into his throat and he ordered another glass. His eyes swerved to the dance floor where Jordan was still twirling and swirling in the rhythm of the music. A faint smile flickered on his lips as his thoughts went back years, many years ago to their youth pranks when the two of them formed an inseparable couple at the nightclubs. Jordan seemed to have kept this youthful  enthusiasm while Andrey found himself millions of years away from those times. He had been only twenty-two when he had entered the frames of family life – at an age when most of his friends hadn't even left the homes of their parents. He had taken up the responsibility of being a father at twenty-four. Now, at thirty-seven, his life was focused on the cares for his daughter on the verge of adolescence whom he had had to look after all by himself for the last three years. Thoughts about bars and discos were so odd to his mind. Loud music made him tired and flashing lights made his eyes blink. He was going to stay just a little longer to show respect for Jordan but he was already looking forward to the comfort of his own home.

Yet his glance kept on skipping to the other side of the L-shaped bar, ready to bounce back the moment it spot her. This time, however, the chair appeared to be empty. He stared at it as if he could bring the blond girl back there only by the power of his mind. Andrey slightly raised his body from the bar so he can look around. He couldn't see her anywhere. She had apparently gone away. God knows why, the feeling that stirred him reminded him much of his disappointment. He gave a sigh and leaned back on the bar. Anyway, nothing was going to come out of this – neither had he any wish for affairs with strangers, nor could he take her to his apartment where his daughter was sleeping. He took another sip and looked back at the dance floor.

And then he saw her. Among a few dancing girls, her eyes nearly closed, she was following the rhythm of the music, slowly and sensually. Each movement made her breasts straighten the light material of the tight blouse. Her hips lustfully swayed under the short skirt. His eyes helplessly followed the line of her long legs down to the exquisite ankles over the high heels. A thrill in the lower part of his body shook him. His body momentarily reacted and this time he couldn't help it. His mouth went dry and he felt the urge to have another sip. The alcohol seemed to have made him so light-headed. He got the idea that all the other dancing people faded away and the only person left on the dance floor was her. Andrey felt almost irresistible desire to slide his hand along her stockings right to their top and strip them away together with that skirt with one single movement. His breath sharpened over the yearning to remove the straps and unbutton the top buttons of her blouse, which obviously made quite an effort to keep her impressive bosom inside the garment. Andrey, collect yourself, it's time for you to go! But he just couldn't take his eyes off her. There was something very special about this girl.

Eva was deep inside the music. Tired of the long working week, low in spirits and pressed down by the martini, her consciousness had retreated to make way for her emotions to come out. She was all one big emotion – vivid and flashing. Her body was under the control of a strange external power, something that wanted to let her free from all the misery piled up in her soul.

Even though she had been clinging to her sister's idea of a one-night stand as a solution to her problems, it appeared not so easily achievable. Was it her inner dislike of it or the fact this was against her very essence that made the mission unsuccessful? She had registered into several dating sites and had tried to actively search for contacts. Avoiding any chances of being recognised, she changed her name and described a woman that was not very much like her. A lot of men wrote to her. Most of them couldn't even start a decent conversation. Others were just not her type. Third... hmm. She started a chat with a good-looking – at least on the photo – man about her age. It was going smoothly and lightly, they found a lot of common interests. When they started discussing meeting offline and he informed her he was not free in the evenings or at weekends, an alarm flashed in her mind. No! Even for a one-night stand, she would never touch again a man who had a wife waiting for him somewhere. Another nice interlocutor, after a few sweet talks invited her to his country house together with him and his girlfriend... Eva was desperate.

It was Friday evening. Time for clubs. At first she found the idea funny. Then she reconsidered it. Why not, after all? It would be her last attempt. If she failed there too, she would eventually abandon her sister's insane idea and just accept she was not that kind of girl. A thought about calling a friend to join her came to her mind but she quickly backed it off. She didn't want anyone to witness her fall. Eva examined her wardrobe thoughtfully, chose the appropriate outfit, hid her face under significant amount of make-up and the taxi drove her to the night club. People were entering in small groups. Her lone appearance provoked the scrutinizing looks of the bouncers. Eva just threw up her chin and proudly walked between them. There were free tables but she decided to take up a high chair at the bar. She ordered a martini and looked around the club. The atmosphere reminded her of a students' party. Most of the visitors were some ten years younger than her, grouped in three or four. Pigeon chested boys were parading their shaped muscles and bodies around. Some of them stopped their eyes on her and arrogantly perused her from head to toe but she remained seated with her chin tightly upright. No, it was not going to work out here, either. Eva sighed and had a sip of her martini. It was meant to prove to her once again she was not capable of acting the seducer. She sunk in her chair and stared in an indistinctive point ahead of her.

A little while later, Eva realised the point she was staring at moved from time to time. And not only moved but regularly cast secret fleeting glimpses of her. Eva blinked and realised she had actually been staring at a man. Yes, that's right, a man and not a boy. And... what a man! Well, she couldn't claim he was the epitome of „tall, dark and handsome“. The figure emerging over the bar top was clearly large but she couldn't bet he was tall until he stood up. Dark? His hair - short and dense – was definitely dark but matched a fairer skin. Handsome? His face looked severe rather than handsome. Features - roughly carved, cheekbones – high, eyes – inscrutable, framed by long eyelashes. He looked more like a bouncer there, rather than a man enjoying an evening out. No, he couldn't be a bouncer, she decided quickly. Even if open at the neck, his crisp white shirt still looked too formal for a bouncer or for a disco club at all. Unlike the other boys around, who were in a rush to show off their built muscles under the tight T-shirts, he didn't seem to care at all about the impression that he would leave in women. Still there was something in his body that suggested  unleashed power, which gave him quite a strong and firm look. Something that could be seen even through the uneasiness he was obviously experiencing sitting in this place. He was fidgeting on his chair, having  frequent sips from his drink, leaning on one elbow often changing it to the other. Either something bothered him, or he didn't like staying there at all. Or he was bored with the atmosphere in the club, just the way Eva was. Now that she'd found an opportunity to keep her mind occupied, Eva grasped it and went on to observe him. She found out he had come to the club with another man and she also found out he was not having any fun. Eva ordered another drink and delved deeper into her investigation. His lips were tight in a rough line and he hardly released their edges to let a faint occasional smile on. She suddenly wondered if they were still that tough whenever he kissed a woman. Redness came on her cheeks when her mind pictured his lips pressing onto hers. Hard and vigorous? It was almost impossible to imagine them in a loving caress. Then she deliberated on what he did for a living. Her eyes stopped on the long, well shaped fingers holding the glass or rhythmically tapping on the bar. They weren't rough or callused from work. No, he was definitely not a man of physical activity. The fine shirt suggested an office ambiance. He had to be some kind of a manager, she couldn't imagine him obeying  orders. His posture, his look, a shade of pale on his fair skin indicated some tiredness – he was certainly a man who worked indoors and worked a lot. His business style looked so odd in a place like this.

Time was going by, Eva was still observing him, frequently reaching out for her drink. Her head was getting dizzier and dizzier and her sight blurring, focusing only directly in front of her eyes. She was not the worn out, depressed and lacking motivation thirty-two-year-old spinster anymore. She had taken on a new existence and in her new life there was nothing but an interested girl and an intriguing man sitting in a nightclub. The reasons that had led her into this night club, the dramatic feelings and bleakness that had been swallowing her power in the last months were fading somewhere in the darkness, away from that new existence. Somewhere in between she heard a familiar song and the rhythm revived her blood. Eva felt an irresistible inner desire to express her emotions in a dance. She left her glass on the bar plot and headed towards the dance floor. Half closing her eyes, she let her movements follow her instincts. Her hands slowly outlined the smooth curves of her body in a wordless expression of its longing to be caressed. She lowered her head back and turned her hair, twirling and sinking into the music. Her eyes were not looking at him but he was there, she knew it. She could feel his piercing gaze. Her breasts went somewhat higher while her hand gently followed the white skin from the neck to the cleavage. Her thighs swayed in the rhythm somehow making a gracious movement towards him. She knew it. She wanted to dance for him.

When the song finished, Eva reluctantly proceeded back to her seat, annoyed by the fast rhythm of the next song. To reach her chair she had to pass by him. Eva tried to imagine how she would „accidentally“ stand on his foot. Or, no, she'd better accidentally stagger and fall over him. Or...? Eva, think quickly! She was already right in front of him and she couldn't even force her eyes go up to meet his. She gazed at his shoes and trousers. My god, this man had gone to a nightclub in exquisite shoes and formal trousers edged with a crease! Her heart hastened its rhythm but it was like she was paralysed, she managed to neither stumble, nor stagger, nor even look at him. She had nearly passed him when suddenly a strong hand grasped her wrist.

Eva raised her head and met two deep black eyes that she merely abyssed into. She gasped with amazement. Her mind suddenly evaporating.

„I think you've lost one of your earrings on the dance floor,“ he said close to her ear loudly enough to overcome the booming music. She felt his breath into her hair.

„Oh, have I?“ Eva touched the lobes of her ears. One of her earrings was missing indeed.

„Let me fetch it for you.“

He stood up and Eva silently monitored his body rise high above hers.  Was he tall? He was, definitely. She watched him go to the dance floor, bend and pick up a glittering object from the floor.

„Thank you so much!“Eva shouted in his ear. The closeness of her mouth towards his skin embarrassed her.

He opened his palm and she needed to touch him again in order to take it. Her fingers faltered. She tried to hang the earring but didn’t have the necessary coordination. He quietly watched her effort.

„Let me help you,“his hands carefully approached hers.

Eva gave a disconcerted smile. The loud music made all speaking useless. His hand tenderly removed a strand from her hair and kept it behind her earlobe. The touch of his fingers nearly took her breath away. Her body froze. She hoped she hadn't flushed.

„Done,“ he said and got his hands back.

„It was so kind of you. Perhaps I wouldn't have noticed it myself,“she smiled sweetly through half shuttered eyelashes.

„The seat next to me is free,“he pointed at the chair. Well, it wasn't exactly right, it was Jordan's seat but he was not going to look for it very soon anyway. „Could I possibly offer you a drink?“

The world was spinning around her anyway. One more drink and she might not be able to stand up anymore. But that was her chance. Her last chance.

Eva sat down and lurched her head closer to his so she was able to hear him.

„I was actually sitting at the other side of the bar.“

„I saw you. A woman like you cannot be left  unnoticed.“

Eva flushed. Andrey was confused. Her daring looks were openly shouting she had been on a manhunt. The signals she had sent to him all evening, could not be misinterpreted. It was quite unnatural for such a woman to be embarrassed by a simple compliment.

„Thank you. By the way, I am Nina. Nice to meet you.“

„Andrey. My pleasure. Are you alone here, Nina?“

„I came with a friend but she left earlier and left me alone“ Eva pretended to laugh, launching her previously made up fake story. „How about you?“

„My friend is...“Andrey raised his hand to have a better look of the dance floor „...over there.“

„The one dancing with no less than five girls?“

„He is definitely not bored,“Andrey laughed as well. The lines of his face softened and Eva thought that he could even be called handsome when he smiled. Especially when the flickers in his eyes were glowing at her.

„Are you bored?“She crossed her legs letting the rim of her skirt go up and reveal a higher part of her hip. He followed her movement but nothing on his face showed if it impressed him.

„Not anymore,“he commented courteously. „I have to admit, though, I am not particularly fond of these types of places.“

„Oh, aren't you?“Eva mannerly lifted her eyebrows. „What kind of places are you fond of then?“

„The type where you can hear what a beautiful woman is saying to you and your voice doesn't get harsh after telling her a few compliments,“he smirked again.

Eva wondered if that meant she had a chance or he was flirting just out of courtesy. She tried to let out her most seductive smile:

„But  people get intimate sooner here than in other circumstances.“

„They do. What do you do for a living?“Andrey asked her.

„Right now, nothing, “Eva answered nonchalantly introducing the next part of her fake scenario. „I used to be a shop assistant but I didn't really like it and decided to quit it. I'm looking for a job but right now I'm just having fun. How about you?“

„Well, I do go to work, although I often don't like it either...“

„Do you want to dance?“Eva interrupted him fluttering with her eyelashes. Eagerness was burning inside her. In fact, she didn't want to know anything about him. She'd rather stay with the image she had already built about him in her mind. She only wanted to have an unambiguous sign if he wanted it or was she just wasting her time.

Andrey uneasily fidgeted on his seat.

„I must admit I am no good at dancing.“

„Even for a blues?“

She released all charm she was capable of showing. She couldn't afford getting a „no“ as an answer. It was her last chance! Eva sprung from her chair and pulled him somewhat ungraciously by the arm.  Obviously puzzled, he hesitated for a moment but eventually obeyed and slowly followed her.

 It was so strange to touch a perfect stranger. Eva rested her hands on his shoulders. The might radiating from his firm, well built body immediately penetrated into her. He didn't need to wear a tight T-shirt like most of the young boys around so she could see it – this man was capable of defending her from any danger! Her fingers falteringly closed around his neck. She could feel his warmth and something – something that made her skin bristle. Something she could discern with all her senses and yet could not define. His hands slowly slid down to her waist barely touching it and ensuring certain distance between their bodies. Even so, the tension throughout his body was easily discernible. His movements were somehow stiff and Eva could feel it was not only due to the lack of dancing skills. The disco ball’s shiny reflection on the ceiling cast various lights over his stern face. His lips were frozen, his eyelashes firmly shadowed, the eyes avoiding looking at her. Eva tried to keep the imposed distance but the song was slow and tender and getting more and more infatuating. She leaned her head almost to touch his chest. Despite the loud music she could also here the mighty beat of his heart. His hands, as if against his will, tightened their grip on her waist and each further step diminished the distance between their bodies. At a certain moment she realized her breasts were touching his chest and in the slow swaying her hips stood centimetres against his. Oh, yes! His body definitely reacted to her presence even if he was trying to hide it under a mask of ostensible reserves! The discovery filled her with particular satisfaction. Eva attached herself closer to him and tried to let her be led by the music. Anticipation bit her from the inside though and the song hadn't yet finished when she raised her eyes to meet his:

„Can I ask you a favour?“

He was dancing with his eyes half closed and somehow tense face.

„Ask me?“ he startled, as if woken up in the middle of a dream.

„Well... I'm not from Sofia and I'm staying at a hotel nearby. I was thinking that...“her lips went dry and she moistened them „... I was actually wondering if you could accompany me to the hotel?“

Andrey slowed down his movements and stared hard at her. His eyes were dark and deep. Eva thought her heart was going to leap out of her chest. She tried to hide embarrassment by jabbering:

„I am a little worried to walk the streets on my own at night. Perhaps I should have gone home together with my friend...“

He took a sharp breath and looked to the side. For a long moment he only kept on dancing without an answer. Eva carefully watched how his face changed several expressions to hear him dryly pronounce, in a little while.

„Of course, I will accompany you. Do you want to go right away?“

„Whenever you say, “she smiled sweetly.

The last chords of the song struck and he slowly led her back to the bar. He asked her to wait for him to say goodbye to Jordan and then they went together to the cloakroom to pick up their coats.

It was a cold winter night. Was it the frost that made Eva shudder as she went out covered in her thick read coat? She looked at him. Exquisite formal winter jacket? And not cold in it? It seemed he had come to the nightclub directly from work. Her ears were so deafened by the loud music inside, she could hardly hear the sound of the cars passing by. But she was happy it was not necessary to shout anymore so she can talk to him. She heard her voice low and croaky as they walked side by side on the empty pavement.

„Thank you for walking me out!“

„Don't mention it. Which hotel are you staying it?“

„Zora Hotel, it is a few crossings down this street,“she gave a prompt and confident reply. Of course, she hadn't booked a room but had checked the availability in advance and she hoped not all of the ten free rooms had been taken in the meantime.

He strolled beside her with calm, rhythmic steps. Somehow too calm. He walked close to her but made sure their bodies didn't touch. Even though alcohol had bated her adequate thinking, Eva could read his hesitation. She bit her lips. She knew she shouldn't let this chance slip away.

„Have you got a girlfriend?“

Andrey laughed. Could he consider „a girlfriend“ the divorced Sonia who called him from time to time whenever she was feeling lonely?

„If I had, I bet she wouldn't be happy with me dancing with a beautiful girl and seeing her to her hotel room.“

„I guess this also means you haven't got a wife waiting for you at home?“

His smile straightened and he wondered how to answer. He doubted he could explain the peculiar situation he was in. In fact, there was no need to. He stuck to her words and answered:

„I haven't got a wife, waiting for me at home .“

Eva chuckled. She didn't want her own adventure to be at the expense of another woman who was waiting for this man somewhere. She dared to put her hand under his elbow. Andrey cast a fleeting look at his arm but he didn't retreat. He just drew his arm closer to his body and warmed up her frozen fingers. Eva's smile broadened and she strode more confidently. They soon reached the hotel. She asked him to wait for her for a minute at the door and quickly got a room at the reception with the request to register later. When she was back, his eyes went hungrily all over her but he just said:

„Well, Nina, it was a real pleasure to meet you. Thank you for your wonderful company and I hope to see you again one day.“

„I doubt we'll ever meet again,“she raised her head, threw her hair back and boldly looked at him. „We are nothing but two comets accidentally crossing their ways. Fellows for the night. Here and now. With the dawn everyone will be back to his own separate way.“

Andrey squinted his eyes. Eva was standing in front of him. Her beautiful face illuminated by the dim light of the streetlights. Freezing drops of winter moisture in her hair spread all over the top of her red coat, he was irresistibly tempted to get his fingers inside it. His body had been pulsating in sweet torment all evening. Why was he, in fact, forcing himself suffer? The only person he felt responsible for his actions for, was his daughter. But right now, she was sleeping in her bed, in their cosy home, accompanied by her  grandmother. The next morning their life was going to be the same as it had always been.

„Then let's enjoy the time we have till dawn?“

His smile was promising, his eyes – an abyss. She offered her hand, he caught it and followed her through the rolling doors.

They walked wordlessly along the quiet hotel corridor, side by side. Footsteps muffled by the soft carpets. Tension dispersed goosebumps all over her skin. Each single cell of Eva's body vibrated with awareness of Andrey's closeness. Strangely, her anxiety was gradually being replaced by a surging sweet expectation.

Andrey waited for her to unlock the door, silently went in after her and closed the door. His gaze was heavy with lust. His hands slowly reached for her. Eva lowered her eyes. She let his fingers slide from her shoulders to her waist and further continue the exploration of her body. Faint light coming from the street added a touch of mystery to the handsome lines of his face. No one reached to switch on the light, infatuated by the flutters of lust in the air. She had thought she would feel uncomfortable touching a stranger but to her surprise the contact with him gave her a feeling of cosiness, as if she had finally come home after a long journey. He bowed his head and his lips caressed the uncovered part of her neck. Eva closed her eyes and threw back her hair. For once in her life she could behave the way she had always wanted to. She glided her hands over his chest and relished a peculiar feeling of satisfaction. She couldn't remember Jeremy ever making her experience such a stormy exposure of sensuality. Her veins seemed to be burning with fire making her almost liquid with desire. Still dizzy by the martini, her consciousness had retreated to make her bold and aspiring in her touches. His sharp sighs and admiration lit the fire in her even brighter. His caresses got more intensive and she found herself letting him do things she had never let a man do before, reacting to heights of pleasure she had never thought she could experience.

Later, as they were lying side by side on the wide bed, she felt sudden discomfort and nervously reached for her clothes. She could expect he would just get up and go away. But he didn't do it. His hand snatched hers and stopped their way to her wrinkled underwear. He leaned on his elbow, his saturated eyes enjoying the sight of her naked body, illuminated by the moonlight entering through the window.

„You seem to have been made specially for me, Nina!“

He released her wrist to cup her shapes with his hands and follow the lines of her body with his fingers. The fake name struck her. She was so enraptured by the intensity of the experienced pleasure she had totally forgotten about her false story.

„You are wonderful“, she whispered.

„You are wonderful. Tender, refined. Look how perfectly you fit into my hands,“his hands went on exploring her body again and his lips followed them.

„Andrey...“Eva was surprised how easily he aroused burning flames inside her again.

„I wish we could have this night forever.“

„So do I“, he admitted frankly.

He raised his eyes to meet hers and his lips took the path along her neckline to finally meet hers. For the first time that night. Their kiss was something new, exhilarating, thrilling. If she had thought there could be no stronger feeling than what they'd already experienced, she had been mistaken. His kiss was devouring and demanding but at the same time granting and donating. It was as if he finally let her get as deep as his soul. Eva was suddenly filled up with extreme feelings – they sprung from unsuspected depths, out of her control, out of her ability to describe it in words. It all looked so natural, as if designed in another world, long before they actually met. There was nothing more natural than letting her body express her joy and even in ways she had never known she was able to.

„Nina“, he groaned. „You are incredible! I want you to be mine again.“

„I am yours, Andrey, here and now. All night.“

„All night“, he agreed and they dived again to the depths of lust.

After it was over, Eva closed her eyes and spread her body unable to move any muscle, filled in with blissfulness. She shortly fell asleep only to startle back up and find him still there by her side. And still watching her with adoration.

„You told me almost nothing about yourself“, Andrey murmured, his finger playing with her curls. „Where are you from?“

„From Bourgas“, Eva spit out the name of first town that came to her mind.

„Strange, you don't have the specific Bourgas accent“, he noticed.

„Well...“- so late at night, after so much alcohol, her mind was completely not responding - „I have worked on my pronunciation, so it can't be easily recognised.“

„How interesting... You are an interesting woman, Nina.“

His eyes were observing her thoughtfully. A faint hope rose in her heart. If only all this could be a dream come true... If they could share this blissfulness forever... The small amount of common-sense left in her head hurried to smash that irrational hope. This night was her ephemeral escape from reality. She was going to savour every moment till its very end. To live through that night and then forget about it in the morning. It would be her little lie, her little secret. With her amazing prince.

„You are also an intriguing man“, she smothered. „But I doubt we'll ever meet again. I come to Sofia once in a blue moon.“

„So be it“, he agreed. „We'll be just two comets making a fiery clash and going their separate ways. Fellows for a night. And this night we will be in flames.“

Their bodies seemed to be attracted to each other by a mystic inexplicable power dragging them together like the opposite sides of a magnet. Andrey didn't leave before dawn. Eva tried hard to keep herself awake for fifteen more minutes and left the hotel room soon after him. She headed for her home – exhausted, exhilarated, feeling she had reached the skies and grasped the moon.

 CHAPTER THREE

In the morning things didn't look that exciting anymore. To be more precise, it was in the early afternoon when she finally woke up to find she was alone and in her own bed. The moonlight magic was gone. Her tongue was tingling, her head heavy and sore, her stomach experiencing a tough inner storm. She was incredibly thirsty and at the same time the pure thought of putting something in her mouth made her nauseous.

Goodness, what had she done? She got up with an effort and shuffled her feet towards the kitchen sofa. She couldn't remember abusing alcohol so much since her teenage years. The afternoon sun was shining through the window and she was so vexed by the rays she made a new effort to reach for the blind and close it down.

One by one pictures from the past night invaded her mind. And each further picture made her cheeks a more saturated colour of red. Her thoughts euphorically jumped and hit the edges as if they were small balls closed in a box. If someone had told her a week earlier that she was able to hook on a stranger in a disco club and to forget what embarrassment was like with him, she would have never believed it. She, the conservative and plain Eva? Was last night real? Was it as amazing as she remembered it? What kind of magic had that man done to her? No, she corrected herself, it was not the man but the alcohol. After so many drinks, she'd been so enchanted that she could probably take on anyone. Like, for example...  the neighbour next door. Eva tried to picture him. Going slowly bold, impressive beer belly and unpleasant breath that could be scented during the travel in the lift. The thought about him nearly made her rush to the bathroom. Hmm, no. Either she had been too drunk and agreeable last night or the magic experience had indeed been all due to Andrey.

The memory of the flare in his deep black eyes sent shivers down her spine. She had never imagined a stranger could excite her so much. Even to make her wish the fairy-tale could come true... Eva sighed and suppressed the new unpleasant wriggle of her stomach. It was even better the fairy-tale wasn't true. How could she have possibly looked him in the eye today? So there was something really nice – she didn't have to meet him. Not today, or any other day.

The telephone rung and sharply took her out of her tangled deliberations.

„Eva! At last!“

„Hi, Mum, why „at last“?“ Eva's brows went closer. It was such a huge effort just to speak.

„Your phone has been off since yesterday! Do you know how worried I was?“

„Mum“, Eva tried to protest but her mother's reproach blared her. She had indeed switched her phone off last night so she can eliminate any connection to her real self. And in the morning she had totally forgotten to turn it on. How could it be that her mum had decided to search for her just then? „My battery was low and I forgot to plug it in. Don't panic for no reason!“

„I see“, distrust in her voice. „How are you, sweetie?“

„I am fine, mum“, Eva's voice came out harsh and creaky again.

„You don't sound too well? Have you caught a cold?“

„No, no, I am absolutely fine, I had just fallen asleep in front of the TV.“

„I thought you'd be somewhere out on a Saturday afternoon“, her mum continued. „Are you staying all by yourself in your place again? Why don't you come round, you know you can always have good company here?“

„I know, I know, mum“, Eva sighed and tried to calm down her annoyance. She knew her mum really cared for her and her unwanted advice was only well meant. „I might be alone but I'm not lonely. Whenever I feel the need, I go out. But sometimes I need to just give into laziness on my sofa.

„OK, OK, you know best. I just wanted to tell you that both me and your father, Sissy as well, would be happy to see your more often.“Her mother made a pause as if she was carefully selecting her next words. „How are things at work going?“

„Usual. There is a lot of work but this is no news,“Eva tried to avoid the personal questions. She was no way in the mood to talk to her mum about her latest experiences. „How about you, mum? Is everything all right?“

„Well,“her mum sighed. „I'm deeply worried about Sissy.“

„Why?“

„There's a new boyfriend there, he's blown off her mind with his posh cars and telephones. She closed in, doesn't want to share a thing.“Her mum sounded really worried.

„Well, normally she is a sensible girl, I don't believe she will get involved in some affairs. What kind of a boy is that?“

„When I ask her about him, she always gives a crack, succinct and indefinite answer. He has a... BMW or something... I see the car passing by and she then goes out – with that bare waist. I haven't seen her getting into the car but I'm almost sure this is the man.“

„Mum, the fact someone's driving a BMW does not mean anything bad.“

„It does, it does,“ her mum puffed. „If he's eighteen or so, like her, he can't have saved up the money for such a car. If he has earned such money by legal work, he must be over forty and it's again none of his business to date eighteen-year-old girls.“

„He might have won the National Lottery, you watch the ads on TV every day, how many poor people got the lucky ticket,“ Eva tried to joke. Her mum was prone to making a big fuss out of nothing. Like all mothers. „He might have a rich father...“

„Eva, could you try talking to her? She might share with you more easily about who this man is and if there is anything alarming, she might probably listen to your advice?“

„Of course, Mum, I'll try to find a way.“

„I'd be very grateful. And you, are you sure you are OK? Do you want me to come and bring something for you?“

„Mum, I've already told you I am fine.“ Just at that moment, however, her stomach played a bad trick on her and she had to rush for the bathroom. „Sorry, mum, I have to hang up. See you!“

***

The letters were dancing in front of his eyes.

„Dad, can I go and meet Danny and Chocho in the mall tonight?“

Andrey left the article he was reading and looked up to meet his thirteen-year-old daughter's eyes – uneasy and daring at the same time. His little girl was already turning into a woman mastering that typically feminine   ways of insistence, which could knock any man over.

„What are you going to do there?“He raised his brows. The night adventure, lack of sleep and too much alcohol had made him tetchier than usual.

„Oh, come on... we'll just have a walk. Though I really want to go to the cinema. We haven't yet watched the latest „Pirates of the Caribbean“and everybody in the class is talking about it!“Her black eyes shot a kind of  accusation at him.

„All right but you must be home by half past seven.“

„But dad, we're meeting at six!  By the time everybody's come I will have to leave for home!“she puckered up her lips.

„Then you can rearrange your meeting earlier so you can have enough time.“

„The earliest showing of the film is at seven!“

„So you'll not watch it tonight,“Andrey pronounced firmly meeting her angry stamp without any emotion.

„So all the others watch the film and I go home?!“

„If they go on to watch it, you'll have to come back. If you want to go out at all.“

„You don't understand!“she burst out, the edges of her eyes watering. „All the others are allowed to go, just  not me. They have mothers who understand them!“

Andrey felt a big wave of irritation surging up inside of him. It needed extra efforts to get back in control. Eleonora was old enough now to know how to speculate about her mother. But she didn't have the slightest knowledge over the situation they had fallen into and he had to constrain his own anger in order not to prevail over his parental attitude towards her.

„You also have a mother, Nora. Don't be deluded that she would have let you do more things if she had lived with us.“

„She would!“Nora stamped her foot again. „Whenever she is here, she does let me.“

Andrey threw the magazine away and stood up. She did let her! Of course she did! Considering she met her once a year, Mariana tried to have no arguments with her daughter at all. She was ready to let her do anything, she bribed her and teased her with promises, trying to redeem the guilt of having neglected her care for her.

„Whenever she is here, but now she is not. And the person to tell you what time you have to be home, is me. If you keep on arguing, you'll just stay at home and not go out tonight,“his tone sounded stricter than he intended it to be.

Eleonora didn't answer, insulted and hurt. He saw her eyes fill up and he felt like hugging and calming her down. But he had to refrain from it in the name of respect and education. She turned round for the door but the moment she was about to exit, she looked at him again.

„You give me a time to be back at seven and you only come home early in the morning!“

It was as if he was hit under the waist. His brows raised in a question.

„How did you come up with such an allegation?“

„I haven't come up with it. Yesterday you told me you were going to celebrate Mister Jordan's birthday and you're gonna be a little late but you came home only after dawn!“

Andrey wasn't prepared to give an answer. Still, Nora was standing there, resolute, waiting for it.

„Furthermore, I don't believe Mister Jordan wears perfume for women!“she went on noticing her words had produced the necessary effect on him and gloatingly added: „I got up to go to the bathroom shorty after you'd come home. And all the hall had the fragrance of your clothes!“

Andrey sighed. His incognito night too soon turned out to be not so incognito. Unfortunately, the only person whom he didn't ever want to give an explanation about it, was standing right in front of him awaiting it. He knew it was time to explain to her some things about the life of grown ups. He opened his mouth to start but surprisingly heard himself saying:

„We were in a night club together with several women, friends of Mister Jordan. Apparently a lady was wearing too heavy a perfume and it has soaked into my clothes.“

„Apparently you have sat all night at her side.“

He squirmed on his chair as if all of a sudden it had nails popping out of it.

„Look, Nora, I'm an adult and I sometimes might need to spend the night out. In such cases we are always grateful to your grandma who is available to stay the night with you,“he tried beating about the bush.

„So, let me put it like this. I stay with grandma whenever you are late. Then, whenever I am late, you should stay with grandma,“she said, deliberately audaciously.

„Eleonora, one more word and you can forget about going out tonight!“The obnoxious headache was coming back. He hadn't drunk that much but it appeared he was too old for such tempestuous nights.

„It's OK, I was just kidding,“her lips suddenly wried in a disarming smile. „Is she pretty?“

„Who?“

„The lady with the gentle fragrant perfume, of course,“she winked.

Andrey sighed.

„Yes,“he answered, winking at his turn. „Very.“

„Can I come home at eight?“Nora asked with an angelic voice.

He rubbed his temples.

„Eight and not a minute later.“

Nora flew out of the room and he grabbed the magazine hiding himself behind it. But he couldn't read. His mind refused to focus on the mediocre article purporting an overall macroeconomic analysis of the situation in the country.

He knew he had to explain to his daughter that every man needed to sometimes meet women. She was old enough to understand this was something natural for every grown up person. However, the tangled situation with her mother stopped him. He was worried she was entering womanhood with an inadequate presence of a woman at home. He was only able to handle his daily life of a single parent thanks to his mother. She helped them a lot with the housework and almost every afternoon either she came to their house or Eleonora visited.. They stayed the night together whenever he had to be away. She also took care of her when Nora was sick and he had to work. His mother was a nice and kind woman but she didn't have a particularly friendly attitude towards his daughter. The two generations difference between them was quite discernible. Nora needed a woman to copy, a woman to teach her all those typical womanly things...

His thoughts swerved to Nina. He usually avoided women like her. He had been so pissed off with Mariana's jumping into strangers' beds that he kept inner resentment towards such women. However, something had made him neglect his principles last night. His body still kept a fresh memory of the pleasure experienced with Nina. He could give a rational explanation how this woman had inflamed him to behave like an unrestrained teenager. It'd been so many years since he could last remember feeling such an insatiable desire for a woman. But it was not just the physical satisfaction that left a carved track in his mind. There was something puzzling about her, something challenging. He hadn't found out her age, he hadn't found out where she was from but he definitely knew she was not from Bourgas. When he had exited the hotel, he had been captured by the obsessive idea of watching the hotel doors for a little longer. He sat on a nearby bench and hung on.  His intuition hadn't lied to him. In no more than fifteen minutes he saw her come out of the hotel – no luggage in hands, no hurry. At half past five in the morning after she had slept for no more than ten minutes in the night... She looked along the street and got into the first taxi passing by. No, she was definitely not going back to Bourgas. It was, however, a puzzle that was never going to be solved as their paths were never going to cross again... And if it accidentally did happen, one thing was for sure – this woman was not the model he'd like his daughter to have.

It was more than a month later. Eva was nearly successful in her task to live her life as a new woman, released from the smashing weight of Jeremy's lie and confident in her own capacities. Spring was coming in and the reviving nature was making it easier for her to overcome her own depression. The sunny mornings made her spirits higher. She was making an effort to change a few things in her life – to give the best of herself at work, to react to miss Hudson's pedagogy with a smile and to go out with friends more often even when she didn't feel like it.

She had to admit Sissy's strange idea had actually turned out successful. She couldn't claim she was totally free from the phantom of Jeremy's memory but still she could feel the change. Either people had stopped insinuating about him or she had stopped paying attention to what they said. She didn't burst into panic and sudden agony and she didn't spend hours in tears anymore. It was true, she preferred thinking about work and never let personal thoughts occupy her mind during the day. Her nights were still often unrestful. But when she woke up in the darkness, her mind hectically roaming between dream and reality, the man whose features it figured out, was not Jeremy. At night it was her own personal secret time – she divulged into this sweet sensation, savouring that night again and again and wanted to never get down from her dream clouds. With the break of Dawn Eva shoved her dreams and thoughts back into her subconscious and locked them carefully in. Overcoming the past had obviously reflected on her appearance as well. She could recently feel the growing interest of men. A few colleagues had asked her out, she had also found several interesting people on the dating sites. Her self-esteem was slowly coming back. However, no man had yet sparked her interest to an extent she wanted to meet him live. She realised she was comparing them all to Andrey. And the bad thing about it was that no one could win over that idealistic image her intoxicated mind kept about him. Andrey – with his dark gleaming eyes, with his strong caressing hands and his fiery lips which made her skin burst with passion with every touch. Her heart twitched disappointedly at the thought he had already completed his role in her life and he was going to stay there only as a nice memory, a memory she would never ever confess about to anybody.

„Miss Petrova,“she heard Simeonov's perky voice from the desk next to hers, „could I tempt you with a proposal for a pizza for lunch?“

His smile was warming and promising. Eva could not help smiling back at him but she didn't want to encourage a flirt she was not able to respond to.

„Is food the only thing you ever think of, Simeonov! Haven't you got work to do?“She purportedly reproached him and turned towards her screen typing on her keyboard in an expressive answer.

At that moment the door opened and the sudden appearance of the royalty of Miss Hudson made again everybody freeze.

„Good afternoon, everyone“, she greeted coolly in English, casting a glimpse over the line of desks. „Miss Petrova, please come with me!“

Eva left the presentation she was working on and stood up right away. She wished she had accepted Simeonov's invitation to lunch. Conversations with Miss Hudson were never short although she always went straight to the point:

„Miss Petrova, as you are aware, the pitch for advertising agency for „Totem“ meat processing company, was successful for us and we were chosen to serve their interests. I want to congratulate you and your team for your good work.

As much as she detested that lady, Eva was flattered by the compliment. They had indeed invested a lot of effort to prepare a marketing and advertising plan for the big meat processing company and it was obviously appreciated.

„Tomorrow we have to start negotiations on the contract. I would like to inform you that the management has made a decision to change the lawyer's office that we work with.“

„Have they? Are we not going to work with Marina anymore?“

„Marina is soon out on maternity leave and her replacement was not convincing in presenting their qualities,“Miss Hudson’s face distorted in a kind of a smile, malicious and unfriendly. What sarcasm, Eva wondered, as if Miss Hudson wanted to underline that having a baby prevented a woman from a successful career. „So we had to take some precautions and sign a contract with another lawyers' office.“

„Could you tell me the email I have to address now?“Eva got ready to write down.

„I'll give you the contacts in a little while. The contract with „Totem“ is important for us and they are known as a company fiercely chasing their interests. That's why I want us to go to the meeting with their director together with Attorney Germanov.“

„Attorney Germanov, I see.“

„Germanov and partners“ is the name of the office we are going to work with from now on. And Attorney Germanov is the person to address on all issues regarding legal consultancy.“

„I understand,“Eva agreed reluctantly. She didn't like changes very much. It had been so easy to work with Marina but she had nothing to say now.

„Now, Eva,“Miss Hudson suddenly changed the register in her voice, “I want you to contact „Totem“'s managing director and to arrange a meeting for the four of us – me, you, our lawyer and him. I would prefer a time between two and six in the afternoon tomorrow. In case any of them cannot make it for then, you'll ask me for an alternative.“

„Got it,“Eva nodded. „I'll call everyone after my lunch break.“

„No, do it now, I am sending you now the contacts of the lawyers' office“, Miss Hudson took her telephone and swiped her finger on the screen. „Done. You know how to contact „Totem“. Please, inform me as soon as you get  confirmation.“

„I will.“

Eva walked out of the office. She looked around – most of her colleagues, including Simeonov, who had had such a generous offer for a pizza, had gone out for lunch. Her empty stomach twitched reminding she hadn't eaten anything all morning. But she couldn't satisfy it before she had made a number of phone calls to arrange that meeting...

First she had to phone „Totem“. Luckily, the director was in the office so the secretary was able to confirm the meeting right away. So, only the new lawyer was left. She opened her email with a sigh and dialled the number sent. She waited for several signals but no one bothered to answer. Her fingers nervously tapped on the desk. She was getting hungrier and hungrier. After a few minutes, she tried to call again but got the same result.

„I'll go out to pick up something for lunch,“ she said decisively to Stella. She was not going to stay in the office and wait for this man to pick up his phone all afternoon long! „If Miss Hudson asks for me, tell her I'll be back in ten minutes.“

Stella nodded. Eva wrapped her scarf around her neck and hung her bag on her shoulder. The world outside was so different. It was a nice spring day. The park neighbouring her office was full of people enjoying some of the first warming sunshine after the long winter. She could hear birds singing and could see the first tiny green buds on the branches of the trees. Eva tried once again calling the lawyers and again failed. She bought a sandwich and a fresh juice and was just heading towards a bench when a drilling vibration shook her bag. She tried to move all the food in one hand so she could hold the telephone with the other one but then she tripped over, the juice spilling over her wrist. Angry, Eva left her lunch on the bench and grabbed the phone. Whoever it was, he would have to wait until she cleaned that mess. How she hated telephones!

She stared at the screen. Oh, well, it was that lawyer! She dialled back the number, still angry and still hungry.

„Yes, please,“she heard an irritated voice. A strange thrill went all over her body. Goodness, she must be totally crazy if she reacted to the pure male timber in a – what is more – grumpy male voice!

„I'd like to talk to Attorney Germanov.“

„On the phone. I'm listening to you,“the voice sounded even sharper and more impatient.

Eva frowned but tried to keep her good manners.

„My name is Eva Petrova and I am the marketing manager of „Lea Advertising“. I've been trying to reach you for half an hour. Miss Gabriela Hudson informed me there was a new contract signed with your company and we have to address...“

„Could you please be more succinct in telling me your problem?“he anxiously interrupted her.

My problem? My problem is that I am hungry and I need my lunch break but instead I have to deal with boorish people like you, she wanted to say.

„There is no problem, Mister Germanov. Up to now we have worked with another lawyers office and they supported us whenever we needed help in signing our contracts. Miss Hudson now gave me your number and told me to contact you, because...“

„Look, miss, I have gone out in the middle of a court hearing to talk to you. If you want to say something, say it quickly. If not, call me later when you are ready to say what you want.“

Eva clenched her teeth. What a bore!

„You must be at „Totem“ Headquarters, at 15 „Bulgarian Army“ Street, four o'clock tomorrow“, she spit out furiously.

„Is that an order or what?“

„Yes, it is! Attorney Germanov, while you want us to conform to your time schedule, let me remind you your new contract with „Lea Advertising“requires you to conform to ours. Please, consider my phone call a notice!

Eva ended the call exasperated. What an arrogant bloke! She missed their kind Marina so much – she was always accurate and correct, responding immediately to her pleads. He was in court, he said. So what? Eva fiercely bit her sandwich. She was going to write him an email too, so she had a proof she had informed him about the meeting. Impudent cockerel!

The next day at five to four exactly Eva was at „Totem“ headquarters. Her high-heeled footsteps echoed on the marble floor of the spacious lobby. She attached her purse closer to her body and smoothed the jacket of her formal suit with her hands. Miss Hudson had already arrived, meeting her with one of the iciest faces she was capable of.

„Eva, I'd expected you to come earlier!“

„But I'm just on time, our meeting is at four.“

„Attorney Germanov mentioned you were quite impolite on the telephone to him.“

„I was impolite?“

„You set an ultimatum.“

„I haven't set any ultimatums! He said he didn't have time to speak and I just told him when and where to be. That's it.“

Not only was he aloof but he had also reported their short conversation to miss Hudson right away. How nasty!

„I don't have an explanation about your hostility towards him but I would ask you to abide by good business ethics. You will have to work with him.“

„I am not hostile. Has he called to tell you he was not coming?“

„Oh, no, he is here.“

Eva looked around the empty foyer in perplexity. Unless he was hiding behind the curtains or the flower pots, she couldn't understand where he could be.

„He's out for a phone call. We're waiting for him to come back and then we are going to meet Stoilov who's been awaiting us.“

Eva folded her arms on her chest. Following the ethics for business meetings of that kind, she had put on strict business attire, almost invisible makeup and her hair was tightly tied in a bunch. She was ready for a fight. Totem's director was known for being a real business shark. The only thing that kept her nervous was that lawyer – did he really consider himself so important that everybody had to wait for him?

The front door opened and a tall dark man rushed in with a fast pace.

„Miss Hudson? I hope I haven't delayed you, I am ready now. And you must be the uncompromising Eva Petrova?“

He turned towards her and she suddenly felt the ground under her feet fall.

***
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