Page 4 of Cupid Loves Curves

CHAPTER 3

BERNADETTE

Istare at Lance and blink my eyes rapidly.Did he just ask to be my date?There’s nothing I’d love more than to have him by my side at the dinner, but… He’s exactly the kind of guy I’d fall head over heels for, and with my luck, he’d ghost me immediately afterward. What would we even tell people, anyway? People would assume he’s my boyfriend, even if he is a little older than I am, then ask about him afterward. That’s not the kind of awkward I need in my life, much less having someone like Alicia from Accounting using it as ammunition.

“Oh…ah, that’s okay,” I stutter, sure that he’s offered out of pity. “It’s really not that big a deal.”

It really is a big deal, especially since the event is on Valentine’s Day. I mean, who schedules a corporate awards dinner on Valentine’s Day? Malicious executive assistants, that’s who.

“Are you sure? It’s the least I could do for you, for what you’re doing for my grandmother. I can fend off the screaming masses when you win the award and everyone else is green with envy,” Lance jokes.

“No, really, it’s fine. I shouldn’t complain. I just get shy in crowds, plus I don’t like to be the center of attention. I worked on a big project this past year and it did really well. I know I did a good job, but so did everybody else. I mean, I wouldn’t say no to the award or the raise I’d get, but…double-edged sword, you know?”

Lance nods and wonderfully lets the subject drop. Neither of us make this even more awkward by even commenting how the event is on Valentine’s Day.

“Anyway, I’ve taken too much of your time already,” I say, listening to the chime of an antique grandfather clock. “I really hope your grandmother loves these letters. It sounds like they’ll be a welcome surprise, when she gets home.”

“Absolutely.” Lance’s dark eyes twinkle as he smiles at me, and my insides melt with desire. He’s so tall and broad, that part of me wants him as my date just so that I could touch him. Up close, I can see there are strands of grey in his hair and I start daydreaming about running my fingers through his hair…and then over the rest of his body. “Oh, but let me have your phone number. At the very least, I know Grandmother is going to want to thank you. She’ll probably ask you over for lunch, knowing her.”

Against my better judgement, I give him my phone number.

“Good work, everyone,”my VP says, standing up to end the division’s quarterly meeting. “You’ve all done exemplary work on this project. The work you’ve done is setting the foundation for a banner year and your work has not gone unnoticed. I lookforward to recognizing the top performers at our annual awards dinner tonight.”

A familiar tightness fills my stomach. Will I receive an award? I know my work was good and that I found a solution to a gnarly problem, but is that enough? Yet the thought of going up on stage and having to say anything – because winners always seem to thank people or have speeches prepared – makes me want to skip the dinner entirely. I’m not used to being in the spotlight.

As I walk back to my office, I’m so lost in my thoughts for the new project I’m working on, that I end up walking straight into someone who turns a corner too quickly for me to see them.

“Oof! Oh my God! Watch where you’re going!”

Great. It’s Saundra, Alicia’s best office buddy.

“Sorry,” I say, rubbing my arm. The tablet Saundra is carrying jabbed into my arm, and I can already tell it’s going to leave a bruise. “Are you okay? You came out of nowhere.”

“You should pay more attention,” she says, repeating herself and completely not admitting that maybe she was also responsible for the collision. Standing straighter, she fixes her gaze on me and flicks her hair so much that it nearly slaps me in the face. “Will we be seeing you at the dinner tonight?”

“What? Of course. My team is up for an award.”

Honestly, I’ve been thinking of feigning an illness. My stomach has been so knotted, I’ve barely been able to eat yesterday or today.

“Well, I hope you have a good dress,” she says, pointedly looking me up and down, as if just because I’m not a skinny girl, thatI don’t know how to dress or that I can’t find good clothing. I actually have a very beautiful dress in my closet at home.

I stare at Saundra, dumbfounded that she’s saying things like this to me. This is a professional space, not some re-creation of high school. I never understand how women can be so mean to other women, instead of supporting them so that they can be better and go further.

Thankfully, her phone starts ringing, despite the office policy that ringers are supposed to be silent, and she answers the call and walks away from me. Sometimes, it’s the little victories, though her insulting me didn’t feel like a victory at all.

Not for the first or the last time, I wonder why in the hell this event was scheduled for the night of Valentine’s Day. It’s bad enough being single on Valentine’s Day, but to show up to a work event without a date? No matter how independent I am, the thought of that makes me want to run and hide.

I get back to my too-small cubicle, wishing I had an office so I could shut the door and shut out everything. Instead, I’m in a space smaller than a closet, my little spider plant bumping up against the nubby texture of my so-called privacy walls. It’s a wonder I get anything done, because everyone around me gets so noisy.

Do I skip the event? Fake being okay that I won’t have a date? I unlock my phone, looking at the text message Lance sent with his phone number. I’d love nothing more than to have him as my date. But is that selling myself short? Shouldn’t I feel comfortable going on my own?

Then a voice in my head says,well, maybe follow what you want, instead of what you think you need?

Before I can change my mind, I tap his phone number and hold my breath.

“Bernadette! How are you?”

“I’m doing alright. So, I have a proposition for you.”

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