Page 54 of Embracing Love

Walking in right at the very end, she slipped into the seat right at the back against the wall, next to Melissa who gave her a friendly nod.

Tanya looked around discreetly trying to locate Gabriel, and found him sitting in the front row again, with Russell and Michael. His dark head of hair, so glossy and thick, stood out like a homing beacon.

How would she face him?

Simple. She would explain that there was nothing between her and Luc.

Nothing. Just a kiss. Once. Twice.

She gulped. And the thing with Michael. What a corporate whore she was.

The man to whom she had felt so irresistibly drawn toward was almost about to slip through her fingers.

She would not let that happen.

She watched Nadine slide and glide effortlessly with the grace and ease of a gazelle as she walked and turned, and maneuvered the mouse, speaking with confidence to every person in the room.

The woman was a smooth and polished presenter. In fact, thought Tanya, if the roof suddenly caved in a corner of the room, Nadine would carry on and the audience would be so spell bound that they wouldn’t bat an eyelid.

Nadine had that effect on people.

She too, used to have that effect on people once.

Though she looked on with interest at Nadine and watched the slideshow, Tanya wasn’t paying the slightest attention. All she could see was the back of Gabriel’s head and all she wanted was to see his face.

She needed to know that he was okay with her. While Nadine drew her presentation to a powerful close, and fielded questions from everyone, Tanya was immersed in her thoughts, and busy scribbling in her notebook.

By the time the presentation ended Tanya had created a work of doodle art in her notebook. Now she craved lunch, having forgone her breakfast.

Melissa got up to leave. “I need to make sure lunch is ready,” she told Tanya in a hushed voice.

“Thank you. This marks the end of the morning session. We have lunch laid out in the banqueting hall and the afternoon sessions begin at one o’clock.”

The attendees got up slowly, talking animatedly as new relationships and alliances were formed and they took their time to file out. Tanya remained seated, waiting patiently, her eyes riveted on Gabriel’s broad back.

Anytime now he would turn and catch her eye. She got up in anticipation, waiting for him to get up and come to her. As if he could feel her stare, he turned around at that moment and glanced her way. Her lips were already formed into a smile in anticipation of their meeting.

But he looked through her and turned back to Russell, continuing his conversation. Her smile vanished.

Thierry, Stephan and Luc greeted her on their way out. “Coming for lunch?” Thierry asked her.

“I’ll see you there.” She told them, her gaze never wavering from the group Gabriel was a part of. But they headed out of the other exit, leaving her hurt and disappointed.

He hadn’t wanted to know her at all; he hadn’t even looked her way. She walked slowly to the front of the room where Nadine cleared away her belongings. “You did very well,” said Tanya, even though she’d barely listened.

“Thanks.” Nadine rolled up her laptop cable and slipped it into her bag. “I didn’t see you at my first presentation.” Nadine’s brows knitted together as she zipped up her bag.

“Sorry. I had some emails to attend to.”

Nadine believed her lie. Why wouldn’t she? “Come on, let’s have lunch.”

Tanya couldn’t wait. She needed a girl friend’s good listening ear. They made their way to the banqueting hall and Tanya looked around to see how and where people were seated. Today the groups were more mixed, as friendships were formed. The Europeans, Mitchell, Melissa and her friends had snagged a table together and there was only one seat available.

At the back, Michael, Russell and Gabriel sat with Ethan. “Is that Ethan?” Tanya asked. Nadine looked and shrugged. “He’s playing golf with them all afternoon.”

All afternoon?

“All of them?”

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