17. Chapter 16
Chapter 16
Alisha
T here was no denying now that I was under Felix’s spell. The feelings I harboured for Felix were bordering on intense and I barely knew the man. This was only the second date, if you could call it that. I almost didn’t want to go back home in a few weeks. I was beginning to like it here, to like how I felt with Felix. Conversation was easy—it didn’t feel forced. I felt a sense of belonging I hadn’t felt in a while, but did I truly deserve this? I’d been unlucky in love before but I couldn’t blame myself for someone else’s actions. I wasn’t the one who cheated.
I tried to shake this thought away and remind myself that Felix didn’t seem like the type to hurt someone. He looked like he had been the one who got burnt, and maybe he’d tell me soon, but I wanted it to be on his own terms. For him to feel truly comfortable and trusting of me.
I wanted so desperately to make the first move and yesterday had been the perfect opportunity, but I froze. I had all the words and actions in my head but actually doing something about them was as if I was super glued to the ground. I didn’t miss the way he had a hint of yearning in his eyes and how every so often, his pupils would dilate as they looked at me. I reminisced the way his fingers were a mere few inches from my own and it had been tempting to intertwine them with my own, to drag them down my exposed skin.
The evening had been amazing too, once I had finished my interview with Felix we decided to get some dessert nearby and just talk. I didn’t want the night to end but it had to at some point. I’d told myself that there was tomorrow and that time was really precious, to make the most of it whilst I was here.
I then decided in the evening, once Felix had left, to note down all my thoughts, since I was always better at writing than speaking. The first thing I did this morning was read the page I’d written and the hunger and lust I had felt resurfaced.
I’d never felt like this before. One of us was going to need to make the move. Maybe it would be me today.
Taking the lead in something always made me anxious, I avoided taking charge in most cases. My skiing lesson had gone very well again, and Ophelia treated me to a hearty lunch after. I needed to use the afternoon though to write, as Grayson would be calling me soon. He’d want to see what I’d written and give some feedback. I always valued his input and how supportive he was. He didn’t shy away from giving constructive criticism, as any good boss would. He was straight to the point and I needed that.
With the notes from Felix's interview, I had plenty to use for the actual article and so far, I was pleased. I had a section about the food, as well as the places to visit and opinions of the residents. I wanted to market Ischgl in the right way, to show how wonderful it was. I wished I had come here sooner, to partly have gotten out of my comfort zone quicker but also as I would have met Felix sooner. To help fix whatever had caused him to break. I was going to try my best now to help, even if I only had less than two weeks left. Yes. It would be my mission to heal Felix as he was starting to heal me.
***
“You look beautiful,” Ophelia had told me, as I was tying my dark hair up into a high ponytail. I was about to start a call with Grayson and wanted to look presentable, so I ditched my casual clothes and put on a smart shirt and trousers.
“Thanks. And you do, too. As always,” I paid her the same compliment which caused her to smile, her pristine white teeth on display. She placed her laptop on the coffee table as Grayson’s name popped up on my own screen. I accepted the call and was greeted with the calm expression of my boss. He was donning a grey, smart jumper and holding a mug of what looked like tea in his hands.
“Hi Alisha. How’s everything?” Grayson asked with a stoic expression, taking a sip of his hot beverage.
“Absolutely fine,” I replied, turning to see Ophelia give me a thumbs up.
“Good, you do sound happy. And the photos you shared look great. So, how’s the writing coming along?” he asked, and this prompted me to forward the draft to his email.
“I’ve sent you the draft,” I said and he nodded, tapping his fingers on his keyboard.
“Okay, great. Got it. So, let’s discuss it and then we’ll think of a plan,” Grayson said and I nodded, hoping he would like what he saw. As he shared his screen, he started to highlight a few things and add a few comments which I could address after the call. He was always very efficient and thorough like this, which is again exactly what I needed to improve.
“You repeat this word often,” Grayson pointed out and I realised I’d said ‘though’ more than three times. It caused the flow of my sentences to sound awkward.
“I like what you said about the coffee. The name of the cafe is very cute. How have you found skiing so far? I think it’d be a good idea to mention it, since it’s a true experience and people always love to hear the author’s account,” Grayson told me, and it made sense. I was just afraid that he would ask me to scrap that if I’d written it.
“Skiing is a lot more fun than I’d anticipated. I’m learning very quickly,” I said.
“So, definitely write about it. I’d love to see it. So far Alisha, it’s looking good. Couple of descriptions could be better but I’ve added some comments here that you can look at after the call. A good first draft, well done.” Grayson offered me a chaste smile, which signalled to me that this was a success. Ophelia silently clapped next to me and I smiled back at her. We definitely needed to go out for a drink later.
“Thank you so much, Grayson. I’ll take your feedback on board, I always appreciate it.”
“And I appreciate you. And Ophelia. Hope she’s also doing okay,” Grayson said and in response, Ophelia moved closer to me and said hello.
“I’ve got some things I’ll send you as well, Grayson. Would love your opinion on it,” Ophelia said.
“Ping it my way. Hope you two enjoy the rest of your day. Keep up the good work and enjoy the rest of your day.”
“Thanks, Grayson. You too,” I said, and then ended the call. I was met with a stifling hug from my friend and I squeezed her back in response. The video call couldn’t have gone better.
“Ali, that’s so amazing. He liked it.” She grinned and it was clear she was truly delighted for me.
“We should go out for a drink to celebrate. You up for it?” I nudged her, and she released me from the hug.
“Oh hell yeah. Can’t say no to a few cocktails with my girl. What time and where?” Ophelia clasped her hands together, practically bouncing on the sofa. I admired her energy and just her overall.
“Let’s go for eight o’clock and how about a more lavish bar? There’s one called Fire and Ice, it’s amazing inside. Drinks are on me,” I told my friend and she smirked at this. It wasn’t often that I would suggest this.
“It’s a girlie night then.” Ophelia winked. She was right. I wanted to spend time with my best friend and make some crazy, funny memories. We had a few hours to kill and after the call, I felt a sense of fatigue so a nap was definitely needed. Ophelia felt the same too so we agreed one of us would wake the other up when it was time to get ready. When I retreated to my room, my phone was lighting up with a few texts. Felix. He was asking me how I was.
Alisha: I’m okay, how’s your day been?
Felix: Really good actually x I’ll be finishing work in a few hours, was wondering if you wanted to do something?
Alisha: I’m glad you had a good day and I hope work is going okay too x well tonight, Ophelia and I are having a girls night x
Felix: That sounds good, well I will leave you girls to it x enjoy your evening, I hope to see you soon
Alisha: Thank you x and of course, text me
And after that, my phone went silent and perhaps because Felix was now preoccupied with something at work. I shrugged it off and rested my head on the pillow, falling into a deep sleep and thinking of gorgeous hazel eyes.
***
“You look absolutely stunning, Lia,” I’d said to my friend, as she spun around slowly to show off her sparkly purple dress. It hugged her figure nicely and she was wearing a matching pair of heels. The dress suited her, especially as she had purple streaks in her hair anyway. Since we were going to be inside for the evening, our attire was appropriate.
“Thanks. And you look so beautiful yourself. Look at that dress.” Ophelia motioned for me to spin around myself. I was wearing a velvet black bardot dress which ended a few inches above my knees. It wasn’t too short or too long, which was perfect. I’d outlined my eyes with kohl eyeliner and dark eyeshadow which was bold for me. My hair itself was wavy and cascaded down my back.
“Now, have you got your purse?” Ophelia asked me, holding her own in her hands.
“Yes. Driver’s licence and extra money just in case they don’t take our cards,” I said.
“So we’re good to go. Let’s have a great night. Let’s celebrate you.” She smiled.
“No. Let’s celebrate us,” I responded and she winked.
“Touché,” she replied, linking her arm through mine as we left the house to make our way to Fire and Ice. We’d hired a taxi to take us, since walking in heels wouldn’t be a good idea. It was waiting outside for us and we were greeted by our young, friendly driver with blond hair and green eyes, who engaged in polite conversation throughout the journey.
When we pulled up to the bar, we couldn’t contain our excitement.
“You’ve picked the right place to go for drinks. Hope you enjoy your evening,” the taxi driver said and I noticed his German accent was not as thick as Felix’s.
“Thank you. Keep the change,” I told him and he thanked me before driving away. Ophelia and I were like excited teenagers, linking arms again and walking up toward the front entrance. As we entered, we were taken aback by the decor—plush tables and chairs with fancy lights hanging from the walls. We didn’t have to wait long before we were greeted by the host. Her name tag read Bindi , and she had kind, hazel eyes that reminded me of Felix’s.
“Welcome, ladies,” Bindi greeted us in English—to be honest, most of the people we came across spoke English.
“Hi,” Ophelia said tepidly, as if she’d lost all confidence. She was still eyeing up the room and the furniture.
“You can come right through and take a seat at one of the tables. We offer food here too, so let us know what you’d like. You ladies look like you are celebrating so we want to give you a great experience. Anything you need, just let me know,” Bindi said with a warm smile.
“Thank you so much,” Ophelia said with full attention, as Bindi was now leading the way to our table. The bar was quite full with couples on dates and some single people too by the looks of it. It seemed a calm vibe but also quite sophisticated. I didn’t mind how much we spent tonight, I’d happily pay the tab for both of us.
As we took our seats, we both looked through the menu and decided to order some fruity cocktails as our aperitifs. When they were placed in front of us, the glasses looked pristine and once we took our first sips, we couldn’t stop. Peach and vodka coated my tongue with every gulp. I knew I was going to feel tipsy soon.
“So, any update on you and Felix?” Ophelia asked me, swirling a straw in her glass.
“We texted earlier and he hasn’t messaged me since this afternoon,” I said.
“Ah, look at you. So love struck. Why don’t you send him a text now?”
“No texting tonight. He can wait. Tonight’s all about us.” I grinned, bringing my glass to my lips again.
“Tonight’s all about you , Ali. You’re pretty damn great, don’t forget it.”
“Back at you. Cheers.” I clinked my glass with hers and then drained the rest of my drink.
“Another round? And then we’ll order some food. I’m craving some pizza,” Ophelia said and I agreed, the pizza did sound and look good. My stomach growled in response and I knew I didn’t want to drink anymore on an empty stomach. I switched to water for the time being and Ophelia decided the same.
“You having a good time?” Bindi asked us as she took our food order.
“Oh, absolutely. Where are the toilets, if I may ask?” I questioned, trying to sound as polite as possible.
“Just to the left. I’ll put this order through for you.” Bindi smiled and then left us.
“I’ll look after your purse,” Ophelia said, reaching her hand out so I could pass her my purse.
“Thanks. Won’t be long. Dying for a pee.” I giggled and she waved her hand at me to go. I walked at a steady pace to the toilets, admiring the scenery around me. I noticed a few men glance my way, attention that I didn’t necessarily want, but the look I returned was enough to tell them I wasn’t interested.
Once I did my business in the toilets, I ran a tissue under my eyes as a bit of the eye shadow had fallen from my upper lids. As I stared at myself in the large mirror, I got lost in lustful thoughts of Felix appearing behind me, placing his firm hands on either side of my hips and pulling me to him. I imagined him pressing his lips to the flushed skin on my neck and then dipping his hand lower and lower until it met my—
I was interrupted by someone entering the toilets and I cleared my throat, adjusting my dress which had somehow ridden up my thighs.
Fucking hell.
I realised I’d probably take longer than expected so I needed to return to my waiting friend as it would be rude. I smiled at her as I strode toward the table, feeling a sudden burst of confidence. I took my seat next to her and she raised one eyebrow at me in curiosity.
“You okay there, pal?”
“Totally. Wonder when the food is coming,” I said, taking a swig of my icy water. Definitely needed that to cool down. My thighs were still burning.
Ophelia’s gaze moved away from my own to stare at something or rather someone that had caught her attention. Her eyebrows scrunched up as she was concentrating and then she opened her mouth.
“I think that’s Felix over there.” Ophelia’s eyes met mine, full of curiosity. I quickly averted my gaze to where she was looking and my heart was pounding like mad in my chest.
He was here .
He looked amazing, in a smart white shirt and trousers. He’d also shaved and his hair was slightly ruffled. I looked to the left of him and could see he wasn’t alone. He was speaking to a beautiful woman, who seemed as though she was confiding in him about something. The conversation looked serious. I could only see one side of Felix, as he stared ahead of him rather than at her. Like he didn’t want to be there.
Then, just like clockwork, or maybe he could read minds, he turned his head and his eyes met mine. His expression went from angry then switched to what looked like excitement. Without looking back at the woman next to him, he made his way over. The woman looked fed up but didn’t do or say anything to stop him.
Shit, he was coming over to me.