19. Amelia
Chapter 19
Amelia
T he chandelier above my head was the last thing I saw before I fell asleep. But once I closed my eyes, the first image that appeared was Matteo. My dreams were filled with memories of our time together.
Memories that reminded me of just how in love we’d been a few years ago. Back then I would have done anything for him. Sadly, that didn’t include standing up to my parents. I woke up with my mind still on the memories that Matteo and I shared.
And as Eddie drove us to work that morning, I thought back to all the times Matteo and I rode the bus together. I remembered sitting with my head on his shoulder and our fingers intertwined. I remembered looking up at him and admiring the way the sun’s rays made him look ethereal.
I turned to look at him then and I saw the sun had recreated its magic for my benefit. Its rays poured onto Matteo’s skin and all I could do was stare. Maybe he could feel my eyes on him or maybe he wanted to look at me.
Whatever the reason, Matteo turned to me. He couldn’t hold my gaze for long because he needed to drive. But in that brief moment, it felt like he was also remembering the simpler times in our lives. Back when the only thing between us was love and not confusing animosity.
A few minutes later, Matteo pulled into the driveway of Phoenix Consulting. I stepped out and looked around, making sure that no one saw me leaving his car. The last thing I wanted was another interrogation from Ivy.
Matteo mentioned that he wanted to speak to Nico. I thanked him for the ride and walked slowly behind him so people wouldn’t think I came in with him. While he took the elevator up to Nico’s office, I opted for the stairs.
My workstation was on the first floor so I didn’t mind taking the stairs. I spent the next few minutes setting up for the day. Once I was done with that, I sat down and got to work. I was working on a spreadsheet when I realized the data I’d received from another department seemed incorrect. I had to verify it before I proceeded so I sent out an email.
After waiting several minutes, I decided to go there myself because it might take a while before the people there checked their mail. The department was on the ground floor. I assumed Matteo had already left so I took the elevator there.
When I got there, I was surprised to see that not only had Matteo not left but he was also talking to Ivy. They stood by the door with her laughing and grabbing his arm like the last time I saw them together. I watched as they said their goodbyes and Matteo walked out of the building.
Ivy waved him off and when she turned around she had a wide smile on her face. It was clear that their conversation had gone the way she wanted it to. She seemed too pleased for it to be anything else. Did Matteo just agree to be her date for the gala? Was that why she was so happy?
I tried to push those thoughts out of my mind as I walked toward the department I needed to go to. Despite my best efforts, I couldn’t stop thinking about what I saw. Even as the people in the department praised me for discovering their error, the only thing on my mind was Matteo.
I imagined him showing up to the gala with Ivy on his arm. I couldn’t imagine going alone to a party that my ex-boyfriend was attending with another woman. If I did, I would feel terrible the whole night.
I wished I could avoid the event altogether but that wasn’t an option for me. The event was compulsory for all employees. I could fake an illness so I wouldn’t have to go but I didn’t want to do that. This was my first year working here and I didn’t want to miss an opportunity to interact with my coworkers in a more relaxed setting.
The only solution I could think of was getting a date of my own. My mind traveled back to Oliver, the man I met yesterday. He seemed nice enough. He would make a perfect date for the gala.
I rushed back to my floor of the building and rummaged through my bag for the card Oliver gave me. I had a specific bag for work that I carried almost every day. It was the same one I carried yesterday. I found Oliver’s card under my purse.
I wasted no time dialing his number. “Hi. This is Amelia.”
“Wow. I actually didn’t expect you to call me,” he said with a laugh. “But it’s great to hear from you.”
“I was wondering if you’d like to have lunch with me this afternoon.”
He was clearly taken aback by my newfound forwardness. Last night I was the furthest thing from interested but today I was the one suggesting we meet up. Oliver sounded skeptical when he spoke again. “That sounds… nice.”
“Great! The same cafe as last night. See you then.”
Once it was time for lunch, I left the office and headed to the cafe. A few of my coworkers were going there so I walked with them. It was nice to feel like a part of the group. When we got there, I saw Oliver was already waiting.
As I headed over to him, I could hear my coworkers making teasing comments. Their voices were loud enough for Oliver to hear. “Sorry about them,” I said as I sat down.
“No need to apologize.” He signaled the waiter and shortly after they walked over with a donut. “I didn’t know what you’d like so I just ordered what I saw you eating yesterday. Strawberry glaze.”
I smiled at him. “Thank you.” I placed my coffee order and the waiter left.
“So care to tell me why you asked to see me?” he asked. “Not that I’m not glad about the invitation.”
“I want you to be my date for my company’s upcoming gala.” I’d decided to just be upfront with what I wanted from him. But I chose not to tell him about Matteo. Deep down I knew I only wanted Oliver as my date because I hoped it would make Matteo jealous. I felt awful about it but it was too late to back out now.
“When would that be?”
“Next weekend.”
His brows furrowed and I could tell he was mentally checking his calendar. “Sounds good. I’d love to be your date.”
We agreed to meet at the venue as opposed to him picking me up. It would be too awkward for all parties involved if he showed up at the penthouse. After lunch, I said goodbye to Oliver and returned to the office with my coworkers. They made sure to tease me about him during the entire trip back.
“Is he your date for the gala?” Gwen asked.
I nodded and answered, “Yes.”
“Lucky you. I love me a man in finance.”
“You love all men,” Cleo joked, and we all laughed.
When we got to the office, the group split up into various departments. We took the elevator to different floors while some stayed on the ground floor. When the workday ended, I headed straight home.
Unlike last night, I came home before Matteo today. I was placing his dinner in the fridge when I heard the elevator ding. He was home.
I walked out of the kitchen and paused in the hallway when I saw him. “Hi,” I said, my voice coming out breathless.
“Hi.”
We stared at each other without saying a word. I couldn’t help thinking about him and Ivy. I still couldn’t believe he was taking her to the gala. It annoyed me but I said, “I think it’s great that we’re both going with different people.”
His brows knitted in confusion. “What?”
“To the company gala. You’re going with Ivy and I’m going with Oliver.”
“Oliver?”
“Yes. He’s this great guy that I met last night. He’s my date to the gala,” I said. I searched his face for a reaction but there was none. He simply nodded, his jaw tight, and walked into his room.
I noticed that he didn’t deny it when I referred to Ivy as his date. He really was going to the gala with her. It was a good thing I asked Oliver. I would hate to be there alone while Matteo was with Ivy.
In the days leading up to the gala, Matteo and I continued to follow our routine. He’d drop me off at work and I’d put dinner in the fridge for him whenever I returned before him. Two nights before the gala, he came home before me. I could tell he was home because there was a large package on the couch in the living room. I assumed he’d come home with it.
Matteo walked into the living room as I was looking at the package. “Open it. It’s for you,” he said.
I was surprised by that declaration but I did as he said. Inside the package, I found the most stunning dress I’d ever seen. Growing up with a mother like mine meant I’d seen and worn more beautiful dresses than I could count. But this dress still blew me away.
It was the picture of elegance. The sequin fabric poured out before me as I pulled the dress out of the box. Long sleeves that opened up into a delicate flare at the end. A high slit that would show off my leg and a Queen Anne neckline that would be perfect for a pearl necklace.
As if he could read my thoughts, Matteo handed me a long jewelry box. I was still recovering from the shock of the dress so I was left breathless when I saw the pearl necklace inside the jewelry box.
“This... This is for me?” I asked as I looked at him.
“Yes.”
“Thank you. Thank you so much.”
On the night of the gala, I did my hair and makeup before slipping into the dress. Matteo was waiting for me in the living room. We’d agreed to go to the gala together even though we both had dates.
I walked into the living room and Matteo lifted his head to look at me. A soft smile spread across his lips. It was the one he always gave me right before he told me he loved me. “You look beautiful,” he said.
“Thank you. You don’t look half bad either.”
He chuckled as we stepped into the elevator. We drove in silence to the hall where the gala was happening. When we got there, we were forced to go our separate ways. I went in search of Oliver. I found him inside, talking to Cleo.
“I was keeping him company until you got here,” she said. She stepped aside but just before she left she whispered, “Better me than Gwen.”
I couldn’t help laughing at that. Then I turned to Oliver. “Hi.”
“You look beautiful,” he said.
He’d said the exact words Matteo had said but somehow his held less weight. When Matteo told me I looked beautiful, I felt like the most beautiful woman in the world. His words lifted me in a way no one else could.
In that moment I realized what I was doing to Oliver was wrong. He deserved to know the truth even though it wasn’t pretty. “There’s something I need to tell you.”
“Things never go well when a sentence begins like that,” he said, jokingly.
I laughed at his joke but it came out forced. I tried to brace myself for his anger. He would no doubt be upset about what I did.
“The truth is that I only asked you to be my date because… because I wanted to make my ex jealous.” I recoiled when the words were finally out. I waited but Oliver didn’t react. He just stared ahead at something behind me. His brows scrunched together and he turned to face me again.
Finally, he said, “It’s okay, Amelia. I’m not upset.”
“You’re not?”
“I wasn’t sure, but it did seem a bit strange to me when the woman who wasn’t interested in me suddenly asked me to be her date to her company’s gala. I didn’t know what it was, but I knew something was up.” He made a small gesture with his hand, and I turned to see Matteo standing in the distance. “I also noticed the man glaring at me from across the room. His disdain for me was pretty hard to miss so it was easy to assume there was something between you two.”
I looked at Matteo and I saw Oliver was right. Matteo was glaring at him. Ivy stood beside Matteo, prattling on about something I couldn’t hear. I was pretty sure Matteo couldn’t hear her either. He seemed fixated on Oliver.
I turned back to my date. “Sorry about him.”
“You’re always apologizing. What’s up with that?” he asked.
“I guess it’s a side effect of growing up with parents who expect perfection.”
Oliver nodded. We spent the next few minutes talking about my relationship with my parents. Oliver’s sister was a psychologist, and he fancied himself a ‘psychologist by association’. I couldn’t help laughing when he said that. It was nice talking to him. I found it easy to say all the things that had been bothering me for a while now.
As the night wound down, I found myself growing to like Oliver’s company and we became good friends. At some point, I had to excuse myself to freshen up in the restroom. Oliver was talking to Cleo so it was easy to dip out.
“I’ll be right back,” I said as I stood and walked away.
I was a few steps from the restroom when I felt someone grab my arm. Strangely, I didn’t feel frightened. And when I turned, I saw Matteo towering above me. His chest rose and fell at an unnatural speed. His jaw was clenched tight and his nostrils flared.
He was clearly angry but I couldn’t understand why. What could I have done to him to make him so angry?
I thought back to the glares he was giving Oliver. Was he jealous?
I had to fight against the part of me that felt giddy at that possibility. This whole situation was ridiculous. Matteo had made it clear that he didn’t care about me that way. He had no right to be jealous.
No right at all.