Swap

Chapter 8

CARA

I entered the restaurant.

I’m Bridgette. I’m Bridgette. I’m Bridgette.

“Really, if you want to make yourself believe you are me, you should start doing it in your mind. You don’t have to say it out loud.” It was Bridgette and I almost jumped when I heard her voice through the earphone.

“Shut up,” I whispered and smiled at the concierge. “Reservation for Ms. Natalie Higgins?”

The man with graying hair smiled. He spread his right hand out with palm wide open. “This way, please.”

I followed him across the room. There were only about three people in the restaurant and all of them were the only group eating there. They too were engrossed in their own meeting with their tablets in front of them and over their plates.

The man guided me to a corner table and I took the seat facing the façade window. I could see the café from this view. There were two empty chairs, the one across from me and the one to my right. I ordered wine and just as the waiter left, a blonde, tall woman in a blue dress that went down above her knee came trotting towards me and I immediately knew who she was.

“Stand up and grin as wide as you can,” I heard Bridgette say. I did and Natalie immediately skipped the rest of the steps to grab my hand and give me a peck.

“I’m so glad you were okay with this.” She took the seat to my right.

“That’s fine.”

“Did you bring the contract?”

“Yes,” I answered. Inside the green folder, at the back of the report was the contract.

“Good.” Bridgette’s happy voice said over the earphone. “She’s excited to start working with me. Just keep her happy. Begin the meeting before Quinn walks in.”

“Would you like to start now?” I said in a hurry. I didn’t want to meet Quinn if I could make Natalie sign the contract without him, better.

“Quinn’s outside parking the car. We’ll wait for him,” Natalie said with a smile. She looked at me, tilted her head to the left and pursed her lips. “There’s something different about you today, Bridgette.”

I felt the blood draining down my face. “I don’t feel anything new.”

“You feel different.” She shrugged and added, “Oh well. It must be the weather.”

“Yeah, that could be it. You look great yourself.”

“It must be the upcoming wedding!”

“Hi, sorry I took a while.” That voice sounded different, but mostly it was the same. It was very much Quinn Carter. I slowly turned my head to see the man I almost had.

BRIDGETTE

I was too nervous. The moment I heard Quinn’s voice, I knew Cara was stunned. This was the moment I was afraid for but she had to get back to her senses.

“Cara, Cara… Cara!” I hissed, bending my head down. I was attracting attention from the people in the coffee shop. “Get your head together. It’s just Quinn. It’s just Quinn. He’s forgotten about you already. He doesn’t even know it is you.”

I heard a small coughing sound. Oh God, what has she done? Then another coughing sound.

“I’m sorry,” I heard my voice say. I breathed a sigh of relief. Finally, Cara had gotten out of her shock.