Agony Annie....gets in trouble NEW!!!

2 - A Friend In Need

A few hours later and the blog complete I emailed it to the magazine editor. A text bleeped on my phone from Louisa.

'SATURDAY NIGHT, 7PM  BRYANT PARK GRILL MEET AT THE BAR ON THE ROOFTOP  - ETHAN IS LOOKING FORWARD TO MEETING YOU - THANK YOU I LOVE YOU xx'

I need this date like I need a hole in the head. If Louisa wasn't one of my best friends and one I adored, I would've told her to shove it where the sun doesn't shine.

Although I realised this did give me an excuse to buy a new outfit. I had had  my eye on a sleeveless number, black and close fitting it was not for the feint hearted. Tirelessly sweating daily for the last few months on an upper body workout to remove the armpit pudge, I think I had earned it.

Reminding myself that the investment of an exercise bike and the time I took to use it wasn't wasted, I was looking forward to displaying toned legs in the slightly too short dress. This farce could be a test run for when I wanted to wear it on a real date.

I hadn't been on a real date for a long while. I would tell you it was because I had been 'work focused' which was partly true and it was the version of the why I had been single for so long story that I preferred. Sahara told me one day  that it was because I was scared. Scared of finding and falling in love with another Brent.

Brent was a 'Doug'. When I spent my evenings at home waiting for him to finish work and weekends alone while he flew out to quench important business deals little did I know at the time he was cheating with not one but several others. He had deterred me from dating again , true. We had been dating for a few years and thought it was the real deal. Even I had dreamed of a white wedding. However it was all an illusion. Of course he had excused himself, apologised and even begged at the end! One thing Annie Sloane didn't do was backtrack. One chance was given and cheaters didn't get a second. Yes he broke my heart and it took a long time to rebuild each shattered piece but I was a realist first, romantic second.

I knew I would pick myself up and I had. Sahara had a point when she said I was scared of falling in love again, although it wasn't really falling in love exactly that I was scared of. No it was more about putting myself in that position to be vulnerable again -letting someone else in. Once bitten twice shy wasn't a phrase just plucked form the air, it was a voice of experience. Yes I was scared of another Brent which is why I was happy to be by myself and take things slowly.

An hour later I was home in my apartment.

I loved this apartment. Every bit of money I earned went into getting this place exactly how i wanted it. Home was my safe place, where i didn't need to be anyone but me. No pretending, no hidden identities. There was no one asking for my views or for me to solve their problems - just me,myself and I.

Every room was decorated to reflect a different part of my personality and just like my life some were very different to others..
I like to think of myself as organised, tidy and in control - the reality was somewhat opposite.
At least my decision to hire a cleaner three times a week let me wonder about the flat in the delusion I was at least tidy.

I poured a glass of wine, falling onto the sofa I switched on the television to find Bridget Jones gracing the screens - perfect. I watched as the only person who could possibly suck more than me at dating, locked lips with her Mark Darcy. Holding my glass up to the television in a toast at her success, I chuckled to myself. Taking a long drink of the soothing liquid I placed the glass down, laying back on my sofa. Letting out a big sigh I closed my eyes to the sound of the closing credits.

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Saturday came fast.