That One Night Stand

22.

The day I was suppose to have a luncheon with Tiffany, I turned up, a nervous wreck to discover she wasn't there. She had a family emergency she had to attend to and wouldn't be back for at least two weeks. The heavy cloud that was on my shoulders disappeared instantly and I was relieved.

So I sat down with the second in charge, a man named Raphael, and we went through what was to be done.

Soon enough, I was back to myself, in front of the camera, doing my job. Knowing I wasn't being leered at or under the scrutiny of Tiffany, I felt my confidence boost up.

The whole day was me acting in a commercial. It was weird at first because I'm not an actress. I'm a model. So my movements were slightly stiff.

But after a couple hours, me apologising profusingly, telling them I've never acted before, I got the hang of it.

It was late at night when we wrapped it up. I was cladded in a gorgeous black sleeveless ball gown, my hair in tight ringlets and my make up looking ferocious. I felt fucking sexy as fuck. Even more than I did in lingerie.

I sighed in relief as we finished and I got changed into my ripped jeans and a singlet, shrugging on my brown leather jacket.

Leaving the building, I heard my phone vibrate in my handbag and I quickly pulled it out to see Susie's name with a picture of my niece, Lillian, on the screen.

Despite being tired, I mustered on a big smile and answered the phone.

"Hey, Susie. How are things?" I asked genuinely.

"Where have you been? I've been trying to call you for three hours now!" She demanded. I could tell by her tone that she was panicking.

"I was working. What's wrong? Is everything okay?" I felt my heart race up, hoping it wasn't bad news. "Is it Harry? You? Not Lillian? What's wrong?"

"No, they are fine. I need someone to talk to. I need to rant."

I relaxed instantly upon hearing the words, relieved everyone is fine. Instead of hailing down a taxi, I started to walk home while I was on the phone to my sister in law.

"It's my stupid step brother! I need to vent, May. He has gone and got married to the bitch! They just up and got married! I don't know why. Since none of us could be there at such short notice, they are coming here to have another wedding." I could hear the frustration in her voice.

"Oh god." I whinced out.

"Exactly!"

Taking a deep breathe, I walked around other people. New York, the city that doesn't sleep. "No, it's not that, Susie. It's..." I sighed before pressing my lips together. I didn't know how to say to Susie that Tiffany seemed like a nice person. Besides, I'm not affected the same way as Susie on the news of her sibling, step or not, getting married. "I feel even more guilty now." I added.

"That you slept with him? Please. I'm just surprised he still went ahead with it. Does his now wife know?"

Frowning, I went to shake my head. "No. If she does, it didn't come from me. I went to tell her, but I had other things on."

There was a pause before Susie spoke again. "Tell her? Do you know where to find her? Have you spoken to her recently?" Her voice filled with suspicion.

I whinced out again. "Yeah. Susie, Tiffany is, well, how do I put it? You do know she works at a company that owns a perfume brand, right?"

"Yeah."

"Well, I'm doing their ads." I whispered in shame.

"You're what?" She screamed at me through the phone and instantly, I heard the sounds of Lillian crying. "Oh shit!"

There was a bit of ruckus on Susie's end and I heard Lillian fuss until it was all quiet again.

"How? Explain to me how." Was her stern voice.

"I'm their model for their latest advertising."

I heard Susie groan loudly. "Perfect." She said sarcastically.

"Hey, I didn't know at first. Beggars can't be choosers." I reprimanded her.

"So what did you think of her?" Susie asked me. "Since she wasn't around Con?"

I paused in my steps before continuing. "Honestly? Tiffany was a completely different person to the one I met at dinner. She was bold and confident, relaxed and professional as well. She seemed really nice."

I was reluctant on telling Susie the truth and I called out to her when she didn't reply.

"Uh, I gotta go. Lilly is fussing." She sounded so distant and hung the phone up. I stared at my now black screen, wondering what the hell just happened.

Tiffany now fell into the same category as Amy's ex boyfriend's girlfriend. I couldn't find a reason to hate them because other people did. I wasn't like that. I couldn't hate Tiffany because she had done no wrong by me. In fact it was I that did wrong by her and I felt that I needed to make it right.

I had a photo shoot tomorrow and then I was done with the company and I knew Tiffany was away for two weeks now I know why.

She got married.

Susie was upset upon hearing that and I didn't know what to say because they rushed a wedding here, wherever they are and were going to do it again in front of Conrad's family. I thought it was actually very considerate of them to have two weddings.

I went to send Susie a text message but I didn't know where to start. Sighing, I locked my phone and dropped it in my bag, finishing the trek home. I was only a block away but it was still a very long walk.

I had so much tension and stress piling on to me and I needed an outlet.

Grabbing my phone again, I went into the phone book and my fingers scrolled through the names. I recently added Josh from our shoot today after he charmed his way in to my phone and with my teeth in my bottom lip, I debated about calling him.

Squeezing my eyes shut, I groaned. I know I said no more men, but at this rate, I needed someone between my legs and I couldn't care less who the fuck it was.