Chloe After Dark

Chapter 17

The next morning, Chloe made a simple breakfast and shared it with Caspar in bed. They both felt worn out but deeply satisfied, having made love several times-another first for Chloe. They'd finally fallen asleep about four thirty in the morning and didn't wake up until just after eleven. Chloe took a quick shower, and when she came out, he was examining his ruined shirt. Several of the buttons were missing and there was a sizable rip around the collar. Luckily, he'd been wearing a t-shirt underneath and could go home in that. Chloe's panties hadn't survived, nor had her blouse. She threw them in the kitchen trashcan and made some more coffee. When she returned, Caspar was sitting at the dining room table, holding his mobile and looking deadly serious. She gave him some space, peering out the window as she idly sipped her coffee.
​"Looks like my guy couldn't find anything last night," Caspar said. "Damn it. I really hoped we'd cracked it this time. And that email he sent you hasn't helped much, either. He covered his tracks there too. Obviously, he knows what he's doing."
​"It's all so frustrating." Chloe shook her head. "The guy's a ghost."
​"He'll make a mistake," Caspar replied. "They always do. I just wish it would happen soon."
Chloe turned to him. "I'm still uneasy."
​"You're doing great." Caspar took her hand. "Thank you for breakfast. I should probably get going. I've got a lot of work to get done today, and I need to change into something that doesn't look like I was attacked by a panther."
Chloe tapped his arm and chuckled. "You calling me a panther?"
​"A sexy panther?" Caspar furrowed his brows nervously. "A gorgeous, beautiful, sexy panther?"
​"Hmmm, getting closer, but I'm not sure it's healthy to start comparing me to an animal." Chloe winked. Then she sobered up and let out a sigh. "Am I...will this...am I going to see you again?"
​"Of course. I'm not going anywhere." Caspar leaned in and kissed her cheek. "We'll talk. Soon, right?"
​"Tomorrow?"
​Caspar smiled. "Yes, tomorrow would be great. I'll text you if I find anything today. Are you going out?"
​"No, I'm staying in." Chloe waved. "Have a good day."
​"I'll do my best. See you soon."
With that, Caspar was gone. Chloe went back to bed, letting herself doze for what she thought was another couple of hours. By the time she woke up, the sun was going down, and she realized she'd slept through the whole of Sunday. Still, staying up late and sleeping in the following morning was a way of life these days, and she didn't think anything of it. She made some popcorn and sat on the sofa, letting herself relax for a while. She felt incredible, a little sore but absolutely fulfilled. The only thing bothering her was whether or not Caspar would ever talk to her about what they had done. She felt a real connection to him but still didn't know if he fully reciprocated. She paused a moment. Was she making a big deal out of their night together? Maybe. But it felt right. He seemed like a passionate and caring individual, one that she could see herself being with long-term. Chloe wanted to be with someone in other ways besides physical. She wanted to share a life with them-shows and movies, or nights out on the town. Experiencing the world with an intimate partner became a far more important goal. She wanted the perspective of another person, one she shared a deep connection with. Nothing attached a couple more profoundly than looking into one another's eyes during the act of making love. Chloe considered it spiritual in nature, an absolute bond that, even if it only happened once, changed two people forever. If other people were added to the equation, it cheapened this unification, often to the point of destroying any chance of a real partnership.
​Chloe sighed, trying not to put too much thought into the situation. Caspar was a sexy, handsome man with a commanding presence and a real job. He felt responsible and safe but exciting in the same breath. He made love to her like it might be the last time he ever did it, and his passion made it intense. She desperately wanted to see him again, and if she was honest, she wanted to be with him all the time. Those feelings needed to be quelled until a time when it made sense to take their relationship to the next level. For the moment, they were two people who had enjoyed a night of passion together. That didn't mean they should jump into a commitment. Not yet. God! I want to, though. I feel so drawn to him! Patience, Chloe! The thought came unbidden and disturbed her. If this is meant to be, you'll get your chance. Let it happen organically. Don't force or obsess.
Chloe turned on the TV and flicked through the channels, finding nothing she wanted to watch. Her mind was elsewhere, yearning for Caspar's company and longing to feel they were an item. They might not take such a step for some time, but it didn't hurt to fantasize a little, regardless. After all, I help people live out their fantasies every day. I think I can do the same for myself without feeling guilty.

​​​​​***

Chloe woke up early on Monday to the ringtone of her mobile. It was Blaire. "Where the hell are you?" She sounded really annoyed.
"It's eleven o'clock in the morning, hon, not eleven o'clock at night," Chloe answered, her tone light-hearted and playful.
"Didn't you get my text?"
"What text?"
"The one I sent you on Saturday morning. About today's meeting."
Chloe felt her stomach churn. Oh, God! I haven't been checking my phone. Now I've messed up, like the amateur I really am. "Sorry, Blaire. I've been a bit lazy with checking my messages lately."
Blaire gave an impatient sigh. "How soon can you get your sorry ass over here?"
​"Half an hour, tops!"
​"We'll have to wait for you, as you're what this meeting is all about. I'll send Jack to get you. That'll save you waiting for a cab."
Chloe suddenly felt panic-stricken. "Not firing me, are you?"
​"What universe do you inhabit? This meeting's about the Awards. The ceremony's next weekend, if you remember."
Relief flooded through Chloe's body. "Sorry, Blaire. I'm such a doofus. I'll be there as soon as I can."
​"You'd better make it quicker than that. The sponsors are here, as well as our new shareholder. They're busy people who can't hang around waiting for some dozy airhead who doesn't check her texts." Blaire sounded forgiving, but there was still a cutting edge behind her words.
Chloe jumped out of bed. "I'm getting ready now," she reassured, but Blaire had gone.
Reciting "more haste, less speed" over and over again like a mantra (one of her mother's favorite sayings when she was a child), Chloe managed to get showered and dressed and even swallow a few mouthfuls of cereal before Jack arrived to collect her. She imagined speeding to the studio, where there would be no obstacles blocking her way, but it was the morning rush hour, and the traffic was slow.
"What about the back roads, Jack?"
"Yeah, we could try," he answered checking his wing mirror. "Only problem is if there's a delivery van or garbage truck in the way, there'll be no way past and you might be worse off."
"Let's chance it, eh?"
Heart-in-mouth, Chloe watched as they threaded their way through the narrow streets and blew out her cheeks with relief as they arrived at the station from a different direction.
​"Great work, Jack," she exclaimed, jumping out before the car had properly stopped. "You deserve the award for Best Driver."
​Blaire met her outside the meeting room, clearly no longer upset. "Well done, hon. Twenty-one minutes is good going. Come on in and meet the sponsors. Our new shareholder's gone outside to take a call." The two sponsors, a large man called Damien and a quiet, ordinary-looking woman called Lucy, were both very friendly, clearly impressed with Chloe's work and delighted by the massive increase in listeners her arrival had created. She did her best to look interested as Lucy talked about profits for her company being up twenty percent in the last month, and Damien boasted he'd been able to commission a whole new bunch of commercials to replace the single one they'd always used before. Don't really care about any of this stuff but mustn't let it show. Money's the lifeblood of the station, and without it, I'll be out of a job. She tried asking the pair some questions about themselves, but they batted them aside, clearly only interested in financial matters and how this meeting could be turned to further advantage by their respective companies. Chloe felt relieved when she heard footsteps in the corridor outside, and Blaire got up to introduce the new shareholder.
​"Stephanie Landon!" she announced.
Looking more elegant than ever in a pale-blue business suit, Stephanie strode over and gave Chloe a kiss on both cheeks. "Thanks for coming, babe-eventually."
Chloe could not hide her surprise. "But what-I mean, how come...?" She stopped quickly, realizing it sounded rude to imply Stephanie shouldn't have been the new shareholder. But her friend just laughed.
​"I told you," she said with a grin. "All that money from Phil's shares. Only spent a fraction of it on our weekend away. So, I thought I should use it to get myself where the action is these days-Fantasy FM."
Blaire looked at Chloe, cocking both her thumbs up at Stephanie. "She's a big fan of the show, and she convinced me she can take the station to new heights."
​"Oh, you guys see through me like I'm invisible." Stephanie laughed really loudly, making the others laugh too. "Speaking of which, isn't that what this damn meeting's supposed to be all about-if it ever gets started?" She sat next to Chloe as they took their seats around the huge wooden table. "Well, I mean, those Award Ceremonies are the kiss of death when you watch them on TV, aren't they? The winners thanking everybody and the losers smiling and clapping, pretending not to be jealous. Talk about tedious! But to be there in person-now, that's a different ball game. Posh frocks, men in tuxes, champagne, celebs everywhere...that's my thing! Worth every buck, as far as I'm concerned."
​The laughter died down and the group got down to business, deciding on transport to the venue, where to sit, what Chloe should say in her speech if she won (which seemed very likely), and so on. During the course of the discussion, Chloe saw another side of Stephanie. Behind her witty and hedonistic exterior lay a powerful and intelligent woman with a good head for business. She would be a great asset to Fantasy FM, and Blaire knew that. You could see it in her face. Chloe felt very proud these two clever, independent women were her friends.
The meeting ran on until lunchtime, when everyone went their separate ways. Chloe found herself leaving with Stephanie.
​"Oh, I know what I was going to ask you. This Masquerade Party..."
​"Two weeks away," Stephanie answered. "The weekend after the Awards."
​"What exactly is a Masquerade Party?"
Stephanie stopped and looked at Chloe wearily.
​"Are you serious? You really don't know what a Masquerade Party is?"
​"No, I honestly don't."
Stephanie walked on, making Chloe hurry after her. "In that case, J.F.G.I.!"
​"What does J.F.G.I. mean?"
​"Just Fucking Google It."

​​​​​***

Chloe didn't have time to feel nervous during the rest of the week because she was too busy with work at night and things to do during the daytime. Her dress was delivered on Tuesday evening and she tried it on, delighted to find it fit perfectly and made her look radiantly beautiful. The silver material and glittering sequins contrasted perfectly with her dark hair and dusky skin, giving her the appearance of a princess at a ball. That's a confidence booster, if anything is. I don't care if I win this award or not. It's an honor just to be nominated and be one of the glitterati for the night. Who would have thought this a while back?
She also made a big point of not forgetting her appointment with Keith at the Toronto Eaton Centre. She had circled "Wednesday at noon" in thick red marker on her kitchen calendar, and was standing beside Auntie Ann's Pretzel Stand at a quarter-to, in case he was early. One guy after another seemed to approach her, only to walk past or go into one of the exclusive shops that made this mall one of the most desirable in Toronto. She looked at her watch every five minutes, noticing with increasing annoyance it was now well past the hour and he still hadn't arrived. I'll leave it until half-past, and if he doesn't show by then, I'll go. Several boys had stood her up during her teenage years, but never a client. They were usually on time and eager to have her expertise as they went clothes shopping. Seeing the big, modern clock high up near the Centre ceiling click on to twelve thirty-five, Chloe bought a bag of pretzels and munched them absent-mindedly as she made her way out of the mall. Never mind. It's not as if the money was going to be much, more the principle of the thing. I'm just surprised. He sounded like a nice guy.
​Her phone buzzed as she was opening the door of her apartment. The text read, Very sorry to let you down. Mother rushed to the hospital with appendicitis. Will reschedule shortly and refund today's expenses.
Chloe immediately texted back, That's fine. Hope your mom's better soon. See you another time. The pretzels had made her thirsty, so she made herself a cup of coffee and sat down on the sofa to drink it. She felt a rare moment of peace and happiness wash over her. There were exciting things on the horizon, and she still had her fashion client. This Keith definitely sounded like a good client, genuine and considerate. What more could she want?