A Kiss To Remember..1(A Billionaire Romance) (2 page)

Chapter 3

We walked out of there; the knot in my stomach was subsiding slowly, but not completely. I was still guessing why she’d lied about my past. She knew I’d never arranged any wedding before. And now I had to assist someone from France.

How am I going to do this?
I wasn’t experienced, either. The only wedding I’d ever attended was of my one cousin  who’d gotten married five years ago. At that time, I was in college; I didn’t even care how she’d looked in that white, pretty dress. I was busy looking at boys and daydreaming about them.
What can happen in a wedding?
A dress, banquets, decoration, cake, dinner,
Oh, my God. I
didn’t even know what half the things looked like.
What would I choose in the dinner? What if they don’t like it? What if they hate it and the bride kicks me out from the rehearsal dinner. What will happen?
Tim was going to fire me for sure. He had placed high hopes on me, and there I stood thinking about my future in the wedding business.

“Trisha, what happened? Why are you standing there like a crazy woman?” Melissa shook my shoulder.

My eyes darted to her. That was the pretty face of hers which pulled me into this whole mess. Melissa had already started giving me the details of the wedding. It was only few days away and I didn’t even know what I was supposed to do. With the meetings, it was easy. If Lizzy had asked me to chair a meeting five minutes before the start, I would have done it. I had that in my blood now, because I’d managed so many meetings for Tristan. But weddings were altogether new thing. I took a deep breath and up made my mind to start with new task.

“Trisha, what happened? What are you thinking again?” Her hands shook my arm to wake me up. “What are you doing? We are still in front of Tim’s office; get moving or he will go off on us.”

“Let’s go. I need a coffee—hazelnut, and you’re buying.” I frowned at Melissa. She had put me in deep trouble this time.

A thin smile appeared on her face. “I can understand your worries, from the pouty face, but don’t you worry, sweetie.”

No, she didn’t know what was going on in my mind. She didn’t know how difficult it was going to be for me. She didn’t have the slightest idea how much trouble I would be in when I stepped into that wedding place. I would be making it messier than she could think.

I followed her to the bistro near our office. It was just few blocks away. It was as busy as a subway bar at night. There was no empty table for us, so we had to share one with two men watching the football game on a wall-mounted TV. Their backs were facing us.

“Thank God. I don’t think they can hear us,” I whispered to Melissa.

The one I was sitting near was wearing a navy blue jacket. A light blue shirt collar was barely visible from the jacket. His back was firm and chiseled; I could feel it from his jacket.

Why in the hell I’m thinking about the stranger when I should be thinking about this new job?
I glanced back to Melissa, who was ordering coffee for us.

“Okay, what happened there? Why are you thinking so much about this little job?” She came back with two cup of hazelnut coffee. I loved the aroma of it. I’d already started feeling better.

This bistro was way too famous for the central circle in the city. I loved to be here, but it was expensive and always crowded. The one cup coffee cost me a quarter day’s paycheck. Melissa was at a higher post. She could afford it easily, so whenever we went for an outing or treat, she would pay for both of us. She was a great pal to me. But at that moment, I was feeling furious at her.

“Are you out of your mind?” The anger came out in one sentence.

She sputtered out, “I knew you would say something like this. Have coffee first. I brought you extra cream today.” She smiled.

“Hell with it, I don’t care about it.” But I actually cared a lot. I loved the extra cream, and Melissa knew it very well, so she was using it to lower my temper. “It won’t work. What was that? Why did you push me into this. Swan family? Come on, give me a break.”

The man sitting next to me partially changed his direction; now he was looking at his friend’s face directly, but I still couldn’t see him clearly. Though he was looking somewhere else, I had a feeling that he was paying attention to our discussion. I didn’t know if I’d said anything to grab anyone’s attention. May be my shrill tone made him curious. 

“Relax, it’s not a big deal.” Melissa was quite relaxed now.

“It isn’t for you. You have arranged fifty odd weddings, for you it’s just one of the…” I lowered my volume to avoid any more attention of others. “And what is really about me arranging the few weddings in my last job? I didn’t do that,” I said. It was an outward lie.

“I’m sorry for that. You know Tana, she would grab this opportunity and try to push me out.”

“That’s right,” I said. Tana was her direct competitor in the company, and she used any opportunity to push Melissa in the wrong direction. But so far, Melissa had been on top of her every time.

“I couldn’t let her do this job, and that’s why I lied to Tim. And look, it will be a good opportunity for you.”

“Hmmm.”

“And more than that, I love you and I trust you like my sister.” She brushed her fingers over my hand. It was the symbol of her trust for me.

“Thanks for that. I wonder how much bigger this wedding is going to be. And I really don’t have any idea about this at all.”

“It’s gonna be bigger than you think. You have to wear the prettiest dress you have with a beautiful smile, or let’s go—we will shop for something for you today. Gift from me to you. Fine?” She sipped her coffee while holding the coffee mug with her left hand. Her right hand was pressing my palm. She was trying to console me by her words, her touch, even with her gaze.

“I don’t know, Melissa. I don’t have any idea what I need to do there. I don’t even know his name. Aren’t we arranging for the groom?” I didn’t even know the slightest details of the wedding, how would I organize it.

“It’s the bride we’re organizing the wedding for. Her name is Evelyn Swan. She is the prettiest and the richest girl in our whole city. So she is going to look great no matter how you try to make up her.” She giggled. I tried to concentrate on the details she was throwing at me.

“Sorry, being serious. Most of the things are taken care of, so you don’t have to worry much. Main things like the decoration theme, dinner menu and other arrangements for guests have already been discussed. And look, you are going there as an assistant to the French arrangement agency. They must have sent someone to look after everything. Your work will be related to bridal things.”

I looked at her, still confused what my role would be here.

“Though things are not yet finalized, they are in quite good shape. And I will take care of this off site stuff. You don’t need to worry about that.” She continued assuring me.

I knew these rich people had their own concepts and they could be difficult to handle.

“What is Evelyn like? Tell me more about her.” I was afraid about being with the spoiled rich.

“Rich girls mostly have their wedding plans already with them. They don't like to mess with their lifetime dream. They give you even the smallest of details about what they want. So we’ll only have to follow their instructions and arrange for what they want, whether it is necessary or not. For everything else, the French guy who I’ve been in contact with or someone from his agency would be there. I heard they paid him a good amount and have flown him here.”

I was feeling a little more confident, as most of the detailing on the event was already in place and Melissa knew the in and outs about it.

“Now, your main task to do is to be with the bride and fulfill her needs. This requires our presence with her, which I’m unable to do at this stage.” She sighed. Her face fell at the thought of her incapability at the moment.

“That sounds good to me,” I replied.

“So there are very few things remaining, like picking up the dress for bride, planning the cake and arranging the rehearsal dinner and some other small details. We will discuss all the aspects before you get ready to meet the Swans. And I’m sure you can manage all these things. After all, you are Trisha the super girl.” She tried convincing me with a huge grin.

“But I’ll look naive there. Why can’t I just work as an assistant for you?” My eyes were again and again moving down. My mind was all busy in processing the ways I could escape this.
Why isn’t she understanding this?

“You are not understanding, This is assistant-like work only. I will be doing all the things from the office that I can and will be in touch with you and the French planner. But anything unplanned that happens, then that guy will contact you as you will be there onsite to help them”.

I smiled a little, after a long time. I liked the concept of Melissa taking more responsibility. “This way I would not feel any burden and I can help out the bride in her tasks.”

“Yes, absolutely. Besides, Sarah needs to go on a quick dialysis in two days. I can’t make it there to the wedding.” Her eyes became watery. Sarah was the daughter she’d had with her boyfriend, and then that jerk ran off. Sarah had been ill from her childhood, and now she needed dialysis quite often.

“I’m sorry. What happened suddenly? I thought the appointment was scheduled for January, after Christmas? We are going to celebrate Christmas with Sarah, right?”

We had planned to celebrate Christmas at Melissa’s house with Sarah. She was a very sweet girl; she was only ten, but was suffering from kidney failure. Melissa never told me, but the doctor had given her merely two or three more years. Her disease wasn’t curable and dialysis wasn’t going to keep her alive for long. But hope is the best medicine. And Melissa was fighting with all her strength against the circumstances. That was the reason she’d never gotten married again; her whole attention, love, care was dedicated to her cute girl. Even my eyes became wet thinking about that child.
Why in the world did small kids get these fatal diseases, and why not adults like me?

“
It’s sudden. I didn’t have time to tell you. Yesterday, she fell unconscious. I had to rush her to the ER. The doctor said her kidney wasn’t functioning properly and we have to change the dialysis schedule. It’s going to be monthly now.” Tears started rolling down her cheek.

I brushed my fingers on her palm. “Please don’t cry. Everything gonna be fine. Don’t worry. God is listening to us, and he will take away the pain from her.”

“I hope he does that soon. I can’t watch her face in pain anymore, it breaks every string of my heart. I feel like cutting my own throat instead of seeing her in pain.” She spoke dryly; I knew she had cried the whole night.

“Don’t worry about the wedding. I’ll do it, Melissa, and trust me. I’ll do it better than you. I wonder if your job will be in jeopardy when I’m done.”

She tried to smile. “I’m sorry, I had no other choice. Only you could do this.” She cleared her running nose.

“And from next time onwards, give me a call first before you set me up like that. “Sure. Thanks for this Trisha, you are a true friend.”

“So, where is the prettiest lady in our town right now?”

“Evelyn?”

“No,, Sarah. We are going to see her. And we’ll stop by a toy shop to grab a few gifts for her. She is getting her Christmas gift today.” I smiled and stood. The coffee was half remaining, but I didn’t care for the tastier coffee that time. I had more important things to do.

“But…what about the office?” Her brows cocked.

“No, but get your butt up and let’s go meet her.”

She stood up and smiled back at me. Sarah was the only reason for her to keep fighting. And I wanted to see that woman happy at any cost. If I’d had to take any worse job than this, I would have taken it, smiling.

I have very few friends remaining in my life and I will do my best to make them happy.

Before stepping out of the coffee shop I tried to look at the mystery neighbor's face. But he had turned back, picking up something from the place I was sitting at.

Chapter 4

“You should wear your best dress tomorrow. I’ll message you the address, and don’t go in your old Cadillac or that 60’s model. Grab a cab and then go,” Melissa instructed me again over the phone.

I’ve heard her instruction for the millionth time. Melissa had been all over me last night with her instructions. I didn’t know whether it happened for a reason, but we couldn’t find time to go and shop for a nice dress. Actually, I didn’t want to buy a new dress. The only ones I liked were either too expensive or didn’t fit my curvy figure. And sometimes I hated it. It wasn’t like I hated my figure; it’s curved at the right places and made boys look at least twice at me when they glance over my features. And my dress collection was enough for any party or meetings.

But Melissa could never believe that. She even texted me so much information that I felt like I was going to a prom and my mom was giving me a thousand instructions about how to behave with the boys out there. Fortunately, my mom never did that to me. Heck, she had been busy with getting through her addiction.

“This looks nice.” I peeked through my wardrobe; there was nothing much to choose from, but one of the dresses I’d worn when I was working for Tristan—a white blouse and a pencil skirt that looked nice on me. Tristan and lot’s of his MMA pals admired me when I wore it at a function. It suited my figure.

“Stupid.” I couldn’t help saying those words when I saw my shoe collection. I didn’t remember the last time I’d gone for shopping for new shoes in the last year. Goddamn, I’d nothing to wear that matched my dress.
What the fuck, what am I going to do now?

The only decent shoes I had were high pointed heels. I’d only bought those because they looked so cute in the showroom. I just loved them, but I’d never had guts to wear them. I knew I would fall off them easily. But it looked like the single logical choice for me. All the others were either weathered or didn’t suit my dress. How would you wear brown work shoes with the dark blue pencil skirt?
God, I have to find time for shopping now.

                                                                      ***

I stopped my cab at of the given address. But when I looked at the property, my mouth hung an inch lower. I’d expected a nice house, maybe a big house. It might be a huge house. But there was nothing to see—a big stone wall surrounded the whole property. It was huge; I suspected the whole property was built on few hundred acres of property. I couldn’t even see the house from outside, I could only see one of the tower pointed high in the sky. Goddamn, I’d never seen such a big property. A ton of pressure sat on my chest.

The wall was built like a castle wall—pointed stones, a ten feet steel grill above the eight feet wall. Who the hell was going to climb over the eight foot wall and then ten foot steel grill?

“Forty-five bucks, ma’am.” The driver spoke as I was busy inspecting the mansion. I couldn’t even see the end of the wall.

I was snapped out of my thoughts. “Forty-five, for such a small distance?”

“It’s ten miles out of the city, ma’am” His eyebrows cocked.

“Jerk,” I muttered making sure he didn’t hear it.

“I can hear you, lady. One more thing—you’re not going to get a cab out of here in the late evening unless you have someone dropping you to the city.” The driver spoke while turning the cab around.

My eyes shot to him in anger. He was a jerk after all.

I walked to the gate. The security guard was standing there with a long gun in his hand. It looked like a gun from the movies. My eyes studied the features of that gun curiously.

“It’s real. Before you ask.” The guard cocked out a grin.

“I’m here to meet Evelyn Swan.” I grinned at him and turned my attention to the guard in the guard shack.

“Let me check your appointment, ma’am.” He looked at his screen and then looked at my face. “Your ID, please.”

I handed my driver’s license and company’s ID card to him.”

“Thank you, ma’am. You can collect your driver’s license when you leave in the evening.”

“But…” How could he take my driver’s license?
Am I still living in America? The country of free will?

“It’s the policy. Even if you were First Lady, we would have done that. It’s the security policy of this place.” His hand pushed a button and two lady security guards came to escort me inside.

But before I could put my food on the green grass covering the long way inside, I was thoroughly scanned by those lady guards. I felt weird. I was not liking the way the guards were making me feel. The place was secured a little tightly. Who would want to come and hit someone in the beautiful mansion?

“Please wait here, ma’am. A car will come to pick you.” One of the lady guards told me.

I nodded my head and looked further. Goddamn, now I could see the mansion that was built on the huge property. It wasn’t a big house or something; it was actually a huge mansion. It looked like a castle of complete stones.

“Is it built with stones?” I asked the guard.

“Yes, it was built in the 18th century by the Swan family head.”

Though I was inside the wall, I couldn’t see the castle completely because it was surrounded by another round of walls. “It happens with everyone visiting this place for the first time.” The lady guard smiled me.

I could hardly hide the surprise on my face. “I see why...”

I waited there for five minutes before a limousine came to pick me. I removed my glasses and looked at the car with clear eyes.

Are you fucking kidding me, a limousine? If they are offering limousine to the guests ,what are they driving inside? A Tesla or Ferrari?
I couldn’t believe it. I had no idea how rich this family must be. I stepped in the car with a sore leg. My right leg had started hurting already because of the pointed heels I was wearing. I really had no idea how girls could wear such shoes and walk comfortably all the time. It always remained a mystery to me.

The car windows were black and I could see nothing. After almost five minutes of driving, the limo stopped and another guard opened the door.

I stepped out to a new view. As I stood on the porch, I could see a huge swimming pool ending near another wall of stone. The pool was the size of five tennis courts together. I couldn’t believe what I was seeing. I had seen such places in the movies or on TV, but could never believe that I would get to be somewhere like this in my whole life. I pinched myself, but it only resulted in pain on my arm. Melissa must have visited this place, but she freakin never mentioned any of this before.

“Ma’am, Miss Evelyn is waiting for you in her room. Let me show you the direction.” A man in a black suit came to escort me. His suit looked very expensive, but looking at the mansion, he could be just a staff member. Now I could guess why Melissa wanted me to wear something prettier and more expensive. Even the staff was wearing a thousand-suit, I suppose. I could never afford something like that on my peanuts salary.

“Sure, thank you.” I gulped my surprise inside.

I started following him as he walked around swimming pool to enter in the mansion. My eyes were rolling everywhere, but till then I’d not seen any of the Swans around.

The weather was very pleasant, not too hot. Lounging in the grand swimming pool would be such fun in lovely weather. It was difficult not to imagine it. If somebody had given me permission, I would have removed my clothes and jumped in the pool that very moment.

And something happened which I hadn’t anticipated. My heel stuck somewhere as I was not paying much attention to the road and I stumbled. My fear was going to come true; I was heading towards the water quickly. My glasses were coming out of my mouth quickly. I could see the blue water clearly now. Closing my eyes, I cursed myself for not paying attention and getting into trouble in less than a couple of minutes of entering the castle.

But someone grabbed me by around my waist; a firm hand, it was. My descent towards the water stopped with a jerk, and somebody rescued me from falling. It was a surprise that my glasses didn’t fall. With his support, I stood back on my heels only to find out that the stiletto of the it was broken.

My eyes darted to the man who’d saved me; I knew he was a man, because the hands were like rods of steel, firm and solid.
Maybe it is the staff who was walking in front of me.

My eyes froze when I saw the most handsome man I’d ever seen in my whole life. Tristan was rough, but this man was equally beautiful with the green light coming out of his eyes, a straight nose and scattered, honey-colored hair. The most beautiful thing was his lips, which moved to the left when he smiled. Actually, he was smiling at me. A silly smile; I felt like the atmosphere froze between us, and sparks were flying everywhere. My heart was pumping faster, my blood was flowing towards my cheeks and I flushed.

“Are you all right?” His white teeth flashed when he talked. His words flowed out of his mouth like musical notes coming out of musicians guitar.

“Are you okay?” His pupils narrowed as I didn’t answer.

I kept looking at him; his left brow jumped up and down. He made me stand on my feet while loosening his grip, but he didn’t release me.

He shook my shoulders.

I suddenly felt hot, like a hot air bubble had formed around us. I realized I was inches away from his face. I could feel the sea of emotions in those sparkling green eyes.

“Oh, I’m sorry.” I realized I had to say something. At least thank him. “I am good, just stumbled on the way. I’m looking for Miss Evelyn,” I said.

“Let me show you the way,” he offered with a crooked smile.

I didn’t say anything. I was drawn into his eyes again.

“I said, I’ll show you Miss Evelyn's room. Is that fine with you?” He released me this time; I stumbled back and he caught me again. He smiled mischievously.

“Sorry, I’m so sorry.” I pulled myself away from his arms and stabled myself completely. It was getting more awkward every second.

“Don’t make it a habit, I may not always be around always. Now follow me.” He said it rudely and turned around.

The staff helping me earlier stepped aside as I started walking with my life-saver. But he was mean.

So he was another house staff member working there after all. Looking at his clothes, it was hard to believe, but every other person in the mansion was dressed perfectly. But his clothes didn’t suit a waiter or staff.

He was wearing a gray jacket and black trouser. He could be the head of the house hold staff. A lead staff member would dress better.
How much they should be making here? And how could he be a part of the staff, when he look so cute and he is carrying himself with such confidence.

I would like to be in his arms forever.
Goddamn, I felt ashamed for my own thoughts. My eyes examined his features; he was sexy and beautiful at the same time. He could at anytime be the cover model on those million-copies magazines. “Stupid.” He could do better than that. He could be an actor or supermodel in any movie.

Pushing those thought out of my mind, I started following him. I was there to manage events, not thinking about staff.

“So, it’s always the same around here?”

He turned back at me, again locking me with those green eyes.

“I mean, this mansion always requires this much security? And the expensive limo to take the guests in? Or this is just for the wedding?”

He stared at me, puzzled.

“I mean, the Swans, do any of them live here? Or is this mansion rented?” I thought he must have been working there for a long time and he should know these things.

“It’s just the Swan mansion. Adam Swan built this when he was in his forties.” His hypnotizing voice pierced my heart. If he had asked me to strip naked, I would have done that, right here in the open.

Fuck, what am I thinking? I should keep my distance from this man.

“How many years have you worked here? I asked as he opened the front gate of the mansion. There was another round wall covering the huge mansion inside. They had another circle of security.

He turned back toward me; this time I saw a hint of anger in his eyes. I thought he didn’t like the question. Then his eyes changed drastically. Now I could feel the cheer coming out of those green eyes.

“I came here two months ago,” he replied with an ear-to-ear smile. I didn’t get what there was to laugh about.

“What’s so funny?” I frowned at him.

“You look beautiful when you’re angry, especially your blue eyes. I’ve never seen such a slate blue colored eyes in my whole life.” His eyes were fixed on mine.

“Don’t you think you have a little bit of an attitude for being staff?” I asked.

“You are the one who is angry. I was just appraising your beauty.” He chuckled.

“Okay, okay, just show me her room and then you are free to go.” I just wanted to get away from him. He had a big mouth, and I didn’t like it. He was quickly getting on my nerves. He had an attitude. I was there with more responsibility. I was the one working for his boss.

“Okay, ma’am.” He bowed and walked inside the front door.