“I knew you guys would hit it off.”
“Yeah, thanks for the introduction Brit.”
“So, I should tell you something, prepare you for tomorrow.”
“Uh, yeah?” My heart started beating.
“So Olivia…” She paused.
“Yeah?”
“She’s a bit of a snob and a bitch?”
“Okay.” I was puzzled as to why she was telling me this.
“So she may not approve of you and Peter.”
“Oh, okay.”
“I just want you to be prepared. Just in case she’s mean.”
I laugh. “Oh Brit, it’s okay. She has nothing to worry about.”
“Well, if you guys get married she’ll be your mother-in-law.”
“That’s a big if Brit.”
“Well, you should…”
“Hey, I’ll worry about it if it comes to that, ok?”
“K. Night Elle.” And with that Brit went to her room to call Mark before she fell asleep. It took me a while to get my makeup off before bed. I thought about trying to write for a bit but dismissed it. I then thought about Olivia. What if Peter and I did start dating, how would I feel if she hated me? I laughed to myself, Brittany had been encouraging me in stupidness, it was highly unlikely that Peter Branford, a billionaire, was going to fall in love with me and want to marry me, very unlikely indeed.
***********
We got to the Rosewood house a little after 11am. Brittany’s dad had his driver come and pick us up. Elliott Rosewood lived about an hour out of Manhattan and I absolutely loved Brittany’s childhood home. It reminded me of my home: only much grander. I was excited to see Peter in the daytime to see if we had a real connection or of it had just been the alcohol that had him acting so friendly towards me.
We walked into the entryway with the housekeeper Mrs. Heath there to greet us. Brittany gave her a big hug. “Mrs. H, I’ve missed you.”
“It’s been too long Ms. Brittany. You must come home more often.”
I nodded my head in agreement. I would love to come here more often with her.
“Where’s Dad?” She questioned Mrs. Heath.
“In his study as always Ms. Brittany.”
“Okay, let’s go say hi to Dad Elle. Thank God Olivia isn’t here yet.” I followed Brittany as she went running up the stairs. My heart started pounding as we walked towards the study.
“Dad,” Brittany rushed into the study and gave her dad a hug. Elliott Rosewood stood up and gave her a kiss on the cheek. “How’s my princess?”
“Good daddy. Elle’s here with me.” She nodded towards me.
“Hi Mr. Rosewood.” I smile at him.
“I think you can call me Elliott now Elle.” He smiles back at me but seems a bit reserved.
“Okay Mr. Ros, I mean Elliott.”
He lets Brittany go and comes over and gives me a hug as well. “I may as well give my favorite girl’s best friend a hug as well.” He says as his puts his strong muscular arms around me. He draws me close to him and I put my arms around him too. As he squeezes me close to him, I am aware of my br**sts pressing against his chest. He feels warm and solid. We hold the hug a little longer than polite and then he lets me go. I feel a sense of loneliness as he lets me go.
“How are you Elle?” He looks at me intently as he asks the question.
“I’m pretty good, thanks.” I stare back at Elliott. It was easy to see where Brittany got her good looks. He was gorgeous, about 6 feet with dark hair and blue eyes. He looked as if he hadn’t shaved in a few days and the stubble made him look really sexy. He was 45 and looked every inch of his years. He was mature, intelligent and reminded me of George Clooney.
“Elle’s going to be married soon Dad,” Brittany started babbling excitedly.
“Married? Really?” Elliott looked at me in surprise. “Well congrats. Will I get to meet the lucky man?”
“I’m not really…” I started.
“It’s Peter, Olivia’s son.” Elle interrupted me.
“Peter?” he questioned. “Olivia didn’t tell me he was dating anyone.”
I blushed, “Well that’s because we aren’t actually dating.”
“Ha-ha, okay so I exaggerated a little. They aren’t getting married yet, but I’m pretty sure that once he gets to know her a bit better it’s going to happen.” Brittany grins.
“I see, so you want to get married Elle?”
“Well, not at…” I start again.
“Of course she does dad. We’re not all like you you know.”
“I see.” Elliott looks as though he doesn’t want to be in this conversation.
“And they already had their first kiss,” Elle bursts out. “I tell you it will be marriage soon.”
I went to die of humiliation. I didn’t want Elliott knowing all of my personal business. I didn’t want him to judge me.
“Well good luck to you on your impending nuptials Elle.” Elliott smiled at me but his eyes looked at me curiously. I wish I knew what he was thinking. The fact was that I had had a crush on Elliott for years, in fact from the first time; I’d ever seen him. He’d been the only man who had ever made my heart race just thinking he was nearby. In fact, the first time I had met him, I hadn’t know that he had been Brittany’s dad. It was the single most exciting night of my life and yet it could never happen again.
I smiled at Elliott and wondered if he ever thought of that night as much as I did. I sometimes what would have happened if I hadn’t been Brittany’s roommate. As we walked down to the formal living room to wait for Olivia and Peter, I thought back to that night.
It had been the first couple of weeks of the semester when we had all gone dancing at a club in Manhattan. We’d all worn short mini-skirts and boob tubes. Our midriffs and had showing and our boobs were standing at attention. Brittany had talked me into going braless, she said it was the only way to dance and we had all gotten super drunk, Brittany’s boyfriend at the time had a hookup at the club so we could all get alcohol.
For some reason, I had gotten split up from the group on the dance floor and was dancing with some random people when Jen, another friend of ours had rushed up to me to tell me that Brittany was in big trouble. Supposedly her dad’s chauffeur had told him that a bunch of us had gone out and he wasn’t too happy about it. He had come down to the club and was looking for Brittany. Turns out she didn’t want to get in trouble so she had gone to a diner down the road for a bit and would come back once Jen told her the coast was clear.