brr8

“So,” Emma smiled as she sat eating gazpacho and cucumber sandwiches by the pool the next afternoon, “Aubrey.”

He laughed, “Yes, Aubrey.”

“What did you think?”

“I’ve never in my life laid eyes on some one as beautiful as her.”

“Hey.” Emma said, sounding genuinely offended.

“You know that I mean,” He said, “Like, classic beauty.”

“Uh huh.” Emma said, “You know, if you wanted to call her…I could totally give you here phone number, I mean, if you wanted to maybe take her out to dinner or something.”

He laughed, “I’ll think about it.”

“You know, I talked to her this morning, and she thought you were very charming.”

He chuckled and ate his gazpacho, “This gazpacho kicks ass.”

“Of course it does.” She said, “My cook made it.”

“Why am I not surprised by that?”

“If you were wondering if, you know, if you asked Aubrey out, would she say yes…she totally would.”

“Emma.” He said, “This madness has got to stop.”

“Sorry, sorry…just trying to bring together two souls as one.”

He laughed, “Leave that up to fate, okay?”

“I’ll try,” She said, “But I make no promises.”

Aubrey, in a cunning attempt to avoid Justin and awkwardness that Emma had inflicted between them due to her desire to matchmake, she went back to the city a day early. It wasn’t that she didn’t like him; that wasn’t the problem.

The problem for Aubrey was that she liked him too much.

Besides, she had a lot of things to do back in the city and couldn’t really afford to stay the entire long weekend. Yeah, right. When you're a multi millionaire with a trust fund, the only you have to do is spend money and act like you care about something to make it worth while.

She could use a day of total vegging, anyway. It was hot and humid when she got back to her apartment.

As she was checking her messages, she stumbled across a message from Chad.

“Aubrey?” His voice said, “Hi. It’s Chad…It’s been a while since we last talked…months, I guess. But um…I’m just calling to say that I miss you. Call me, okay?”

She laughed, “I don't think so.” She deleted the message as her housekeeper unpacked her bags, sorting laundry to send to the cleaners.

Her cell phone rang and she fished it out of her bag, “Hello?”

“Props to you for bailing so gracefully on me.”

“I needed an R&R day; I have a busy week ahead.”

“Yeah,” Emma sighed, “Okay.”

“What are you doing?”

“It’s cloudy out, so I think I’m about to head out to do some shopping before I come home tonight.”

“I thought you were coming home tomorrow?”

“I changed my mind; if it rains, there’s nothing to do and I hate being bored.” Emma confessed, “Is it raining at home?”

“It’s just humid and hot out, actually.”

“Hey, you know, you're not the only one who bailed out early this holiday weeks.”

“Oh?”

“Mmhmm. Justin left after lunch.”

“Oh.”

“I gave him your number.”

“You did what?” She laughed.

“I. Gave him. Your phone number.” She smiled, “Your cell.”

“Emma, I can't believe you.”

“Yes, you can.” Emma laughed, “You totally can.”

She shook her head as she took out a carton of butter pecan ice cream, “Emma, you are insane.”

“You're right, I am.” She said, “It’s time to knock down your Berlin Wall, honey. It’s been three months -- three excruciating, self-loathing months for you. Chad has moved on, as we all saw…and now you can, too.”

“Easier said than done.”

“Well if it helps any, Justin is practically in the same position as you.”

“He was engaged to be married to some one he’d been with for four years then decided a month before the nuptials that he didn’t love her?”

“Not exactly in the very same position as you, but close.”

“Uh huh.”

“I’m serious.”

“You need to find something productive to do instead of trying to set people up.”

Emma laughed warmly, “I don't think so.”

“Alright, I’m going to go veg in front of my TiVo for the rest of the day. I’ll see you this week?”

“Friday kick boxing at Equinox, of course.” Emma laughed, “Bye love.”

“Bye.” Aubrey smiled and hung up the phone. She abandoned her pint of ice cream and went into her bedroom. She changed into thin six ply cashmere pants and a pima cotton tank top, tying her hair into a loose and low ponytail.

Regaining her grip on her pint of ice cream, she settled down on her big sectional couch in front of the TV with an exasperated sigh.

Three days later, July 8th, 2005

He usually wasn’t the type of person to wake up and say to himself, ‘I want to go shopping,’ but on this rainy morning, that was what he sincerely wanted to do.

He called up JC and he agreed to meet him at Saks. He was browsing men’s shoes when he saw Aubrey riding the escalator.

He immediately abandoned the pair of cool looking Prada sneakers and followed her. He was a lot of things, but a stalker was never one of them.

“Aubrey?”

She turned around, “Hi!”

He smiled as she kissed him on the cheek gracefully, “How are you?”

“I’m fine.” She smiled, “And you?”

“I’m good…just doing some shopping.”

“Same here.” She said, already toting four shopping bags.

“Hey, if you're not busy,” He said, “do you want to have lunch tomorrow?”

She frowned, looking genuinely upset, “I wish I could, but I’m leaving for Paris tonight.”

“…Oh…”

“I shouldn’t be gone for that long…hopefully not more than a week,” She assured, “I think Emma told me she gave you my number?”

He laughed, “She did.”

She smiled, “Could I get yours?”

He laughed, “Of course.”

He gave her his cell phone number as she entered it into her phone. “I just have to go to Paris for this party thing…it’s a long and involved story. Originally I wasn’t even planning on going, but you know how it is.”

He nodded, “Yeah.”

“I’ll call you as soon as I get back to New York.” She said sincerely, “I promise.”

He laughed, “Okay.”

She smiled, “I’d love to stay and talk but I have million and one things to do before I get on a red eye tonight. I completely loathe flying.”

“Yeah, I know what you mean.”

“I’ll talk to you soon.” She said meaningfully, “Try not to think about me too much.”

He laughed, “I’ll try, but I make no promises.”

She smiled and laughed softly, “Bye.”

He grinned to himself as she headed towards the exit. He went back down to shoes were JC was still deciding on a pair of Gucci sneakers. “Where were you?”

“Upstairs, talking to some one.”

“A lady?”

“Perhaps.” He said, “Do not buy those shoes.”

“Wasn’t going to; they're ugly.” JC said, untying the laces of the hideous sneakers, “So…who is she?”

“Aubrey Roehm.”

“Name sounds familiar.”

“Well she’s gorgeous.”

“Why am I not surprised? When have you ever even laid eyes on some one remotely ugly?”

He sighed, “She’s amazing.”

“Okay, so did you ask her out?”

“Yeah, I did.”

“And?”

“She’s going to Paris tonight.”

“That’s some kind of sorry ass lame excuse.”

“It isn't an excuse,” He said, “She really is going to Paris; she wouldn’t lie.”

“Yes, she would. She is a woman, therefore she lies.” JC rationalized, “You just do not learn your lesson, do you?”

“She isn't lying, man.”

“Uh huh.”

“I didn’t walk away totally empty handed.” He argued, “I got a number.”

JC laughed, “That’s a start.”