"Hey, Carol!" Jenna said, waving, a big smile on her face. "How are you doing?"
"I'm well, Jenna. It's so nice to see you. Please tell me that you are trying to get this girl out of here for Valentine’s Day?" she said, nodding towards me.
"Well, yes, she doesn't know it yet, but I have a date lined up for her. It's getting Miss Stubborn to agree to at least meet us at the restaurant," Jenna said, pointing at me.
"Listen, the both of you. For you it may be Valentine’s Day, but for me it’s Singles Awareness Day. I plan to work until seven, maybe eight, then head home and have a love affair with a bottle of wine and a pizza. Perhaps a chocolate cupcake."
They both let out a loud laugh, but I was serious. I spent most of my days at the office, including the weekends. I had stopped going out for our monthly get-together. As a matter of fact, I had stopped going anywhere and everywhere that I could possibly run into Chase. I still went to Saturday-morning yoga, but afterward we either went to my place or Jenna's for coffee.
"I'll do my best, Carol, but she is a tough one."
"That she is."
"Would the two of you please stop talking about me as if I am not sitting right here."
"All right, I have to get out of here. I promised John I'd be home. He's taking me to a play. Good night, ladies."
"Night, Carol," we both shouted in unison.
I turned back to Jenna, who now sat staring at the engagement ring on her finger. Matt had finally proposed, and she was over the moon excited. I didn't blame her; they made the cutest couple, and I was so happy to see that they were finally taking the next step. I let out a loud sigh and set my fork onto the side of the container.
"Are you sure you won't join us tonight?" Jenna pleaded. "It will only be Matt and I, I swear. We miss you and really want you to join us. Plus, we are gonna talk wedding details, and you need to be there if you are going to take me up on my offer and be my maid of honor." She had invited me to join them for dinner, but I really didn't want to feel like a third wheel.
I nodded. "I'm sure. Did you see that waiting room full of people out there? Someone must help them. Besides, it’s Valentine’s Day. You guys should be alone. There is plenty of time to go over wedding details."
"It's just another day, Sophie. It’s fine. Matt told me when he made the reservation he had already asked for a table for three."
"Well then you will have lots of room then. Really, it's fine. I chose to work tonight so everyone else could be home. Go enjoy yourself. Maybe we can do coffee at my place this weekend. I will cook brunch or something." I shrugged. If I knew Matt and Jenna, I knew that the table for three they were claiming to have would really be a table of four and Chase would probably be the other guest. "Seriously, I'm fine. Go."
"Sophie, it’s been five months. You can't keep ignoring the outside world. How will you ever meet someone?"
"Ha, Jenna, don't even start that. I'm perfectly good with staying single, okay." I turned my attention to the file that sat on top of the pile. I didn't want to be hounded. I wanted my friend to leave me in my misery and go and be with her fiancé.
"All right then, on that note, I guess I will be going. I've taken up enough of your time."
I hugged Jenna, and as she left, I wandered down the hall and grabbed another cup of coffee and went out to call in my next client. I'd been in the meeting going over the client’s tax return for twenty minutes when I heard Marie raise her voice. I did my best not to pay attention to it, but when I heard her raise her voice again, I quickly excused myself.
I opened my office door and was smacked in the face with the aroma of a freshly cooked pizza. My stomach let out a loud groan, even though I'd already eaten.
"Marie? What is going on? Who ordered pizza?" I called as I walked around the corner to see a room full of people and Marie guarding the entrance of the hallway with her life from Chase. I stopped in my tracks at the sight.
"There she is. I told you I knew she was here. Now let me in," he bit out, trying to push his way past Marie. When she blocked him again, he stepped into the first boardroom and threw the pizza box down on the table. "It’s okay, you don’t want to let me in to see her. It’s no problem. The meeting can be done in here as well. It doesn't need to be held in her office. Oh, and it’s not a problem. I have nowhere to be, so I'll wait," he said, setting my favorite bottle of wine down beside the box and turning to hand me a dozen long-stemmed red roses.
"Chase, what are you doing?" I whispered, shocked, but took the flowers from his hand, bringing them to my nose.
"I have brought you your Valentine’s Day dinner." He flipped open the pizza box, exposing a heart-shaped pizza. "Double cheese. No pepperoni. And wine because I know you love wine with your pizza."
My eyes began to burn, and within seconds, they were filled with tears that I tried hard to blink away, but they spilled over the edge of my eye and ran down my cheek. I wiped at them instantly to hide them, but it was too late. Chase had already seen.
"My God, I am always making you cry," he said, taking a step closer, reaching out and cupping my cheek, wiping away another tear with his thumb. “I’ve got to work on that,” he mumbled.
"Chase, people are watching," I whispered. I knew the door to the boardroom stood wide open and many sets of eyes were watching from the waiting room. "Let me close the door, okay," I said, trying to step around him, but he blocked me.
"So, let them watch. Let them all watch." That was all he said before he dropped to one knee and pulled from his pocket a little box. "Sophie, I can't stop thinking of you. You're actually all I think about."
"Chase, what are you doing?"
"Shhhh..."