Gabby
Perhaps dinner and dancing won't be so bad, I try to convince myself as Aaron holds open the bedroom door for me. If I think of this evening as dinner and dancing with my friend, I won't be so focused on the fact that I'm here helping the man I love get his ex-girlfriend back. Tonight the show really starts, and the chances of giving away how I feel about him, after years of keeping it a secret, are high enough to make me a little anxious.
"August will want to dance with you tonight," Aaron tells me as we approach the dining room.
"Why?" I ask.
"Because you're here with me.”
I stop and glare at him. "Because of this stupid game you two insist on playing, right?"
"That would be the main reason," he admits.
"Because there couldn't be any other reason," I mutter under my breath. "Because he couldn't just dance with me because he wants to dance with me."
"Huh?"
I know Aaron is more than likely right in this instance, but it’s one more prick to my ego that it has probably never occurred to him that a man might just want to dance with me because he likes me. He said I look beautiful, but he doesn’t see me as an attractive woman.
"Nothing. When are you going to stop?" I ask him.
"Stop what?"
"This game," I say with annoyance. "This stupid, idiotic, and completely outrageous game."
"It's over. I'm done. I'm out.” He pauses. “Once I get Jenna-Lee back."
I can't help but doubt his words. "Sure," I say and keep walking.
"I will," he says, trying to keep up with me.
I shake my head. "Because you're in love, right?"
"You couldn't be more surprised than I am," Aaron says.
"I wouldn't be too sure about that," I murmur.
"And once I get her back, I won't be interested in playing anymore. I won't need to."
"Great," I say.
"You know," Aaron says to me. "It's kind of cool we're in love at the same time. You know what I'm going through."
Cool is not the word I would use to describe the situation; not when I'm in love with him and he's in love with someone else.
"Yeah, well, as I’ve mentioned, I'm trying to get over it."
"Did he hurt you?" Aaron asks, his voice suddenly full of concern. "Because I'll-"
"You'll what? Kick his ass?" I ask, smiling. The idea of him kicking his own ass makes quite an amusing picture. "This isn't high school, Aaron."
"I know that, but no-one hurts you and gets away with it."
"It's not like he did it intentionally. He doesn't even know."
"You're making excuses for him.”
I hope Aaron will drop the subject when we enter the dining room. Music filters in from the jazz band playing in the ballroom. The ballroom and dining room are separated by several sets of double doors that are all currently open. It looks like most of the employees of Saxby and Saxby advertising are downstairs already, milling around, and drinking the pre-dinner drinks that are being served. Aaron puts his hand on the small of my back as we walk up to the bar, and orders drinks. When Aaron takes one of the three seats at the bar, instead of making a move to mingle, I'm surprised.
"Is it Tim Peterman?" he asks.
"What?"
"Your mystery guy? Is it Tim Peterman?"
"Why would you think that?"
"I don't know. He's an alright looking guy."
"If you like brawn and no brains."
"I mean, it’s not a no.”
I sigh. "No, it's not Tim Peterman."
"Is it Michael Mackenzie?"
"No."
"I know." He leans forward, clicking his fingers, clearly trying to think of a name. "It's Damien Price, isn't it?"
"The balding life insurance salesman who visits the shop every Thursday? No, Aaron, and seriously, what does that say about my taste?"
"You were with Kyle Marsden, and he was completely bald."
"Well, he had other…qualities that compensated for that."
"Like what?"
"You don't want to know."
He makes a face. "You're right. I don't want to know."
I laugh. "Are we finished?"
"Not even close. Is it Daniel Wheaton?"
"I thought you wanted me to get over him."
"I think you'll have better luck getting over him if you tell me who he is."
I shake my head and roll my eyes. "I'm not going to give you his name, so stop."
"I think you need to talk about him, Gabby."
"I have talked to someone about him."
I answer without thinking, and the hurt on his face makes me feel terrible.
"Who? Does Bernadette know? Does Carly know?"
"It doesn't matter." I try to dodge the question.
"They both know, don't they?" he persists, and I can feel my resolve breaking.
"Yes, they both know," I finally admit. "But I didn't tell them, they just guessed."
"So if I guess, you'll tell me?" Aaron asks, with some frustration.
I nod, albeit reluctantly, knowing he’ll never guess. "Yes, I'll tell you."
"Is it James Prentice?"
I hold up a hand to put an end to the questioning. "Okay, stop. You've had enough guesses for one night."
"We're not done yet," Aaron says quickly, his eyes narrowing on August and Jenna-Lee as the couple approach us.
"You look stunning tonight, Gabby," August says.
I offer him a polite smile. "Thank you."
"I hope Aaron won't mind if I steal a dance with you later this evening," August continues, and I am torn. I don't want to be part of their game, but Aaron brought me along to help him win Jenna-Lee back. Dancing with August gives Aaron the chance to dance with Jenna-Lee.
Forcing the smile to stay on my face, I nod. "I'd like that."
I feel Aaron tense beside me immediately. The smile August gives Aaron and Aaron's answering scowl makes me want to hit both of them over the head.
Jenna-Lee leans forward and toys with one of the buttons on Aaron's shirt. "I guess that leaves us free to dance."
"I guess it does," he says to her, with a sexy smile that I've never been on the receiving end of.
The moment Jenna-Lee and August are drawn into a conversation with another couple, however, Aaron's scowl returns.
"What the hell, Gabby?" he demands angrily after Jenna-Lee and August walk away.
He's angry with me, but it's not like I can stay out of their game now anyway. Refusing August would only encourage him to try harder, and I don't want to have to spend the whole week running away from him or fobbing off his advances. It would be polite to dance once or twice with him. I can still make it clear that I only see him as Aaron's work colleague, all the while providing Aaron with some much needed time with Jenna-Lee. Aaron should be thanking me for that.
"Dancing with August will give you the time you need with Jenna-Lee."
"You're not supposed to be bait. I don't want you to get involved in this," he says.
I shake my head in disbelief. "I became part of this the moment I agreed to come along this week, Aaron."
"I didn't think this through."
"This is the opportunity you need to win Jenna-Lee over, just like we planned. It's perfect, actually. While August has his eye on me, you're getting closer to Jenna-Lee. Isn't that what you want?"
"I don't want August to think he's winning by getting to you. He will do everything he can to try and 'win you away from me'."
I feel the anger building inside me. "You think I don't know that? I know he's only interested in provoking you. Do you think I'm an idiot?"
"No. Of course not. It's just that-"
"It's just that you can't bear the thought of August thinking he's winning," I finish for him. "You're both ridiculous."
At that moment, Edward announces that dinner is about to be served, and we sit down with everyone else at the long dining table. I’m so angry that I turn to talk to the person on the other side of me to carry out a conversation. Aaron's bull-headed request that I do nothing that makes August think I am falling for his charms is going to interfere with the stupid plan we came here with. His male pride hates the idea of August thinking he's winning anything.
By the time dinner is finished, I've barely spoken more than a handful of words to Aaron. When the music begins to play, people drift onto the dance floor. Eventually, the person I was talking to for most of the evening leaves with their companion, and Aaron stands up. When I look at him, he holds out his arm.
"Come on," he says to me, inclining his head towards the dance floor.
I think about refusing him for a moment, but then I accept his arm, and we walk onto the dance floor together. As he wraps his arms around my waist, and I wrap my arms around his neck, I can't help but feel emotional. I’ve been in love with him for years, but now he’s in love with someone else, and I'm helping him get her back. It's a strange situation to be in, but I'm trying my best to be there for him.
"August was right about one thing. You do look beautiful tonight."
I smile, feeling my cheeks flush. "Thank you. You look good, too."
His eyes flit over my face. "I'm sorry about earlier. I didn't mean to push you about your mystery man."
"It's okay," I say, trying to keep my voice even.
"We're okay, right?" Aaron asks me, and I nod, trying to hide the hurt I feel.
"It feels like things are changing," he says, concern written all over his face. "You're keeping things from me. Things you tell Carly and Bernadette, but not me."
I take a deep breath. "We have, but change is a natural part of life," I tell him. "You're in love-"
"So?" he interrupts.
"So,” I say slowly. “The woman you're in love with doesn't like me at all. You said yourself she never liked you spending time with me, and now that she thinks we're together, she'll hate me even more."
Aaron's expression changes from perplexed to angry as I trail off. "Is that what you think? That I'm going to let her come between us?"
I look away, but he takes hold of my chin, turning my face so that I'm looking at him. "Are you planning on letting the next guy you date come between us?" he asks, his voice full of emotion.
"It's not as simple as that, Aaron," I reply, feeling the tears welling up in my eyes. "You'll be spending more time with Jenna-Lee, and I'll be married one day, with children. We won't always be able to spend so much time together. There will be other priorities in our lives."
"No," he shakes his head. "We’ll never mean any less to each other. It will always be the two of us together."
I know he believes that. Before he fell in love with someone else, I believed it too. I lay my head against his chest as we dance, feeling the weight of his words as he pulls me closer, holds me tighter. I wanted him to be my forever, but he’s moving on and I have to, too. I can’t continue to love him the way I have. It will break me.
I’m so caught up in the moment, I startle when I hear August clear his voice.
"May I have this dance, Gabby?"
Aaron stops, and I can see he’s pissed off at August for interrupting us. Before he can spit venom at his rival, I look up at him. "You don't mind, right?"
Aaron’s eyes tick between mine, and he looks so unhappy my heart aches for him. But as we discussed earlier, this is his chance to dance with Jenna-Lee. He wants her back and the whole reason I’m here is to help him make that happen. So before he can protest, I move away from his embrace.
A muscle ticks in Aaron's jaw, a flash of sorrow darkening his eyes, but he eventually turns to Jenna-Lee.
"Would you like to dance?" he asks, seeing the other woman arch one perfectly sculpted eyebrow at him.
Jenna-Lee smiles and gracefully moves into his arms at the same time August reaches for me. When Aaron looks back at me, Jenna-Lee puts her hand on his cheek, forcing him to look at her. I want to look away, but I can’t.
Aaron is right; our plan does seem to be working. And that’s a good thing, right? This is what Aaron wants, and if he wants it, then I want it, because his happiness is as important to me as my own.
"Aaron is very lucky to have a friend like you," August says.
Tearing my gaze away from Aaron, I look at him. "Why is that?"
August gives me a knowing look. "It's obvious you're in love with him."
I shrug. "Yes, I've loved him since high school."
It's what I said earlier today.
"I believe you."
I stiffen and August doesn’t miss it.
"What I don't believe," August adds, "is that he feels the same way."
I already know Aaron doesn’t feel the same way I do, but August’s words still hurt. I have to force out some kind of denial. "Why would you say that?"
August wears a sympathetic look. "Aaron and I were on better terms some time ago. I asked him about you once. He told me you were a friend, and that the two of you would never be more than friends."
"Things change,” I lie.
"Yes, but I believed Aaron when he told me he would never see you that way."
"You can believe what you want. I know how Aaron feels about me."
"You're a very loyal person, aren't you? Tell me the truth; did he bring you along to distract me, because it's working."
I stare up at him. Is this just part of the game? It has to be. He’s using me to get to Aaron.
"I can see I've surprised you. He didn't tell you, did he?"
"Tell me what?"
"That I wanted to ask you out when I first met you."
"Then why didn't you?"
"Aaron didn't want me to. He said it would be messy if we got involved and it didn't work out."
I look across the floor to where Aaron and Jenna-Lee are still dancing. Aaron is looking back at us, and our eyes lock. Aaron is obviously still worried that I can’t handle myself with his rival; that I will fall victim to the game between them. Maybe he’s right to be concerned. Right now, I’m having trouble understanding whether this is part of the game or whether August is telling the truth. Did Aaron really tell August not to ask me out? And if that’s the case, why did he do that?
Aaron stalks across the dance floor towards us, his eyes never leaving mine, and I guess this is my chance to find out.