Blind Date With the Billionaire Part 2: Forced to Choose (3 page)

As she entered the ballroom, her eyes were immediately arrested by the sight of Gabe dancing with a tall brunette in a strapless black gown. Monica just knew it was Carla. The woman’s arms were wrapped around his neck. They seemed to be having an intense conversation judging by the expressions on their faces. Monica’s eyes weren’t the only ones trained on the sight. It seemed everyone in the ballroom was riveted by the scene before them. Nearby, she heard a woman speculating about Gabe and Carla’s reconciliation. Monica shot them a dirty look, but they looked at her with pity.

Before the dance ended, Carla led Gabe away from the ballroom towards the balcony. Monica crossed the room and followed them outside. The sight of Gabe in the arms of that woman, and Monica had to admit grudgingly that she was beautiful, unleashed a torrent of emotions in her. It seemed like confirmation of the rumors. She was boiling with anger and humiliation.

When she stepped outside, she was surprised to find the balcony empty. Monica looked around, her eyes finally adjusting to the darkness outside. She heard voices coming from the garden path just below the balcony and scrambled down the stairs towards the sound of voices. She could hear Gabe’s deep baritone, but couldn’t make out exactly what he was saying.

Monica continued to follow the sound of their voices when it suddenly went quiet. The sight that met her
froze her in place and
knocked the breath out of her.
She
felt her heart
being
ripped out from her chest. Gabe and Carla were partially hidden by a large rose bush, but the moonlight illuminated their figures. Carla’s hands were entwined in Gabe’s hair and they were embraced in a passionate kiss. Monica stood and stared for what seemed like an eternity, each second an exquisite torture to her.

Unable to take anymore, she turned on her heel to leave. Her dress caught on a branch of a nearby bush and ripped. The sound made Gabe turn around where he spotted Monica angrily tugging at her dress. He broke free from Carla’s grasp and hurried towards
her
.
Monica was too angry to speak to him, to hurt to even look at him. She finally broke free of the offending branch and ran back towards the house.

“Monica, wait!” Gabe shouted.

Monica ignored his pleas and kept running. Gabe’s long strides caught up with her easily, and he grabbed her arm and turned her around to look at him.

“It’s not what you think,” he said.

“Oh really?” Monica asked, unable to keep the anger from her voice. “I didn’t just see you kissing another woman?”

“No! I mean, yes you did see that, but it’s not how it looked,” he said flustered.

“I’m not an idiot, Gabe. I know what I saw. There’s nothing you can say that can change that.” Monica spat back. “I’ve been a complete fool, but I won’t let you continue making a fool of me.”

“You’re wrong Monica. I can explain,” Gabe began.

“I don’t want to hear your excuses.” Monica said cutting him off. “I’ve seen and heard enough tonight.”

“Gabe darling? Is there a problem here?” Gabe and Monica both turned to the sound of the voice. Monica looked at the woman Gabe had kissed. The woman he was married to, and was still in love with according to everyone who knew them. Monica felt equal parts envy and hatred. Carla was a beautiful woman with a svelte figure and sleek brown hair that shone in the moonlight. Even her voice was deep and sexy with a slight European accent.

“Stay out of this, Carla,” Gabe warned, “I’ll deal with you later.”

“No no, don’t let me interrupt your little rendezvous,” Monica replied sarcastically. “I was just on my way out.”

Without another backwards glance, she strode forward up the stairs to the balcony and back in the ballroom and finally out the main hall to the front steps. Her mind was in a whirl. She didn’t know how she made it back out without breaking down. She just knew she had to keep it all inside until she got home. Once there, she could breakdown and cry all she wanted. But for now, she had to be strong and not let anyone see or know what had happened and how much it had hurt her. She had been wrong about guys before, but this time it hurt one thousand times worse. Deep down she knew he was out of her league, but he made her believe she was everything he ever wanted. Now she was awake to the truth. He was only using her. It was probably all a big joke to him that he shared with all his rich friends. A joke she was the butt of.

*****

Monica realized too late that she didn’t have a ride back home. She pulled out her cell phone and called the cab company. They’d be there in 30 minutes. Monica didn’t want to go back and face the crowd again, and she didn’t want to run into Gabe, so she skulked to the side of the house near a little garden where there was a bench. She had a perfect view of the drive from her position, so she could see when the cab arrived. Sitting down, she forced her mind not to dwell on what she had seen. If she thought about it, she would cry, and she didn’t want to cry--not yet anyways.

Monica closed her eyes and rested her head against back of the bench. Her ears perked up when she heard the sound of crunching gravel. Opening her eyes, she saw Gabe standing in front
of
her just a few feet away. He looked miserable, she noted. They just stared at each other, neither one saying a word. Finally, Monica broke the gaze and turned her head away.

“Monica, let me explain,” Gabe said wearily.

“Gabe, I really don’t want to do this right now. I can’t even look at you. Please just leave me alone,” Monica said holding back the tears.

“Monica, please...” Gabe began.

“What’s there to explain?” Monica asked.

“Everything,” Gabe answered. “I know what you think you saw, but it’s not like that.”

“What I saw was you kissing your ex-wife. Is that not what happened? Do you have a twin brother that I don’t know about who goes around kissing your ex-wife?” Monica asked sarcastically.

“Be serious Monica,” Gabe admonished. “Yes, you saw us kissing, but it’s not how it seemed. She kissed me.”

“Well you didn’t look like you were complaining. Besides you got exactly what you wanted,” Monica countered.

“What do you mean? What are you talking about,” Gabe asked.

“You know what I mean. You and Carla back together. It’s what you’ve always wanted, isn’t it? I’m just some dumb naive idiot who you used,” Monica answered spitefully.

“That’s not true at all,” Gabe protested. “I don’t know where you got that idea from, but you’re wrong. I don’t want to get back with Carla. I want you.”

“Please don’t treat me like a fool, Gabe.”

“Then stop acting like a fool,” Gabe replied angrily. “How many times have I told you how beautiful you are and how special you are to me? Why would you go thinking I’m all of a sudden
lying to you? Yes, you saw Carla and me in a compromising position, but that wasn’t because I wanted it. She kissed me. I didn’t kiss her. I didn’t even want to dance with her.”

“Then why did you do it?”

“I...I don’t know.” Gabe answered. “I guess I didn’t want to cause a scene. You don’t know Carla; she can be very...difficult.”

“Why are you even with me?” Monica asked.

“What?” Gabe asked taken aback by the question.

“I mean, why you even bother with me when you could have any woman you want. Just look at Carla and look at me. Why wouldn’t you choose her? Hell, practically all the women here tonight were all over you. You could have your pick of them, so why did you bother with me? Was it some sort of game? A joke?”

“Damn it Monica!” Gabe cursed. “Why do you always do this?”

“Do what?” Monica asked confused by his anger.

“This! You’re always putting yourself down. Thinking less of yourself. I’ve told you why I’m with you, why I find you irresistible, but you don’t ever believe me. You’re going to have to let go of your insecurities. Not everyone has an ulterior motive.”

Monica was taken aback by Gabe’s vehemence.

“I don’t know what to tell you, Gabe. I’ve been like this my whole life; I don’t know how to change.”

“You’re going to have to, or you’ll miss out on a lot in life.”

“I can’t, I’m sorry,” Monica said tormented as she got up from the bench. Her taxi had just reached the rounded driveway.

“Don’t run away from me, Monica,” Gabe whispered.

Monica stifled a sob as she ran towards the cab. She felt her heart breaking as the
cab pulled away from the curb.  Monica’s eyes were blurry with her unshed tears pooling in her eyes.
Ga
be stood where she had left him;
he looked miserable
.
He
had
seemed so sincere, she didn’t know what to believe, but she couldn’t risk getting hurt again. All the years of pain and rejection had taken its toll on her. She was scared to get her heart broken.  Scared to take a chance. She didn’t know when and if she’d ever see him again, or if she was making the biggest mistake of her life by running away.

*****

The next installment of
Blind Date with the Billionaire
Series by
Cordelia
Baxter is coming soon!

Just in case you missed it,
Blind Date with the
Billi
o
n
aire (Part 1)
is available now!

Discover more
Cordelia
Baxter stories at
Amazon.com

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Cordelia
Baxter:

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