It had sounded like a good idea when I’d signed up. My friends had been with me and had been so encouraging. Helping me fill in the form with all the information and laughing with me at the thought of going.
But now, standing there alone in the killer red sheath dress my friend Gina had picked out for me, staring at the sign welcoming me to the seminar I felt a little stupid.
Maybe it was the sign. It was huge. In bright pink fluffy letters, for all the world to see, it asked ‘Why are you still single?’
Might as well stamp ‘reject’ on my forehead. And I had to go get my name tag at the table underneath it. Oh and all the fun free stuff the website said I would get would forever announce that I had gone to this thing.
I feel compelled to add that whoever made the sign probably didn’t think anyone would get stuck on that first line. Underneath in a beautiful dark red script is said. ‘Find out where your soulmate has been hiding.’
With a groan I took a step forward then took several back, right into someone.
“I am so sorry!” I burst out, spinning to see who I had practically demolished in my haste to flee the scene of that sign. I would not be admitting to the world my singleness today.
“That’s alright. You looked to be fleeing something in a hurry. I’m just sorry I stopped you from it.” The man I had trampled in my haste was in the middle of wiping my hot chocolate off his business suit and picking up my purse at the same time.
“I…thank you.” Tucking my hair behind my ear I swung my purse back onto my shoulder.
“Were you late to get somewhere or are you truly trying to escape?”
I knew the second he saw the sign behind me because his smile doubled in size. I didn’t know that was even possible but it did. It had my heart thumping even faster, causing my breath to hitch. Deep breaths. No swooning…or crumpling into a graceless unconscious heap.
“I see.” His chuckle rumbled from deep within his chest as if his whole being found me and my situation highly amusing. “Would you feel better if I walked over with you?”
My shoulders slumped. “Am I that pathetic that you automatically assume I’m a lost-cause single girl in need of a pity party from a gorgeous, obviously successful man?”
“Gorgeous, obviously successful man?” He looked around. “Is that supposed to be me? I’m flattered. And now I find I would like to insist on walking you over, even if it is to learn your name from the nametag you pick.”
My blush made an appearance as I felt my cheeks heat. “I can’t keep you from following me I guess.” Swallowing a giggle that almost followed those words I took a sly deep breath instead.
His grin was disarming but his full smile was devastating to my normal brain function.
“True.” His voice cajoling. “Unfortunately I doubt that tag has your phone number on it as well.” His eyebrow rose in question. “Or maybe it would, since it is a singles convention.”
“I wouldn’t know. I didn’t get that far.” With a shrug, I glanced back over to the table laden down with cute pink name tags.
“Shall we then?” He held out his arm.
“Don’t you have somewhere that you were needing to go? I doubt you were standing there waiting for someone to run over you so that you could escort them to wherever they need to go.”
“I do have somewhere I need to be so I suggest we get moving because I am serious about this mission to get your name and number.”
“I could just give it to you.” I laughed. At his hopeful face I added. “But you would have to ask me.”
He held out his arm again with that grin I was beginning to like very much. “Shall we?”
“I haven’t caught your name yet either.”
“You would have to ask.” His eyes sparked with mischievousness.
I rolled my eyes. Then, batting my eyes, I forced my voice into a soft but high falsetto. “Please kind sir. Would you tell me your name and current occupation so I can have a complete first impression assessment?”
“Once I get yours…over at the sign in table you are avoiding.”
Hooking my arm in his, I sighed. “Oh fine.”
The thirty second stroll over to the frothy pink table manned by two super smiley, gorgeous people was not as traumatic as I was thinking it would be. But maybe that was because of my escort.
“Hello there friends. Are you here to sign in?” A bubbly over-makeuped brunette stood to greet us. Well I take that back. She enthusiastically greeted my new crush, who was currently holding my arm. I knew she wasn’t greeting me because she didn’t take her eyes off him as she spoke.
He gestured over to me. “I believe my friend would like to get her name tag.”
“Name?” Her eyes were still glued to him.
I spoke up. “I’m over here.”
The girl turned her syrupy smile onto me. “Yes. And I’m still waiting for the name.”
“Alana Tern.”
She handed me my phone numberless name tag and I could see his shoulders slump. As I worked on attaching it to my shirt he leaned in to half-whisper. “Can I have your number?”
I nodded. “Give me a second while I get this on.”
“Ok.” His attention turned back to Miss Sickly Sweet. “Jeremy Henderson.”
“Here you go.” She handed him a nametag of his own and my jaw dropped in shock.
He shrugged and shot me a side smile. “I told you I had somewhere I needed to be.”
“You are attending this conference?” It was like the information wouldn’t process in my head.
“Yes. And up until I was run over by you I was not looking forward to it.” He once again extended his arm. “Shall we?”
“Indeed we shall.” I hooked my arm with his.
As we walked through the doors and into the auditorium where our orientation would be starting he added. “I still would love to have your number.”
This conference was already worth it.
