Principal Adams had explained to her that it was just for fun and not a slight against women, reminding her it was to raise money for charity. That was the only part of this whole gimmick that had caused her to agree in the first place.
They had known that she was a self-proclaimed ambassador for women’s rights so when they had approached her to do this auction to raise money for the Bring Back Our Girls campaign she hadn’t been able to refuse. Besides she was a new teacher; she really couldn’t afford to be ‘difficult’.
She scowled at her reflection in the mirror, fighting a curly raven lock that refused to obey her wishes. She released a frustrated huff, deciding to just let it go. She was going to run late if she didn’t leave soon. Okay maybe she was more frustrated than normal because of who she’d invited. She was obsessed with Paolo Agnelli…she knew it, she knew it was stupid and she could do nothing about it. Ever since he’d bumped into her in the school corridors, scattering all of his files and papers on the floor that he was apparently taking to the library for some reason; she just couldn’t seem to get enough. He’d seemed just as enamored with her as she was with him but they hadn’t talked about it and she wasn’t sure she wanted to. Still he seemed to be everywhere she was; they’d met by chance no less than three times – so much so that it was a running joke between them – and they just seemed to click. They liked the same things, even drank their coffee the same way…it was kismet. She had no idea why she’d invited him to this event though. Just to watch her get sold like merchandise? Or was she hoping he would bid on her? She had no idea if he could even afford to do that…
Cora let out a sigh.
*****
She pulled up at the museum where the gala was to be held, heart speeding up with nerves. Tonight was special not just because of the auction and her resolve to find herself a man before the evening was out; but also that she was really hoping that man was Paolo. Would he make a move tonight? Was this maybe a date? She walked in slowly in her heels, looking around for him. Before she could do a comprehensive sweep of the room though, the principal was bearing down on her, leading her away to give her comprehensive instructions on how the auction would go. She led her so fast past the dance floor she could hardly see anything but she thought she caught a glimpse of a tall, broad shouldered man with a hooked nose, pockmarks and greasy black hair. Surely there couldn’t be two such men roaming the streets of New York; at least not at the Dalton School benefit for Bring Back Our Girls. There was no such thing as coincidence after all.
“Cora? Are you paying attention?” the Principal asked and Cora tuned back into the conversation.
*****
Paolo looked around at the crowd of patrons of the Dalton School, as he waited for Cora to appear at the top of the stairs. It was an incredibly important night for her and also for him; tonight was the night he made his move. Normally he hated these kind of functions; bunch of boogie wannabes taking the chance to hobnob with genuine blue bloods. It offended his sensibilities to have to speak to these people. But he was on a mission here and nothing was going to deter from that. He stood tall waiting for Cora in his black Armani tuxedo and his hair slicked back and shiny with product.
Sandover, the chief guest who was also the Chief Justice, had shown up with May, his wife, earlier, both looking well-dressed and relaxed, ready for their worry-free night off. Sandover confided that he’d been compliant in wearing the tuxedo May had suggested, which struck Paolo as unnatural. Sandover was a stubborn ass. He had managed to keep his braid from being reshaped into something completely different than it was already. It hadn’t been too long ago when May would try to convince him to try a different style, and he almost had to fight her off tooth and claw. Her efforts had been unsuccessful. May wore a black gown made of a soft silk which was in halter form. The bottom half of the gown was slitted to the lower thigh and Sandover seemed to feel a bit more confident about their relationship than he had been earlier in the year when he finally gathered up the courage to propose to her. They had exchanged greetings with Paolo and moved on to later tidings.
Celebrity guest, Majesty had appeared next with Katie Foxx the news anchor, on his arm, both greeting him as well; their appearances just made him more restless and discontented. Sure Katie might not be on duty, but she would definitely not turn her back on a scoop if she thought she had one. He had to play this smart if he didn’t want his whole plan blowing up in his face. He didn’t move to show his discomfort. He knew Silver and Genevieve were on the clock tonight, and would run interference if necessary. They were technically his PR agent and security respectively but really they were so much more than that. They were his oldest friends since he came to America and he trusted no one outside his family more than them. Every once in a while the two would come into eye contact with him and reassure him that things were going perfectly, which soothed his nerves a bit.
Every once in a while someone he was familiar with approached him and greeted him, speaking of the events and asking him questions about his life and he would answer in low detail, which is what they half-expected. They then went on to their business. Paolo continued to wait, wondering if Cora was going to stand him up. The gala hadn’t officially begun yet, but as guests arrived he became more anxious, but hid it well. The air was becoming stuffy as each couple passed him to make their way across the wood paneled floor. He took unnoticeable deep breaths and kept his focus as his heart sent out horrible warnings that were the cause of his nervousness, but he managed to beat them down to a pulp before continuing to wait for her.
There was no way she was going to forget about him, not after all he had gone through. There was no way anything could go wrong tonight. Not when he wanted everything to be just right. He could have sworn when she had invited him that she was ripe for the picking; he was good at hiding his emotions naturally, but he could usually read other people’s pretty well. A serenade began to play from the stage.