Instead of returning directly to the hall, Candace headed back to the ladies room to touch up her makeup, while Matt called Gemima to join him outside so they could walk back into the hall together and no one would notice anything was amiss.
"I suppose you came out to meet with her?" Gemima asked with a grin as he walked up to Matt.
"What happened in the ladies room? Did you speak with them?" Matt asked without responding to her question, and Gemima shrugged.
"I did. As I suspected, they were plotting against me so I told her if she wanted you, she should make her move instead of glaring at me," Gemima said as she glanced at her wristwatch.
"I think I've enjoyed this party enough for tonight. You don't mind if I leave now, right? It's Friday night and I need to hit the club," Gemima said, and Matt shrugged.
"It's fine by me, but I'm not leaving yet, so I can't drop you off," Matt pointed out.
"Oh, don't worry! I will ask someone to pick me up," Gemima assured him, and Matt gave her a nod.
"Alright let's first get back to the hall first, and then you can leave," Matt said and Gemima linked arms with him as they returned inside.
Inside the party hall music played in the background and some of the guests danced, while Lucy, Sonia, Jade, and Aurora sat together at one end chatting as their men socialized with other men talking about various topics ranging from sports to finance, and entertainment.
"So, things are going well between you both, huh?" Jade asked Aurora and she smiled.
"Yeah. I'm actually surprised by how fast everything is moving," Aurora confessed as she raised her wineglass to her lips and took a sip.
"And how fast is it moving?" Sonia asked, her eyes twinkling with interest.
"You're so nosy, So," Lucy said, shaking her head in amusement as she nursed her drink.
"Don't worry. I don't mind. I'm just as nosy as she is," Aurora assured Lucy, and Sonia laughed gleefully.
"I knew we would get along just fine from the moment I saw you," Sonia said, making Aurora laugh while Lucy rolled her eyes despite the smile on her face.
"So, about Philip?" Jade reminded Aurora.
"Yeah. Well, he's really into me, as I am into him. It's almost like love at first sight, I don't know. I know it's been only a couple of days since we met but we've spent almost all the time together. I barely have time to attend to the reason I came to Ludus in the first place, and you won't believe he's talking about flying back to Varis with me," Aurora said, but she her eyes were gleaming with excitement even as she spoke.
"Doesn't he have a job to attend to?" Lucy asked, making the rest of them laugh.
"He owns a restaurant," Jade explained to Lucy since she didn't know much about Philip.
"He owns a chain of restaurants. He says he will use the trip as an opportunity to check in on the branch in Varis," Aurora explained some more.
"So, I suppose you both are dating now?" Jade asked, and Aurora shook her head, surprising them all.
"We haven't actually talked about that even though we know we are headed there. We are just going with the flow," Aurora said, and Lucy shook her head in confusion.
"Is that a good idea? I mean, shouldn't it be defined so you can know for sure what you're doing?" Lucy asked, and both Sonia and Jade nodded in agreement.
"Are you okay with not knowing? Shouldn't you ask him?" Jade asked, and Aurora smiled as she shook her head.
"No. There is really no hurry. We just met. And no matter the level of attraction between us, we are good friends right now and are still getting to know each other. When it's time for us to define our relationship, we would do that. But wanting to define that right now reeks of desperation, and that's no really how I roll," Aurora said, and giggled as she waved at Philip who winked at her from across the room.
Lucy nodded in understanding, "You do have a point. You are right. I'm sorry for questioning…"
"C'mon! Loosen up! There's no need to be sorry. We were only having a conversation," Aurora assured Lucy.
"That's how Lucy is. She's always too polite and rigid. Makes it hard to have fun conversations with her. I do hope you'd loosen up tomorrow, Lucy," Jade said, and Lucy smiled while Sonia laughed.
"Lucy is fun when she's drunk. We will have to make sure she gets drunk," Sonia said and Jade laughed.
"Yeah. That's right. I remember the way she acted last time she came back him drunk," Jade said, and Lucy laughed despite her embarrassment.
"Thanks for the heads up. I'll try not to get drunk," Lucy said, while Aurora smile she she listened to them.
"What's happening tomorrow? Another party?" Aurora asked curiously.
"A girls party. Just us girls hanging out to gossip and have fun. You are invited to come if you can get away from Philip," Sonia said jerking her head towards the men, and they all laughed as they looked at Philip who was staring in their direction.
"He's love struck," Sonia said with a shake of her head.
"Completely smitten," Jade said in agreement, while Lucy smiled as her eyes met with Tom's.
"Thanks for the invitation. I believe hanging out with your girls would do me a world of good," Aurora said, pleased to be included.
"By the way, Lu. Which of the ladies here is the silly colleague you told me about?" Sonia asked, and Lucy looked away from Tom to focus on Sonia.
"What silly colleague?" Jade asked curiously.
"One of her colleagues seems to have her eyes set on Tom," Sonia explained and Jade rolled her eyes.
"Another Anita Miller?" Jade asked Lucy, and she smiled.
"She's not as calculating as Anita. She's more direct. Likes to get on my nerves. We handled it. I told Tom about it, and we both stopped by her office for a chit chat," Lucy said, and Sonia raised a brow.
"Really? You asked him about the picture too?" Sonia asked, and Lucy wished she wouldn't bring that up right here, right now.
"What picture?" Jade asked curiously.
Seeing the look that Lucy gave her, Sonia could tell that Lucy did not appreciate the fact that she had brought up the subject in the presence of others.
"Yes, I asked him. Tom was at a club to meet with a client and someone took a photo of him with a lady by his side and sent it to Cora, which she showed me. The lady happened to be the niece of the client Tom was meeting," Lucy explained, and they all nodded.
"Oh! I hope Tom disciplined her for getting involved in his private business?" Jade asked when Sonia said nothing.
"Yeah, he did. I'm sure she learned her lesson seeing as she has not crossed over to my side of the hall all evening," Lucy said, and Jade nodded in approval.
"Why is Candace taking so long? Do you girls think that perhaps she is with Matt? He's sort of absent too," Sonia said as she looked around the hall.
"That would be only if they're having a threesome or fighting somewhere. Gemima is not here too," Jade pointed out.
"Well, at least Candace is here now," Lucy said, and they all turned towards the entrance door as Candace walked in.
Candace was feeling more in control of herself and her emotions now as she walked in, and as she looked around the hall trying to find where the other girls were seated, a young man approached her.
"Hello, beautiful!"
Although she had threatened to flirt with every guy in the room, she had planned to do so just yet, especially since Matt didn't seem to be in the hall at the moment.
"Hi!" Candace said with an hesitant smile.
"I was trying to find you. For a moment I thought you left, but Harry assured me you were somewhere around," He said, and Candace raised a brow.
"Harry did?" She asked, wondering who he was and what he must have discussed with Harry.
"Yeah. I'm Sam. Samson Sullivan," he said as he extended his hand for a handshake and Candace reluctantly shook him.
"You can call me Candace. And before you think about hitting on me or anything, I should like you to know I'm not interested. I'd hate for you to waste your time or mine," Candace said, and Sam laughed out loud.
"You are quite straightforward," he said, and Candace gave him a nod.
"Yes, I am. But before you leave, I'm curious to know what you asked Harry and what he said to you," Candace said, and he shrugged.
"I didn't say I was leaving simply because you made your disinterest know," Sam pointed out.
"As long as you don't hit on me and expect me to smile or laugh at everything you say, I don't care whether you go or stay," Candace said, and he grinned.
"Why don't I get you something to drink?" Sam suggested, and Candace shrugged as she took the hand he extended and they walked over to corner where the champagne tower and snacks were on display.
Once they had gotten two glasses of drinks, Candace turned to him, "So? You haven't answered my question," she said, and he smiled.
"I figured if I answered immediately you might not have any reason to want to talk to me again, and might leave. So, why not drag it out a little?" He asked, and she raised a brow.
"I'm not that curious. I could as well ask Harry myself," she assured him.
"But it would be more fun to hear it from me, wouldn't it? I mean, he doesn't even know why I enquired about you," he said, and Candace nodded.
"So? Why did you?" Candace asked with interest as her eyes moved around the hall in search of Matt but instead her gaze met with Sonia's and then Jade's who seemed to be watching them intently as though they were trying to figure out what they were discussing.
Candace rolled her eyes at the busybodies and returned her attention to Sam who was watching her with some sort of interest.
"At first when I saw you walk in with Harry, I thought you looked familiar," he said, and instinctively she froze.
He didn't miss her reaction, but he chose not to comment on it.
"I'm not someone who loves to be bugged about such a thing. I don't like not being certain of stuff. So I kept watching you during the whole formal part of the ceremony and I noticed you didn't seem like you were fine. I was hoping to catch a moment with you alone, but when we moved here and I didn't see you, I had to ask Harry about the beautiful lady with him earlier. He said you went to the ladies room," Sam explained, and Candace met his gaze.
"So?" She asked, wanting to know if she still looked familiar or if he had figured out something.
"So, what?" He asked with an innocent expression.
"So what do you want now that you have gotten a moment with me? Has your uncertainty been resolved?" She asked, and Sam looked at her, wondering why she seemed so nervous.
"I don't mean to be rude or anything, but you really do look like someone I know," Sam said, and Candace couldn't help feeling nervous.
Did he really know her? If he did, then she was certain it was from the club since that was the only place a person like him could possibly know her from.
Coming here was a bad idea. She shouldn't have come here. She was going to end up embarrassing Harry and everyone of them who had come with her.
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