Tell Me With Flowers

6. Overcoming fears

MILES

"Cheers!" We clinked the glasses together, but instead of pouring it down my throat like I usually did, I pushed the glass on the teak wooden table and sighed, closing my eyes.

Everything was going great for me. My plans were executing smoothly. There was no disturbance from the media so far and I had started to make some money again instead of spending it out. But I didn't have the peace of mind even after I had picked myself from the muck. Then again, after Shelly, I never had a peace of mind, but that had never bothered me to push my expensive brandy glass away.

I thought about it over and over again, giving in to the feeling that I had missed out something when I had kept myself busy for the past one month. I had the idea to get my cooking classes going. I had done a few speeches about it and had got out into the public to let them know that I was back in action. I had called the chefs to get them in motion and finally I had caught an eye on a place to conduct the classes.

Suddenly, out of the ordinary, I saw those big blue piercing eyes staring at me in wonder and abruptly everything that I had done seemed insignificant.

Those eyes were the first thing that I had remembered after the day at the expose. I wasn't sure if I had seen her watching me with those big eyes of hers or if I had hallucinated it all. I could swear that I saw her standing across the street, eyes scrunched up taking in the atmosphere around me. But before I could acknowledge that it was the same girl who had been introduced to me at a lunch that we had decades ago, she was gone.

Was it actually her? If it was, why didn't she come to say hi? After all, I had a little fame. Wouldn't she want to bathe in it and shine in the limelight for a while?

Those implicit actions were the only thing that hovered around my mind and for the first time in weeks, I hadn't thought about Shelly. I could only wonder if it was a good thing.

"What's gotten up your ass?" Dylan, one of my best friends, said chugging down the brandy down his throat. "You haven't even touched your drink. I don't remember the last time you pushed the glass away which was full."

"Shut up." I said, taking the glass in my hand again, but I didn't feel like tasting it.

Dylan Cooper looked at me as if I had gone bonkers. I couldn't blame the guy though. He had seen me in my worst and the scene hadn't been pretty. Now, when I was in my prime time, I struggled to celebrate my success.

"Okay, if you don't want yours, can I have it?" He asked, looking at my glass with greedy eyes. Joe, my other friend, nudged Dylan with his elbow. "What? They are tasty."

Rolling my eyes at the two, I pushed the brandy bottle to Dylan to which his eyes shone brightly.

"What's the matter with you?" Joe scolded, taking the bottle away from Dylan, ignoring his protests and colorful words.

Dylan and Joe were my two best friends who had pulled me up by the shoulders when I had graciously fallen on the dirt. They were the ones who had held me grounded when fame had first made its way into my life.

If it weren't for them, I wouldn't be here with a new launch set on my calendar only a month from now. If I had to owe my notoriety to someone, it would be them.

"Nothing." I lied, taking the glass to my lips. Once the liquid made its way, I let out a groan. It still didn't make it better to forget those blue eyes. Damn, with Shelly a glass of brandy always made its charm.

"Bullshit!" Dylan called out like he always did. "Okay, is this about Shelly?"

"No." I looked away.