Chapter 8 No.8

I sighed heavily. I couldn't catch my breath for some strange reason. The last three months have been nothing but a disaster. I thought I had a surefire plan! But everything that could go wrong has gone wrong, and my confidence has shattered. No one knows what kind of man my grandfather is. He has so many people fooled, the man is a shark, and he doesn't have a problem finishing you off!

But whenever my grandfather says I will fail, I must prove him wrong. It's not my nature to be defeated. Besides, my home, Whispering Creek, is at stake here, not to mention the billion-dollar proposition is on the line! I took his offer to get married in three months because I intended to convince Erin Whitmore to take my hand in marriage and move back to Whispering Creek with me.

So, I flew to Sydney and rented this luxury apartment on a month-to-month lease agreement for three months. I did all of this with the hopes of drawing us closer together. In the past, I tried to respect Erin's wishes to take things slow so we didn't get in over our heads, but we were young then. When she moved to Sydney, the distance of us living so far from each other kept us apart. But my circumstances have changed. I didn't have time to take things slow, and there was no distance between us now, but to my surprise, it was another man!

So, I wasted almost two months splurging money on gifts she took happily. She let me wine and dine, her too. I did it not because I was in love with her. I don't think I've ever been in love with any girl. But I needed to get married; she is a lovely girl to take home with me. During my time here, things have gotten hot and heavy between us. I wanted her, and I figured she wanted me too. We were so close to having great sex, and I thought marriage would be the cherry on top. So, it was time to tighten my belt buckle and do it! So, I planned this romantic evening with flowers, candles, and all the trimmings. So that I could pop the big question, get down on one knee, and propose to Erin Whitmore.

"Erin, we have been a couple off and on, and this has been a wonderful almost three months here with you."

"Yes, it has, and I've been enjoying having you here too, Chandler."

"I did all of this tonight because I need to know. Will you marry me?"

She immediately shook her head no. Not once, twice, but three times for emphasis.

I want an explanation! Do I look like a toy you can play with and toss to the side when? You're done!

Erin's face turned red, forcing her to turn away from me. Then, she cleared her throat and faced me again.

"I don't want to hurt you, Chandler, but my answer is no to your proposal; I can't do it. You physically turn me on like crazy, and I know you will be a fantastic lover. But there's nothing else you can offer me. You see, I'm a modern woman who needs a modern lifestyle. I'm happy, settled in my work and home, and want to live close to my family. Not in some hill billy Nova Scotia."

"Oh, do you have to be so cruel?" I said, hanging my head, trying to figure out where I had gone wrong.

"You didn't even allow me to show you what all I have to offer."

"I have no interest in uprooting my existence to live where there isn't reliable cell service and wi-fi. Oh my god! I can't even imagine it."

"Alright, alright! I get it." I said, looking at her directly.

Erin was telling me the words I didn't want to hear. She knew my grandfather was wealthy, and she knew years from now, I would inherit everything. But what she didn't know and if I told her I would be a billionaire in one year. She would have dropped everything and married me. But not for the right reason; I was tempted to tell her because I was about to lose everything I loved. But my Jordan pride wouldn't let me. So I wouldn't give her the satisfaction. She didn't deserve what I had to offer a wife someday anyway.

So after that tragic breakup, I didn't know what to do. So, for the last few days, I have tried to convince my grandfather to give me an extension. "I need more time to find a suitable wife. Three months is just not enough time to find a girl to marry. Please be reasonable."

"Son, you have failed. Strap up your boots, return home, and face your fate."

I couldn't believe my grandfather was telling me to come back, that my time was up, and that I'd lost. He knows I've never failed at anything in my life! I just needed a little more time, and he was too cold-hearted to give it to me! I had 72 hours left, even though it was not enough time! But I'm not a quitter! I'll keep trying until the last hour, no matter how ridiculous it might seem, but I can't lose to him, and I can't lose Whispering Creek!

Sad, hurt, and now desperate, my brain was a train wreck. All I could think about was what can I do next. I thought of going to a nightclub and picking up a girl, but I didn't have time to waste. I needed a hard-working, intelligent girl, and ready to marry! Even if she had the other two qualities, I would pay her a million dollars to entice her to marry me for a year! I thought about running an ad in the local business newspaper, but there needed to be more time. I had wasted time banking on Erin Whitmore, and now my back is against the wall.

One evening, I emptied the trash and returned to the bedroom to start packing. You see, I have a keen sense of smell. I've been told from a young age that I can smell from a mile long. So I knew someone had entered my apartment, and I knew it was a female in a split second. I got a whiff of the most delicious smell of food coming under the door. But there was more than one scent outside my bedroom door.

There was a hint of an alluring scent of a lady. Was it her perfume, shampoo, that smelled so good? I started trying to picture her appearance based on the scents surrounding my door. I lean against the door frame, imagining what she must look like. For a woman to smell that good, she must be sexy.

"Oh my, what kind of woman is she?" I thought as I enjoyed the tantalizing scents from her pores to my door.

It reminded me of being home in the early mornings when the breeze picks the aromas from the flowers in the field and tosses them.

Oh, I miss those beautiful smells so much at Whispering Creek. But her scent was even more potent. My curiosity was getting the best of me, so I put my hand on the doorknob. I wanted to see who she was. But I knew she didn't think I was here, and I didn't want to frighten her.

But when the door suddenly opens. The young lady lands against my chest!

The girl I saw surprised me for various reasons! First, she screamed and jumped back! Second, I stood staring at her on the other side of the bedroom door. Third, she looked nothing like the girl I had been imagining. I didn't know what to say, so I stared at her for a long second, asking myself mentally. 'Where is her long silky black hair? What happened to the sheer see-through shirt that flowed in the wind? That displayed her smooth alabaster skin. And oh, my goodness!' My eyes expanded momentarily.

"Who are you?" I asked her, leaning against the doorframe as my gaze scanned her from head to toe. My eyes took in her skin, pert nose, high cheekbones, and the fuchsia color lipstick on those full lips. Then there were the large hoop earrings next to dark brown spiral curls that crowned her face and bathed her shoulders, giving her a radiant look.

She was dressed stylishly; her skinny-leg dark blue jeans and low-cut top fit the curves on her body as if they had been designed just for her. It all matched perfectly with the alluring scent accompanying her presence as she stood there. Of course, everything wasn't what I expected, but I had to take this risk because I knew she was what I needed.

Then my eyes rolled a few times and popped open! I looked around and realized I was still in bed.

"Oh my goodness! I was only dreaming. Thank God it was only a dream!"

Subconsciously Chandler was worried that this dream might become a reality in some shape or form.