Calling All Dentists (Calling All... Book 2), page 7
Feeling quite alone once again, even though she was surrounded by hoards of people, Emma looked up at a tall man, standing right next to her in the queue to the bar. He turned around and smiling down at her with a chiselled jaw, he spoke in a low-toned voice.
“Hi, do you want to go in front of me?” Then he stepped aside, creating a small gap, “I’m not in the queue, well at least I don’t think so,” he laughed. His brilliant white teeth and deep brown eyes caught Emma’s attention. Oh my God, he is gorgeous, she thought, as she politely accepted his offer and began to move in front of him. Brushing past, she noticed his solid looking, upright physique, his wide shoulders and muscular arms, which she could just make out underneath his shirt. He was smartly dressed in black trousers, a crisp white shirt and a narrow black tie. His short cropped, dark hair was slightly heavier on the top, which fell on to his forehead in random soft spikes. Emma couldn’t bear to look at his handsome features another moment, for fear of her eyes popping out on stalks or an embarrassing bout of dribbling and uncontrollable blabber coming out of her mouth.
“Thank you,” she muttered shyly, without opening her mouth too much. The natural instinct to keep her lips closed as tightly as possible kicked in as soon as the flush of admiration blossomed on her face. Although the gaps between her teeth were not that noticeable to others, Emma had a warped self-image which had been made worse by her constant nightmares.
“You’re welcome,” he replied in his deep, throaty voice. Emma’s heart fluttered as she felt his breath on the back of her hair.
“Andrew – over here!” shouted a woman, across the sea of heads and then the gorgeous hunk headed to the other end of the bar as Emma watched him leave.
Spotting Dave, Jeff and Colin over in the direction that the man, she now assumed was called Andrew, was going, Emma decided to follow him to join her colleagues.
“Where’ve you been?” asked Dave as she joined them, whilst still watching where ‘Andrew’ was heading.
The hunk of a man hadn’t noticed her following behind him and had met up with the woman who had called his name, just meters away from where she stood. He was obviously attached (well why wouldn’t he be – a gorgeous looking man like that – even Dave would have fancied him), so Emma didn’t dwell on the fact that she fancied him stupidly. And besides, there was still a chance that she may get off with Darren.
“There was a massive queue at the ladies,” Emma said, diverting her gaze back to Dave, “I had to drag Ruby out of there. She was singing to everyone.” The three men looked puzzled at Emma’s revelation and she too, knew that it sounded ridiculous that Ruby would ever do anything like that.
“Baileys is it Em?” called Colin, who was standing closest to the bar.
“Yes please. Thanks Colin.” Emma realised he’d already bought a couple of drinks but she thought, why shouldn’t he? After all he got paid more than anyone else and he was married to a doctor so she guessed that Colin and his wife, Rosie weren’t short of money. They had one child, aged six and she was an adorable little thing, well-mannered and cute. In fact, he pretty much had it all Emma had decided a long time ago, so she imagined that it wouldn’t hurt his bank balance if he bought the drinks all night.
“Where is she now then?” asked Jeff, always the concerned gentleman.
“She’s talking to Pete.”
“He was blown away by the way she looks tonight,” laughed Dave, “Well, we all were.”
“Really?” said Emma, relieved that there was a possibility that she may now escape the obsessive charms of the other geek in her life… the dog-geek. Hmm, two geeks together, she thought, perfectly matched. Pete just hadn’t noticed the potential of having a relationship with Ruby before.
“Come on, fancy a dance Em?” said Dave, jiggling and wiggling on the spot like a nervous jelly, as Colin carried the glasses over and began to hand them around.
“Maybe a bit later Dave,” she replied and strolled back with Colin and Jeff to the table.
Pete and Ruby were deep in conversation as the rest of the office crew joined them. Looking slightly awkward, Pete turned around and smiled as Ruby continued to lean over the table on her elbows, propping her fuddled head up.
Glancing back, before sitting in the chair next to Ruby, Emma scanned the glitzy queues to see if she could see the man called Andrew but he was gone, or at least he’d been sucked up by the undulating surf of bodies. Although there were several heads that towered above the rest, she wouldn’t have been able to distinguish which one belonged to him in the dim light.
Darren was still in the far corner, by the bar, with Amanda and Chloe, but Emma hoped they would soon find their way back to the tables and then she would pounce with all her charms – providing he wasn’t linked up with Amanda. She’s far too young for him anyway, thought Emma, feeling rather despondent.
At about twenty five years of age, Emma guessed, Amanda had been with the company for two years, working as a checkout operator. Her tall, sporty figure was crowned with a head of long blonde hair which she usually had tied up in a ponytail at work but tonight she wore it down and as straight as a ruler, which suited her sleekness and complimented the very short sparkly, black dress she was wearing. Emma could see why Darren might be interested in her and her long legs that seemed to end at her ears and she totally understood why Amanda would fancy him. Hopefully, thought Emma as she sat at the end of the table oblivious to the others, hopefully Amanda would go off and find someone else – someone her own age with less baggage. Hopefully.
“Are you alright there, Miss Dolly Day-dream?” called Dave. Emma jolted out of her daydream, looked up and smiled.
“Yeah, just wondering when we were going to have that dance?” she said, pulling herself upright and trying to appear cheerful and enthusiastic.
“Come on then,” replied Dave, jumping to his feet. He stretched his arms out, wiggled his feet and wobbled his behind, “Just limbering up to wipe the dance floor clean with my moves.”
Jeff overheard, rolled his eyes, tutted and then continued to talk to Colin about family matters.
“Coming for a dance you two?” asked Emma, butting in on Pete and Ruby’s drunken conversation about the work of dog wardens.
Pete looked horrified. Although he was somewhat inebriated, Pete wasn’t quite drunk enough or freed from his inhibitions to throw himself around on a dance floor like a demented baboon – and he really would have looked like some deranged primate with fleas up his arse – there was no doubt about that .
Through bleary eyes, Ruby shook her head, “My feet are aching Em, I’ll stay here for now, maybe later?” she shouted over the sound of Chubby Checker’s, ‘The Twist’.
“Come on Em, I love this one!” squealed Dave as he began to twist his hips and lower himself to the floor rather awkwardly but prettily.
Emma hesitated for a moment before Dave beckoned her to follow him as he headed towards the dance floor. Suddenly Emma’s eyes were drawn to the giggly gang of girls, gathered next to the stage, in the centre. The girls had formed a circle around Darren who was happily dancing in the middle and swinging his hips. His gyrating torso looked incredibly sexy, Emma thought briefly, as she was mysteriously drawn in his direction. Her heart raced and she mingled into the crowds of predominantly women, slowly edging her way towards the stage and Darren.
Following behind, Dave jigged, twisted and jived his way through, drawing attention to himself from many of the women who were impressed by his moves and outright confidence. His global presence was exhilarating, enlivening and energetic as he took control of part of the floor and gave his best performance to the doting onlookers who were decidedly reserved in comparison.
The girls and Darren were drawn to the spectacle of Dave’s daring dance moves, as a larger circle began to form around him and the women started to clap and cheer. They pointed and laughed as he threw himself to the floor and spun around on his bottom. Joining the circle, Emma smiled at Darren as he looked across and saw her for the first time.
Darren pointed to Dave, then laughed and shook his head, “Crazy,” he mouthed to Emma as he gently moved his hips to the music in a sexually tantalising way. A flush of heat rushed to Emma’s cheeks as she began to mimic Darren’s moves by rolling her hips around and pushing her chest out. This was her chance, she had to edge her way closer to him and get in between him and Amanda. The young girls swirled on tip-toes and laughed as Dave cajoled them to let go of their inhibitions and join him in the centre. Luckily for Emma, Amanda was the first to move towards Dave and the pair began to dance together, twisting until the music changed. Casually, Emma danced her way around the outside of the circle and stopped two bodies away from Darren. Keep cool, pretend you’re not bothered about seeing him, she told herself as she began to dance to ‘(Do the) Mashed Potatoes’.
Then the band sped up with a succession of fast paced swinging sixties titles and the lively dancers heated up with their energetic movements under the multi-coloured disco lights.
Dancing her way even closer to Darren, Emma smiled as she caught his eye again. Returning the greeting, he shook his head and puffed out his cheeks.
“I’m getting too old for this,” he mouthed and then proceeded to leave the dance floor.
Slowing down almost to a halt, Emma stood and watched him move away, through the crowd towards Amanda, who was still jiving with Dave. When Amanda saw him, she disentangled herself from Dave and laughed off her departure, trying to tempt the other girls to take her place. Disheartened, Emma’s gaze followed the pair as they met on the outside of the dance floor. Amanda linked her arm into his and they walked away laughing and fooling around.
Emma’s surroundings zoomed out of focus as she realised she was stood still, in the middle of a throng of sweaty, drunken people, breathlessly cavorting around her. The sound of the music faded away and Emma’s mind strayed back to the nightmares she’d had last night, while an overwhelming feeling of loneliness and fear encompassed her. Like a grey cloud, she floated away from the heaving band and bouncing bodies and headed back to the toilets. She needed a mirror and she needed reassurance that she didn’t look like the lagoon monster from her deepest, darkest dreams.
Chapter 6
Magically, Ruby and Pete had become attached at the hip as they continued to spend the evening talking incessantly about all sorts of geeky topics. The incipient escorting of each other to the bar suggested that they had become united in a geek-driven relationship – of sorts. Emma was thrilled that she had achieved her first objective, which was to get Ruby and Pete together.
Her second goal however, had not come to fruition and it had become more than apparent when she had left the toilets. There they were, in the corridor, looking into each other’s eyes, whispering and giggling. Darren’s hands gently held Amanda’s small waist and one of her legs was wedged between both of his. Unable to bear witnessing the pending kiss between them, which was definitely on the agenda, Emma swiftly strode past them with her gaze diverted towards the exit sign, leading back into the hall. Before turning into the hall, she stole a glance back to the couple…
Emma knew she’d completed her mirror check on the terrible spectre – the lagoon monster, whose uninvited emergence had proven to be in vain. And she had to admit that she actually still looked ok and had been relieved by her own visual judgement. So why did Darren now have his tongue half way down Amanda’s throat?
As she approached the empty tables, assigned to Webb’s DIY Store, Emma scanned the surrounding area, searching for a sign of Ruby. She lifted the tablecloth, crouched down and peered under the table – just in case her friend was sprawled out unconsciously on the floor amongst the odd discarded bread roll, spent party popper casing and soggy patch of spilt alcohol – but she was nowhere to be seen and neither was Pete. Gulping down the last drops of her Baileys, Emma looked along the table, filled with empty bottles, glasses and burnt out lanterns, for any remaining wine. Half way along there was an almost full bottle of Zinfandel. Snatching it up guiltily, she walked back down to her seat and poured herself a large glass, waiting and hoping that someone would come back to the table soon, just so that she didn’t look like a ‘Billy-no-mates’.
No one came back and Emma drank her way quickly through the rest of the wine while passing the time of day with the odd stranger (usually a drunken man) that staggered by.
“Ello babe, wanna dance?” said a middle-aged, sad looking man with messy hair as he leaned over the table.
“No thanks, I’m just waiting for someone,” she replied courteously. The stale alcoholic fumes emanating from his breath like a fire breathing dragon were causing Emma to feel nauseous.
“Wanna drink?”
“No, I’ve got one thanks,” she replied, feeling slightly uncomfortable and fearing that she may have just made a new friend. Luckily the man hobbled off without a goodbye and headed towards his next unsuspecting victim.
Moments later, Colin and Jeff appeared, “We’re off now Em,” said Colin, looking rather rough and tired. Jeff looked in a worse state than the man whose salacious offers Emma had just declined.
“Oh dear Jeff, you don’t look too well,” she said, containing a giggle. Unable to stand still without holding on to the back of the chair, Jeff nodded and then hung his head down. “You’d better get him home Colin, he looks bloody awful.”
“Yeah, I will. Have a good Christmas Emma.” Bending down, Colin kissed her on the forehead, “See you next week.”
“You too Col. It looks like you’ve drunk too much as well,” she laughed, “Bye Jeff, have a good one.” The good will went straight over the top of his head as Jeff turned a grey colour before her eyes. “I think you’d better get him out of here quickly,” Emma added.
She watched Colin guide Jeff through the masses and then suddenly Emma caught a glimpse of a red dress flicking around on the outskirts of the dance floor at the far side, nearest the bar. Focusing through tired glazed eyes, she thought it was Ruby momentarily, but then brushed the hope aside as she could just make out the figure of a woman dancing around like a drugged up sixties hippie, waving her arms about in the air. Ruby wouldn’t be dancing like that.
A second glimpse proved Emma wrong, her jaw fell open and she almost dropped her glass to the table. It was Ruby.
Attempting to dance alongside her by alternating his feet and lifting them straight out to the sides and back again, like the balls of a man-sized Newton’s Cradle, was Pete – the dancing penguin. His arms held firmly to his sides, he looked more like he was attempting a warped version of the Irish jig, in comparison to Ruby’s flailing arm thrusts and uncoordinated leg flicks.
Emma swiftly made her way towards the deranged pair of twirlers in awe of their uninhibited act of madness. Standing back, for fear of being hit by a passing arm, Emma was astonished by Ruby’s dance moves – she had never seen anything like it before in her whole life.
Pete smiled pathetically when he spotted Emma behind them and then he turned back to his hot dance queen.
“Ruby. Hi,” shouted Emma over the thunderous sounds of the drums. “Rue, it’s me – stop a minute.”
Ruby caught sight of Emma and halted abruptly, grinning through the beads of sweat permeating across her face as she puffed and panted. “Are you going to dance with us Em?” she spluttered between short breaths.
“Oh my God, Rue. I never knew you could dance – and certainly not like that.” Emma raised her eyebrows and eyed Ruby’s bare feet questioningly.
“Oh I love it, I’ve never had so much fun,” she puffed, and then began to wiggle her hips again. “And I’ve been chatting to Pete all night, we’ve got so much in common and we never realised.”
“I don’t doubt that.” Emma nodded her head and grinned, “I’ll join you for a while, the others are starting to leave already but it doesn’t finish until one o’clock.”
“Where’s Darren?”
“Don’t ask, he’s with that young girl Amanda.” The corners of Emma’s mouth dropped.
“Oh dear, are you alright?”
“I don’t care,” Emma lied, knowing it had knocked her confidence quite badly, “Good luck to them but I think she’s a bit young for him though.”
“Um,” replied Ruby and turned back to Pete. “Come on Pete show Em what you can really do.”
Pete laughed and then looked shyly towards Emma and began to bounce about like he was on a pogo stick. Ruby started to shimmy towards him with her ample breasts springing up and down and thrusting from side to side. Bursting into laughter, Emma joined in the fun in a slightly more reserved manner and danced beautifully to the lively music.
Several minutes later, a sense of being watched pricked at Emma’s conscience. She turned her head to see the hunky man from earlier in the evening. He was dancing with four, older women, just ten metres or so away from her and her festive-bopper friends. She hadn’t noticed him before, although his height stood out in the thick of the crowd. Unable to distinguish whether he was looking at her or Ruby, who was attracting some attention by all of the men and the women on the dance floor, Emma smiled and edged away from the newly discovered disco diva and Pete.
The women surrounding the suave man were having a fun time and provocatively dancing in front of him one at a time, then stepping back to give another one a turn. The man, who Emma remembered was called Andrew, went along with the flirtatious frolics, laughing and encouraging them. Realising her small, courageous smile had gone unnoticed; Emma guessed he’d been watching Ruby’s cavorting rather than hers. Trying to ignore the fact that he was totally gorgeous, Emma turned away and continued to dance on her own while Pete and the jive bunny gave it their all, close by.
