Do you two want to go to a dinner hosted by Textron Aviation?’ Tom, who worked for the World Retail Congress, asked during the Bulgari-hosted Women in Retail event. ‘You’re the only ladies I know so whom I can ask,’ he added. I’d introduced myself to Tom at the WRC reception earlier that day so my boss and I were the only ladies he dared approach. We rounded up a few more ladies and walked to a five-star hotel round the corner. I was placed next to one of the private jet company’s sales’ ladies. ‘You should have swapped the name cards around so you were sitting next to the German billionaire instead of me,’ I said to her.
At the following day’s Hall of Fame lunch, my boss wisely advised me to also say congratulations to the wife of one of the award winners. (As athlete Meryll Frost said on receiving his trophy in 1945, ‘They say behind every great man there’s a woman. While I’m not a great man, there’s a great woman behind me.’)
‘Did I just see you? I’m at the World Retail Congress,’ Eric messaged afterwards.
‘Are you sure you saw me or did you hear that I’m here?’ I replied.
‘Both. Thought I saw you but I didn’t connect the dots and then I heard you were here. Let’s say hi.’
It didn’t take long before Eric informed a few guys that I’d been a previous date. ‘So, what was wrong with Eric?’ Oliver, one of the speakers, wanted to know. ‘He’s a good-looking guy, lives in your city and is successful.’
During the gala dinner, my neighbour, one of the award recipients didn’t show so I swapped his name card with Oliver’s so he could sit next to me. ‘Sorry, but my girlfriend wants me to sit next to her,’ he informed his neighbours before joining me.
‘I’m just putting my goody bag in my room,’ Oliver said after the dinner. But I didn’t see him again. ‘You didn’t return,’ I messaged.
‘I did but you were busy…’
‘I was probably speaking to the guy, whom you were supposed to sit next to, about my “boyfriend”.’
‘Saying bye would have meant taking you outside for a kiss and I didn’t want to scare you. Let’s see if you come and visit me…’
