�Oh no, I�m going to be sick!� Was the first coherent thought that ran through Isabella�s head the next morning. She threw back the covers and made a mad dash for the bathroom.
After emptying her stomach and feeling a little more stable, she grabbed the robe that was hanging on the back of her bathroom door and slowly walked back to her bedroom. It was all she could do to get her robe on properly and tie it shut, since it required a bit of concentration and her hangover made that nearly impossible.
Re-entering her bedroom, the scene that lay before her shocked her to her core. �I am never drinking again!� Her head screamed as her eyes roamed the back of a man laying in her bed. The sheet covered his lower body, and his head was partially covered by one of her pillows. The only thing clearly visible was his well defined, muscular back.
�Oh good lord, what do I do? This is exactly why I have never had a one night stand before; to avoid situations like this.� She thought in her hammering head. ��Well, among other reasons.�
Hesitantly, she crossed the room to the bed, and lightly tapped the man on his shoulder. When he didn�t move, she shook his shoulder harder. �Um, excuse me?� She could feel her face redden, no clue what the proper etiquette was for the morning after.
The man slowly rolled over, inch by inch revealing the characteristics of his face. Isabella gasped and jumped back, feeling as though she had been burned. �No! It can�t be! I didn�t! We didn�t! No, no, no!� She berated herself.
Parker opened his eyes slowly, and blinked a few times trying to adjust to the light, and clear the sleep from his eyes. Once they were finally open, he looked at the woman standing over him and his face startled into recognition. He shook his head and rubbed his eyes, hoping to see something different when his eyes re-opened.
Seeing the same woman standing before him, Parker jumped out of bed, in all his naked glory, not bothering to cover up and sensitive areas. �Ah, shit! You�re that restaurant chick.� He groaned. His hand immediately grasped his pounding head.
Isabella�s face reddened further as she looked appreciatively at his naked body. �Get a grip!� She slapped herself mentally and shielded her eyes from his pure form. �Do you think you could put that thing away?� She asked bitterly, pointing towards his morning wood.
�That wasn�t what you were asking last night, sweetheart.� He taunted as he walked out of the bedroom to find his clothes. He rushed around the living room and foyer, collecting his clothes and hastily putting them on.
Isabella followed him out to her living room and sat down on the couch with a thud. She grasped her head in her hands, trying to make sense of the situation, though no logical thought could ever explain what happened the previous night. �And I didn�t even get my damn laundry done.� She thought scornfully.
Parker murmured to himself while he got dressed. Isabella couldn�t make out much of what he was saying, and she wasn�t quite sure that she wanted to. It was clearly obvious that their night of hot sex was a mistake for both of them, something they both instantly regretted in the light of day.
�I can�t believe I slept with you, of all the people at the club last night.� Parker bit, more at himself than at Isabella.
She looked up at him through the hands that covered her face. �You think I�m happy about this? I think I�m more devastated than you are. I mean, seriously. My first one night stand, and I ruin it by sleeping with some guy who threatened me earlier in the night.�
�Oh, don�t worry. I�m sure you�ll figure out a way to use this to your advantage. You�ll probably run straight to the tabloids, just to get some publicity for your shitty little restaurant.� He said with disgust as he finished tying his shoes.
�Yeah, right. Like I want people to know that I lowered my standards by sleeping with you.� She groaned. This conversation was making her feel worse. She could feel the bile rising in her throat again. �Whatever�just get the hell out.� She told him, her head cradled in her hands once again, with no strength or energy to look up and glare at him like she wanted to.
�My pleasure.� He told her, then slammed the door.
Isabella winced at the sound, and ran back to the bathroom for another round. It was going to be a long day.
ooooo
Isabella sat in her office with a big bottle of grape Gatorade and a package of saltine crackers. She had been popping Advil all day, and was finally starting to feel somewhat human again. She glared at the phone when it rang, not wanting to talk to anyone, but answering it anyway.
�Morning Mary.� Jason drawled into the phone with great enthusiasm.
�You stupid ass! How could you get me so trashed and then let me leave with that dickhead!?� She yelled at Jason.
�Whoa, what happened? Are you all right?� He asked, starting to get concerned. He thought the sex would be good for her and loosen her up a little.
�Physically fine, mentally not so much.� She told him, then remembered that he didn�t know anything about the explosion with Parker Davidson the day before. �Sorry, I didn�t mean to take it out on you, but that was the last person I should have ended up with last night.� Isabella apologized, then told the story of what had happened, starting with Parker at her restaurant and ending with him slamming the door that morning.
�Yikes. If I�d known, I would have run after you and stopped you.� Jason told her sincerely. �But the question of the day is, was the sex worth it?�
Isabella laughed. Was the sex worth it? �From what I remember, and that isn�t too much, I do believe it was quite enjoyable.�
�Then don�t let the knowledge of who it was with taint the good sex.� Jason advised.
She laughed again. �Thank you oh wise one.� Leave it to Jason to be able to cheer her up.
�So what do you think? Want to go out again tonight?� He asked quickly, knowing the answer before she even said it, but figured he�d try anyway.
�Not on your life gay boy. Besides, I still have laundry to do, thanks to you. Plus, it�s Friday so I need to prepare my linen order for next week. See what happens when you mess with the schedule? Everything gets backed up.� Isabella was feeling a little better about her escapades, thanks to Jason. She should have known that he would get her to see the bright side of the tragic episode. �Well, dinner rush should be starting soon, so I have to run. Call my cell later and tell me everything that happened with Paul.�
�Will do Mary. Smooches!� He said and hung up.
Isabella shook her head and laughed, heading to the kitchen to help.
ooooo
Later that night, the chefs and the kitchen help seemed to have everything under control, so Isabella made her way to the dining room to make sure her customers were all having a good time. She checked on a few tables before making her way to one of the best tables in the house, that just so happened to have one of her favorite regulars sitting there with two other women.
�Sasha! How nice to see you again!� Isabella said as she approached, leaning to give the older woman a kiss on her cheek.
�Bella! How nice to see you dear. Please sit for a moment and meet some of my dearest friends, won�t you?� Sasha Winters offered the vacant seat to the restaurant owner.
�It would be my pleasure, as long as I�m not intruding?� She asked the two other women and when she got their consent, she pulled out the chair and sat down. She signaled to their waiter to bring them another round of drinks, before turning her attention back to the women.
�Isabella, I would like for you to meet Bunny and Manda, two of my oldest and dearest friends.� Sasha introduced the two other women.
�It is very nice to meet you both. I hope that you are enjoying your dining experience here.� Isabella told them sincerely.
�Oh yes. Actually, Manda and I were talking to Sasha and told her about this wonderful restaurant that we ate at last week, thinking that we had this delectable little secret, and weren�t we surprised when she said that she not only knew of the place, but that she knew the owner too.� Bunny Davidson told Isabella as if it was the greatest story in the world. �I have done nothing but rave about this place to everyone that will listen since we ate here last week.�
�Well thank you. I�m glad that you enjoyed it. I will definitely let my staff know that we are receiving the highest compliments. After all, none of this would be possible without them.� Isabella said with a genuine smile. Their waiter came and brought their drinks to the table. �Please accept this round of drinks with my compliments. Your desserts are also on the house tonight.� She said, making sure their waiter heard that part too.
�You are too kind.� Manda told her.
�See ladies, I told you that she would be perfect for my Thomas.� Sasha told her friends, making Isabella blush.
�Isabella, Sasha told us that you were single, how can this be? She must be mistaken?� Bunny asked her.
�Sasha�s right, I am single, but I�m married to my restaurant. I really don�t have the time or energy to devote to finding Mr. Right. And even if I found him, I spend so much time here that I worry he would feel neglected. There aren�t many men willing to share their girlfriend or wife.� She explained, as she had so many times in the past.
Bunny smiled. �I think you�d be perfect for my son. He�s busy a lot too, so I think he�d understand your other commitments.�
�Well, I have to agree with Isabella, at least in the case of my son Peter. He is very spoiled and wants his girlfriend around all the time, I�m afraid.� Manda told the other women. �Such a mama�s boy.� She snickered.
�I guess it�s between our sons then.� Sasha told Bunny.
�Hold on, wait a minute.� Isabella laughed. �You ladies are incorrigible. I never agreed to anything.�
�You�d be singing a different tune if you met my son. He�s cute, successful, and such a sweetheart when he wants to be.� Bunny told her with a wink of her eye. �All he needs is a good woman to put him in his place, and I think you could be that woman.�
The women at the table were all laughing as Dylan approached Isabella. He crouched down so that he was more at their level before addressing them. �Excuse me for interrupting ladies, but Bella, they need you in the kitchen.� He sent a wink towards the older ladies and walked away.
�Ooh, he�s a cutie. Tight buns too.� Manda said when he walked away, causing another round of laughter at the table.
�Have you hit that yet?� Sasha asked Isabella, and when she saw the look of shock register on Bella�s face, she grinned. �Isn�t that what they are saying these days?�
Isabella�s side hurt from laughing so much. �Dylan is just my friend and my employee. Nothing more. Besides, he always goes for the model types. Now, if you ladies will excuse me, I better get back to work. It was nice meeting you both, and anytime you need anything, just ask for me.�
After Isabella left, Sasha and Bunny kept the debate going about whose son would be a better match for her. They kept it up well through dessert and into the ride home. Either woman would be happy to have her as a daughter-in-law, if they could only get their sons in gear to meet her.
ooooo
Parker spent most of his day in the recording studio fighting with the record executives about the lyrics of the songs on his upcoming album. He brought in his journal of the lyrics that he wrote, hoping that they would take some of his songs, rather than the ones they were intent on using.
After a lot of shouting, with a few threats peppered in from both sides, they came to an agreement. Only one song on the album would have the bubble gum lyrics, and they would be using some of Parker�s material to replace the ones that they trashed.
Finally feeling better about the situation, Parker was able to lay his vocals to some of the tracks that were already agreed upon. Just the rush he got when being in front of the microphone was enough to ease the burden of what he had woken up to earlier in the morning.
His hangover was subsiding thanks to the adrenaline rush, and he felt better than he had in a while. If all went right, he�d be able to get his album out in just a few short months. Then he�d be able to tour again, and get out in front of his fans, something he couldn�t wait to do. He loved to travel, and he loved to perform. Staying in one place for too long seemed like it was starting to get to him. It was the only way he could explain the debacle of the night before. Beer goggles were one thing, but to sleep with someone he despised so much? It was hard to understand how it could have happened.
All he knew was that his life and his career looked to be back on track and there was no looking back anymore. What happened in the past was meant to stay there and he just hoped that Isabella wouldn�t try to use the media to damage his reputation for her own gains. She had embarrassed him once, and he hoped that she wouldn�t try to do it again. From now on, he was going to be smarter about who he slept with, drunk or not.
ooooo