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lobby, which bolstered my
confidence. I walked into the bar, feeling really good about myself, as well as
excited to spend more time with my unusually happy husband. He was sitting on a
stool at the bar and his face spoke volumes as he watched me walk towards him.
He shook his head as he scanned me from top to toe, pursing his lips in a
silent whistle.
    ‘Do you come here often?’ he enquired with a
grin.
    ‘I smell cheese. Someone needs to work on their
chat up lines,’ I laughed.
    ‘Don’t need to. I already know I’m on to a sure
thing,’ he winked.
    ‘You sure are, handsome,’ I replied, putting my
arms around his neck and kissing him on the lips. ‘Thank you so much for all of
my gifts. I love all of them, you’ve gone to so much expense this weekend.’
    ‘Just making up for lost time, but I had no
idea how much better everything would look on you. You’re stunning normally,
but tonight …’ he shook his head again, blowing out a breath. ‘I don’t have
words. With you on my arm later, we’re going to be beating them off with a
stick.’
    ‘Please, like you’re not looking like some hot
older male model. I’ve never seen you look so handsome either, aging suits
you.’ I reached for his shirt buttons and undid one, revealing more of his
chest. He reached behind him and took a bottle of Champagne from an ice bucket,
pouring me a glass.
    ‘Here, let’s toast to fifteen years of marriage
and a new start,’ he suggested, passing me my glass and topping up his own.
    ‘I’ll toast to that,’ I confirmed, clinking
glasses.
    ‘So, who in here do you think is going to be
joining us later?’ he asked under his breath, as he cast an eye around the busy
bar.
    ‘Hopefully not the ninety year olds in the
corner,’ I giggled.
    ‘Poor guy looks like he’d have a heart attack
if anyone flashed their tits at him. His wife probably has to lift her skirt to
do that nowadays.’
    ‘Don’t, we’ll be like that one day. Besides,
look at them, the way they look at each other. They’re still in love, it’s so
sweet.’
    ‘That will be us in fifty years, if I don’t
lose sight of what’s important to me again.’ He picked up my hand and kissed
it.
    ‘I won’t let you,’ I reassured him, with a smile.
‘I’m as much to blame, I should have said something sooner.’
    ‘Then let’s draw a line under it and agree to
both make the effort from now on.’
    ‘Deal,’ I nodded.
     
    After the most delicious meal of chateaubriand
with gratin dauphinoise and wilted spinach, followed by an iced raspberry
parfait with a dark chocolate sauce, Anthony informed me that it was time. I
gulped and knocked back the remains of my champagne, still unsure how I was
feeling. I insisted he wait while I went to the ladies’ powder room to freshen
up and check for spinach in my front teeth. Not the best look when you were
supposed to be making an impression. I gently brushed my ponytail and, despite
having no greenery showing in my mouth, I helped myself to one of the free mini
toothbrush and toothpastes from the wall mounted dispenser and cleaned my mouth
thoroughly. After an application of bronze lipstick, I straightened my
shoulders and blew out a calming breath as I faced myself in the mirror. You’ve
got this Tracy Hodgins , I nodded. This was a more confident and attractive
woman than I’d looked at just two weeks before. My new hair colour was soft and
added a tone of radiance to my face, instead of the home dyed, over bleached
and dry look I’d managed to achieve. Even if no one wanted us tonight, I had
Anthony. We had each other. This would just be the icing on an already
delicious cake, assuming that I didn’t bottle it if the chance came up.
    ‘Stop rapping your clutch on your side, you
look stunning,’ Anthony whispered as we approached the ballroom entrance. It
was guarded by a member of hotel security and had a very attractive young brunette
standing behind a mobile wooden podium, checking off the