conundrum

noun

1. a confusing and difficult problem or question.

2. a question asked for amusement, typically one with a pun in its answer; a riddle.

Then it was Friday, late afternoon and it was all-go! I left the apartment at four PM, dressed in a pair of high waisted wide legged navy pants, paired with a large printed silk top – one of my own design – and a pair of Mary Jane shoes. I just figured it would be best to wearing something I could move comfortably in.

My staff were already working inside the coffee house when I arrived. They were seeing to the front of house set up and ensuring the kitchen was all coordinated for the event. The kitchen was serving hor-dourves, drinks, sweet petit fours and of course the matching coffee with all the various flavours. I decided to skip presenting my new teas at this point as I hadn't quite figured out my fair trade supplier yet.

Fairy lights were an additional set up that my team had to sort out at the last minute because Grant came over with a huge box of them, a gift, apparently from Wallace. They turned out to be a couple of sets of warm coloured waterfall lights and needed a ladder to set up. We had to go to the building security for said ladder, then Jackson and Grant spent half an hour hanging them up, one behind the counter on the blank wall that I was going to place a piece of artwork but didn't get around to it.

The last two sets went up behind the corner where the jazz band was going to be playing. I didn't know if it would work, I felt that it might be a bit over kill, but I apparently didn't have any say in it at that point. Grant gently pushed me away and told me to – and I quote – "go play in the kitchen with the chef..." So I went to the kitchen to play with the chef. And tasted everything and was completely filled up with all his yummy eats before the doors even opened and we began welcoming guests.

My family were one of the first to arrive when we opened for the event. I kissed and hugged everyone, took a quick family photo to send to Eyva, then I spent an hour with my coffee house manager Murrieta Murr welcoming the other guests into the shop and handing out coffee compliment cards for everyone interested in becoming regular customers. If they used it any time in the future in our store, they would get a free complimentary coffee with any meal. Just a little something to encourage everyone to come visit again.

The band was brilliant. Perfect for the atmosphere that I was after and their set up in the corner of the coffee house gave everyone from the mezzanine floor and ground floor a great view of their performance. Sound reverberated throughout the whole venue. Chilled, classic, with a lo-fi chillaxing feel –lovely.

I kept watching my wrist watch as we got closer to seven PM. I was nervous, wondering if he would actually turn up. I never received a reply from the guy when he asked me out midweek, so I didn't actually know if he coming. Then Grant called me for a mini-emergency. We'd run out of salmon as it was a popular flavour of hor-dourves and he had to check in with me to let me know that he was going to the bulk-buy grocery market to buy some. Then he pointed to the entrance of the venue and giggle.

"Your handsome man has arrived. Don't leave him hanging or he might get snaffled up by someone else." I followed the direction he was pointing and found Mr Anginelli being surrounded by a few rich looking ladies and even a member of my new staff. I frowned at that. My staff team should not be so obviously trying to hook up with customers. It was highly unprofessional and just cheap looking. I patted Grant on the shoulder and murmured about being off with himself to get the fish, then took a couple of glasses of grape juice and made my way through the throng of people in my shop.

It really did look like the ruggedly handsome man was being swamped by good looking men and women. One was so familiar with him that she had her hand on his wrist, near the small posey of flowers – purple hydrangeas to be precise. In the language of flowers, purple hydrangeas meant the desire to deeply understand. I blushed a little when I realised that. He was getting a little bit obvious with his pursuit of me, but when I looked at the small gathering around him, I hesitated.

He then suddenly turned to the side towards me and caught my eye. The polite smile on his face blossomed widely and he quietly excused himself from those around him and made his way towards me. Without saying anything, still with his stupid grin on his face, he handed me the flowers and I handed him the glass of grape juice. It was a little mixed up for a moment as we both had out hands full. He had a small gift box in his other hand. He tucked that under his arms, took the drink, passed the flowers with a chuckle when he realised he couldn't hand over the small gift box.

"Sorry, I didn't really think this through." He held the small lavender box wondering how to give it over, when Sunny, my assistant arrived in time to rescue both of us form the awkwardness.

"Ms Twice, let me take the flowers. I'll place them by the others at the servery." She didn't say much more than that, only eyed the handsome man briefly, then took the flowers away, like a really reliable assistant that she is becoming.

"Sorry." He apologised again. Then handed me the small gift then shyly brushed his hands through the golden brown hair at the back of his neck.

"Thank you, Mr Anginelli. The flowers are lovely. I gather you like hydrangeas?" I asked, for want of something to talk to him about.

"The gift too." He pointed at the box in my hands, then roughly took a swig of his drink. I thanked him again and placed the box into a pocket of my navy wide legged pants.

"Congratulations on your opening night. You look amazing, tonight." He murmured. I couldn't really hear what he said due to the surrounding noise. I leaned in closer.

"Pardon?" I asked.

"The place looks amazing tonight." That isn't what I'd thought he'd said.

"Thank you, Mr Anginelli. That is really kind of you to say." Now I was getting shy, the blush on my face deepening.

"Joe." He said, just blurting it out there.

"Pardon?" Oh my goodness I felt a right royal idiot, repeating myself again. He leaned in closer, like really close, and spoke clearly.

"Please, call me Joe. Mr Anginelli is my father." He smiled, one of those sh#t eating grins like Grant does when he's hassling me.

"Ah, Mr Joe?" I practically squeaked. And then I blew it, all flustered and graceless.

"Thank-you-for-coming-tonight. Let-me-lead-you-to-some-guest-you-will-know." I rattled that off as quickly as I could, embarrassed that he might take notice of the blush on my face. He nodded, then smiled knowingly as his eyes scanned across my warm face. I turned around quickly and power-walked towards where I knew Bob and Peter were sitting, eating and drinking. They just happened to be sitting at the same table as Wallace, but I realised this a little too late.

Now I felt like I was introducing a potential boyfriend to my family and I nearly choked on a mouthful of grape juice. When I realised my mistake, it was already too late. Bob was already greeting Joe with a friendly wave and Wallace was already taking note of how close to me the gentleman was following behind. I scrunched up my eyebrows, giving him a subtle look, trying to share brainwaves, pleading for my dad not to make trouble. I then turned back to Joe to make introductions.

"Mr Joe, you know my building team, Bob and Peter. This is my Dad, Mr Wallace Overmeyer. Dad, this is Joseph Anginelli who works with the building fire and alarm safety systems management."

Wallace stood up and stretched out his hand and the two men shook in greeting. It was about time I took a trip back to the kitchen, I think.

"Nice to meet you again, Joe. How's business these days? Is Jasper Group coming along with all the new legislation changes? It must be keeping your team in a huge amount of work. I bet you've had to put a few of your commercial building projects on hold these days. Let me know if there is anything I can help you with, OK?" Joseph responded really well to Wallace, like they had been friends for years and catching up like business leaders in their respective fields.

That? That right there was a load of new information that Wallace just dumped on me. I smiled, gritting my teeth at him when I noticed that my dad looked sideways at me, making sure I got his meaning.

I nodded, said a quick excuse me, that I'd see them all again, then rushed as fast as I could back to the kitchen to hide away forever and ever. Amen.

Why was I so horribly embarrassed? What was that all about, you ask?

Well, Wallace just happened to let slip that Joseph Anginelli wasn't just the simple building inspector and fire systems maintenance guy that I thought he was. He owned his company, like, he was a CEO of a multi business corporation and I had been treating him like an average guy who worked as a building serviceman. Not only that, but he's obviously worked with Wallace before as they were so familiar with each other. His Jasper Group wasn't just a run-of-the-mill corporation. It was probably huge. Then there was Joseph Anginelli himself. He was very comfortable around a powerful businessman like Wallace Overmeyer and I realised that I didn't know anything about the handsome younger man at all.

Things like, why would that group of ladies – and my waiter – hang around him as soon as he arrived in the coffee house venue, all trying to vie for his attention? Why could he get along so well with Peter and Bob and have their respect for him so strongly? And Wallace! Wallace actually called him by his casual name instead of the name I had introduced him with. Oh. My. Goodness.

Thinking back now, it was no wonder he brushed me off so many times as if I was coming on to him every time we met. He has probably had to do that on multiple occasions, with multiple gold-diggers, all the time.

I found a chair in the corner of the staff room, finished my grape juice and now complained in my heart that I should have served wine for the event as I desperately needed one now.

I shrunk in my shoulders. Connecting all of the Joseph Anginelli dots makes so much more sense now. Like, when he brushed me off his lap and onto the broken glass at that campus cafe that time – he was probably sick to death of fake damsels in distress expecting him to 'save the beauty'. He probably thought my busted knee was all fake too. No wonder he was so angry.

Then Grant arrived back with bags of salmon fish and hot juicy gossip.

"I'm baaaack! And I have saved our hor-dourves. Also, you wouldn't believe what I've just heard. Lily, Mr Carrot – a.k.a Mr Ruggedly Tall and Handsome – turns out to be the CEO of the Jasper Group. Oh my goodness! Lily, he's an Adonis in the business world and must be worth billions!"

I looked at Grant, shocked at how crazy his piece of news was. I then remembered the gift in my pocket and had a horrible suspicion. I quickly pulled the small lavender purple coloured box out and carefully opened it up for all to see. Nestled on white velvet were a pair of pale purple hydrangea drop earrings encased platinum with sparkling diamonds centred on each of the flowers on the earrings. They were exquisite. So pretty and so incredibly expensive that I knew I would need to give them back. I'd have to face that man again and I'd have to put a hold on this... this whole thing, what ever it was.

"Just what have I gotten myself into?" I breathed in distress.