Chapter 1

Cleaning up the broken mirror and making myself look pretty again for him, because he doesn't like when I looked bad. I know what he did was to show me, remind me that he loves me. If he didn't care then he wouldn't react the way he did. 

Blake comes in to the room and says "you know Ana, I just want you to be the best version of yourself, that's why sometimes I have to do what you make me do. I love you but you need an adjustment",  I silently agree nodding my head, that was his apology or what I justified as one, he shouldn't have to tell me twice. 

Growing up, I always dreamed of falling in love, finding the man who would keep me safe from the world and its harsh realities, someone who would be my person because I have always believed that on this earth we have one person who we are meant to meet and spend sharing the rest of our lives. I would plan my future wedding, practice my signature with different last names and spend hours making up my future vowels for my perfect wedding.

When I met Blake, I had just moved out into my own apartment, at twenty one I felt like the world was at my feet, I just landed my dream job as a personal assistant to one of the most respected marketing geniuses and I knew it was only up from here. 

I met Blake through mutual friends. After work had crunched a deadline, there was an invite to go out and celebrate, Blake was working at the door of the bar we chose to go to, the work crew all knew him and I was taken back, he looked like something that belonged on the cover of a playgirl magazine! He had a jaw that could carve, he was tall, muscular, olive skin with dark hair and had the greenest eyes that could see right through me.

Sally introduced me, "Blake, this is Ana, you'll be seeing her a lot, she's just started at the firm with us."

Blake looked at me and didn't say a word, he just sort of side smiled and winked at me. My heart hit the floor, I think some of it is still outside the front of the bar door.

Sally and I stayed at the bar until early hours of the morning, with knowing we didn't have to get up and go into the office in the morning, we drank and danced till our feet and stomach couldn't take anymore. I kept watching the door, I was hoping Blake came inside, by the time he did, it was only to tell us it was closing time and we all needed to leave. 

We were waiting outside for a cab, when a girl came to pick Blake up, 'oh of course, someone as hot as him would have a girlfriend who looked like THAT!' I thought to myself as Blake got in her car, not even giving me a second look. 

When I finally got back to my apartment, I couldn't get Blake out of my mind, how stupid must I be, he never even spoke a word to me plus why would he be interested In me, Ana Smith, a twenty one year old woman who was far from looking like the slim, small waisted girl with hair that looked like it belonged on a shampoo ad that came to pick him up from the bar. But still my imagination ran wild over the weekend, I imagined scenarios of what I would say to him if I ran into him on the street, I imagined how he would ask me out and I imagined how jealous everyone would be of what would be our perfect relationship!. 

The following Monday at work, Sally and I reminicesed about the weekend, my mind still filled with fantasies of Blake, I ask Sally "so do you know much about Blake?" She smirked, grunted and turned to Phil, Phil was our office matchmaker, by day Phil was the most amazing graphic designer you'd ever meet and by night he was a serial certified match-maker, well that was his self given title.

Phil looked me up, then looked me down and grabbed his phone and proclaimed "there you go, done!.

"What's done?! What's done?!" I freaked out. Phil walked away praising his match-making skills and I was left wondering what just went on. 

In the office, it was lunch time. Sally and I headed towards the sushi shop just down from work and from the bar where Blake worked. 

"Ana! Ana!" I heard, I turned around swiftly because I didn't recognise the voice, I look back at Sally "oh my shit, it's Blake" Sally walks way laughing with her arms waving in the air and as she does my heart drops in to my stomach. "Oh, hi Blake" I sheepishly say. Blake tells me how Phil the almighty match-maker text him and told him I was looking for a slice of heaven, and asked him if he could provide it? I laughed so loud I snorted and died a little on the inside from embarrassment. 

"Well,  he is a certified serial match-maker" I said with hopeful tone, Blake responded with "better not go against his wishes, i will pick you up eight tonight", Blake did the side smirk, winked at me and walked away. I ran back to the office, I forgot to get any lunch, I was too excited to tell Phil the genius he is, but Sally had already done that. I wondered out loud "how will he know where to pick me up, he doesn't have my phone number or address?!" Sally chimed in, "oh yes, yes he does. Phil provides all that and more" I let out a giggle and spent the rest of the afternoon wishing the day away at the office. 

I got home around 6pm, I pour myself a glass of wine to calm my nerves and start to get ready for my date with Blake, I'm so nervous my hands are shaking trying to do my eye-liner, suddenly my phone let's out a beep, it's a text from Blake! "Wear red, it will look great on you".

I think to myself "Shit! Do I have anything red?!" I call Sally, come on answer phone, pick up, PICK UP! "thank God you answered, it's a code red literally,! Blake wants me to wear red and I don't own anything red!" Within minutes Sally was at My apartment entrance holding up two red dresses, "take your pick, ma' lady" she laughed. 

I chose the strapless long red dress, it made my waist look smaller and I felt like I deserved to be going on a date with the man I thought was finer than freshly sliced bread. 

Eight o'clock came around and I heard a horn beep, I look out my apartment window it was Blake holding a single black rose, Blake told me "you're the most beautiful woman I have ever seen, you're not like all the other girls I've met". I went blank and stared at the back rose, I had never seen one before so I was mesmerised.

We got into Blake's car, it was a black Chrysler, dangerous and sexy like him I thought to myself. I asked Blake where we were going, "its a surprise" he said while keeping his attention on the road. When we arrived at the restaurant, Blake was greeted as if he was some sort of a god to these people and I was on a natural high because I was with him, he chose me to spend his Monday night with.

Although I was curious wondering about the girl who picked him up from the bar on Friday night, I had to ask "who was that girl, the one who picked you up Friday night from the bar?" Blaked rolled his eyes and said, "If she was my girlfriend, would I be here with you?, She is my sister her name is Andrea and I hope one day you and her can be friends". I apologised and let Blake know I wasn't making assumptions I was just curious as to why he'd be out with me. 

For dinner we had a 3 course meal, with the wine and endless conversation time just seemed to flow. Blake told me how he grew up with just his mum, mostly his grandparents raised him as his mother was career chasing. He said his grandfather was a harsh man, they migrated over when his mother was a child and his grandfather never seemed to be able to leave what happened in his own country behind. Blake sounded like he adored his grandmother, she sounded sweet and Blake said he couldn't wait for me to meet her, I smiled trying to stay calm at the thought of him wanting to Introduce me to his family. I then shared some things about my family, how my mum and dad were the type of parents I wanted to be when I had children, I told Blake I had one older brother carl, who was my best friend for a very long time in life.

I wanted our date to last forever but before we knew it, the restaurant was closing. I offered to go halves in the bill, but Blake insisted he paid for the whole night, what a gentleman!

Blake took me back to my apartment, he told me to sleep well and he would text me tomorrow. I went inside wondering if I should have asked him to come up, I wondered why he didn't ask to come up, I fell asleep reliving the perfect date in my head. 

From that very first date, we were inseperable. We soon became known in our circle of friends as the perfect couple, or so they thought. Life was finally becoming how I dreamed it would be, Blake and I were getting closer and closer everyday. Work was smooth and never felt like a boring day in the office. I couldn't of imagined how perfect things were going to be, not in my wildest dreams. 

The weekend came and Blake and I were off to the lake, it was finally time for me to meet his family. His grandfather passed away when he was a teenager but his mother and grandmother were anxiously awaiting us. Blake made us leave at six in the morning as it was a three hour drive and his mother hated waiting for people, I thought it was a little left field but still I was excited to meet his family, I was hopeful that the two of the most important women in Blake's life would like me and as a bonus it would make us seem more official, meeting his family Since We hadn't put a label on our relationship but everyone around seemed to have labelled us as a couple, the perfect couple actually. I knew we were exclusively dating as we had talked about it, we just hadn't labelled ourselves yet. 

When we arrived at Blake's mothers house, she was standing in the drive way with her arms crossed, looking slightly annoyed. I looked over at Blake he said "oh, no. She's not happy because we are late, we shouldn't have stopped to let you go to the bathroom" at the time I didnt respond because I think I was deafened by the nerves. 

Blake and I got out the car, Blakes mum Bronwyn hugged him and then looked at me and didn't say a word, as I went to greet her, she looked at Blake's car and snapped "you didn't wash your car before coming to see me!!, you are embarrassing me Blake". Bronwyn turned around and walked inside, Blake gestured me to follow, once inside I saw Blake's grandmother Elizabeth sitting In her reclining chair being jumped on by Bronwyns gigantic poodle named Alexa, Elizabeth giggled as Blake moved Alexa out of the way and kissed her forehead, Blake introduced me to Elizabeth "grannie, this is Ana" he pointed to me standing nervously in living room. "Hi, Mrs Wilson. It's so nice to meet you, I've heard so much about you". Bronwyn muttered under her breath something about not hearing a word about me, I pretended not to hear her, she was probably just worried about her only son having his heart broken, I reassured myself. Elizabeth told me to call her Grannie and told me I was the prettiest girl that Blake had ever bought home, I blushed and smiled at her. 

Soon Bronwyn abruptly demanded everyone get in the car, she had made a reservation at one of her friends Cafe in town and we would not embarrass her by being late. We get to the Cafe and its a seafood based Cafe, Blake looked at his mum and reminded her of the discussion they had about my severe allergy to seafood over the phone, Bronwyn responded by saying "seafood allergies don't exist, you just eat a small amount each time and they disappear, you need to build immunity to the things your body finds foreign or you can be a sook about it!". I told Blake not to worry I will just have a cold drink and eat on the way home, I looked over at Grannie , she was enjoying being by beach and spending time with Blake, so it didn't bother me that I'd have to wait for lunch or what Bronwyn said. Maybe Bronwyn was having a bad day, I'm sure it wasn't because she didn't like me, she didn't even know me yet. 

Over lunch Blake was telling Bronwyn and Grannie about the offer that came up to franchise an already standing local supermarket, Blake wanted to get out of the night club work and aim for something he could set up for a secure future with and continue to do it while he was ageing. Bronwyn thought it was a "brilliant idea and stated how it will make her look better to her friends as they all had successful sons not just a door guard". Blake told his mother to purchase the business he needed to come up with forty thousand dollars, I had already told Blake I would sell my car to help him get part of the funds as work was within walking distance of my apartment. Grannie offered to give him his inheritance early as she was beaming with pride, Blake told Bronwyn he was moving in to my apartment to Save money.

Elizabeth avoided making any offer to help her son, I held back any judgement as i'm sure she had her reasons. 

I knew that selling my car to help him buy the business he wanted was a big step but I knew this was it, I knew Blake was the man I was going to be together with forever. He was going to be my happy ever after, that's why Blake moving in so fast didn't seem too fast.  

We got back to Blake's mothers house, we were sitting at the dining table while Grannie had a nap, she was 93 years old and tired quickly Bronwyn explained. At the dining table, Bronwyn mentioned an ex-girlfriend of Blake's named Lila, she was saying how much she she loved Lila. "She was your ideal girl Blake, I miss her, have you heard from her?" Asked Bronwyn. Blake looked at me and said to his mum "I heard she is still going through chemotherapy, she asked me to send her some money", Bronwyn looked as if she was going to cry. I remained quiet it sounded like they were all very close and I didn't want to over step. Bronwyn walked away to check on Grannie, and Blake apologised to me for his mother bringing up Lila and said he wasn't sure why she did as she always disliked Lila. I told Blake not to worry, it didn't offend me.

When Grannie woke up, we said hit the road to start on the three hour drive home, during the drive home Blake was super quiet and I started analysing if the day had went well. When we got back to my apartment Blake started getting ready for work, I ironed his clothes and off he went to work and I made myself something to eat as I hadnt eaten all day and I called my long time bestie Dee and went over what happened on the weekend at Blake's mums, Dee experienced a really horrific domestic violent relationship so I take somethings she says with a grain of salt as lot of times most things to Dee is a red flag, naturally I always reassure her feelings and concerns are valid as I couldn't imagine going through a violent relationship and fearing the man who is supposed to love you. 

Three A.M in the morning I heard Blake let himself in to the apartment with the key I gave him and he woke me up, he told me he needed me, I thought he wanted to make love but I was wrong. He wanted me to cook him something eat, I forgot to cook something and put it in the fridge for him to eat when he got home, I usually do as he works so hard and comes home hungry.  I cooked Blake some steak and eggs, he didn't say anything after he finished eating, he just went to bed. 

The next morning when I woke up to head in to work, Blake was still sleeping. As soon as I got in to the office Sally was beaming with excited and asked me all the details of meeting the family. By the time lunch came around I text Blake to see how he was, he had the purchase meeting today for the business. Blake told me he would tell me all about it when I finished work. 

I finished later than expected, I got home to the smell of spaghetti bolognaise and my stomach turned a little. I couldn't stand the smell or the taste of it, I couldn't remember if I had told Blake so I mentally prepared myself to eat it. As I walked inside I saw candles lit and Blake standing there with nothing but an apron and bowtie on shivering, he stuttered "surprise, can I go get dressed now its cold" I cracked up laughing and proclaimed how sweet Blake was.

Blake told me the business deal was ready and all could go over in to his name on Friday ready for weekend trade as him being the new owner. It was such an exciting time for Blake and I was excited for our future together. 

Once we ate dinner Blake ran a bath surrounded by candles and filled with bubbles for us to be in each other's company until early hours in the morning, he finally put a label on us and I was his girlfriend. This was the start of what I thought was going to be my happy ever after.