Chapter Text
To the woman in the red dress,
I must preface this by saying this isn’t something I do often or at all. There was just something so compelling about you that’s made me abandon all sense of reasonable thought that I had to quickly write you this letter.
I wasn’t able to get a good look at your face but I couldn’t resist letting you know how beautiful you looked tonight. You were the essence of grace and beauty and for the few hours I spent admiring you, I was awestruck. There’s something about you that feels familiar. As if we’ve spoken to each other before. If we had, my memory has deceived me for I cannot place where I’ve heard your voice before.
Regardless, I must congratulate you on your recent Pulitzer win. Such a high achievement for someone your age. Then again, after quickly reading the articles in your category, it’s no surprise why you won. You’re brilliant and have such a wonderful way with words.
I also couldn’t help overhearing your recent relationship troubles and I’m sorry you had to endure that. Although it seems like you’re better off without your ex. A woman as intelligent and tenacious as you should never be forced to be anything but, especially by a lesser man. Clearly your ex’s insecurities and actions prove he was never deserving of you. I hope you understand that and don’t grieve him for too long. He isn’t worth your tears.
I look forward to one day speaking with you face to face. Until then, I’ll fondly remember you as the beautiful woman in the red dress, sitting at the bar on New Year’s Eve.
Respectfully,
Barry was nervous once he folded the letter and sealed the envelope. This wasn’t his normal M.O. He had no problem speaking to women he found attractive. He would just turn on his charm and they’d be putty in his hands. Once he bedded them, he no longer saw them. No names or phone numbers were exchanged. No promises of return calls or future meet ups. He preferred it that way. No attachments. He’d been burned before shortly after making his first million. His girlfriend at the time, Patty tried to trap him saying she was pregnant with his child. He almost fell for it until he went with her to her first doctor’s appointment and discovered around the date she had conceived, he was in Coast City on business. Had been there for three weeks. He vowed to never again be tricked by gold diggers.
He's done great so far staying out of the spotlight making his business partner and best friend Cisco the face of their company. He preferred it that way. And so did Cisco, who enjoyed the attention and accolades that came with being the face of a multibillion dollar company.
But there was something different about this particular woman. The way she carried herself told him she was not one to be stood up after a one night stand. She deserved more and he wanted to give her more. He motioned to Hartley, the bartender for a refill. When he came over, he asked that he hand the letter to the woman in the red dress sitting at the bar. But he instructed him to keep his identity anonymous and to wait until she was about to leave for the night. He also told him to put anything she ordered on his tab.
After he finished his drink, he stood to his feet, made eye contact with Hartley and headed up to his suite. It was New Year’s Eve and although he had planned on finding someone to warm his bed tonight, he just couldn’t get the woman in the red dress out of his mind. He had been close enough to hear her conversing with Hartley but far enough into the shadows that she wouldn’t have seen him unless she was looking for him.
He was already seated when she walked in. He had been emailing his assistant instructions for things he wanted done once he returned to Central City. Although he did warn he didn’t need them done until the day after tomorrow, he knew his assistant would have them done right away if he were to hit send. He debated whether or not to wait to send it and had he not been distracted by her scent, he would have sent it right away. He caught sight of her just before she sat down with her back to him and from what he saw, he was immediately enthralled by her presence. For one thing, she was the only one wearing red in a sea of black. She was regal and as sophisticated a woman he had ever seen. Nothing like the women he usually picked up. He had never before been as affected by a woman as he had been with her and he hadn’t even spoken a word to her. He sat and listened as she spoke with Hartley, taking everything she said in.