Complete Indelible Love Series

by Cee, DW

  Double damn! How would I make this up to Michael? I’d come up with a grand gesture, later. Right now, I was eager to open the rest of the gifts left in the pile.

  “Redeem Me” told me to head to a swanky hotel for a luxurious facial. When I looked carefully, the facial was already booked and scheduled for thirty minutes from now. I quickly opened the last gift that said, “Meet Me” and followed the instructions carefully.

  After a ninety-minute, very expensive facial and body massage, I felt like a new woman. How did I know it was expensive? I asked to see the bill so I could tip the ladies who worked tirelessly to make me look and feel good. Of course, Michael Bennington had taken care of everything—even the tip.

  Guilt and anxiety were weighing heavy on my newly-massaged shoulders. According to “Meet Me,” I was to wait for Michael at the hotel’s trendy Italian joint. I wondered if Michael would even show after the way I treated him. Even if he did show, what would I say and do? Would I apologize and be done? Would I need to get every last thing on the table one more time, and then be done? Did I want all of this to be done?

  No different than my attitude all day today, I decided to push off the worrying until later. Whether Michael showed or not, I plopped myself on the bar and ordered a girly cocktail. There was no point in worrying myself out of this relaxed state.

  I drank, watched sports highlights from the bar TV and waited…and waited…and waited…

  “Hey, Chloe!” A man, not Michael, called my name.

  “Hey…” He was not who I expected to see.

  Michael: Surprising Friends

  “Are you sure I should be here? I was pretty pissed with Chloe when I left. She wasn’t in any better of a mood.”

  Emily chuckled in a most feminine way. “Of course you’re wanted here, Michael. Jake and I told you this morning that we’d help you repair your friendship with your best friend. Let’s go in before Jake comes back out looking for us.”

  I watched a surprised Chloe grappling with why she was conversing with Jake Reid without Emily Reid. “He looks fine without me. You should go in and have a nice dinner, the three of you.”

  Emily was more a drill sergeant than she appeared. She pointed to the door and silently told me to march. I had no choice but to do as commanded—though she gave me a breather by walking ahead of me.

  “Emily?” I heard Chloe ask. “Are you and Jake out on a date night?”

  “We are,” she answered and pulled me from behind. “We’re on a double-date night.”

  “Michael?” Chloe was even more surprised.

  “Why don’t we all sit?” Jake suggested. “This place is great.” Jake made small talk while observing the restaurant. “My aunt and Laney stayed here the last time they were in New York together.”

  “Yes. I remember. Laney spoke highly of this place, especially the spa. I thought you might enjoy it.” I started the conversation with Jake, but ended it speaking to Chloe.

  “I did,” she spoke quietly. “Thank you…for everything.”

  Her demeanor and tone encouraged me to reach my hand out and squeeze hers. She reciprocated with a smile. For now, I assumed we were back to being friends. We would hash out the rest of this bloody mess later.

  “Emi. Do you want to check out the spa tomorrow?”

  “We leave in a few hours, Jake.” She reminded him.

  “There’s nothing that says we must leave. We can have Roland send the plane back to us at the end of the week.”

  Emily shook her head. “Aunt Babs has been working on the kids’ party and the twins are looking forward to their ‘Under the Sea’ theme party. I don’t think it’s a good idea to keep the stars in New York while the rest of the family celebrates in LA.”

  “Next time, Love.” Jake kissed his wife briefly and affectionately. Chloe and I were so caught up in their rapport that we didn’t realize we were still holding hands until Emily asked us a question.

  “Chloe. Tell us about the gifts you received today. Michael said he did something nice for you but wouldn’t elaborate.”

  My friend snuck a peek at me and grinned. “It was kind of an Alice in Wonderland themed gift.” She went on for a good while explaining all the gifts and her reaction to each one. It made me feel good that she appreciated my efforts.

  With a gracious smile, Emily asked, “Which one was your favorite?”

  “As much as I appreciated all the thoughtful and generous gifts,” Chloe started with Emily, “I loved the Venchi gelato and the Malin+Goetz lip balm the best,” she ended the sentence with me. “I have a weakness for both items.”

  “I’ve never tried either. Now you have me curious.” Emily was now smiling wide at me. She had that motherly I’m-proud-of-you-son grin.

  “Every gift was thoughtful.” My friend, whose hand was still in mine, looked slightly embarrassed. Whether it was because we didn’t know how to untangle ourselves without causing Jake and Emily to notice—if they hadn’t already—or if it was because Chloe was embarrassed with her earlier behavior, I didn’t know. I hoped there’d be an explanation for her flushed cheeks.

  “How and where do I find these products for my wife?” Jake, too, looked like a proud papa. It felt good.

  “Every gift Michael placed in that box has a special meaning to me. There’s a history behind every item and I’m touched Michael remembered.”

  “Of course I remember. We’ve been best friends since birth, Chlo-No. How could I forget?”

  “Um…” she hesitated.

  “Go ahead. Say it.”

  She hesitated some more and then whispered, “You forgot my birthday. I didn’t think you cared anymore.”

  I had forgotten her birthday. Christmas was not an easy day for me. As Bee Taylor said, I flew twelve hours to see my future bride become Mrs. Taylor in the course of twelve minutes. As soon as I’d witnessed her happily-ever-after, I went into hiding for a few days to get over the loss. It was a few days after that I realized the other significant event on Christmas day—Chloe Noel Darcy’s birthday.

  “I think that’s our cue to leave.” Jake and Emily scooted their chairs out.

  “What?” Chloe and I spoke. Surprised, we let go of each other’s hand and stood up with the Reids.

  “Everyone is waiting for us at the apartment, ready to leave. While Donovan was at his meeting, we wanted to come by and wish you both well before we left.”

  “But Emily, you haven’t even had a drink.”

  She giggled. “I’m a lightweight. I’d be asleep on the plane even before the kids if I drank right now. Take care, Chloe Darcy. It was wonderful getting to know you the past twenty-hour hours.”

  Chloe went in for a hug. “Thank you for everything.”

  “I assume we’ll stay friends? Any time you’re in Los Angeles or we’re in London, we will hang out?”

  “Without a doubt, Emily.” Chloe stayed glued to her.

  “Thank you for all your help,” I whispered to Emily when I got my turn at hugging her.

  “Take good care of that special lady whose hand you could not let go,” she teased.

  Embarrassed, but finding humor in her comment, I agreed. “Thank you, too, Jake.”

  “Keep in touch,” were Jake’s last words as they left for home.

  There was an awkward silence after our buffer left us to fend for ourselves. Since I’d shown a Herculean effort to make amends, I thought it was my right to wait for an apology from Chloe. Oddly, she stayed silent.

  What was I to do now? I hadn’t thought to ask Emily and Jake about this situation. What the hell was I to do now that the Reids were gone? How would I handle Chloe and our “friendship” if she decided she couldn’t forgive me?

  Hell! The silence was killing me. I didn’t care if I looked weak. I needed all this off my chest.

  “I’m sorry,” we both sputtered the identical words at the same time.

  “Let me?” Chloe asked, I allowed. “First
of all, thank you.” She reached for my hand again and next thing I knew, I grabbed hers and held onto it as I’d done for most of our time at the restaurant. “As generous as the gifts were, the thought behind each one brought tears to my eyes. All I wanted to know was that you still cared.” Chloe sounded so vulnerable. I hated hearing her this way.

  “Listen, Chlo-No, I’ve been the biggest idiot, the biggest arse. I can’t apologize enough for ignoring our friendship all these months. There are no excuses.”

  “I’m at fault, too. I’ve been surly with you since Florence and I promise to stop. There’s no way I could ever forget you. You’ve been a part of my life for as long as I’ve been alive. As long as you won’t stop being my friend, I’m good. I don’t need any special gifts or treatment. Just stay where you’ve always been.”

  “By your side?” I asked.

  “By my side until that special lady comes along. Then, I’ll concede and we’ll just be friends.”

  This conversation turned more intimate than expected. If we would eventually just be friends, then…

  “What are we exactly, now, Chlo-No?” She didn’t have an answer for us. I chose not to leave her on the spot. “Let’s go. I have your birthday present waiting back at the apartment.”

  “There’s more?”

  “Just a little more, Friend…”

  One day soon, we’d revisit what we were to one another if it wasn’t just friendship. Until then, I’d enjoy the peace and quiet of our “friendship.”

  Relationships: New & Old

  Brendan: Moving Relationship

  “Whatcha doing tonight, Pretty Lady?”

  “Hanging out at the flat with my two other roommates?” There was strong disapproval in Chloe’s tone about how little time I spent in the flat because of work. I liked it.

  “How about you meet me for Chinese tonight?”

  “OK. Where?”

  “How about that trendy place off New Bond Street?”

  “A little pricey for Chinese food, no?”

  “Nothing is too pricey for you, Pretty Lady. See you there at seven?”

  “See ya.”

  We returned from New York separately, but have been inseparable since. Chloe and Michael appeared to have made their peace and all was copacetic in our world. After New York, I decided to accept that Michael was a part of Chloe’s “family” and there was no flushing him out. Not that I was scared of a little competition; I was more annoyed with the constant interference.

  Chloe was done working on the duke’s apartment in New York and now, she was solely focusing on all his properties in England. If my work proved cooperative, we’d have a good stretch of time to further this “relationship.”

  “Brendan?” My co-worker Talia called.

  “What’s up?”

  “The boss wants to see you.”

  “Damn. That’s never a good sign.” She laughed at me and walked away.

  I dreaded seeing my boss. He was one of those stick-up-his-ass type of men who let you know he was above your station. Never did he deliver good news. He was always sending me away to some god-forsaken place, that he himself didn’t want to go. Asshole!

  “Yes?” I tried to be curt.

  “You’re being promoted.” What the hell? Good news from this asshole? “The company is giving you a bump in salary and position.”

  “And?”

  “And what?”

  “Is there more to the info you’re relaying?”

  “You’ll be promoted to one of the vice president positions on the West Coast, as there will be three vacancies as of this summer. You start in June so if you want this job, start doing your research.”

  “Research?” I didn’t understand why this asshole couldn’t be straightforward with me. He always made me ask—practically beg for more. “What kind of research?”

  “The usual: when you’re moving.” MOVING? “Which of the three jobs you might prefer. Where you might want to live. Whether you want to move at all. All of the above and more.”

  “Where exactly am I moving to?”

  “Los Angeles.”

  “LA?” I yelled. “Why the hell am I being transferred to LA? I don’t want to live in America. What the hell would I do with all that sun, beach, mountain, city, and beautiful women?” Was I kidding myself? Had I just complained?

  “I guess you don’t want the hundred percent pay raise—in POUNDS—while you’re living among Americans who use dollars? I guess you prefer the gloom, rain and cold? Your choice, O’Shaughnessy. Let HR know by the end of next week.”

  Shit. Did he just say ONE HUNDRED PERCENT pay raise in pounds while spending dollars? Was I stupid? I couldn’t give that up.

  “I’ll take it!” I said without learning the specifics or talking to my family.

  “As I said, tell HR.”

  I was so damn happy, I practically skipped out of my boss’ office.

  “What’s the deal, Brendan? Your mouth is as round as the London Eye.”

  “I’m being promoted…in Los Angeles!”

  “You lucky bastard! All that traveling paid off, huh? The company is rewarding you for your loyalty and hard work. Which position?”

  “Unsure just yet—something with the words vice president and West Coast.”

  Talia gave me a hug in support. “You deserve it, Brendan. I hear all the English hearts breaking right now. Brendan O is off to sunnier pastures of Los Angeles. Watch out, California girls!” she teased.

  Shit. Girls. Chloe Darcy! What would I tell her? I needed help—fast!

  “What’s up, Cuz?”

  “Daniel. I’m being promoted but I have to move to LA. You and Cat want to move with me? If you move, then maybe Chloe will want to move too.”

  “Slow down, Brendan. What the hell are you saying?”

  “Exactly what I blurted without thinking. I’m being transferred to Los Angeles. It’s a great move for me financially as well as an awesome career opportunity. The company is going to make me vice president of one of the divisions in the West Coast. With Cat being an actress and you working for movie studios, I thought you’d want to move to Hollywood with me. Then Chloe might join all of us.” I spoke really fast.

  “First of all, congrats, Man! I’m proud of you.”

  “Thanks.”

  “Secondly, are you sure you want to go, and you want all of us there with you? It’s a huge step to move continents and an even bigger one to ask your almost-girlfriend to move with you. Are you that sure of Chloe? It could be ugly if things don’t work out.”

  “Damn. I didn’t think this through. I’m supposed to have dinner with her tonight. What do I tell her?”

  “Everything but the ‘move with me’ part?”

  “What if she won’t want to date me because I’m thinking of leaving her in a couple of months?”

  “Then this is the perfect time to part? Do you really like Chloe that much? Where have I been not to catch onto this?”

  “I like her enough to want to see this through longer than I’ve seen it through with any other girl. But as you pointed out, it’s probably not wise to ask if she’d like to move to America with me.”

  “Keep me posted on what happens with her, and I’ll talk to Cat about LA. That’s definitely the place to be for the both of us if we want to continue in this line of work.”

  “Got it. Thanks, Cuz. See you at home tonight.”

  Talking to Daniel was a smart move. I would have made a huge error had I gone straight to Chloe with the good news. Either I’d scare her by asking her to move in with me (not that we weren’t already living together), or I’d end up getting leg-shackled. I liked Chloe. But, I wasn’t ready to commit to that level.

  We’d keep doing what we were doing—having a good time getting to know one another.

  Chloe: A Marry Relationship

  “You wanna do dinner after this? I found a cool new sushi bar.”

  Truly
, when it rains, it pours. “Tomorrow, Michael?”

  “I can’t tomorrow. Why can’t you go tonight?”

  Shit. “Brendan. Why can’t you go tomorrow?”

  “Helene.”

  “Helene??? When did she enter your life?”