“I’m really glad you did come, though,” I admitted, shifting on a chair in front of the counter. I’d been going over the bakery finances and dreaming of a way to pay my small business loans. The police hadn’t come back in a while and I was too stubborn to phone Matthew and find out the results of the pending investigation.
Kelly placed the pie on the counter beside me, then handed me a cup of coffee. “One sugar with plenty of cream, just how you like it.”
“You’re the best,” I cooed and popped the plastic lid on the coffee. I took in one hot sip and bathed in the glory of the homemade hazelnut cappuccino.
Kelly rooted around in the cupboards in search of plates and a chef’s knife. She brought them out, dished a piece of pie and chewed her bottom lip. “I forgot the whipped cream. Should we warm these up first?”
“I’m too desperate for sugar to wait,” I replied.
Kelly laughed and dished out a second piece, then handed it over with a fork. She followed suit and lowered herself onto the stool beside mine.
“Okay, spill,” Kelly said.
If it’d been anyone else, I would’ve told them to go away and leave me in peace. Not with Kelly. She wasn’t after the juicy gossip, she was there to talk it out, just like she’d been there after the shit storm with Matthew. Kelly cared about me and my life and some days it felt like she was a party of one.
I forked off a piece of apple pie and chewed, savoring the tang and sweetness which married on my tongue. I stared down at the ledgers and then shifted my gaze to the open doorway and the small window. The snow had stopped, but the streets were still coated in white.
The clock ticking on the wall said night was about to fall. An entire day of misery. I hadn’t had the nerve to call my best friend until I’d used up the majority of my tears. I wanted most of the emotion out of the way so we could talk about the facts and rationalize that Gabe was a loser and I never had to see him again.
Him or any other man ever again.
I cleared my throat. “I can’t believe this happened again. I’m a douche magnet.” The tears came again — maybe an afternoon of crying wasn’t enough to get rid of this kind of pain — and I swiped at them. I couldn’t hide them from Kelly anyway.
“Tell me about it. Is it Gabe?”
“It’s over between us,” I said.
“Why? What happened?” Kelly asked, then put her plate on the counter. She held the fork poised to break off another piece.
“He got another woman pregnant.”
“What?” She dropped the fork with a clatter, and it bounced from the surface of the plate to the floor below. “He cheated on you?”
“Well, no. Yes. I don’t know. I’m really not sure if he’s together with her now, but the fact of the matter is, he got her pregnant.”
“Who is this woman?” Kelly frowned, and bent over to pick up the fork. She brushed it off, shrugged and tucked into more of the apple pie. “Three second rule.”
I smiled through my tears, grateful for Kelly’s ability to lighten the somber mood. “Her name is Faith,” I could barely spit the name out between my clenched teeth. I had to control this jealousy. God, it wasn’t like he was my fiancé. He was just a guy. A super sexy fireman who’d broken my heart because I was in a vulnerable place right now. Other women had flings all the time and moved right on. Why couldn’t I?
Because this hurt worse than when Matthew dumped me. It hurt worse than anything I’d ever felt before. The death of hope and the possibility that I could ever be with a man like Gabe.
“Faith,” Kelly murmured, “that’s kind of ironic.”
“Tell me about it. Anyway, she’s probably eight months pregnant. Not that I’d know, right? It’s not like I’ll be popping out any babies any time soon.”
Kelly looked into my eyes and I shied away from the concern in her gaze.
“Ally, you can’t make this about your own inability to conceive. It’s got nothing to do with what happened in the past.”
“How can you say that? It feels like it has everything to do with what happened in the past. He wanted a woman who could give him a child. A son.”
“Ally, get real, he doesn’t know about what happened between you and Matthew. Not the real story anyway. This sounds like a bizarre and painful coincidence.”
“She’s still a part of his life,” I said as I firmed my jaw. I wouldn’t yield the point.
“What should he do, disown her? Throw his baby and its mother out in the street? At least he’s taking responsibility for the mistakes he’s made. That’s more than I can say for a lot of men I know. Think of how many single mothers we know that aren’t that fortunate.”
I tilted my head to one side and avoided her gaze. “Yeah, well, Faith and Gabe are perfect for each other.”
“It’s not about them being a couple,” Kelly said, then huffed out a breath of air, ignoring my surly tone. “Look, this is a big shock, but it’s not insurmountable. Maybe you shouldn’t give up just yet.”
I forced the chair back and stood, then slammed my plate down on the counter and turned away from her. “That’s your solution? Not to give up?” I shook my head and wiped more tears from beneath my lower lids. “Then you don’t get it, Kelly. He lied to me. And this wasn’t the first time. He had the choice to tell me about this woman and he made the wrong one.”
“I understand you’re upset and you feel betrayed.” Kelly replied, reaching out to grab my hand. She turned and rose to stand in front of me. “Maybe he was afraid of losing you if he confessed. He probably thought you’d see it as a complication and leave him.”
“Exactly. It isn’t something you can hide, so why prolong the pain? Even with the baby in the picture, he still lied again. The first time about his job and now this one is even worse. If that’s even possible.” I chewed my bottom lip. Kelly’s logical replies had planted a tiny seed of doubt. Kelly was rational, and she was married. What if she was right?
“Did you give him a chance to explain his motives?”
“Kelly,” I said, deepening my tone.
“Fine,” she replied, then threw her hands up in the air. “I’ll butt out. For now. I’ll just listen instead of bringing the solutions.” She tittered a laugh, then grabbed me by the shoulders. “As long as you know that I’m here for you. Always.”
“I do.” I nodded and gave her a weak smile. “I just wish I could forget. All I do is sit and ruminate, even when I’m going over the accounting for the bakery.” I nodded towards the charts and rows of numbers beside my apple pie.
“Then let’s go out. Let’s get you really distracted.”
“I think you mean shitfaced,” I replied, and flashed her a smile. “But I’m not up for it.”
“I insist. Come on, what are friends for? I’ll look after you. Sober driver and all.” Kelly winked at me, then turned me on the spot and directed me towards the stairs in the corner. “Go get dressed. I’ll meet you outside in five minutes.”
I paused and looked back at her over my shoulder. “Fine, but I’d better not regret this in the morning. I have serious work to do in order to get the bakery back on its feet.”
Chapter 24
Ally
The vibe in Aqua was electric. An energetic DJ bobbed away in the elevated glass box which hung over the parquet dance floor. Men and women swarmed the area, gyrating in time to the beat and clutching each other. Grinding and laughing, drinks in hand as they lit up the cold, winter night with their glowing passion.
I sat on a chair in the corner and gazed out at the couples, their faces bright and happy. It was hard not to look like a lovesick puppy as I tapped my foot on the barstool in time to the music. Kelly stood next to me for impromptu girls’ night, sipping a Cosmopolitan through a bar straw. Like an amateur.
“This place is not my scene,” I yelled at Kelly over the ear-achingly loud music. Seriously, it was a million decibels over my limit. I hated the blender in my own kitchen so this pumping, sweaty mix was torture. “And y
ou’re not supposed to drink booze out of a straw.”
“Oh come on,” Kelly bantered back, “sit back, relax and enjoy your margarita. We’ll hit the floor later, if you’re up to it.”
I swigged more of the tart drink, chased it with some salt from the rim and frowned at the wall of human flesh. Some of the women wore dresses that looked like string held together with band aids rather than fabric. I brushed an imaginary wrinkle off the plain, tight-fitting red cocktail dress I’d chosen for the night’s ‘festivities’. It was winter and still technically the holiday season.
“I definitely don’t want to dance,” I said with a shake of my long hair.
She rolled her eyes and threw back more of her own drink. Sans straw. “Look, we came here to forget about a certain someone, right? So, what better way than to rub up against a few smokin’ hot male specimens?”
I stared at her. “Okay, who are you and what have you done with my friend?” I’d never seen this side of Kelly before. “Seriously, this is not our scene.”
“That’s exactly why we came here, sister. We need to change it up. This is going to be a total shock to your system.” Kelly grinned at me and turned her attention to the light casting strobes on the overflowing dance floor.
“All right,” I relented, and finished the last of my margarita. “Let’s do this.” The music took the opportunity to dull at that exact moment. A few of the dancers actually looked over at us.
I blushed, not that anyone could tell in the weird light.
Kelly burst out laughing and grabbed my hand. We stood together and hobbled out into the massive crowd. The music swelled again and we soon became buried beneath a human sea, complete with men leering and women shaking what God gave them. A couple college age guys gave me and my curvaceous figure the stink eye.
I turned to leave, but Kelly stayed me with a strong grip to my forearm. Another hip-hop song blared over the speakers and the crowd went wild. Kelly let go of my hand to clap in time with the beat. I looked up at the DJ who fired the already frantic crowd by pumping his fist up and down in the air.
I bit the inside of my cheek. “Ah well, if you can’t beat ‘em,” I murmured to myself, but I didn’t hear a word of it over the music.
I turned back to Kelly, but she was gone, swept off to an unknown corner of the dance floor, no doubt. Which meant I was stuck without her.
An arm slid around my waist and a body pressed against my back. My stomach flipped and I spun, pushing against the man’s chest. “What the hell —?” I mouthed.
Matthew stared back at me. He cocked his head to one side and grinned, then beckoned for me to dance with him.
Christ. Could this day get any worse?
I shook my head at him, then turned my back to search for Kelly. Or a savior. Or even a hole in the ground. And trust my luck to run into my scumbag ex in this posh club. I couldn’t believe that he’d pay ten dollars for a bottle of beer unless he was sure it would get him laid. This place was for rich narcissists and the women brave enough to snag them.
Matthew’s arm slid around my waist again and he ground his crotch into my ass.
I tugged free, growling in my throat. What the hell was wrong with him? Hadn’t I made myself perfectly clear in the restaurant the last time I saw him? I spun on my heel again and widened my eyes.
“Fuck off,” I screamed in his face.
He laughed at me. The asshole actually laughed at me.
I pushed past him and swam through the sea of flesh and sweat. I had to get to higher ground or I’d never find Kelly. That or get the hell out of this godforsaken club. I made for the door. I’d send her a text and tell her I was outside and wanted to go home. She could be angry all she liked, but I wouldn’t stay another second in a club with Matthew.
I burst out of the front door and ignored the bouncers, ropes and queues. I walked to the corner of the street and stood there, clutching at my arms and trying to hold back another torrent of tears. I’d forgotten my damn long, wool coat in the club and apparently, the ice age had decided to descend on the city. An uncontrollable shiver ripped through my body.
“Why are you running away from me, Ally?” Matthew appeared beside me, wearing his coat and blowing steam into the night air. “You always liked to dance when we were together.”
“Not anymore. Not with you,” I said, sliding the thin strap of my bag off my shoulder. I opened the bag and brought my phone out, then constructed a text to Kelly.
“You look upset,” he said, buffering his tone with concern he definitely didn’t feel. “Is it because of the bakery? Or that shithead, Gabe?”
“None of your damn business, Hugh Hefner.” I grunted, then locked my smartphone and put it back in my bag. “Look, I’m going home in a few minutes. You should go back inside and enjoy the selection.” I waved him off with my left hand.
He stepped closer. “All I’ve ever wanted is you, Ally. Everything else is a lie.”
“Just leave me alone,” I snapped.
A corner of his mouth lifted. “You realize I still have control of your arson case, right? And I’m not going to leave until you agree to go on another date with me.” Matthew was obsequious. He ruffled his brown hair and blinked at me, pulling his best attempt at puppy dog eyes.
I whipped my phone out again and checked for messages. Nothing. Where the hell was Kelly?
“Come on, just one date. And I promise, I’ll squash the case. I won’t even ask you out again.”
I narrowed my eyes at him. “Just one date? One and you’ll leave me alone?”
“That’s right,” he replied, and his lips twitched into a victorious smile. “Just one date.”
I licked my lips and shivered, rubbing my arms and staring at his warm jacket. No chance in hell would I ask him for it. No chance in hell he’d offer it.
“Fine,” I replied. “Just one damn date.”
“Tomorrow at eight.” He grabbed my hand and brushed his lips across the back of it. I couldn’t keep the disgust from travelling up my skin in a tremble.
“No. Eleven. At Kelly and Pat’s.”
Kelly popped out of the front door of the club a second later, carrying both our coats. She eyed me, then Matthew before turning her concerned gaze back to me. “There you are, Ally. Let’s go home.”
Chapter 25
Ally
I crossed my legs and scooted back in the chair, putting as much distance as possible between us.
Matthew grinned at me, then glanced around the room in search of Pamela, Kelly’s best barista. We ordered two coffees and a couple of donuts, but that didn’t make this day date any more comfortable. I hated being here and I hated being with him.
“So, how have you been?” Matthew asked, and slithered his hand across the table to brush my arm.
I flinched away from the innocuous touch and shook my head. This was a ‘zero contact’ kind of date. Hell, it probably didn’t count as a real date since he’d extorted it from me.
“My bakery is closed; how do you think I’ve been?” I shot back, then accepted the cup of coffee from Pamela. The donuts looked fantastic, dripping with raspberry jelly and a dieter’s worst nightmare. Good thing I wasn’t on a diet until after the holiday season.
I helped myself to one and placed it on a plate beside my coffee.
“Do you really think you should eat that? I mean, it’s the holidays and everything, but you’ll only end up —”
“Stifle the criticism or I’m leaving,” I snapped. I shoved the donut into my mouth and took a massive bite. Jelly squirted from one end and splattered the plate. “Mmm … delicious. I might have to have two. Or three. Speaking of my case, what’s going on?” I chomped on the donut and tried to be as disgusting as possible. Anything to repulse him as much as he did me.
Matthew’s upper lip curled back over his teeth. “What about it? The case is closed.”
“You did this,” I said, putting the donut back on the jelly smeared plate. My guts were a festival of nausea. I
didn’t want to owe Matthew. He’d collect.
He wiggled his head. “Nah, I didn’t. But if you’d promised me more than a measly brunch date, I would’ve done it quicker. There was no evidence of arson.”
“Why wasn’t I notified?” My heart leapt into my throat, pounding a tattoo against my skin. This was the best news I’d had all week. Since Gabe.
“This is hot off the press,” he replied, picking up a donut of his own and biting into it. Jelly splatted down his shirt instead of on his plate. He swore under his breath and snatched a napkin off the table, then swiped at the mess. Nothing short of the dry cleaner could save it and Matthew’s cheap ass hated anything that cost him money.
“Wow,” I murmured, and that was all I could say. This was unbelievable. I could open up again and start making money, paying off loans, following my dreams. Perfect. I swallowed my excitement and focused on Matthew. And getting away from him. I was on a date with a man I never wanted to see again.
I made to push up from the table.
“What are you doing with him?”
Like an apparition appearing in a haunted house, Gabe arrived beside our table. Glaring. He clutched a cup of coffee and glanced back at the counter, where Kelly stood surveying the entire scene. I’d wanted to do this ‘date’ on home turf, in a location where Matthew couldn’t easily grope me.
“She’s on a date, dumbass,” Matthew replied, and dumped the jelly-stained napkins on the table. He sprung from his seat and rose to meet Gabe head on.
They were both well-muscled, attractive — though the fireman was a cut above the rest, by far the sexiest guy in the room, make that the world — and angry. Gabe clenched his fists. Matthew cracked his knuckles.
“Now is not the time for this,” I said, keeping my tone low so that we wouldn’t draw too much attention. Yeah right, two athletic dudes chest-to-chest in the middle of a busy coffee shop at lunch time … that wouldn’t draw any attention at all.
Line: Alpha Billionaire Romance Page 32
