All We Have (Thirty-Eight #4)

by Len Webster

“I didn’t know you were dating or were interested in anyone but he-who-shall-not-be-named-in-my-bed.”

  “It’s a business date,” Ally explained. “Adam, my brother’s best friend, needs help with some of the board members. Liam’s taken off. Apparently, he secured the deal in Germany here in Melbourne before he left. Adam said that he’s trying to find himself and the board isn’t impressed with his disappearing act.”

  “But this isn’t like a real date? Like, you don’t like Adam like that?” For a second, Ally could have sworn she heard the concern in Stevie’s voice.

  “No, I don’t. Adam’s my brother’s best friend,” she clarified.

  Stevie let out a hum and got off the bed. “Noel was Alex’s best friend to Clara. Now they’re married.”

  Ally rolled her eyes. “I’m not Clara. And Adam isn’t Noel.”

  “I have to ask. Adam knows that you don’t actually sleep with the people you go on business dates with, right? Do you want Julian and me to come with you tonight?” Stevie asked, the protectiveness in her voice spreading warmth throughout Ally’s chest.

  She had never had a friend quite like Stevie. And for that, Ally was thankful. Stevie’s loyalty and devotion were what she loved about her. Though she had a tough exterior, she was sweet deep down.

  “He knows. And no, I’ll be fine. I’ve handled this crowd before,” Ally explained.

  “Okay, good.” Stevie then spun around and made her way to her walk-in wardrobe. “So this benefit’s like classy and formal, yeah?”

  “Right,” Ally called out, watching Stevie go through her closet.

  Moments later, Stevie walked out with a box in her hand. “Well, let us all thank Collette for one second.”

  “Why?” Ally got up from the bed and glanced down at the box Stevie held. “Balenciaga?”

  Stevie grinned and nodded her head. “Sometimes, Collette comes in handy. She’s back in Paris. Brands are still sending her stuff and she sends them to me. The lingerie I don’t say no to. French lace as great as what she sends is hard to find here. But every once in a while, she sends me some classy outfits. She thinks because Julian’s a VP, we go out to all these fancy dinners. Fancy dinner for us is Chinese after he finishes work and I’m done with my assignments. But I have a feeling she either wants Julian to really like what I wear or play the good wife.”

  “You want me to wear Balenciaga?” Ally shook her head in disbelief.

  “I’m sure you’ve worn something more expensive.”

  “But it’s yours.”

  Stevie pushed the box into Ally’s hands. “It’s a little too expensive for my taste. It’s been sitting there for a good few weeks. If Balenciaga isn’t what you like, I have Elie Saab and Valentino—”

  “No,” she interrupted. “This is more than enough. Thank you, Stevie.”

  Stevie’s eyes narrowed at her. “You haven’t even opened it. It could be the world’s ugliest dress.”

  Ally let out a light laugh. “I’m sure it’s beautiful. It wouldn’t matter. Your generosity makes it probably the most beautiful dress I’ll ever wear.”

  “Well, open it and let’s see what you think.”

  “Okay,” she said, placing the cream-coloured box on the free spot on Stevie’s bed. Ally lifted the lid and handed it to her roommate. Then she pulled the tissue paper away to reveal a sweetheart line of the dress. It was an off-white colour, almost cream, with intricate beading on not only the bust but all over the dress. Ally carefully picked it up out of the box and breathed out. It was beautiful. And from the tag, she could see that it was a vintage piece. From 1955, to be exact.

  “I can’t take this,” Ally breathed out.

  “Oh, you’re adorable. Trust me, Ally, it would look a million times better on you than it would ever look on me.”

  Ally’s thumb brushed against the strapless dress. It seemed too graceful to be against her skin tonight. “Stevie—”

  “Stop complaining. I think it’s time people see how beautiful you are. Those other skimpy, short dresses they had you wear aren’t you. And because they won’t be expecting you, they won’t expect this. Time to make your mark.”

  Glancing down at the dress in her hands, Ally smiled. It was time she found the beauty rather than the promiscuity in her. Never had she thought she deserved to wear something so elegant. But she would. Deep down, that was who she believed she could be. Elegant. Beautiful. Graceful. Worthy to be admired with much more than lustful eyes.

  “Rob?” Noel asked, his voice heavy from sleep, into the phone.

  Glancing over at the clock on his work computer, he knew it was just after one in the morning in Boston. “Hey, I’m sorry I’m calling so late.”

  There was a groan, followed by, “Go back to sleep, baby.”

  “Who’s calling this late?”

  “Rob. I’ll let you sleep. I’ll take it out in the lounge.”

  “Okay. Love you,” Clara mumbled.

  “Love you, too,” Noel whispered to his wife.

  Then Rob heard movements and footsteps. A door shutting echoed into his ear and then he heard the flick of a light switch.

  “Okay, you never call me this late. What’s going on?” Noel asked. Since he had married his wife, Noel had taken her back to the U.S. with him. Last time Rob had checked, they loved life as a married couple. But Noel was worried about his wife’s new boss. Clara’s boss had taken away her internship and sent her to cut vegetables every shift. Clara had told her husband that she had to work from the bottom up. Noel had confessed to Rob that he was sure it was more.

  “How’s your wife and that boss of hers?” Rob asked as he leant back into his office chair. It was after three p.m. on Thursday and most of his sales team had clocked off for the day.

  Noel sighed. “You’re dodging my question but all right. Clara quit Mistral.”

  That got his attention. Rob sat forward and his grip tightened around his phone. “What?”

  “Yeah. She quit a couple of days ago. She wasn’t happy. The new head chef that took over a couple of weeks ago wasn’t pleased with the fact that she wasn’t tested before she got the job. The old chef took her old boss, Danny’s, recommendation. But Clara didn’t believe him so she confronted him …”

  “And?”

  Another sigh from his best friend. “Turns out he’s attracted to her. And knew he was acting unprofessionally. He offered Clara back her old position, but he said that the moment he found out she was married, he wasn’t okay with it. She doesn’t wear her rings when she works. Mac claimed that if she valued her marriage, she would understand why he did it and that he offered to hand in his resignation.”

  “Shit,” Rob breathed.

  “Yeah,” Noel agreed. “But she told him that it was okay. That she wanted to quit. So she quit.”

  “You’re oddly calm about it.”

  Noel chuckled. “I wasn’t. I went straight to the restaurant to pick her up and punched the fucker. I’m not upset that he was attracted to her. I was fuming that he put her career in jeopardy because of some crush.”

  Rob laughed. “I’m not surprised. What’s Clara doing now?”

  “She’s going back to university to finish her business degree. She transferred to Boston University. She wants to open up her own bakery and wants the degree. Plus, she’s been babysitting our neighbour’s son, Kyle. She loves that kid. He bakes with her and everything.”

  Rob could hear the content in Noel’s voice. “Jesus, this Kyle kid making you want your own?”

  “Sure, I want my own, but Clara’s almost five years younger than me. She’s got some living to do before we have kids,” Noel explained. “I don’t want her to think just because we got married we have to have a family. There’s no hurry. We’ll let Alex and Keira have the babies.”

  “Alex is having a baby, you’re married, and my brother’s engaged. Bloody hell,” Rob muttered.

  “Speaking of which, I heard about you and Ally. You know I’ve suspected something for a whi
le. And I know you wouldn’t be calling at one in the morning unless you did something stupid. Shit. Did you get her pregnant?”

  “What?” Rob blurted out. His heart raced in his chest at the thought. “I haven’t even slept with her.”

  “You haven’t?” The surprise in Noel’s voice had Rob balling his left hand into a tight fist.

  It wasn’t as if Rob had never thought about being intimate with Allison. The feel of her lips against his always had him wanting more. But nothing he ever did warranted for more. He’d let external factors cloud his judgement. She wasn’t what he believed. She hadn’t hindered his career. She made it flourish. He didn’t care about image. He knew deep down Rowing Australia would choose him. If they fought him, he’d fight harder. She had fought for him, and this time, he’d fight for her.

  “No. I keep fucking up, and I don’t know what to do. It’s tough with her. She comes with a lot of exposure that my career can’t withstand.” Rob released his fist and splayed his hand on the desk, staring at it. “I’ve worked so hard for the Olympics and nothing would have made me want to give that up … Until I met her. It’s scary, Noel. It’s scary how much I want to give up my dreams to be with her. How much I want to give up everything to have her.”

  Noel was silent for a moment. “That’s love, Rob.”

  Rob slammed his eyes shut and breathed out. “I know.”

  “So you love Ally O’Connor. What are you going to do with it?”

  When he opened his eyes, Rob glanced over at the picture of him and his mother. Then he nodded at it as if she were there with him. “Find a way to tell her.”

  “And rowing?”

  “I can’t do it without her. And I can’t spend another eight months pretending that I don’t want to be with her.”

  “So why don’t you say it. I can hear it in your voice. It’s okay to say it out loud, you know,” Noel said. The small trace of humour was in his voice.

  Rob’s lips formed a smile. “I love Allison O’Connor.”

  “You should tell her,” he said, serious. That hint of humour was now gone. “Because trust me, Rob, if you don’t, someone else will. Take her brother falling in love with Clara for instance. Don’t let her find someone else. Go apologise for whatever you did and make sure she believes you when you say it. Show her you care about more than just her image or her money.”

  “What do I do? Get her flowers or something?” Rob was clueless; that he knew. He had no idea where to start. He’d never had a serious girlfriend. He’d dated but never wanted to be with a woman like he did with Allison. Never was he so sure of a woman being his future like he did with her. And never had he felt so alive and so afraid like he did just thinking of her.

  Noel chuckled. “Sure. It’s a start. When I was in New Haven, Clara said she just wanted someone to love only her. To convince her that I love only her. That’s what you have to do, Rob. Clara told me that Ally’s lived with many men pretending around her. I think you need to be the first and last man to convince her that not everyone pretends around her. I think you need to convince her that it’s you.”

  Rob hung his head. “How can I? I don’t even know what her favourite flowers are.”

  “You will. You’ll know everything about her soon. Because when she’s convinced, she will trust you. And let me tell you, besides her heart, her trust will be the second greatest thing she can offer. And believe me, you’ll never forget what that feels like.”

  “You think I deserve her?” Rob asked. If anyone were honest, it’d be Noel. Rob had been the one to help him when he was trying to figure out how to be with his now-wife, Clara.

  “You do. And do you know what else you deserve, Rob?”

  He tensed at his best friend’s question. “What?”

  Noel inhaled deeply. “You also deserve the Olympics. You deserve both. But that’s up to you.”

  I can be with Allison and have the Olympics.

  His heart jolted at the thought. “Thanks, Noel. I better let you sleep.”

  “I’m always here for you, Rob. No matter where I live or the time. You call me anytime.” And then Noel hung up once Rob had said goodbye.

  Peeking back at the framed picture of him and his mother, Rob set down his phone and picked up the frame. His fingers touched her face, and he smiled. “She’s worth more than a gold medal, isn’t she? I’d be stupid to let her go.”

  “The guy looks like he’s sweating,” Stevie commented once they had stepped out of the elevator. She followed Ally towards Adam, Julian a couple of steps behind her.

  “I don’t trust the guy,” Julian murmured.

  “Julian,” Stevie warned.

  When they had reached Adam waiting by the small seat opposite the front desk, she noticed he had swallowed hard and muttered, “Oh, fuck.”

  “Hey! Eyes on me, you little perve!” Julian growled when Adam’s focus travelled south. Ally didn’t mind. She felt confident and beautiful in the dress. She had the best cleavage too. Not too much but enough. Her messy, curled bun exposed her neck and shoulders, and the high heels gave her that extra height.

  “I knew you would say something. Why did you even want to walk me downstairs?” Ally asked, slightly frustrated.

  Julian glared at her date. He was just taller than Adam was, but he still exuberated a dominant stance. “To check out the competition. See what my brother’s up against.”

  “Oh, my God,” Ally groaned in annoyance. “You’re an idiot. Come on, Adam. Let’s go or we’ll be late.” She grasped Adam’s arm.

  “Ignore him. Have fun tonight.” Stevie smiled and then took a step closer to Adam, narrowing her eyes at him. “You hurt her, or let anyone near her who will, and I will personally have your balls. Understood?”

  “Oh, God, do I love you,” Julian breathed as his arms wrapped around his fiancée. “We need to get upstairs, right now. I need to make love to you.”

  Ally groaned. “Seriously? We’re both right here. And now, we’re leaving. Let’s go, Adam.”

  He nodded and led her towards the exit. Once they had left the apartment building, Adam exhaled. “Holy shit. I feel like I just met your parents.”

  She laughed. “You’ve met mine. They are in no way as invasive as Stevie and Julian. Now, let’s go reassure the board.” Ally let go of his arm and clutched her dress, lifting it off the ground. The vintage Balenciaga gown was incredibly beautiful, but it weighed heavily. She never thought grace came with a fifty-ton strapless gown. She began to walk towards the car park when Adam had wrapped his hand around her arm and stopped her. “You okay?” she asked.

  His smile seemed forced, almost sad. “Yeah. But I can’t help but feel inferior to the guy you’d rather wear that beautiful dress for. The same guy you’re willingly turning your back on millions for. The same guy who made you go on that date with me last month. I can’t help but feel jealous, Ally. And I can’t help but feel a little regretful that I didn’t see this side of you first.”

  Ally turned so she faced him. “He saw it from the start. And I’ve been in love with him from that very moment.”

  Her chest felt as if something sharp had impaled it. It halted her heart and her breathing, making her aware of how true her confession was. She was in love with Robert Moors. She’d stopped falling. Now, she was immersed and completely consumed by it. She knew how pointless it was, but she didn’t care. She could have tried harder to stop, but she hadn’t. The truth was she had made a subconscious deal with herself the moment she’d met him.

  She had made a deal and promised herself to him, and she wasn’t going to break it. Robert Moors owned her heart and no one else.

  I’m never breaking that deal.

  “Ah, Miss O’Connor, it’s been so long since I last saw you. Normally, I see you every weekend. What’s it been? Almost a month since your last appearance?” Mr Abraham asked, tapping his finger against his champagne glass. Mr Abraham was one of the company’s board members. Attractive with his tan skin and dark hair. He w
as exotic. A man well travelled and with more connections than most. A man Ally would never go against.

  Ally smiled her trademark tantalising grin. Fake and completely forced. “Mr Abraham, it’s good to see you. I apologise for my lack of appearances lately. I hear the board is as strong as ever. No doubt that’s all because of you,” she honeyed.

  Mr Abraham’s dark brown eyes glimmered. And Ally could have gagged. Men like him were the same. Fed off on arrogance and compliments. Pissing contest was always their favourite sport. It was better to flirt than to be on their disliked side. Men like Mr Abraham were men she wouldn’t misbehaviour for—no matter the cost.

  “As sweet as always. Mr Duncan, I see you’re flourishing in Mr O’Connor’s role here in Melbourne.”

  Adam tensed next to her. To reassure him, Ally let her hand rest on his arm and gently squeezed. Mr Abraham’s eyes darted to their connection. If he thought there was interest between them, Ally appreciated it. The rich board member had attempted several times to gain her attention.

  “He’s done wonderful,” Ally commented in a sweet and proud voice.

  Adam’s hand covered hers. He knew how to pretend as she did. “It’s only temporary until Ally’s brother comes back. His tour should help expand O’Connor Investments into Europe.”

  “Oh, so he is in Europe,” Mr Abraham said, sounding surprised.

  Ally nodded, prepared for the next lie to flow out of her mouth. “Yes. I got a call from him from Croatia. He thinks Zagreb is an excellent city in which to invest.”

  Fortunately, she had remembered Serge had cousins who recently moved to Zagreb. A fact that came in handy.

  “Mr Duncan, why don’t you get Miss O’Connor another glass? It looks like she’s let her champagne go flat,” Mr Abraham pointed out.

  Ally glanced down to see no fizzle to her glass. “No. It’s okay. Adam, you don’t—”

  “No, I’ll go get one for you.” Adam was gone before she had even completely finished her sentence, leaving Ally alone with the frightening board member.

  Mr Abraham stepped closer, staring down at her. Ally’s breathing heaved as she searched the ballroom of The Dome for an escape.