by Rachel Burns
“Elise, we’re counting on you.”
“It seems like people are constantly counting on me. I can’t please everyone, and I’m so tired of trying.”
“That bad?” Laura asked.
“Worse, so much worse. The idea of working a year before college was a sound one, but everyone is leaning on me. I’m afraid they won’t let me go when September comes. I’m exhausted. This evening is the Christmas party, and my dad wants me to oversee everything. That means while everyone else is having fun I will still be working. Thankfully, tomorrow is Saturday. I can hardly wait. I plan on sleeping in all day.”
“I’m so sorry things aren’t working out for you.” Laura felt lucky to be moved out of home and into her own apartment.
“Me too.”
“Are there at least any hot guys there, so you can at least have some decent daydreams?”
“Yes, there are. One in particular is especially hot. The thing is they’re all older than me. They see me as a kid. It’s so annoying. I’m sorry I dumped my problems on you. I didn’t mean to do that. I feel better already. I’ll I needed was a chance to gripe a little. Have a great time, Laura.”
“Merry Christmas to you too, Elise. I’ll be thinking about you. Bye.”
“Bye.” Elise laid her phone on the desk and pounded her head into the back of the soft chair.
The door flew open and Mr. Davis stormed in. “Ashton, you haven’t canceled that contract yet. They called, wanting to know when they’ll get the signed papers from you.”
“I’ll call them right away.” Elise was surprised he thought she was Ashton. She looked up the number on the contract and called them while he stood over her watching. She had been watching Ashton for a couple of weeks now, so she knew how Ashton handled these things.
“Hello, here is Ms. Montfort. I’m calling to inform you that after careful consideration we have decided to decline the contract for the supplies. We have decided to go with another company. Thank you for placing an offer. We’ll consider you for our next project.” Elise was pretending to be Ashton, and it was working.
She answered questions and cordially hung up.
“Good. I hate having to be your babysitter, Ashton. When are you going to grow up, so I can do the real job I was hired for?”
Elise didn’t know what to say, but the sexual aggression he felt for her sister was overpowering her. She wanted to confess what she felt for him, but she knew he wouldn’t consider her. “Are you going to the Christmas party this evening?” she asked.
“Of course, I am.” Why was she asking him stupid questions?
“I’ll see you there.” This way the Mr. Davis was shoved back to Ashton.
Derrick was stunned. Was she trying to set up a date with him?
“Yes, I’ll see you there. Perhaps we can have a drink and toast the fact that you haven’t completely run the company into the ground.” He wanted to confirm the date, but he also wanted save face in case she was about to say something mean.
“That would be lovely.” Elise spoke as rudely as she could, exactly as Ashton would have done it.
Derrick didn’t know if he wanted to spank her or kiss her. His blood was on fire as he looked at her.
“Now if you’ll excuse me, I need to change for the party. Goodbye, Mr. Davis.”
“Goodbye, Miss Montfort.” Derrick turned away from her and left. There was simply something about her the raised the temperature and flow of his blood. She was a woman capable of getting and keeping a man’s attention.
He decided he would take time and talk to her at the party. A social setting was all they needed to get to know each other better.
Perhaps, they could even bury the hatchet.
Chapter 8 – The Christmas Party
Ashton was pleased to see Elise changed and ready for the party. “I told Dad I would bring you home after the party, but I can’t. I have a date. He’s going to pick me up at eleven. You need to get a ride home with Dad. Is that okay?”
“Sure. Don’t worry about me, Ashton.”
“Sadly, you’re the thing I worry the most about. You aren’t happy here, are you?”
“Laura just called me. The girls are going on a skiing trip for a week after Christmas. I had to say I didn’t have time.”
“Should I talk to Dad about giving you the week off? He’ll say yes. You don’t have to worry about that.”
“No, it’s too expensive.”
“Expensive? Elise we’re rich. Dad has a sheer endless supply of money. He can’t guess what you want, tell him. He’ll give it to you as a Christmas present.”
“I don’t want to take advantage of him.”
“I wish you weren’t like this.” Ashton was almost finished changing. She admired herself in the mirror. “It’s like you’re depressed. I wish you were happy like you were a year ago.”
“A lot has changed in that time. If you’ll excuse me, I have to get back to work.” Elise walked to the door.
“Elise, it’s a party. We’re supposed to have fun.” Ashton stopped Elise, turning her back to face her.
Elise shook her head. “Dad asked me to oversee the evening. I guess I won’t be dancing and eating.” Elise turned away from Ashton. It sickened her how little Ashton understood about the company’s finances. Or was it that she simply didn’t care?
“College would be so much better for you than this.” Ashton couldn’t resist mentioning something. Elise needed to go to school before it was too late. College wasn’t something anyone should put off.
“I know.” Elise hated Ashton in that moment. She slipped out of the door and closed it behind herself. Could she honestly be that stupid? How could Ashton not realize that Elise was here because of her?
Elise looked down at her feet as she walked, hoping no one would see the tears building in her eyes. Life was so unfair.
She turned the corner and bumped into someone.
Derrick reached out to steady Elise. “You have to watch where you’re going, kid.” He let go of her and walked on.
‘Kid?’ She was only a kid to him. He wasn’t interested in someone like her. He wanted Ashton, despite the fact that they didn’t get along.
Elise went to work overseeing everything.
At first, people looked at her like she was crazy. They didn’t feel she had a right to tell anyone what to do. However, when problems started to arise, they were glad to have someone who they could turn to.
Marshall saw Elise moving among the guests and taking care of things with the help. She was good at this sort of thing. Perhaps he should have insisted that Ashton start at the bottom and work her way up too. Everyone knew Elise and liked her.
Ashton wasn’t popular among her co-workers. She had expected and received a position as head of the department that interested her as soon as she got out of college.
Perhaps, it would have been better for Ashton to deliver people their mail for a couple of months.
If he had required that of Ashton, she wouldn’t have worked for him. She wasn’t willing to do whatever it took to get where she wanted to be. She wanted her life served to her on a silver platter.
Marshall had to ask himself what had made Elise turn out the way she had. Both girls had been given the same upbringing. It could only be the loss of her mother that had made Elise the way she was.
He missed his wife so much.
Secretly, he hoped the girls would never move out.
Elise picked up a tray of dirty champagne glasses. She had fought against champagne, but she was told that people looked forward to it. Most would never drink it elsewhere.
Most weren’t drinking it here either, she thought. The glasses were set down half empty. Some only had a sip missing. Elise shook her head and cleaned up after the happy dancing people. Tonight she would be having a good cry before she went to sleep.
What if they could never afford college, and she got stuck doing this all of her life?
When Ashton came in and went to her fath
er’s side, Elise had a feeling like she was going to throw up. A riff was building between the two girls and getting wider by the second as Elise watched Ashton enjoying her champagne and talking gaily while Elise played waitress.
Mr. Davis set his empty glass on her tray. He didn’t even look at her.
Why did she have such strong feelings for him when they would never be returned?
Elise excused herself and took a moment to go to the bathroom to look at herself in the mirror. She was scolding herself. Some people lived on the streets with nothing to eat. She was much better off than they were. Other people were seriously sick, like her mother had been.
Elise had it good. She had no right to feel this way.
Elise went back to the party and watched the others having fun while she waited on them. Mostly she watched Ashton. She looked so happy and in control of her life, like she didn’t have a care in the world. Elise wished she could be like that too.
Chapter 9 – Confessions
Ashton grabbed onto Elise’s arm. “I have to get ready for my date now. Come with me.”
“I have to help out here,” Elise protested.
“You can come back later.” Ashton wrapped her arm around Elise. “I think I may be in love.” Ashton confided into Elise’s ear as they walked away with their arms linked together. “Wait until you see him. He’s going to pick me up on the roof in his helicopter. You did tell dad that he has to drive you home, right?”
Elise hadn’t gotten a chance to talk to him yet. She nodded anyway. She would ignore whatever had to be done and whisper into his ear that she needed a ride home. He never stayed at these parties long, claiming he was too old for parties.
Ashton changed into another outfit. She thrust her fancy party dress at Elise. “Be a dear and hang that up for me, please.”
Elise carefully hung up the expensive dress. “Do you think I will ever have an expensive dress like this one?”
The dress was a vibrant orange, pink and red. The thick stripes went from the shoulder down to the seam of the dress. Ashton had looked so alive in the dress – so full of energy.
“Do you want to try it on?” Ashton asked as she slipped into a pair of jeans.
“Yes, but I need to get back. Dad is depending on me.”
“We’re paying a staff of people to look after everyone. They will manage without you for a moment.”
“That’s okay. Dad asked me personally if I would help out.”
“Come on. It will be fun. Besides, I want to know what size you are, so I can get you a Christmas present.”
“Ashton, I wanted to talk to you about that. Our family has everything it could possibly ever need. To buy more would be very decadent. I was thinking we wouldn’t do gifts this year.”
“Nonsense. I already bought almost everything, anyway.”
“I don’t have anything to give anyone,” Elise admitted. She had insisted that her father shouldn’t pay her and she refused to receive an allowance like a child.
“We don’t need gifts from you. We want to give you things. I’d kill to see you smile again. You never do lately. You’re too serious. I want you to give me a heartfelt smile for Christmas. That would mean the most to me.”
Elise shrugged. “That I could afford.” Still, she wasn’t sure if she could manage it.
“Do you need money?” Ashton asked. She had no idea what arrangement Elise and their father had.
“No, I’m fine.” Elise tried to hide the pain she felt in her heart.
“Will you try on the dress for me, please? Maybe you could smile at me now?” Ashton was considering canceling her plans so she could spend time with Elise. Ashton was worried about her. It pained her heart to see Elise frowning all the time.
Elise removed the dress from the hanger and changed into it. When she stood in front of Ashton’s mirror, she noticed her chin lifting up and her back straightening. She felt confident like Ashton always did.
“It fits you perfectly. We’re the same size. I can sort of understand why so many people confuse us.” Ashton adjusted the dress, so it fell immaculately over Elise’s body. “You look older.”
“I guess clothes really do make a woman.”
“Is my little activist sister finally starting to get materialistic? I’m so proud.” Ashton checked the time. “I have to go. Wish me luck on my date.”
“Good luck, Ashton.”
Ashton rushed out of the room.
Elise traded shoes with Ashton’s. Now the outfit was perfect. Only the hair was different. She was brushing through her hair when she heard a knock at the door.
“Come in,” she called out, figuring that it was her father.
“Ashton, we wanted to make a toast.” Mr. Davis handed her a glass of champagne. He was smiling at her.
“Mr. Davis,” she said surprised.
“I’d like you to call me Derrick.”
“Derrick,” she repeated.
He liked the sound of his name coming from her lips. “To Montfort Industries,” he toasted.
“To Montfort Industries,” Elise repeated. She took a little sip and set the glass down on Ashton’s desk.
Derrick felt so drawn to this annoying terrible person. “What are you going to do after the party?” he asked.
Would she consider getting a cup of coffee with him? Dare he ask?
“I wanted to go to bed.”
“Alone?” Derrick was picturing her in his bed as he teased her. He stepped closer to her, wanting to kiss her. His hand gently took hold of her hip.
“I always sleep alone.”
Derrick stopped and smiled at her. “Always?”
Elise nodded. She stepped away from him and looked out of the window. The city was lit up for the evening. Every evening looked like Christmas in the city. She felt it looked beautiful.
“I wasn’t trying to upset you. I just thought for a moment that you felt something for me too.”
Elise turned and looked at him. “You like me?”
She closed her eyes and looked away. She already knew that he liked Ashton. He thought that she was Ashton. He didn’t really like her.
“I must have had too much to drink. I can’t believe I admitted that aloud.”
Elise snorted a little. If she had noticed it, Ashton would have too. It was most likely a secret that everyone knew about.
The employees here liked to gossip about everything and everyone.
“I can see you aren’t surprised. Forgive me. I’ve made a fool out of myself. How cliché to do so at the company’s Christmas party.”
He was turning to leave. “I get a funny feeling when I see you too,” Elise admitted. She decided she would tell him how she felt about him and admit she wasn’t Ashton. That would take away his embarrassment and make him feel better.
“You do?” He turned back and looked at her.
“Yes, right from the start. Well, maybe not the start. You really laid into me that day, but after that –” She let her voice drift off.
“I don’t believe it.” Derrick had a huge grin on his face.
His face was soft and kind looking. His eyes were dancing with joy.
I’m not Ashton. Elise repeated again and again in her mind, but she didn’t say the words aloud.
Derrick walked over to her and looked into her eyes. She looked meek and sensitive. The hard shell had been cracked and broken away.
He tenderly took hold of her head and tilted it back. His lips lowered down over hers. Kissing her soft lips felt like coming home. He had yearned for this a long time.
Elise reached up to him and shyly laid her hands on his shoulders. Her eyes closed, and she purred a little.
“Ashton, I want you so badly. I want to take you home with me and make love to you all night.”
Elise pushed away from him. “That won’t be possible.”
“I’m sorry, Ashton. I was being too pushy. I came in here to ask you if you wanted to get a cup of coffee after the party.”
“I have to get back to the party before I’m missed.” Elise stepped towards the door. Then she realized she was still wearing Ashton’s dress. She had to get rid of Mr. Davis and change back into her own things.
“After your father left, almost everyone else left too.”
“My father left already?” Elise didn’t know what to do now.
“Yes, you missed his speech. He thanked everyone for the work they did this year and hoped that we would be stronger next year.”
“Yes, that would be nice.” If they did better, she could go on with her life.
Derrick bit his tongue not to say that she could do her part by not investing in odd projects.
Elise had to somehow find a way home. She needed to call her dad, so he could come back for her. “I’ll see you on Monday, Mr. Davis.”
“You’re so hot and then ice cold. It’s hard to keep up.”
“I’m not trying to lead you on. I have to leave now.”
“I could walk you to your car,” he suggested.
“That won’t be necessary.” Elise hoped she sounded like Ashton.
Elise’s car was parked at home in the garage. She only used it on Saturdays or Sundays when she needed to go shopping for personal items.
“Are you all right? I didn’t mean to upset you.”
“I still have some work I need to finish before I go home for the weekend.” She needed to get to her phone and call her Dad. He didn’t like to drive at night anymore.
“Why do I get the feeling that as soon as I turn around, you’re going to cry?”
“I don’t know.” Elise looked into his eyes. He was actually looking at her for once, noticing her. That felt – different. She had to ask herself what he saw when he looked at her. The word kid was resounding in her mind.
“I’m going to kiss you again. I want to see what will happen.”
Elise nodded at him. Her hand reached out and took hold of his elbow. She felt weak in the knees.
Derrick wrapped his arm around her waist and pulled her closer, so her body was pressing against his. He leaned in and kissed her, taking his time.
