by Rachel Burns
Elise couldn’t do it. She admitted to herself that she had a yellow streak in her, which wasn’t helping her but harming her.
She’d been too scared to tell Ashton why she was mad at her, too curious to see what could happen to tell Derrick who she really was. And now she was letting her father walk into an open blade. She should warn him, but she couldn’t, because that meant admitting her crimes.
She still had a lot of growing up to do.
Her father parked in his spot. It was the one directly next to the elevator door in the underground parking lot.
Ashton’s car would park next to his in a moment. She was having a little trouble getting out of the door this morning. She’d spent the weekend talking their ears off about how great her date, Fletcher, had been.
Their father was pleased because he came from a good family with a good reputation. Elise was pleased because no one paid attention to her. She feared they would sense that there was something different about her.
Marshall didn’t get out of his car like he usually did. Instead, he looked over at Elise. “Ashton pulled me aside for a talk yesterday. She said she’s worried about you.”
“About me? Really?” Elise tried to sound normal.
“She said you seem to be depressed.”
“I’m fine, Daddy. You don’t have to worry about me.”
“We have a date in February, right?”
“Yes, we do. I hope I’ll have learned enough here, so I can go to school in September.” Elise studied his face, looking for a sign. Would he look worried?
“I’m glad to hear that.” He looked thrilled. That must mean the company was doing better. She was looking forward to leaving. It was a shame she couldn’t leave right now.
Elise jumped up when Ashton came in. “Good morning.”
Ashton stopped dead in her tracks. “Good morning, Elise.” Ashton gave her little sister a brilliant smile.
Elise was still deciding what to say about what happened this weekend when a man came in with a bunch of flowers. “Ashton Montfort,” he called out.
“That’s me.” Ashton was thrilled that Fletcher had sent her flowers. The bouquet was huge. “How will I get them to fit on my desk?” she asked Elise.
Elise was worried they were from Derrick. “We could put them by the window,” she suggested, hoping no one would notice that she was frightened all the way to her bones. Her heart was pounding against her chest, and her hands were shaking.
“Would you be so kind, Elise? I want to read the card.” Ashton plucked the card out of the flowers and started to read it.
“He misses me,” she sighed hugging the card to her chest.
Elise picked up the vase filled with tall flowers and carried it into Ashton’s office. “How did he sign it?” she asked, still worried that they were from Derrick.
“He wrote: ‘With all of my love. Fletcher.’ Isn’t that romantic?”
Elise sighed relieved. “It sure is. I’m so happy you found someone who loves you back.”
“One day you’ll find a man like Fletcher too. I know you will. Just wait until after college. I want what is best for you.”
“I’m going to college in September. I need a break from this place. I guess I don’t feel I’m old enough to work here. Can you understand that?”
Ashton lovingly took hold of Elise’s arms. “Yes, I do. The idea to work here for a year was a sound one, but you had to give up too much. I’m glad you’re going in September. I’ll miss seeing you here every day, but you have to look out for number one. That’s you. Did Dad talk to you?”
“Yes, everyone thinks I’m depressed.” Tears filled Elise’s eyes. “I just want to –” Elise wasn’t sure what she wanted. At the moment, she was concentrating on what she didn’t want. She didn’t want what happened on Friday night to come back and kick her in the ass.
“You should go skiing with your friends. It would do you a world of good. You haven’t missed a day of work since you started here. Dad owes you vacation days anyway. If you want, I’ll pay for the trip. Let me give it to you as one of your a Christmas presents.” Ashton studied her little sister’s face, looking for a sign of what could help her be happy again.
Elise saw that Ashton truly wanted to help her, but she couldn’t accept. If Ashton knew what Elise had done in Ashton’s name, she would loathe her. “I don’t feel like going anyway. But thank you for the offer.”
“Anytime. If you ever need anything, I want you to know you can come to me.”
“I love you, Ashton.”
“I love you too.”
Elise turned slightly away. She didn’t deserve Ashton’s love. “I’ll go see where I can help out.”
“Could you go over to the studio? I’d like to have someone from the company there, watching over things.” Ashton figured it would be a good distraction. Elise could sit around all day and concentrate on herself. “You can take my car.”
“The bus is fine,” Elise countered. “I wouldn’t know where to park anyway.”
Elise didn’t turn around and leave like she should. She feared Derrick would show up and want to talk to Ashton. He would say something, and the truth would come out. Maybe it was better if she weren’t here.
Elise wanted nothing more than to run away from her problems.
Elise had a good day helping out. Everyone was very nice to her. She gave helpful tips, and they finished filming on time.
She had once again helped her father, which gave her a good feeling about herself. It had been the perfect distraction.
Elise was filled with dread as she made her way back to the office. The time on the bus gave her time to reflect. She would explain to Ashton that she was in love with Mr. Davis: Derrick, as he’d asked her to call him.
It was so hard not to remember their night together. Every touch had been precious. He made her feel so good about herself, and he’d given her pleasure beyond compare.
Still, a dark cloud hung over their evening together. It had all been a lie.
Derrick went down to the lobby. A woman was there with a flower-stand. He passed by it every day without looking at it, but today he was glad it was there. “I’d like a dozen roses, please,” he told the woman.
“What color would you like?” she asked.
“Red.”
“I understand. They’re for an important lady, right?
Derrick grinned as he nodded. Ashton was very important to him.
“Should I add some greens and baby’s breath to dress them up a little?” the florist asked him.
“Yes, thank you.”
Derrick watched her preparing the flowers. While he watched, he pictured Ashton’s face. He hadn’t been able to talk to her all day, and he hadn’t been able to get hold of her this weekend. She’d left without saying a word. He needed to show her it hadn’t been a mistake. Whatever regrets she may have, he would kiss them away.
Derrick paid for the flowers and went back to the elevators. He feared he would miss her. He needed her to know she hadn’t been a one-night-stand for him.
A few people looked at him with the flowers and grinned. Derrick figured everyone would know about Ashton and him being a pair by tomorrow, which was fine with him. He certainly wasn’t ashamed of her.
As luck would have it, she was still in her office. “Good evening, Ashton. I was wondering if you have time to get a cup of coffee with me?” He hoped getting a cup of coffee meant what it had on Friday night.
Ashton looked up at Mr. Davis. “I already have plans for this evening.” She noticed the flowers and wondered what he was up to.
“Oh.” Derrick let that run through his head. She’d left in the morning before he woke up. Had something gone wrong?
“What about tomorrow evening?” he asked.
“Is this business related?” She was eyeing the flowers in his hands wearily. It was clear that he was attracted to her physically, but otherwise, they didn’t get along, and they never would.
“Of c
ourse not.” Her question surprised him. After what they had shared, nothing would ever be business related.
“Then I guess I have to inform you that I’m seeing someone.” Ashton looked over at the flowers she’d gotten from Fletcher. She’d even had her father come down to her office to admire them. Marshall was overjoyed that she’d found such a nice young man, especially because he lived in Boston, which meant that Ashton wouldn’t be moving away.
Elise arrived in time to hear what Ashton said. Everything was coming out now. She was going to be in so much trouble.
“Are you playing some sort of game with me?” Derrick asked.
“No. Why would I?” Ashton couldn’t believe his nerve.
“Since when have you been seeing this guy?” Derrick felt he had a right to know.
“Since this weekend, but it is very serious. Our families have been friends for years. He’s the perfect match for someone like me.”
Someone like her, he repeated the words in his head. He wasn’t up to her standard. “So what was I to you. Did you just want to gain some experience with me?”
“What I do is none of your business.” Ashton was thinking about calling security. There had been five messages from him on her phone. He had been upset that she had left without saying goodbye to him. Why would she have sought him out after the Christmas party to say goodbye to him? He was weird.
Elise stepped forward. She wanted to apologize, but Derrick spoke before she could say anything. “I obviously served my purpose.”
He turned around and saw the kid standing behind him. He thrust the flowers at her. “Watch out that you don’t turn out like your big sister.” He stormed away.
Elise couldn’t believe it. It hadn’t come out. She felt so relieved that she smiled at Ashton wholeheartedly, thinking her guardian angel had somehow saved her. She felt sorry for Derrick, but it was a secondary feeling. Relief was foremost in her mind.
Ashton was shaking her head. “That’s it. I’m calling Dad. He has to fire him. That conversation didn’t even make sense.”
“I know, but he’s in love with you? You can’t do that to him. Let him lick his wounds in peace.” Elise’s heart went out to him.
She shouldn’t have done what she did, but she was relieved that she’d gotten away with it.
After all, no one had been harmed. They had simply shared a night of passion, one that unfortunately couldn’t be repeated.
Derrick went to his office and closed the door behind him. She had used him, and he had fallen for it. That whole innocent thing had been an act. She just needed experience for some other guy. Was there no level that woman wouldn’t stoop to?
He pulled himself together. There was no way he could stay working here. Once Ashton took over, it would feel like he’d sold his soul. He needed to send out resumes and do interviews for another job.
Derrick went home to his apartment and started to search the net for a new job.
Around midnight, he rubbed his hand over his face. He was tired, and he felt so foolish.
He had to admit that she was a great actress. When she said she loved him, he’d believed her.
Chapter 13 – A Little Spy
Elise finished her month in Ashton’s department and moved on to Human Resources. It was the perfect place for her to sit and hide from everyone else. She rarely saw Derrick. When she did, he scowled at her. He still couldn’t tell them apart.
Elise had time to daydream while she worked. She often dreamed of living with him in his apartment. She could make coffee for him, and then at night they would make love. In her daydreams he knew who she was. He would say ‘I love you, Elise’ before he fell asleep. He didn’t care about Ashton in the least, and he only had eyes for her.
She got to sit in when people were doing interviews to hire someone new. The Manager of the department thought it would be a good experience for Elise in case she ever wanted to get a job elsewhere.
That had been clear. If the company wasn’t able to make it through their crisis, it would be good if Elise had that skill to fall back on. Her father had probably suggested it.
It was easy work on some days and overwhelming work on other days.
Elise told her father the department seemed to be understaffed. He promised to look into it.
Marshall liked that he had a little spy going from department to department, telling him how things really were. He trusted his daughter, and people were relaxed with Elise. He was getting valuable information from her every Friday afternoon.
“I’m running out of departments to send you to,” Marshall confessed one Friday afternoon on the drive home. “Is there one you would like to stay in for the rest of your time here?”
“I’d like to work in Public Relations. That way I could write a little.”
“Has working here made you want to go back to being a Journalist?” Marshall asked. He still firmly believed that his daughters should do a job that made them happy. If that wasn’t at his company, he’d be happy for them anyway and help hem in every way he could.
“Daddy, if the company needs me, I’ll work here. That’s not a problem.”
“It’s almost February. Should we have our talk now?”
“That’s okay. But I can tell you now I do want to go to college if that’s still possible. If it isn’t, I’ll understand.”
“Of course, it’s still possible.” Marshall thought that was an odd thing for her to say, but they had to hurry home. Fletcher was coming to dinner this evening. Ashton had warned them to be nice to him repeatedly. She wanted them to make a good impression.
Marshall wasn’t worried about being impressed by Fletcher. Ashton wanted him, and that was all that mattered.
At first, Elise was pleased when her period didn’t come on time. She hated getting one, but when it still hadn’t come a week later, she started to worry. She didn’t know what to do.
It could be a false alarm, or it could mean she was going to have a baby. Still, that couldn’t be. They had only done it twice, and it had been her first time. The chances were so slim.
Nevertheless, Elise couldn’t think about anything else. A baby would mean her life was over.
This never would have happened if she hadn’t been selfish. Okay she’d been selfish that one night. Still, the punishment was too great for the crime she committed. This would mean she would suffer for her mistake for the rest of her life.
Chapter 14 – No College
Valentine’s Day fell on a Friday. Elise was not only scheduled to have a talk with her father, but he also told her this would be the day for their big talk.
Elise was watching the clock for when it was time to go up to her father’s office. She feared they would have a fight.
In the meantime, she knew she was pregnant. That meant college was out of the question.
Elise had taken one of those tests that you do at home alone in the bathroom. She had then gone to a park and thrown the stick and package away in a garbage can there, so no one would know the truth.
However, today she would tell her father the truth. She couldn’t go to college in September because she would be taking care of a newborn baby.
She still didn’t know what she should say when he asked her about the baby’s father. He wouldn’t understand, and Derrick would get into trouble. Her father might fire him.
She wouldn’t tell him the truth about Derrick. It hadn’t been Derrick’s fault.
Elise pushed her chair back. She hadn’t been very productive today. She hoped that wouldn’t get back to her father.
Elise walked past desk with flowers on them and saw boxes of chocolates and wrapped gifts along the way. Everyone was celebrating this day for lovers.
She got into the elevator and took it up to the top floor. Along the way Derrick got in. He looked at her for a moment, and then he looked away from her.
She sensed disgust. He hated her because she looked like Ashton.
He would hate her for her if he knew the truth.
Derrick got out of the elevator without glancing her way. She’d hurt herself so much with her actions that night. It had ruined any chance that she may have had at being his girlfriend.
She got out at the top floor and smiled at Mrs. Linus. “May I go in?”
“Sure, sweetheart. He cleared his calendar, so he can talk to you.” Mrs. Linus gave Elise a beautiful smile. She thought highly of the younger Montfort daughter. Elise was such a gentle and well-mannered child.
Elise knocked on the door and then went in.
Marshall jumped to his feet and held his arms out wide to Elise, remembering her running into them almost half a year ago.
Elise went to him and carefully wrapped her arms around him. “Hello, Daddy.” She saw several college catalogs on his desk. It was clear they could afford college now.
She’d blown it. No one had put any rocks in her path this time. She was stumbling over rocks she’d placed in front of herself. This was entirely her fault. She couldn’t point fingers at anyone else this time.
“Hello, Baby. Today is the big day. Which colleges do you want to apply for? I suggest you reapply to the ones, which accepted you last year and remind them that they wanted you then. Let them know you obtained work experience. You have to sell yourself well. Use all that practice you gained in Human Resources.”
“Daddy, I need you to stop. I changed my mind about college. I’m not going.” It took all of Elise’s strength to hold her face in check, so she wouldn’t cry.
Marshall sank down into his chair with his jaw dropped. “But you said you wanted to go?” He was too disappointed to hide it.
“I don’t see any reason in it. I love what I’m doing now. I have my own little office, and I’m doing lots of writing. Are you mad at me?”
“I’ll admit I don’t understand. Whatever job you want will be right here waiting for you when you get out of college. Ashton got to pick which position she wanted, and so do you.”
