“What did Weston do?”
“It’s a long story with a crappy ending. No one wants to hear it.” She drank the rest of her wine then poured more into the glass from the bottle she’d brought to bed with her. “I could use a real bar in this place. Dad only stocked it with wines.”
“I could come over and bring you something,” Brittany offered. “We could talk. You sound like you need a friend right now.”
Aullie looked at the ceiling. The ornate ceiling that topped ornate walls, decorated with things that cost tons of money. She was lying under expensive sheets and blankets. Her head rested on expensive pillows. Much the same as she had experienced at Weston’s mansion.
She closed her eyes. “Not tonight. I’m too weepy. Terrible company. I wouldn’t force myself on anyone I care about right now. I’m more than a mess.”
“At least tell me you think you’ll live through this,” Britt said with a light laugh.
“The way my heart hurts, it’s iffy,” she said and really meant it.
“That bad, huh?”
“Worse,” she replied. “Has anyone ever literally died from a broken heart?”
“No,” Britt told her. “Well, I don’t think so. There was that one couple. But they were really old and had spent something like ninety years together. But no one could prove the last one went only thirty minutes later, from a broken heart.”
“So, it could happen is what you’re saying.” Aullie took another long drink of the wine. “Great!”
“No, Aullie. You should really let me come over. You sound half drunk and half insane.”
An odd laugh burst from her mouth. “Insane? Yes, that’s exactly what I feel like. A real nut! I’ll talk to you tomorrow after I go to meet my new mommy and talk about decorating my new baby sister’s nursery.”
“A new mom and baby sis, huh? Oh my! You’ve got a lot to let sink in.”
“Yes, I do. This would’ve been hard with Weston in my corner. With him out of my life, this is nearly unbearable.” She finished the glass of wine and snuggled down in the bed. “Bye, I’m going to cry myself to sleep now, hopefully.”
“How sad,” Brittany said. “I love you.”
“I love you too, Britt. You’re a good friend.” Aullie hung up and stared at the ceiling until sleep found her, some three hours or so later.
When the sound of people talking, out in the hallway, woke her up, she opened her eyes to find the sun was shining through one of the windows that was curtained by a sheer olive colored panel. Her eyes hurt and so did her body.
She groaned as she got out of bed. Her silk nightgown was twisted all around her body and she pulled at it to get it straight.
Hushed voices were heard in the hallway. “Find the cat.”
She shook her head and went to the door to see what they were talking about. “If her cat is gone, she’ll be so upset,” came a woman’s voice.
Throwing the bedroom door open, Aullie asked, “Is my cat missing?”
One man, dressed in a black suit, the butler she guessed, gave her a blank face. One woman in a black maid’s outfit gave her the same face. It was the older woman, wearing a light blue set of what looked to her like something a chef would wear, opened her mouth, “Missing?”
“I heard you saying a cat was missing. Are you talking about my cat?” Aullie asked the woman.
“Well, yes and no. I’m sure it’s just hiding in the house,” the lady told her.
“But the door to the hall was open,” the butler said. “He’d have to get on the elevator and go down to the ground floor and get out of the lobby to really be lost.”
Aulora felt her legs going weak. “Not another terrible day!” she wailed.
The woman she thought must work in the kitchen, came to her, running her arm around her and taking her back into her room. “You don’t worry about a thing. That cat is fine. I’ve worked in this building before. I’ll talk to the building manager and get them to check surveillance footage. I don’t want you to do anything but take a nice hot bath, relax, and let us take care of things. That’s what we get paid for. On top of that, I’m going to make a member of the staff the cat’s personal caretaker.”
Aullie started crying, yet again. “But that’s my job! He’s my cat. His name is Bruce. Please find him!”
With all her noise, the cat seemed to have heard her and came running into her bedroom. “There he is!” the lady said with enthusiasm.
Aullie fell to her knees then sat on the floor and held her cat, muttering, “Bruce, my only friend. Don’t leave me.”
The woman crouched down and took her by the chin. “Aulora, my name is Laura. I’m your head chef. I have a list of your favorite breakfasts that your mother gave the kitchen staff. But I’d like to get to know you. Now, how about a nice bowl of comforting oatmeal with maybe a half of a strawberry and a little bit of blueberries? And maybe a nice smooth glass of almond coconut milk and some homemade wheat bread with a nice honey butter spread?”
“Laura?” she asked. “That’s what I used to get called a lot when I was younger. People didn’t know how to say my name.”
“How silly they were. Your name is spelled perfectly. I love your name. I hope you’ll allow me to call you by it. I should’ve asked you first. Would you rather be called, Miss Wohrl?”
“No, call me Aulora. Or Aullie.”
The older woman ran a hand through her hair. “I really like your given name. Can I call you that?”
“Sure,” she said. “If you’d like. I’m not a spoiled brat like most rich people. I was rich then I wasn’t. Suddenly, I am again. My head is spinning, as you can imagine. I don’t expect you to bow when I enter the room.”
Laura laughed and sighed. “Oh, but some do, right?”
Aullie found herself giggling. “I know!”
With the comfort of her gray kitty and what seemed like a new friend, Aullie was feeling a little bit better than she had been feeling. Her new home was gorgeous. The staff seemed nice. Maybe, just maybe, she could adapt to the life she once had. She had been rich much longer than she’d been poor after all.
“If you don’t mind me saying, I think you’re dealing with this much better than I would at your age,” Laura said as she scratched behind the cat’s ears.
“And you are how old,” Aullie asked. “I know it’s rude but I’m having a terrible time gauging it.”
“I’m forty-nine. I’ve had two husbands, three kids, and more than a few pets in my time. And I took this gig on when I was told you were only twenty-two and an artist. I love art. I always have. Being a chef is kind of like art when you think about it.”
“Oh, I know!” Aullie was finding some excitement moving through her. “Do you like to make your food look neat, pretty, cool?”
“I do!” Laura said, sharing her excitement. “I knew you and I would make a great team.”
“Oh yeah?” Aullie asked.
“I sure did,” Laura quipped then got up. “Breakfast then perhaps you could hang out with me for a bit and we could talk about what you really like and dislike and I’d love it if you’d show me your work. I want to cook to inspire you. I heard you have your work in a gallery. You have no idea how much fulfillment I’ll get at knowing I get to cook for an artist! It’s like winning the lottery for me!”
Aulora looked up at the woman. She had long blonde hair, wrapped into a tidy bun. Her blue eyes had a sparkle to them. She was fit and trim, the perfect amount of healthy weight on her medium frame. And her smile was infectious.
“I’m glad you’re happy about this position.”
“I was out of work for the last year. I went into the hospital with a blood clot in my left leg and the damn thing moved. It moved up to where my heart is. By a miracle, it was blown apart and ended up in tiny pieces in my right lung. I was in the hospital for two weeks. In ICU! The doctors and nurses told me I could’ve died. When I got the call about the job, I felt a slight jolt. I knew I should accept it. And now that I’ve met
you, I’m damn glad that I did, Aulora.”
“Were you afraid when you found out you had the blood clot?” Aullie asked with sincere worry.
“I was. But I had faith that everything would work out. It did. And I saw my youngest child graduate from college a few months back. Things are going great and I hope I can bring some joy into your life. If you don’t mind me saying, I hate to see you crying so much. If there’s ever a time you want to talk, I’ll be in the kitchen. You come on and talk to me anytime, girl. Consider me your friend. Always.”
“Thank you. That’s very nice of you,” Aullie said then smiled, a genuine smile. “I think you and I will get along well.”
“Me too. See you in the kitchen in a bit.” Laura left her alone in her bedroom. Just her and the cat sat on the floor as Aullie looked around her new bedroom. A room she’d barely seen as her vision was mostly blurred the previous day.
Her cell rang and she got up to see who it was, thinking it was most likely her mother or father. When she saw a number she didn’t recognize she thought twice about answering it then decided to take a chance. “Hello?”
“I have Hayley and I’m bringing her to see you. She’s going to tell you the truth,” Weston told her.
“Whose number is this?”
“The cab driver’s,” he told her. “I was sure you wouldn’t answer my number or Hayley’s.”
“You were right about that. But bringing her here won’t solve a thing. You withheld information. You went off to L.A. with your ex. And I have too much on my plate at the present time to deal with anymore. The timing is bad, Weston.”
“I love you and you love me. That’s all that matters,” he argued.
“And you want to have kids soon and I don’t.”
“I don’t want that anymore. I want to have them whenever you do,” he said, sending a small chill through her.
“I’m not sure I can believe you. On top of that, I have a feeling you aren’t being truthful with yourself.”
“Let me bring her over, so you can see that I haven’t lied about sleeping with Hayley.”
“Please,” she heard Hayley call out in the background.
“I’ll text you the address. I’ll give you thirty minutes. I have a lot to do today, apparently,” Aullie said then ended the call and went to get into the shower.
It was time to stop feeling sorry for herself. The self-pity was weighing heavily on her. She was tired of the weight. Tired of crying. Tired of feeling numb.
And she’d need her wits about her to keep Weston out of her life. He was a wild card she didn’t need.
The ride over to the building Aulora’s new penthouse was in had Weston wondering what the hell could have possibly transpired in the matter of a couple of days that had her living in such a grand manner.
“A waitress lives here?” Hayley asked as they got out of the cab. “Oh, is she someone’s maid too?”
“No. And she quit her job, so she’s not a waitress anymore, either. You don’t need to know what’s going on in her life. You need to tell her you lied and that’s all then you can leave,” he told her as they got on the elevator to go up to the top floor.
“A penthouse on Fifth Avenue,” Hayley mumbled. “Is any of this making sense to you, Weston?”
“No. Maybe Aulora has been hiding some other rich man from me. She was all against money when we first met, yet she’d never explain why that was. Maybe she has an ex who’s rich too. Maybe that’s why she was so against me in the beginning, merely because I’m wealthy.”
The elevator stopped and they stepped off it and went to the door with the number she’d given him. Ringing the doorbell, they were met by a butler. “Welcome to Miss Whorl’s home. May I tell her who is calling?”
“I’m looking for Aulora Greene,” Weston said. “She gave me this address.”
“Yes, this is her home,” the butler said. “And you are?”
“Weston Calloway. She’s expecting me.”
The butler gestured for them to come in and led them to a small sitting room. “Wait here.”
Weston sat down in a comfortable overstuffed leather chair as Hayley looked out the window that overlooked the busy New York street below. “She’s living with someone else,” Hayley said. “She’s moved on from you, Weston. You sure you want to continue to hold out for her?”
“I am.” He gestured for her to take a seat. “Park it. You’re making me more nervous than I already was.”
She took a seat just as Aulora walked into the small room. “Hello,” she said then waited at the door. “Tell me what you have to say then you two can be on your way.”
“Aulora, please…” Weston said but she held up her hand to stop him.
“Save it.” Aulora looked at Hayley. “You have something to say?”
Hayley stood up with a sheepish expression on her gorgeous face. Her violet eyes were brimming with unshed tears. “Aulora, I’m sorry. I was beside myself when Weston turned me down. The truth is this. We shared one kiss at the graveside of our son. He ended it and let me know he wasn’t interested in getting back together with me. He loves you.”
Aulora’s eyes moved to look at Weston who stood up, slowly. “And yet he hid things from me. That’s not what people who love each other do, is it?”
“And what about you?” Weston asked as he came up to her.
“About me?” she asked him with a frown. “What have I kept from you?”
He gestured around to the grandeur of the small room. “A penthouse on Fifth Avenue, peach. How did this happen?”
“I never held out information from you. My father left me and my mother when I was in my teens. I never thought I’d see him again. There was nothing I was hiding. It was merely a thing I didn’t like to talk about. It hurt too much.”
“And you don’t think talking about my dead son would hurt me, Aulora?” he asked her, making her flinch.
Hayley cleared her throat. “Is my part here done? This is beginning to get uncomfortable.”
Weston nodded. “First let her know what I’ve told you about us.”
Hayley looked at Aulora who held her eyes with a solid stare. “Aulora, Weston and I will not be getting together. It doesn’t matter if you take him back or not. He’s assured me that I need to move on. He and I will no longer be talking. I think I’ve pushed him a lot further than I should have. I’m sorry about lying to you. I think I warned you, inadvertently, that I’d probably resort to anything I had to in order to get him back. Bitch move on my part.”
“Yes, it was,” Aullie agreed. “But I suppose I can understand. Thank you for coming clean. It’s appreciated. My heart has already been broken, though. Your apology hasn’t miraculously mended it.”
“I didn’t expect it would. But Weston made me do it anyway. I’ll be going now. Good luck with your future, Aulora. I wasn’t thinking when I lied to you.” Hayley walked out of the room and Aullie watched her go to the front door where the butler was waiting to let her out.
She turned her attention to Weston when he touched her cheek. Heat ran through her with his touch and the tears that sprang into her eyes only served to piss her off.
“Do not touch me,” her voice was low and threatening.
Weston removed his hand and gave her a stern expression. “So, spill it. How did you end up here?”
“My father came back into my life yesterday. He’s married a woman and they’re having a baby girl. My new sister. His wife wants me to be a part of their lives. So, I guess I will be.” Aullie walked over to take a seat and looked out the window with a vacant stare.
“Don’t shut me out,” he told her as he moved into her line of sight.
“I see you shutting everything down. This is your life. If you want to live this way, then do that. If you don’t then don’t. Be who you want to be, Aulora.”
She looked at him then sighed. “I’m lost, West. I’m completely lost.”
“I can see that,” he said then kneeled in front of her an
d took her hands in his. “I’m sorry for keeping so much from you. I didn’t mean to hurt you by doing that but I can see that I did. I was so afraid of telling you everything and you bolting on me.”
“So, you didn’t tell me and I did exactly what you were afraid of anyway,” she said then ran her thumbs over the backs of his hands.
“I’ve missed you,” he whispered then kissed the tops of her hands. “Have you missed me at all?”
Her eyes drooped with sadness. Her voice sounded tired as she said, “I have missed you. My heart has never hurt so damn much, though. I’m through with love, Weston. I want no part of it.”
“But you have it there, inside of your heart. You have love for me there. You can’t tell me you don’t have it for me still.”
With a heavy sigh, she said, “I think it will go away. If I don’t have to see you. I think I could get over you. I’ll never love again if that helps you to understand how devastated I am.”
“Look, I’m not liking the way this is going at all,” he said then stood up. “Your depression is over the top. You’ve found out that I didn’t do anything wrong.”
“You kissed her,” she reminded him.
“One kiss. That’s all. Shit, Aulora! I’ll give you this. You can kiss anyone you want one time too. If that will make things go back to where they were, you get one kiss with anyone you want.”
“You are the only one I want to kiss, West. Only you. But you not only gave her one kiss, you gave her a thought. You actually thought about getting back together with her because you have feelings for her and you want to have a child.”
“Stop that,” he shouted at her, anger filling him suddenly and completely. “You have to stop doing this. I told you I want you and I want to wait as long as you want to. I’m sorry I kept things from you. I’ve ended everything with her. This pity party you have going on is unhealthy, to say the least. Now, get up and argue with me about anything other than that. I can’t change what’s happened. But we can move on from here.”
“And if I don’t agree to?” she asked him.
“You’re forgetting something. Something very important, peach. You’ve made a commitment to me. A verbal commitment. I warned you before I took you. You will not get away from me. I love you.”
Dr. Orgasm (A Holiday Romance Collection Book 2) Page 58
