by Alexa Davis
As we walked down the stairs, Olivia slipped her hand into mine. Now we were truly going public, which felt amazing. Meghan didn’t question anything, but she remained a little way behind us, wrapped up in conversation with Lark about Batman.
Unfortunately, the happiness was zapped from my body as we stepped out into the world to find a flash of cameras pointed our way.
“Oh my God,” I gasped, squeezing her hand gently. “They must have found out where I live. I’m so, so sorry. I didn’t think this would happen.”
I thought she’d let go and run, but she didn’t. Instead she laughed and cocked her head towards me. “I guess that’s what you get for dating a man richer than some small countries, isn’t it?”
I almost leaned down and kissed her for that super sweet answer, but I didn’t want that in the papers. What Olivia and I had was just for us. I’d made some of it public by declaring my love, but I had control of this. I wasn’t going to hand the power back, not a chance in hell.
“Come on, let’s get going. They’ll likely follow us and leave Meghan alone.”
We ran away, giggling like teenagers, and just like I predicted, the photographers followed us. Once we ducked round a corner, though, they seemingly lost interest and went off to harass someone else. Hopefully someone more interesting that would keep their focus for longer.
Chapter Thirty-Six
Olivia
Thursday
I almost skipped into the office; happiness circled through me, and I was practically floating on air. Zack and I were solid now, we officially loved one another. Sure, there was a bit of an awkward moment yesterday where the press caught us together, but it passed rapidly and we ended up having an amazing day. Lark, Drea, Meghan, Zack, and I. We were like this awesome little family.
I even had a discussion with Meghan later on in the evening about Zack taking me out on a date. I wasn’t totally convinced that she understood, but she seemed really pleased about it all the same. She adored Zack and liked having him around.
I didn’t think anything could zap the mood out of me.
“Olivia.” Oh, except that. The booming voice of Mike calling through the office the second I stepped through the door. “Can I speak with you please? I need you to come into my office for a moment.”
Uh oh. This was it. The minute that I forgot to dread. The minute I lost my job for fraternizing with the patients. The one thing that made me happy was also going to be the thing that took my job away from me. It truly was a catch twenty-two.
“Erm, of course.” I shot Tess a desperate look, but she could only give me a shrug back. She didn’t seem to know anything, either. “Yes. Sure, I’ll come right now.”
My knees knocked together as I followed Mike, and the room was filled with such a deathly silence I feared for my life. If this was a good meeting, then surely there’d be more of a celebratory atmosphere.
“Please, take a seat.” I didn’t comment on the fact that “Mike’s office” was actually Ms. Simms’ old office. That felt too weird to bring up now. I didn’t want to even think about her, anyway. “Obviously, I have a lot to speak to you about. I’m sure you can imagine.”
“Mhmm.” Should I apologize? Did I need to get my side of the story in quickly? Unfortunately my mouth was far too dry for me to manage to say anything.
“I’m sure you’ve spoken with Mr. Taylor now about what happened?” His hands tapped thoughtfully together. “With regards to the reveal of his personal data.”
“Erm…” This wasn’t where I was expecting this conversation to begin. It knocked me off kilter and left me a bit confused. “Yes, I have.”
“And because of that, we’ve had to fire Ms. Simms. Of course, no one’s managed to speak to her since the article came out, but I’ve sent her an official contract termination letter, anyway. I’m sure she knows, but I have to do it in the right way.”
Was this his way of letting me know that my termination was on the way? Would I be handed my letter in this meeting? I gulped loudly. “Right, okay, of course.”
“So we need someone to replace her.” Mike gave me a knowing look, but I couldn’t quite understand it. I didn’t get what he wanted to tell me. “Now, in my meeting with Mr. Taylor, he put in a very strong case for you to take over the job.”
“Me?” I squeaked. This was unexpected. I’d gone from thinking I was about to get fired, to discussing a potential promotion… If I was reading the situation right, that was. “He really said that?”
“Yes, you. At first I said no because you’re too new to the company, but after speaking with the other therapists, they’re quite happy for you to take on the role.”
“Really? No one else wants it?” I couldn’t work out why this was falling on my lap, it felt like a dream come true. It was a bit too much, actually.
“It would just be for a trial period, of course. I hope you understand that. But I’m willing to give you a try. Other people think you can do it; I just need to see it for myself.”
My heart skipped a beat. My own practice…in a way. It wasn’t exactly as I envisioned, but it was still incredible. I actually couldn’t believe it. “I won’t let you down,” I insisted. “Thank you so much for this opportunity. It’s just so… Wow. I’m so grateful.”
“I hope so. I’m sure you’ll do very well.” He actually smiled at me. “Now, obviously I’ll be around if you have any questions. I’m going to be a lot more involved in the practice until things are running smoothly again.” I went to stand up, but before I did I had one last question to tackle.
“Erm, just one that thing. I know you’ve probably heard by now about me and Zack, and I don’t…” I sighed deeply. “I don’t want it to affect my position here. I can stop working with him if that’s what it takes.” I didn’t like the idea of another therapist working with him, not when I enjoyed our sessions so much, but I had to keep my job.
“How many sessions does he have left?”
“Not many,” I answered honestly. “He probably only needs one or two more; he’s improving really well recently. His leg is much stronger than when he first came to me.”
“You do it then. You might as well finish what you’ve started. I don’t have any complaints, and I haven’t heard anything about misconduct so I’m sure you’re absolutely fine.” Mike grinned, his whole face lighting up with happiness. “Now, I’ll sort you out with the contract soon. You get back to work and have a good day.”
My steps were almost floating as I walked back into the office. Everyone’s eyes fixed upon me, but this time I could see that it was more of a nervous energy than a negative one. As the other therapists spotted me grinning, they smiled, too. It was as if my lips shattered the tense atmosphere so we could finally all relax again. Ms. Simms had truly left a mess, I needed to make it right again. I felt determined to make this work.
“Right, back to work,” I announced playfully. “No messing around on my watch.”
Laughter tittered around the room, making my heart soar. This was such an incredible opportunity. I felt like I could really tackle the world.
I made my way into my room and checked my schedule. Zack’s name sat at the top of my list – it was an appointment that I couldn’t recall making, but it made me very happy to see. I needed to thank him for his intervention in my life, he had no idea how much he’d helped me.
“Morning.” As if I’d conjured him up by magic, there he was, standing in front of me with a gorgeous smile on his face. God, I loved him. “I’ve got some bad news for you.”
“You have?” I pouted out my lips. “Because I’ve got some amazing news for you!”
“Oh well, I’ll go first. Get the bad stuff out the way first then we can celebrate. This, unfortunately, is my last session. I don’t think I need to come and see you anymore.” He gave me a cheeky smile. “Plus, my girlfriend is a physiotherapist anyway, so I can get free treatment. I don’t need to come and pay a fortune for it.”
I tutted and gave him
a light slap. “Oh, you’re terrible. But I did think you were coming to the end of it, anyway. Your leg is so much better. I told Mike today that you’re done.”
“I feel stronger. But I am going to miss you putting through my paces. It’s been fun…most of the time. So anyway, what’s the good news?”
“Well, someone might have put in a good word for me with my boss, and someone might have been offered a promotion…”
“Oh my God, are you serious?” Zack was too excited to let me finish.
I nodded rapidly, unable to keep the large grin off my face. “Yep, but it’s only for a trial period, so don’t get too excited.”
Too late. Zack jumped up and spun me around in the air. As I slid back down to the ground, he kissed me hard on the lips and I did nothing to stop him. We weren’t doing anything wrong anymore, everyone knew about us. And it felt good.
“Right, we better get to work before I tear all your clothes off,” I said while pinching his hip. “We can save that for later on.”
“Well, if you’re going to promise me that, then I’ll do whatever you need me to. But only because I love you.” He linked his fingers through mine and gave me that heart stopping smile. “So very much.”
I didn’t think I’d ever get tired of those words. “I love you, too.”
***
I sighed wearily as I got to the top of the stairs outside my apartment. It had been a very long day trying to combine my usual work with learning the ropes of the new job. It wasn’t going to be easy, but I felt sure that it’d be worth it. I was willing to throw everything into it to see what I could do.
I was exhausted now, though, and all I wanted to do was relax.
As I slid the key in the door, I was shocked to hear lots of noise coming from inside. I didn’t even think that Drea and Meghan were home, never mind other people, but it sounded like a party was happening.
What the hell?
I pushed the door open to yells and cheers from the unexpected houseful. Meghan was sitting with Lark doing a jigsaw puzzle, Zack was in the kitchen cooking what smelled like a delicious meal, and Drea was practically sitting on the lap of a man that I’d only met once before. Zack’s father. I couldn’t take my eyes off them – it actually looked like they were flirting. Maybe she was a little too young for him, but they looked kinda good together.
Unexpected, but nice.
“Erm, hi, everyone. This is unexpected.” I dropped my bag on the ground and looked at everyone in turn. “But it’s good to have you here.”
“Oh sorry.” Zack clapped his hand against his forehead. “I forgot to text you. I thought it’d be nice to have a family meal tonight.” He walked over to me, dusting off his apron, and kissed me in front of everyone. “We have to celebrate your promotion.”
“Yeah, it’s awesome. I’m glad. But it’s only a trial, don’t get too excited for me. I don’t want everyone to think it’s more than it is…”
No one paid any attention to me, they all cheered and acted like I’d created world peace or something. I laughed and went along with it, but there was a small piece of me that nervously feared I’d let everyone down if I failed at this job.
All the more reason to make it a success.
“Right, dinner is cooked!” Zack finally yelled. “Take a seat everyone.”
We all jumped into place around the table, Meghan next to Lark, Drea next to Zack’s dad, and me next to Zack. And as I looked at everyone in turn, I really appreciated the family that I’d carved for myself in New York. I had came here alone, with only my daughter and some hopes, and what I’d managed to achieve was incredible. Even if I didn’t necessarily make it in this job, I still needed to feel pride.
I was a very, very lucky woman.
Chapter Thirty-Seven
Zack
Friday
“I can’t believe what you’re doing with the house, Dad,” I told him with tears in my eyes. “This is really something else. What made you change your mind?”
“The actual thought about selling it was too much,” he admitted with a shrug. “I know I said your mom would want it to go to another family, but I just couldn’t do it. I would much rather offer it to the charity. We can turn it into a shelter for the vets who need somewhere to live. It’ll be awesome.”
My heart swelled. “Mom would be so happy with that; she was such a giving woman.” I grabbed onto my dad and hugged him. “She would love you doing this.”
“I feel good about it.” He rubbed the sweat from his forehead. “Even better now I’m all packed up. I’m looking forward to my brand new adventure.”
“Hmm…about that.” I needed to ask him, it had been plaguing me all night long. “About new adventures… What was the deal with you and Drea last night?”
A light blush tinged his cheeks, telling me all that I needed to know. “I don’t know what you’re talking about.”
“Dad, come on. There’s chemistry there, you two were flirting…”
“Oh, are you talking about Drea?” As Lark walked back in from the moving van, he knew exactly what we were talking about. “Yeah, Mr. Taylor, you were definitely hitting it off. What’s the deal there?”
“She’s about ten years younger than me.” He shrugged, trying to play it off. “It felt good to have some attention.”
“Oh, Dad, come on! If there’s something there, you can just say it.” I paused for a moment, realizing what the issue might be. “Dad, you’re allowed to be happy after Mom. She would want that for you, and I do, too. If you like this woman, then please…”
“It isn’t like that. I just met her last night.” Dad sighed loudly, seemingly reaching his limit. “I don’t know, I don’t want to talk about it anymore.” He shut down rapidly, so I must have overwhelmed him. “I just want to get these boxes moved.”
“Sure, sure.” I gave Lark a grin; we could both see how important this was to him. “Let’s do this.”
We heaved the boxes into the van and struggled with the furniture, but soon everything was stacked up and ready to go. Looking back at the home I grew up in, the house I only reconnected with the other day, all empty was a little heartbreaking…but at least it would remain with our family. I would’ve probably been a massive mess if I thought another family was going to live there.
“This will be great for the charity,” Dad said reassuringly as he patted me on the shoulder. “It’ll be a wonderful addition to what you’re trying to do. Giving vets that need it a temporary place to live while they get back on their feet will be incredible. You’ll give people their lives back.”
I knew better than anyone how losing the military could be devastating. “This is exactly why I wanted to set this up.”
“I’ll call the builders next week, get the ball rolling. Might as well get started right away, work on this alongside the office building.”
“Great, thanks, Dad. It’s so good to have you on board.”
We paused for a moment, both of us lost in our individual thoughts. This was no longer a goodbye – it was a step in the right direction for both of us. Things were changing, but for the better. Who knew what would happen next?
“Right, work isn’t over yet. Let’s get unpacked on the other side.”
I groaned playfully. “Urgh, do I have to?” But secretly, I couldn’t wait to help get my father get set up. It was going to be awesome.
***
“Hey, boys!” Olivia’s very welcome voice rang through the house. “I was just passing by and thought you might want something to eat. You’re probably starving, right? So we picked up some Chinese food.”
“Oh my God, you’re a lifesaver.” As I raced out into the hallway, I noticed Drea and Meghan were also there. This was going to be interesting – it’d be nice to see how she interacted with my dad again. “Thank you so much for coming.”
Drea was drawn to my dad like a magnet, they kissed one another’s cheeks innocently enough, but the sparks flew wildly. It was so obvious that they adored on
e another. It would only take time…
“Come in, sit down. Let’s eat together. We haven’t really set up the table yet.”
“Oh, don’t worry. We’ll do it.” Olivia and Drea took over. They unpacked the dining room in less than ten minutes, which was impressive. It had taken the three of us all damn day long! “Right, come on let’s eat.”
The chairs were still in the moving van, so we made do with boxes the best that we could. It hardly mattered – we were all having just the best time together. I was so damn lucky to have a woman with so many great qualities by my side. She accepted me despite my leg, my money, my secrecy, my hard life. She didn’t let it affect her or the way she looked at me at all.
Olivia was perfect.
Once we’d finished eating, I left Lark and the girls to get on with the unpacking for a moment while I pulled my dad into the kitchen. I had something that I wanted to talk with him about while my heart was filled up with love. It just felt like the right time.
“Dad?” I hissed at him quietly. “You like Olivia, don’t you? Meghan, too?”
“Of course I do. They’re great. Meghan’s such a sweet kid. I really like her.”
“How would you feel about becoming her grandfather?”
He snapped his eyes around to me, finally seeming to see that this was a very serious conversation. “Wait, what? What are you saying?”
I pulled the ring box out of my pocket with the diamond and gold band I’d chosen just for Olivia. “I brought this the other day. I want to marry Olivia.”
“Woah, what are you doing?” Dad gripped onto my wrist and he gave me a wide eyed intense stare. “Are you insane? I know you like this woman, but you haven’t been together that long, have you? And you’ve had a really rocky time.”
“But I know, Dad,” I chuckled. “I know that she’s the one. I’ve never felt love like it, and I know I never will again.”
“It isn’t like you to be so impulsive.” He shook his head at me as if he was trying to work out just when I lost my mind. “I don’t understand what’s going on. Why don’t you just give it some more time? Olivia has a daughter; she can’t just act on a whim.”
