Three Stages of Love: Attraction

by T. Anthony

  Alexander shook his head. “If this gets out, it is going to kill Tom. He’s given her everything, right down to the skin on his back, to give her the life she wanted to live. Not to mention his business.” Alexander huffed. “Please don’t get involved.”

  Slighted, I snapped back, “What makes you think that I am that person who would break up a marriage? He’s stupid for not knowing already. It is none of my business, and the fact that you would even suggest that I would meddle is—”

  Alexander stopped the car short, which pushed me forward into my seatbelt.

  “I never said you were the meddling type. I just meant that you could very easily be sucked in by these bloodhounds.”

  I sat quiet the rest of the way.

  Alexander did the same.

  Only my thoughts ran rampant. Between Cat and the look into my future, Missy’s snarky attitude, and Leila’s unimaginable indiscretion, I was on information overload!

  CHAPTER SEVENTEEN

  “Evangeline, wake up,” Alexander whispered only inches from my lips; I could feel his breath.

  “Hmm…” I questioned with a hum.

  “I have to go into the office for a few hours. I didn’t want you to wake to find me gone. Go back to sleep.” A kiss landed on my sleeping lips, and then the room fell silent.

  I rose to the daylight only a short while later, recalling that Alexander had awoken me before he left to go to the office.

  I sauntered down the stairs into the foyer and slowly reached the kitchen.

  “Good morning, Miss Eva.” I found Ms. Gina preparing coffee.

  “Morning, Ms. Gina,” I replied with no energy but quite glad that coffee was brewing.

  “May I make you some breakfast? Is there anything that you would prefer?” she offered.

  I would prefer to erase the last twenty-four hours and reawaken with a smile on my face and Alexander by my side, I rambled in my mind.

  “No, thank you. I am not feeling up to eating this morning.”

  Ms. Gina nodded and left me with my thoughts.

  And my thoughts turned on the subwoofers pounding through my temples. I held my head tightly with both hands, waiting for the comfort of my coffee. Yesterday’s outing had turned into a season finale of Desperate Housewives—cliffhanger and all. And, Alexander and I had finished the late afternoon into the evening in a tight silence. Sleeping next to a man that you’ve desired to your depths is not easy when you aren’t speaking to each other. We weren’t fighting or angry with each other, but the episodes that had transpired through the day were reason enough for silence.

  I filled a large mug with coffee and added a mountain of sugar and cream, begging to feel light and sweet myself.

  My first and loudest thought was of Cat and Tom. I felt overwhelming sadness. These were two amazing people who both in their own ways had sacrificed all of themselves for love, only to be injured by that same love they once took comfort in. How can they do that? How can Leila sit on her high horse, carrying the skeletons she does? I wish I hadn’t seen all that I did. Ugh! I would feel so much better!

  I’ve always hated knowing bad news about other people, especially when they themselves don’t know they are fated for hurt.

  The doorbell chimed.

  Ms. Gina entered the kitchen again moments after. “Mrs. Nest is here to see you, miss.”

  Unfucking believable! I can’t get away from this bitch!

  “What a surprise, Leila. What brings you here?” I said, rolling my eyes.

  “Oh, Eva, I truly wanted to take the time to apologize for yesterday,” she said somberly.

  Astounded by her gall, I responded, “You are apologizing to the wrong person. Who you fuck affects me not!”

  “It’s not like that, Eva. Steve and I accidentally fell in love. You said it yourself that when you met Alexander, he blew you out of your comfort zone, and you didn’t know what was happening. That is precisely what has happened with me and Steve. Facing you yesterday was the hardest thing I had to do, and after you left, I got Steve alone and told him it was over. I love Tom, and I pray that he doesn’t find out.” But as hard as she tried, her eyes were dry and her heart—blatantly frozen.

  Having never been able to deal with liars—and bad liars, at that—she sickened me with every phony attempt she made to keep her secret quiet.

  “Let’s get right to it, Leila. The only reason you are here is because you want me to think that it was a mistake so I won’t break up your pretend happy home.” Leila’s expression quickly turned from pouty to pissed-off. “I give you credit for coming here, but perhaps you should have practiced your speech just one more time or at least tried to use some fake tears or Visine before you walked in.” I turned my back and headed for another cup of coffee. Battles should never be entered without the right amount of caffeine in your blood!

  “Listen here, you little smart-ass bitch. You have no idea who you are fucking with,” she yelled quietly and strenuously.

  I scoffed at her. “I’ve actually used that line. Truth is, you are right. I don’t know who I am fucking with, but I do know who you are fucking! And that is the reason why you have graced me with your presence.”

  “You think you’ve got it all figured out. You’ve come in here with Prince Charming on your arm in the lap of luxury, and you think you have some right to now flip this town upside down.” She huffed, walking toward me. “I suggest you watch yourself before I pull back the curtains from this Wizard of Oz show you’ve got going on and introduce you to the real world you’re living in.”

  Fearless and with my New York spine attached, I stepped into her. “And what the fuck is that supposed to mean?”

  “Haven’t you asked yourself, Eva, why it is that Alexander keeps you and work so far separated? I think that before you put yourself into a position that you neither have the stature nor the backbone to be in, that you’d better check yourself first.” She turned to leave.

  “First, let me just say: no one says, You’d better check yourself—at least not since the nineties. And secondly, you don’t want to see my backbone. Keep in my mind that though in a few weeks’ time I’ve gotten to know all about you, you know nothing about me! You can let yourself out, just like the dogs do!” I stood leaning against the counter, sipping my coffee nonchalantly, waiting for her to leave.

  Her lips shaped into a devilish curl, and she rolled her eyes before turning her head and her body and went out my door.

  What a drama queen!

  Remaining where I was, I found a little humor in the mini battle that I had just won. But my feeling of victory was short-lived.

  Why does she think Alexander keeps me away from his office? She keeps asking if I’ve been to his office. I don’t—

  But my goddamn memory reeled me in for a harsh realization.

  A slew of all of Leila’s ranting spoke harshly in a trailer of fucked-upness:

  I’ll make a call to my friend, and she’ll show you around.

  Chloe would be delighted to meet Alexander’s love—I’m sure.

  I would have assumed that Alexander told you about her.

  She is Alexander’s personal assistant.

  They have known each other forever.

  But then there was one memory that came to me that made me want to turtle inside myself; a conversation that happened back in New York the morning after Alexander and I were reunited.

  Pat sent Marcus and I and a few others to Amsterdam.

  One of our colleagues—well, we were actually dating.

  She was bruised from head to toe and scratched everywhere.

  I also didn’t do enough to protect her.

  I found Chloe on my doorstep.

  So that she could return to the US with us.

  “No fucking way! Chloe!” I shouted as the realization stung from my throat to my stomach.

  Small footsteps made their way into the kitchen. “Miss, are you all right?”

  Ms. Gina stood frightened as I reassured he
r. “I’m so sorry. Yes, I am fine. I just…remembered something.”

  “All right. Please let me know if you need anything,” she said, walking back to her tasks.

  I stormed up the stairs and practically broke the bedroom’s double doors as I thrust them shut. It can’t be, I screamed at myself. It has to be a coincidence. It can’t be the same Chloe. Leila was just trying to get under my skin. No, it can’t be. Alexander wouldn’t lie to me. I paced the floor trying to find the answers in every step, until I stopped dead center of the room. I have to know. I have to see for myself.

  I pulled my hair into a bun and jogged to the shower to wash up. I was going to solve my own mystery before I truly walked into the future that Cat was living.

  Rushing to be sure I caught Alexander at the office prior to him returning home, I raced to select the most flattering and form-fitting dress I owned—finished with my crystal Manolos.

  “Ms. Gina, I have to run out to the pharmacy. I will be back shortly. If Alexander returns, you can call me on this number.” Handing her a Post-It with my cell phone number on it, I turned with the extra car keys in hand and headed for the door.

  Google is the go-to source for everything for me. I searched Alexander’s name based in LA, and not knowing for sure what the name of the company was, I found him listed at Angel Ventures Corp.

  I felt awkward taking Alexander’s car without asking, but this was an emergency of sorts! I was on a mission, and I prayed that the knife in my gut would be removed once I found Alexander and no Chloe—or at least a Chloe that wasn’t Alexander’s ex.

  I entered the address into the GPS and took off in haste.

  I sat in the car, staring at the granite building before me and felt an awkwardness that I had not felt since the day I stood weakly and shyly outside the PHI building. But I had much more to lose inside this building than just a job.

  The building stood only six stories tall, but the details and design of the modern build held its merit to stand in the center of LA.

  I took the elevator to the sixth floor and followed the sign for Angel Ventures Corp. When I entered the glass suite, I walked into an empty reception desk. Funny, all I could think was, The receptionist should be fired. Had I been a client, I would have thought the business was unprofessional with no one to man the window to the corporation. First impressions are, after all, the most important!

  Only today, this was a blessing for me. Having no one at the desk, I wasn’t stopped and Alexander wasn’t alerted of my presence.

  I walked toward the back, passing office after office and cubicle after cubicle, and I was obviously having no luck.

  “Can I help you?” a young man delivering mail asked.

  “Yes, thank you. I’m headed toward Mr. Mason’s office, but I just can’t seem to find my way.” I flashed a million-dollar smile and a damsel-in-distress shrug of my shoulders.

  And—like a charm—the young man showed me the way.

  Before I arrived at the corner office, I noticed that the large mahogany desk that stood in front of his office was also empty. That same desk was surely to be occupied by the Chloe in question. But where was she? Doesn’t anyone work here?

  “Ha, ha, ha! Xander, you are too much!” The excruciating giggling that came from Alexander’s office practically made me whimper.

  I froze in a panic. I knew nothing of what was behind his office door, but I feared it more than death itself.

  And then death came to face me head-on.

  Standing at almost six feet tall was yet another blonde bombshell with a teeny-tiny skirt on. “How may I assist you, Ms.…?”

  I swashed the numbness out of my brain so I could answer her without sounding like a bumbling idiot. “Miss Chase. I’m here to see Alexander.”

  “Ah, Miss Chase from PHI. It is a pleasure to meet you. I apologize, but I don’t have you on Mr. Mason’s calendar,” the nameless model confirmed while I verbally coaxed myself steady.

  I nodded my head, knowing I wouldn’t be on his calendar, and sparked the burning conversation. “I’m so rude. Your name is?”

  “Chloe,” she confirmed, adding nothing else to her identity. “I am Mr. Mason’s personal assistant. And again, I apologize but I don’t think he will be able to see you.”

  She was shooing me away, and I wasn’t digesting it well. “I didn’t think that his fiancé had to be penciled in to his calendar.” Oh shit! I’ve gone and done it now.

  The PA scoffed in a grunt. “I’m sorry. Whose fiancé are you? Mr. Mason isn’t currently with anyone, so seeing as you’ve invented this little story of yours, I am going to have to ask you to leave.”

  She was being way too overprotective of Xander, as she had called out to him moments ago.

  “A tad over shielding, aren’t you? Why don’t you poke your little blonde head in and ask Xander if Evangeline can see him now?” I was throwing everything I had at her. Leila must be right; there is no way this girl is throwing herself between me getting to Alexander just because she’s his PA!

  With her hands firmly planted on her desk, she spoke pointedly at me. “Look, Eva, I know about you, and I know you broke his heart. I also know that when he needed to get over you, he came crawling back to me, and he’s with me every day. Why do you think we work the way we do? I personally assist him with all his needs. He’ll never forget what we had together, so you are better off saving yourself a heartache now and walking away with your tail between your legs.”

  “That’s funny! The fact that you think you could possibly intimidate me is hilarious. You know what is even funnier though? If it wasn’t for him, you would probably be dead by now with a cock in your mouth, even in your grave. You are a pathetic little nothing who he pities.” I moved closer to Alexander’s office.

  And then she lost it!

  “You fucking cunt! How dare you speak to me like that? You got sloppy seconds, and now you’re pissed—”

  She gasped when Alexander flung his office door open and almost fell over when he saw Chloe and I standing only a few feet apart.

  “Evangeline, what are you doing here?” was the only thing that came to him. Men—so typical!

  “Well, let me respond with a question. What is she doing here? What is Chloe the sadomasochistic-loving whore who you dumped years ago in Amsterdam doing in this goddamn building at this goddamn desk telling me she is your goddamn personal assistant? Answer me that, Alexander. Or do you prefer to be called Xander?” I bellowed with sheer fury! My biggest nightmare was coming true. My ill-fated destiny of following love and sacrificing my life for it had arrived.

  “I can answer that,” Chloe spat out.

  Alexander waved his hand to hush her, which failed to do anything but stir her up even more.

  “Tell her, Xander, how you came back to me looking to be mended and healed by my touch, by my fucking you, and by our love. Tell her how I please you!” she yelled.

  “What the fuck are you talking about, Chloe? Shut the fuck up, and stop trying to stir shit that doesn’t exist. She knows I saw you once when she and I separated. Now get out of my face.” He yelled back.

  He turned to face me again, and as he reached to grab hold of me, I stepped back, feeling the bile rise from my churning stomach.

  “Evangeline, let’s go calmly talk in my office.”

  “What do you have to talk to her about? How much you love me and not her?” Chloe continued to throw her blows. “Make sure you can handle it rough. He likes nothing less.”

  “Ha,” I let out in a heavy breath. “While he didn’t like beating you roughly, he has no problem fucking me senseless. I guess I win!” Teasing her I walked to Alexander’s office door to let my self in.

  “You fucking bitch!” she shrieked.

  And that’s when Alexander jumped in front of her, preventing Chloe from getting at me. Though had he not stepped in the way, my heels alone could have killed her. “Get the fuck out of here, I said. Now! Get out of my face. Take the day; just get out bef
ore I fire you.”

  He walked with me into his office and slammed the door shut and then locked it. He stood with his back against the door and then scrunched down onto his thighs, bracing his head in his boiling and red hands.

  “I fucked up,” was all he could muster up.

  But it wasn’t enough.

  “Why, Alexander…Why is she here? And if it wasn’t for any other reason than a job, then why didn’t you tell me?” I questioned calmly but sternly.

  He remained where he was but looked up at me with his beautiful hazel eyes that were now swollen and glassy. “I felt like I had to help protect her. I thought if she at least had a job that she had to be responsible for, then she would grow on a personal level.”

  I shook my head in disbelief. “Though that may be true, it isn’t an answer. Was fucking you also part of her personal growth or yours?”

  “I don’t fuck her!” he shouted, sprinting up from the ground he had crouched on. “Not after the one time when you sent me away—which I told you about. I never loved her. I have never loved another soul like I love you.”

  The fountains of despair released their salty waters as I let my frustrations get the best of me. “You fucking lied to me. You hid her from me. She shouldn’t even be working here. And all the while you allowed Leila to tease me about your whips-and-chains girls, and she bated me by telling me I just had to meet her friend Chloe.” Sobbing uncontrollably, I asked, “How could you humiliate me like this?”

  Dropping to his knees with a thump, he held his hands at my hips and begged, “Please, Evangeline, you have to believe me. I am telling the truth. It was the one time that it happened in over a decade, and nothing else and at no other time. And I was honest with you about that. It was a mistake, and I came forward and told you because I didn’t want you to find out like…like this!”

  “I can’t digest this. This is what Leila meant when she told me she would pull back the Wizard of Oz curtains. She knew you had secrets.” It felt like poison filled my lungs as I released every word. Instead of oxygen, I breathed poison.

  “Stop it now!” And he rose to his feet; even with my heels on, he still towered over me. “Leila will get hers. But for now—you are all I care about and all I care to think about. Chloe has a fucked-up temper, and to keep both you safe and her out of harming anyone or herself, I thought it best to keep it quiet. I was obviously wrong, and for that I am sorry. But you have to believe me when I say that I can’t bear to breathe if I think of losing you.”