As I finished my shopping before going back to the resort, I had a rejuvenated spring in my step.
By the time my plane landed on Monday afternoon, I had swatches of fabric and photos of tables and chairs, all ready to order for my new project.
I had a new lease on life and couldn’t wait to get started. In fact, I drove straight to the boutique and searched the file cabinet for the architect’s contact information and previous drawings.
I was surprised when Jim took my call so late, but after a brief discussion, we set up a meeting for the next day.
Project Bistro was underway.
Chapter 11
Ian
My beauty was sleeping soundly. An early riser, I woke before dawn and admired her peacefully dreaming, while curled tightly into my pillow. The smiles that crept into her rosy lips left me wondering what her vivid imagination brought her during her rest. When she was awake, it was easy to see her damaged soul. She thought she hid it, but like a flashing L.E.D. displaying her secrets, she didn’t.
I’d promised her a night out and what a night in it had became. Surely, breakfast in bed would nullify my naughty behavior? While she slept, I ran to the market for something special.
When I returned home, I quietly made a plate of the pastries and fruit I’d purchased at the store, even putting a side dish of my favorite caramel sauce on the tray for dipping berries, along with a small bouquet of flowers. With hot coffee and juice, she was sure to be putty in my hands for another session of lovemaking.
The sight of my empty bed gripped me.
Her side was cold, but her memory was warm in my heart. I placed the tray on the bedside table and searched everywhere. I could still sense the silkiness of her flesh covering mine. As I moved about, the fragrance of the passion we’d shared together hung in the air around me and would be forever looming in my mind.
She was gone. She didn’t even answer her phone when I called. Did she get cold feet? Did I push her too far?
Knocking repeatedly on her door yielded no results other than having my breath escape me, not due to the exertion of the run, but because the idea of her believing I ran out on her left me mindless and took the wind from my lungs. No answer when I rang the bell and I waited, but still no response.
Something wasn’t right. Maybe she needed some space? Perhaps she had regrets. Maybe something happened to Ty? My mind was racing with ideas. I decided to grab a quick shower and wait a bit before trying her again.
When my phone rang, I answered, thinking it was her. “Son, you need to come to Seattle as soon as you can.” Grumpa’s voice was low and full of emotion.
The last time I’d got that call, my wife had died. “What happened? Where’s Oliver?” For someone who considered himself calm in the midst of a storm, panic had immediately consumed me.
“He’s fine. It’s Mam. She’s had a stroke. I don’t know what to do.” Grumpa broke out in sobs.
I knew what it was like to lose the woman you’d committed your whole life to. I understood the difficult emotions a man couldn’t express. “I’m on my way.”
I called Jet Lynx, the private charter service I’d used during the sale and closings of my homes, and had a chartered plane ready by the time I could get to Love Field Airport. Then I called the Pet Hotel to find out if I could drop off Rip. I was surprised when they said they had an opening, since it was the holidays.
Taking only seconds to pack, I tossed Rip and my bag in the car. In the process, I heard something fall and crash, but I couldn’t find what it was. Nothing was visible on the ground around my feet, and I decided perhaps my coffee cup, lying on the floorboard of the car, must’ve been what I heard tumble.
When I backed out of the driveway, I heard a crunching noise and viewed something black lying on the ground. Stopping the car, I jumped out and fuck me on the wild side, it was my phone—smashed to pieces. Dammit.
There was no time to get one before the flight; I’d have to take care of it when I got to Seattle.
When I pulled the rental car into the driveway of Mam and Grumpa’s, Oliver came running outside in a flood of tears, his precious little body consumed with emotion. I picked him up and realized how much he’d grown since the last time I’d tried to do that.
Grumpa was standing in the front doorway, watching us.
“How is she?”
“They removed the vent, and she tried to talk, but I think the medicine is keeping her knocked out. She’s so lifeless.”
I hugged him, but his body recoiled in stiffness, and I knew I was of little comfort to a man who had spent forty-two years with his best friend. They were happy together.
“She can overcome this. We’re gonna see to it.”
He sat down in his favorite rocking recliner and pulled her framed photo over onto his lap. He didn’t try to hide his weakness.
I called the hospital, and they allowed me to visit. Mam wasn’t very alert, just like Grumpa had said, but she did squeeze my hand in reaction to my questions, which was a great sign.
We spent the next day visiting with her doctors and going over tests, while the nurses entertained Oliver in their break room. Neurology wasn’t my scope of study, but at least I understood what they were talking about and could translate the information to Grumpa.
Saturday morning, I ran by the Verizon store and picked up a new phone as soon as they opened. Because I didn’t have my old one, they couldn’t do a contact transfer, and I would have to wait until I got to my laptop to sync. However, I did have a few voice mails and was grateful I had Chelsie’s number in a message from when we first started talking on the phone.
Quickly, I dialed her number and was ready to explain running out on her and was hoping she was ready to talk to me.
Not so lucky, her voice mail picked up. Fuck.
Unable to get an answer, I left several messages, and she never picked up any of my calls. She was screening me out; I was certain.
So childish. Why couldn’t we talk like two adults?
My mind raced with various scenarios of what she thought had happened and why she’d woke up alone… The worst conclusion was I’d fucked her and run.
I figured I had a hill to climb to get back into her good graces, but I’d wait until I got home to figure it out. There wasn’t much I could do this far away if she wouldn’t answer my calls.
By Sunday, Mam was closer to her old self and only had a slight slur to her speach and a bit of weakness we were assured would go away soon. The team set up her transfer to a rehabilitation hospital, and Grumpa was doing better. I was ready to take my rowdy little man home. He’d had enough of being cooped up in a hospital.
It was dark by the time we pulled into our garage in Dallas.
“Daddy, can I go play with Ty?” My busy beaver never got tired of playing with other kids, since we’d moved. He was making up for so many years of being alone. I supposed that was the drawback of being an only child.
“He’s at his dad’s until school starts back.”
“Okay.”
“But, I think Rip could use our attention.”
I sat on the hearth and watched them roll around on the floor and run circles around the den furniture. After almost an hour, they were both ready for bed.
Once Oliver was asleep, I called Chelsie, once again—voice mail.
Her stubborn ways were about to get the best of me, and I’d had enough. With a new attitude and a stiff spine, I walked down to her door and rang the hell out of her bell. There were some lights on, visible by the side windows, but no one came to the door, and I didn’t hear Yolo barking.
Not wanting to stay away from Oliver and not ready to give up on Chelsie, I went back to my house and called Jorge.
“Hey, dude, you have time for a beer?”
“Sure, as long as you’re buying. I’m all out.”
“Yeah, I’m all stocked and got one with your name on it.”
“All right, let me put Yolo in the laundry room, and I’ll be r
ight over.”
So, he had Yolo, which meant Chelsie was gone. But where? And why?
Jorge popped the cap on his beer and took a seat at the bar. “’Bout time you called. You’re driving the women folk around here fucking nuts. What the hell did you do?” There was no joke to his tone.
I raked my hands through my hair, wishing I had a hair tie on my wrist like I usually did, but I didn’t. “She’s pissed, huh.”
“Dude, I had to be the DD, while she and the wife tied one on Friday night. Three drinks and her filter was gone, but she didn’t stop there. She got polluted and she talked. A. Lot.”
I caught his raised brow and saw a smirk on his face. “A lot, huh?”
“Yep. You can’t nail a gal and then disappear.”
“It’s a long story, but the gist is that she’s jumping to conclusions. Where the hell is she?”
“Arizona.”
“And Ty?”
He grinned. “With his dad.”
I shoved another beer his way. “Start drinking—and talking.”
Before the end of the night, I completely understood I’d hurt Chelsie and how she could think the worst of me. Clearly a picture of unforeseen circumstances, there had to be a way to communicate my apology without insinuating she was overreacting and coming off as a jerk.
After talking to Jorge, I was able to complete the puzzle of betrayal Chelsie had faced, and my gut clenched at the thought of a man telling her she was worthless, especially sexually.
She was exquisite in every way to me, but nothing was going to happen until she began to believe it for herself. Her curves were beautiful.
Why did women think they had to be skinny to be beautiful? Didn’t they know men wanted to feel flesh, not bones? We needed hips to hang on to and loved full breasts.
Picturing her was like picturing a beautiful exotic flower bud, shy in its own form, yet on the peak of blooming perfection.
Flowers? She didn’t seem like the flower type.
Dinner? I’d already jacked that up.
Secret, sexy rendezvous? I wouldn’t put any coin down that she would meet me anywhere.
Wait—she loved chocolate. She’d told me about her favorite place in Dallas for chocolate treats, but hell if I could remember…
I was fucked and had a tall hill to climb.
Chapter 12
Chelsie
On my way home from the shop, I stopped by Jorge’s to get Yolo. When he didn’t answer, I let myself in and found the puppy in the laundry room taking a nap.
I left Jorge a thank you note and a nice bottle of his favorite scotch. He was cheaper labor than the puppy hotel, and I knew Yolo would be in great hands. Plus, I took care of their two cats every time they traveled; therefore, I definitely had the advantage on the payback tally.
When my alarm sounded the next morning, I thought about sleeping in and forgoing my usual routine, since it was New Year’s Eve, but as I played psychologist with myself, I surmised that my only intent was to hide from Ian and our usual morning greeting over the newspaper. Between the two of us, I couldn’t decide who was more of the loser in being childish; hence, there really were no winners. But, I had bigger issues—I no longer trusted him.
I waited until I knew he’d left for the office, and I ran out for the paper in the rain, taking it with me to the boutique. I had scheduled the meeting with the architect an hour before the store opened, giving us a moment to talk without customer interruptions. I had no time to waste if I wanted to open Valentine’s Day.
From inside my purse, my phone beeped with a text. I ignored it and ran through the back door of the boutique with Yolo before I got soaked in the rain.
That was the moment I tripped over boxes that had been left in the wrong place, immediately inside the doorway, and I face-planted onto the hard concrete floor.
“Chelsie,” someone yelled.
“Chelsie, can you hear me?” Someone shook me, and it sounded like Isabella’s voice, but so far away.
No, I don’t want to wake up, and fuck, my face hurts like hell. I slowly opened one eye to blurry vision, but I couldn’t make out Isabella’s face or the other figure standing behind her.
“Don’t just stand there, call 9-1-1,” Isabella charged.
I tried to rise up from the floor, but I hurt too badly. “No, don’t. I’m fine, really. I just stunned myself for a moment, but I’ll be okay. Is Yolo okay?”
“I think your nose is broken, and there’s blood everywhere. You need to go to the hospital. An ambulance is coming. Yolo is fine, asleep in your office.”
“Stay right there and don’t move,” I heard a male voice order.
Male voice. Doctors. Shit. If I went to the hospital, there was a chance Ian would see me.
I shook my head. “No, I’m not going to the hospital.” With one eye open, I saw my environment clearly, and my faculties were coming back to me. I was able to sit up and hold the compress Isabella had made against my nose.
I didn’t know how fighters did it. That shit hurt.
I got a closer view of the unknown man and knew it was my architect. “Please help me get in the chair in my office.”
Reluctantly, he offered me his hand and pulled me to my feet. I didn’t dare look down because dizziness had consumed me. I didn’t want him to know that.
Within a couple of minutes, I heard the screaming sirens approaching my store. How exciting to be the center of attention.
“She’s in there,” I heard Isabella’s voice from a distance. “She’s going to fire me; I know it.”
The paramedics checked me over with all of their apparatus, and one even stuck something cold down my blouse, while Isabella hovered.
“Guys, I’m going to be fine. This isn’t necessary.”
“Mam, you need to go to the hospital. It looks like you may have broken your nose and your orbit. If you don’t go with us, at least let someone drive you.”
I tried to focus on his face, but I couldn’t. “My orbit, what?”
“Orbit is your eye socket, and a fracture is serious.”
I slowly touched my eyebrow, and it hurt badly. “That’s awesome. You really should see the other guy.” I tried a blast of humor. It didn’t work.
I agreed to a trip to the Emergency Room, but not by ambulance.
They did X-rays and CAT scans and determined I did, in fact, fracture my eye in two places, but emergency surgery wasn’t going to be necessary. However, a couple of nights in the hospital were, in order to observe me because of my head injury.
“Isabella,” I asked softly.
The nurse was injecting something in my IV. “She’s out in the lobby, making phone calls.”
I tried to clear my throat. It was full of yucky stuff that tasted like blood.
“Honey, you’re probably tasting that busted lip of yours. Good news is it doesn’t need stitches. I’ll get you a rinse for it and bring your friend back.”
Isabella’s face appeared in the cracked opening of my door. I was able to focus clearly from one eye and got a good look at her makeup, which was horribly smeared from crying.
“Quit bawling. I’m not mad, and you’re not fired. But I need my phone to get a hold of Shawna and Jorge. I need to see if they are able to keep Ty and Yolo.”
She took the plastic chair beside me and handed me my phone. “It’s been going nuts. I’m sorry, but I finally started answering it. I talked to Jorge. He and Shawna are both out of town, but I can keep Ty, no problem. Oh, and Ian called and—”
“Please tell me you didn’t talk to him.”
“I did. Shit. Man.” she paused. “I know how to screw up a day. I’m so sorry.”
I looked down at my bedding and smoothed the sheets on top of me. “What did he say?”
“He’s on his way.”
“Fuuuuuuuck.”
I was trying to read all the texts on my phone when I heard the door open again. I didn’t even have to look up to know who it was; his reaction was audible.
/>
“I’ll give y’all some privacy,” Isabella whispered before darting out the door.
“I heard what happened. What are the doctors saying?”
“Broken nose and two orbital fractures. Everything’s good, just gotta stay a few days.”
He sat down on the edge of my bed and gripped my hand with his. His shoulders slumped. There were lines around his eyes, worry visible on the bright, tanned face I remembered.
“This is not where I wanted to tell you I’m sorry about what happened. In fact, I was hoping we’d have resolved our issues by now and were headed out to enjoy a fabulous evening on the town for New Year’s.”
“We’re friends that got too carried away. I don’t need an apology; you don’t answer to me. It was a fun night, but it won’t happen again. Keep reminding yourself we’re just friends.” I stared him down.
He smiled and his face lit up. “Friends, huh? Okay, we’ll save the rest of this conversation for later, but just so you know you weren’t a fuck-and-run. I went to get breakfast. You were gone when I got back. I got an emergency call from Grumpa because Mam had a stroke, and he was in panic-mode with Oliver.”
“You could’ve called,” I smarted.
“I ran over my fucking phone in the driveway. As soon as the store was open for my replacement, you were too stubborn to answer the goddamn phone.” His voice was roaring in my head.
The nurse came running in the room. “Do you work here?” His scrubs gave him away.
“No, not at this facility. I’m Dr. Briggs. She’s a friend of mine.”
She looked him up and down and then narrowed her brows together. “You shouldn’t yell at your friends.” She winked at me.
“She’s being stubborn,” he mumbled under his breath.
“And I’m sure you can be too.” She walked out of the room, but not before I heard her huff, “Men.”
I closed my eyes and leaned back on the pillow. I’d never known pain like I was experiencing. I hadn’t looked in the mirror, but I was certain it was as ugly as it felt and then some.
Conflicted on 5th: A 5th Avenue Romance Novel, Book One (5th Avenue Romance Series 1) Page 8
