“Do you want drinks?” Bailey asks, jumping up and making herself useful.
Diving into work was exactly what I needed. For the first time in almost two weeks, I was able to think about something other than my grief or my pregnancy. It was a welcome relief.
“What are you doing?” Bailey asks in shock after doing a double take when I join her in the kitchen the next afternoon. “I mean… you look incredible but—”
“I’m going to the gala,” I announce.
“Um… okay. Rylee said you didn’t need to though, right?”
“I think I need it. I put so much work into this. I want to see it all come together. See all my hours pay off.”
“Okay, yeah. That sounds like a good idea. Give me thirty minutes and I’ll come with you.”
I lift a brow. “You can be ready for a gala in thirty minutes?”
“Okay, forty… forty-five tops.”
“No. I’m going to go now, I’ve booked an Uber. You’ve got a ticket, just turn up tonight as a guest and find me once you’re inside. I want to check all the details, make sure everything is as it should be. You’d be bored.”
“You’re right. I could never look good enough for all your wealthy and famous guests in only forty-five minutes.”
“Bailey, you’re gorgeous just as you are. Any guy would be lucky to have you.”
Her eyes widen.
“You’ve just not found one willing to give it a try.”
Thankfully my cell alerts me that my car is outside before Bailey can cause me any harm.
Lifting up the front of my full-length, navy evening dress, I make my way toward the front door.
It feels weird, taking a step outside but at the same time it feels good. I suck in a lungful of fresh air and take a moment to center myself. This is what my aunt would want: for me to see this event through and to hold my head high and continue with my life.
I rub my hand over my belly. She’d have loved to meet this one. But clearly it wasn’t meant to be. Much like Corey and I might not be. Only time will tell.
But I can do this.
Taking one step after another, my confidence grows and a little happiness begins to creep its way in.
The rooms look exactly like I’d planned, and I can’t help but gasp as I walk into the main room to find the tables laid up exactly as I imagined with the black, white and silver centerpieces looking incredible and drawing everyone’s eyes out to the floor-to-ceiling windows at the other side of the room that showcase the view of the ocean beyond. I walk around, looking at all the details precisely as I wanted. Rylee did an incredible job bringing this to life for me.
“Is it as you hoped it would be?” the woman herself asks, appearing around a corner looking like a total knock-out in a floor-length red dress.
“And then some. It’s incredible.”
“I’m glad you approve.”
“I can’t thank you enough for all this.”
“You’re more than welcome.”
I look behind her, waiting for Colton to emerge and knock me on my ass. “Colton not with you?”
“He’s coming later, he had an errand to run last-minute. Come on, we need to make sure the kitchen’s on schedule.”
With everything running like clockwork, Rylee, Teddy and I make our way to the entrance to greet our guests as they arrive.
Their limos and expensive cars file around the entrance before the couple of paparazzi snap photos of them.
Rylee is cool as a cucumber as she greets Colton’s parents, actors and actresses I managed to snag with the help of Andy Westin’s name, along with an array of other famous and semi-famous guests. I feel like a hot mess who needs to go and compose herself by the time the stream of people lessens and we’re able to move from the entrance.
“That guest list. You did good, girl.”
“Your boyfriend sure helped. Did you notice how many are women?”
Rylee shakes her head, a knowing smile on her face. “I’ll allow them to look, for the cause, you know. But there’s only one bed he’ll be in tonight.” She winks and I laugh, that is until my own reality chooses that moment to slam into me. I’ll be going home and climbing into an empty and cold bed.
Rylee must see my mood change because she reaches out to touch my arm. “Still no word?” Bailey couldn’t keep her mouth shut yesterday as she explained that Corey was once again MIA. I was just grateful she managed to keep the reason for it under wraps. For now, at least.
“Nothing.”
“Everything’s going to be okay. I’ve got a good feeling.”
“I’m glad one of us does. Come on, we’ve got rich people to schmooze out of their hard-earned money.”
“For my boys, anything.”
Rylee links her arm through mine and we make our way to the grand room where everyone is loitering with glasses of champagne and scotch to start their evening.
I do a lap of the guests and get pulled into a couple of conversations about how incredible this event is, helping stroke my confidence a little before Rylee catches up with me once more.
“You ready?”
I glance at the little stage that’s set up off to one side of the room and my stomach drops.
I’ve never been any good at public speaking, and I’m not sure right now will be any different. But this is my baby, and I refuse to send her up there to start proceedings because I’m too chicken-shit.
“Yes,” I say, blowing out a calming breath. “I’ve got this.”
Opening my purse, I pull out the notes I wrote weeks ago, knowing that I was going to have to do this. I’ve memorized the words, but having the piece of paper in my hand helps to calm me slightly.
As I climb up on stage, I think of my aunt. She should have been here tonight, and I know that she would have been cheering me on right now, probably already on her third glass of champagne and working the room, trying to talk to every person here.
A pang of pain shoots through me, but when I look up from the makeshift stage, my eyes lock with Bailey’s, her parents standing to the side of her with smiles on their faces.
“You got this,” she mouths in support, and I nod back at her.
Stepping up to the microphone, I tap the top and a fuzzy noise erupts from the speakers around the room.
“G-Good evening. Firstly, I’d like to thank you for agreeing to spend your evening with us as we raise vital funds for our project…” The more I say, the more I relax, and I soon find my grip on the paper in my hand lessening as I get into my flow talking about Corporate Cares and all the work we’re doing to support children who need us.
I’ve just about finished explaining how this evening’s silent auction will work when the door at the opposite side of the room opens.
I don’t think anything of it, assuming it’ll be a member of the hotel staff tasked with helping us tonight, but when Colton steps into the room looking like sin in his tux, my words falter.
But things are only made worse when he’s followed in by none other than Corey, who’s also dressed perfectly for the evening.
Holy shit.
I’m pretty sure I don’t say that out loud, but I can’t be sure.
His eyes hold mine as I finish what I was saying. I have no idea if it comes out making any sense, I’m too lost in the intensity in his eyes to focus on the words. I just have to hope that I’ve rehearsed it enough times that muscle memory takes over.
I thank everyone and I step down from the stage as a round of applause sounds out. I’m not entirely sure my speech deserves it, but I appreciate the gesture as I make my way toward the back of the room.
People must see the determination on my face, because a couple move out of my way so that I have a clear path to Corey.
I come to a stop right in front of him. My heart pounds in my chest and my hands tremble. I have no idea if I’m angry at him for taking off like he did, or just relieved to see him.
My emotions war as he stares into my eyes. The rest of t
he room fades to nothing as I wait to hear what he’s got to say for himself.
Colton squeezes his shoulder before stepping away from us and disappearing from my vision.
“Harlow, can we talk?”
Chapter Twenty-Nine
Corey
“Now? You want to talk now?” she snaps, her anger becoming more and more apparent.
“Um… yeah,” I say, knowing that if she makes me wait then I’ll probably chicken out of having the conversation I really don’t want to.
“I’m working, Corey,” she fumes.
“I know. I know, I just… I need to explain.”
She turns to look over her shoulder. Everyone is busy chatting, enjoying the drinks being passed around, and a few are heading towards the other room where I assume the silent auction is.
“This is incredible, by the way. You should be proud of yourself.”
“Rylee had to finish it,” she mutters. After a few seconds, she turns to me. “This had better be good.”
Reaching out, I take her hand in mine and pull her back to the door Colton and I entered through only minutes ago.
That last person I was expecting to find at the other end of my buzzer earlier tonight was Colton holding a suit bag.
He’d been sent on a mission by Rylee, and as much as I wanted to ignore him and continue hiding like the little bitch I was becoming, I couldn’t. I buzzed him up and listened to what he had to say.
Safe to say his argument was convincing, because I’m now standing here in a bloody tux, about to rip open my chest and bleed out for the woman who I’ve realized owns my heart.
“Where the hell are we going? Out there would have been just fine.” She points out toward the hotel reception we just walked through as the lift doors close behind me.
“I’m not doing this in public, Harlow.”
She opens her mouth to argue, but when her eyes land on my face, she closes it again.
“W-What’s wrong, Corey?”
“I’m… I’m terrified, okay? There are things I need to explain to you. Things I’ve not told another living soul and…”
“It’s okay,” she says, placing her warm hand on my forearm and squeezing gently.
“It’s not. I need you to understand. I need you to know everything.”
“Okay.” She swallows nervously as the lift dings to announce our arrival.
Pulling the card out that Colton handed me, I look for a room number, only instead I find a name.
That fucker gave me the key to a suite.
Glancing up at the signs, I turn left.
Harlow follows me to the first door and, after tapping the card to the keyless box, I push the door open.
“A little presumptuous, don’t you think?” she asks, looking around at the vast space.
“I didn’t have anything to do with it. Colton gave me the key, told me it was mine for the night to do with as I wish.”
“So he’s the reason you’re here right now?”
“Partly,” I say stepping toward her. “He gave me a push, but the real reason I’m here is for you.”
“Okay so…”
Blowing out a shaky breath, I find the mini bar and locate a bottle of scotch. Grabbing two glasses, I lower them to the coffee table.
“Drink?” I ask, looking up at Harlow.
Her lips press into a thin line for a second as her brows pull together. “I can’t drink, Corey.”
“Oh, fuck. Yeah. Sorry. Do you mind if I…?”
“Knock yourself out.”
Relief floods me that I’m going to be able to take the edge off the conversation that’s about to happen.
I pour myself a glass and down the lot in one before repeating the action with a second.
“Come and sit down, please?” I can’t cope with her hovering nervously as if she’s about to bolt.
She hesitates but eventually joins me on the other end of the sofa.
“Losing my boys and the drama with my family weren’t the only reasons I needed to escape my old life.” I suck in a huge breath, preparing to lay it all out for her. “Carla and I had been friends all our lives. Our fathers served together, and we ended up in the same boarding school while our parents were elsewhere.
“We both partied pretty hard in our younger years, along with everyone else around us. Most of us were army brats with parents all around the world. We thought we were invincible.
“I was never interested in Carla in that way, she was just my friend. But one night we got really drunk and we ended up kissing. One thing led to another and…”
“You got her pregnant?” Harlow says, correctly guessing where this is going.
Unable to hold her eyes, I stare down at my hands. “We were only fifteen. We were so young and naive. She stayed in school as long as she could before she left and had our daughter.” Harlow gasps in shock, but I don’t focus on her. I can’t, or I’ll stop and never get the words out.
“I enlisted the second I finished school. I didn’t have any choice, thanks to my father, but I promised her that I’d support her in any way I could. I had a responsibility to our daughter and I fully intended on being there for her, although we both agreed nothing would happen between the two of us.
“I joined the army, and she stayed home to bring up… our baby” I say, unable to even mention her name without it shattering me. “I’d see them both as often as I could, but I got swallowed up into squaddie life and… I was young,” I sigh, regretting not being a better father, a better friend.
“Things were… fine. L-Layla was growing up faster than I’d ever thought possible. She started school, all that stuff. I missed most of it because I was away, and I hated having to see it all in photographs.
“When I was discharged, I told myself that it was my chance to make things right. To be the father she needed and deserved.
“I hadn’t seen either of them for quite some time, and when I got back from rehab, I barely recognized Carla. She was a mess. I’d been sending them money every month, but I had no idea it was all going directly to her dealer. I had no clue that she’d spiraled out of control.
“Anyway, once I got myself sorted and Zach gave me a chance at the studio, I swore to myself that I’d get a place of my own and I’d go for custody. I might not have had a clue about how to bring up a child, but I was damn sure I could do a hell of a better job than Carla.”
My eyes remain on my hands as I fiddle with my fingers in an attempt to stop them trembling as my memories threaten to break me.
Sucking in a shaky breath, I continue.
“I started proceedings with a lawyer and they agreed that I’d have a solid chance of winning. Only, we never got that far.” My voice cracks and Harlow slides across the sofa until she’s holding my hands and her huge, dark eyes are staring into mine encouragingly.
“A couple of nights before the court case, I was at home trying to sleep when I got a call. There had been a fire at Carla's flat and… yeah. I could tell by the voice on the other end of the phone that it was bad.
“I raced over there.” I pause as the images of that fateful night fill my mind. Harlow squeezes my hands in support and slides even closer. I desperately want to look at her again, but I fear that if I do, I’ll break down and put off saying any more.
“Flames bellowed from the windows, smoke poured into the night sky. It was terrifying. The firemen did everything they could, but the blaze was too hot for them to get into the flat.”
“Oh my God,” Harlow whimpers, knowing exactly where this is going.
“By the time they got inside, it was too l-late. She was only eight. She had her whole life ahead of her.”
“Oh my God.” Her voice is full of emotion as she crawls onto my lap and wraps her arms around my shoulders.
“It had barely been a year since I lost my boys, and then that happened.” My body trembles as I’m taken back to that night. I was useless, utterly useless. After all my military training, when it mattered, all I
could do was stand there and watch my world burn.
Lacing my arms around her waist, I hold her to me, and I will the images to subside. I know it’s wishful thinking—they’re always there, just waiting to pop up, usually in my sleep, and threaten to break me all over again.
“I’m so sorry, Corey. I’m so sorry,” she whispers softly in my ear before she presses her lips to my neck and starts gently kissing me.
Once I’m feeling a little more in control of myself. I wrap my hands around her forearms and push her back so I can look at her.
She has black make-up streaked down her cheeks where she’s been crying with me.
She reaches out and brushes her thumbs over my cheeks, clearing away my own tears.
“I’m so sorry,” she says again.
“Harlow, I’m… I’m terrified. I can’t go through that again. I can’t lose…”
“Shhh,” she soothes, still holding my face. “That was a terrible, terrible accident. The chances of it—”
“I can’t lose you, Harlow.” I drop my hand to her smooth belly. “I can’t lose either of you.”
A sob rips up Harlow's throat before she falls down onto my chest and cries.
Rubbing my hands up and down her back, I sit in silence, my own thoughts running rampant around my head as she gets herself together.
“I didn’t think you wanted us,” she admits into the crook of my neck.
“Fuck. I’m so fucking sorry. This was my issue, it had nothing to do with you. I want you more than anything.”
We sit locked in our embrace for the longest time, just soaking up strength from each other and making silent promises that we’re both too scared to say out loud.
“Harlow?” I whisper after long minutes.
She pulls her head from my shoulder and looks at me through tear-filled eyes. The emotion staring back at me guts me to my core.
“I… fuck.”
“It’s okay,” she says, lifting her palm to rest on my cheek. “I know. I’m scared too.”
“When did you find out?”
“The day after my aunt died. I was sick, couldn’t stand the smell of coffee. Bailey made me take a test.”
Inked: A Driven World Novel (The Driven World) Page 25
