C40 Chapter 40

CHRISTINE

“Why the hell would you marry someone else if you’re interested in me? If you’re interested in me but aren’t sure if it’s going to work between us because of our past, then make a decision one way or the other. Clouding your vision with another asshole on the side isn’t doing either of us any favors. Even worse, you’re planning to marry him but will leave him just like this,” Grady snaps his fingers, “if you decide you want to be with me. Why do you want to endure the shit of a divorce if you can avoid it? I’m beginning to think your head’s not right.”

My anger flares. “Who the hell cheated on who the first time? Now you know what it’s like but you’re squealing like a little child! You’re allowed to fuck people over but don’t let it happen to you. Right? Well if you don’t like it, you know where the door is.”

“It’s my apartment,” Grady reminds me.

“So you’re telling me I know where the door is?” I ask.

“Maybe,” he replies angrily.

I look at him in disbelief and decide to hell with it. I pick up my bag and head for the door. I slam it behind me and head for the elevator lobby. I call the elevator and wait for it. I can’t believe it. He hasn’t followed as I expected him to.

The elevator arrives and the doors open. It’s empty and I step inside. The elevator is made of glass and I can see down to the lobby of the hotel. I press the button for the ground floor and look down at the lobby as I wait for the doors to close. At the last minute, I hear Grady. “Christine!”

I don’t move and he makes it into the lift just in time. He spins me round to face him and before I can do anything he pulls me close and kisses me. It takes me a moment before I respond. I have wanted Grady since I saw him again and as much as I have been denying him sex with me I have been denying myself. I’m crazy with desire and at last, I respond to his kiss. Our mouths melt together as our fingers find each other’s neck or hair to stroke or grab. Our breathing accelerates and we sound like we’ve just finished running a marathon. When we finally separate, I look down to the lobby and my eyes find Lara.

She is looking at me in disbelief and astonishment.

“Fuck!’ I say.

‘What is it?” Grady asks. He wants to look where I’m looking but I stop him.

“Don’t look,” I say. I try to consider my options and make a decision quickly. “Don’t get out of the elevator with me. Go back up. Don’t go straight to your floor either.”

“Why? What’s the matter?”

“Someone’s seen us,” I tell him. “I’ll call you later.” Out of the corner of my eye, I can see Lara moving toward the elevators. I hope I can get out before she gets to them. I don’t want her to see Grady. She knows him. This just got so complicated.

Thankfully, the elevator stops and I get out before Lara’s arrived. “Go!” I say to Grady. He punches a number on the elevator panel and presses the close door button. The doors start closing as Lara rounds the corner. Her face is like a thundercloud.

I smile as innocently as possible and start walking towards her. She reaches me, takes my arm, and leads me to a quiet corner of the lobby.

“What the hell was that?” she asks. “Was that Grady?”

Shit. I didn’t think she’d seen that much.

“Did you just kiss Grady in the elevator?”

I sigh and nod. “Lara, it’s not what you think it is. He just grabbed me and kissed me. He surprised me.”

“Really? It didn’t look a whole lot like you were resisting,” Lara says angrily.

“Maybe it looked that way to you but he’s strong. I promise you he’ll think twice about trying to kiss me again after I slapped him.”

“What were you doing in the elevator with him?”

“It was pure coincidence,” I lie. “I ran into him here after I finished a client meeting. We spoke and I rode up in the elevator with him and came straight back down. He wanted me to go to his room and I said no. That’s when he jumped in the elevator and kissed me by surprise.”

Lara is looking at me suspiciously. She doesn’t believe a word I’m saying. I don’t blame her but I’m not going to budge with my story.

“You know, I let Lara go because you demanded it. She was kissing Rick when you walked in on them. I fired her as you asked and now, I have to bust my butt doing the work I need to do while my husband desperately needs me at home.”

“What is your point?” I ask as my tone hardens.

“My point is, I had perfectly good help that you demanded I fire because she made a move on Rick. I fired her but then I find you locking lips with your ex. That’s just as bad if not worse. I won’t condone it.”

“I told you that he surprised me,” I insist. “Please Lara. You know me.”

“I’m beginning to wonder,” Lara says as she looks hard at me. “He broke your heart and you’ve never recovered. You’ve never had a proper relationship since then. You’ve changed men like underwear…”

I know she’s right but to stand here and listen to her judgment of me and simply take it is tantamount to admitting the truth.

“…you know,” I interrupt her. “I’ve listened to your jokes about my dating habits since Grady broke my heart. I’ve laughed with them and even participated in them, but I had no idea that you judged me for them. I’ve always trusted you as my best friend and I had no idea you were judging me so harshly all this time.”

“I never judged you all this time. I’m speaking from my view of your life since Grady broke your heart. And I say it because I care, not because I’m judging you.”

“Because you care?” I ask. “How do those remarks show me you care?”

“They tell you I care because I’m trying to tell you to look at what you’ve become since he broke your heart. Now you get to the point that you’re ready to get married to a nice man and you’re going to screw it up because of Grady? Look what he did to you.”

“I can control him,” I say and then realize I’ve said too much.

Lara looks like I’ve slapped her. “You can control him? So, this isn’t the first time you’ve seen him since you broke up?”

“I don’t answer to you,” I say defensively.

Lara looks at me coldly. She is quiet for a moment and then she finally speaks. “No, you don’t. You don’t answer to me. Do as you wish. Just remember, I don’t answer to you either. Just do us all a favor and decide what you want with this wedding, okay?”

“The wedding goes ahead,” I reply angrily.

Lara hesitates then nods before she turns and leaves.

A few spectators gathered watching her altercation and now I snap at them. “What are you looking at? Don’t you have enough drama in your own lives?”

They quickly hurry off and I leave the hotel soon after.

VIOLA

After the phone call, I sit down. I’m stunned. I can’t believe it.

Amber looks at me. “Are you okay?”

“I can’t believe it,” I say. I’m in a daze.

“What is it? Are you okay?”

“That was Lara.”

“Your boss. The one who fired you?”

I nod.

“And?” Amber asks curiously. She’s getting stressed and thinks it’s something bad.

“She just asked me to come and work for her again,” I say at last.

“What?” Amber asks, incredulous. She’s never heard of someone being fired and then rehired by their boss so fast if ever. “What’s the catch?”

“None,” I say. “None at all.” I told Lara I’d think about it but what is there to think about? There are no other opportunities like this. I call her back.

“Okay, I’ll be more than happy to come back. I just have one request,” I say.

“What’s that?” Lara asks sounding worried.

“I’ll start after Rick’s wedding, okay?”

“I was hoping…” Lara begins and then trails off. “Sure. Okay. Done. I’ll see you on Monday.”

“His wedding is still going ahead?” I ask just to be sure.

“Yes, it is,” Lara says.

We end the call and I sit down. I smile slowly as Amber looks at me. “And?”

“I’m going back to work,” I say jumping up and down.

“That’s great!” Amber says and dances with me in the middle of the living room as Dane looks on. Then Amber goes to fetch us a bottle of wine and we begin to drink. Three bottles later, we’re quite drunk. I eventually fall asleep on the sofa and Amber heads off to the bedroom where she crashes with Dane.