Philippe
Ugh! Don’t bother, I doubt I will have much of an appetite. A person has to be early to catch this one. I’m starting to wonder if I’m ever going to get to ask him my questions.
I pour myself a generous helping of wine and take a healthy sip. It warms me as it moves down my throat. I’m not hungry, but I open the drawer out of curiosity. There is a lovely breast of chicken accompanied by a vegetable medley and couscous. It looks good but it just doesn’t appeal to me right now. Feeling like a repeat of my morning, I pull the plate out of the warming oven and as the note instructed, I turn it off. I sit at the island, picking at my food, by myself. It’s just depressing. I abandon the food, grab the bottle of wine and head out to the terrace. It’s a nice but cool evening, so I flip on the outdoor fireplace and sit. I pull out my phone to see if I’ve had any calls or texts. Nothing. Wow!
I decide to call my mom and catch up. We chat for almost an hour and by the end of the conversation, I feel a whole lot better. She asks about my big romance and I remind her that it’s a casual thing, so calling it a romance is a big stretch. This of course confuses her, and I tell her to join the club. We talk about my business, their gallery and then we make tentative arrangements for me to come down in a couple weeks. I think it might be nice to introduce Harrison to my family. Not that he’s expressed a desire to meet them, but I’d like them to meet nonetheless. I’m betting he will get a kick out of them. Below his reserved mogul exterior is a man with a big heart and a great sense of humor. I just have to pull it out of him. Besides, you can’t help but to feel good around my parents.
The sun has gone down so I turn off the fireplace, lock things up, and head to bed. I pull out something to read for a little bit and drift into a troubled sleep. I have dreams again about being followed while I’m jogging on the beach and when I turn to see who it is, there’s only a dark figure with no features. This time though as the hand is grabbing me, I hear a ringing in the distance and the dark figure lets me go and runs the other way. I wake to the alarm on my phone ringing in the old-fashioned ringtone. I lie there staring at the sun soaked ceiling, recalling my dream while I take a few minutes to wake up.
I roll onto my side and face the vacant spot where Harrison should be lying. The thought of Harrison puts a smile on my face. I feel giddy as I remember that he said he would call this morning. I can’t wait to hear his low sexy voice. I decide to get out of bed and get ready for the day hopefully before his call.
While in the shower, I decide I can’t take the loneliness here anymore. Against Harrison's wishes, I decide I’m going to stay at my condo tonight. It’s less cavernous and a lot noisier since it’s in the heart of things. This place is just too quiet. I head out to the kitchen, hoping I’m early enough to catch Philippe. No such luck, once again I have the same note as yesterday. I write him back, noting that I have other plans so he doesn’t need to bother with dinner or breakfast for the next several days. Harrison will be back in town later Sunday, so that’s when I will plan to return.
My phone doesn’t ring all morning aside from another one of the unknown calls and a potential new client. I’m going stir crazy in my office, so I grab my white lightweight rain jacket and go out into the misty morning. It’s almost lunchtime so I think I will grab myself a bite to eat.
When I come out of the bistro, I practically run into Bradley.
“Hey stranger, how the heck are you? Did money bags let you off your leash?” He says as his eyes dart around, obviously looking for Harrison.
“Very funny, Bradley. Actually, he’s out of town this week so I’m going solo.” I hold up my brown takeout bag as evidence.
He lights up. “Then if you’re flying solo, I’m taking you to dinner tonight.” Before I can issue a protest, he holds his hand up to stop me. “I’ll swing by your office at 5:00, we can catch a happy hour here in the hood. No need to change, you look great.” He says as he eyes me up and down.
He gives me a quick hug, then turns, and walks away. I stand there in his wake and wonder where that self-assured take charge Bradley was when we were married. This Bradley is sexy and appealing. Wait, did I just agree to another happy hour? I cringe when I think about how Harrison will react when he finds out I had drinks with my ex again. Feeling smug at defying Harrison, I pull out my phone to see still no activity.
Apparently, Harrison is preoccupied and not one bit as concerned for me as he professes to be. In my wounded and damaged mind, it’s pretty much a foregone conclusion what has him so preoccupied. Marion must have her clutches on him. Or she’s at least attempting and that makes my blood curdle.
Once back in my office I sit down at my desk to eat my lunch, but the knots have returned and I’m no longer hungry. I look at my phone again, willing it to ring or buzz with a new message. Anything would be better than this silence… I need a way to get Harrison off my mind.
Normally, I would go for a run as that always clears my head, but since I’m going to meet Bradley later, I don’t want to shower again. Then I remember that I need to finish the schematics for the new office space for Towers Holdings. I’d better get it done and send it over to the operations manager. They’re moving in just about two weeks and as they pack they need to label everything as I lay out. This will help when I come in with my team for the day of the installation. I also need to send emails to my team as they all do contract work for me so I don’t have to keep them on payroll. I delve into my project and manage to work the rest of the day without any further daydream interruptions. Only after I’ve sent the plans and sketches via courier do I give myself permission to ponder the silence again. I pick up my phone to text Harrison, but then I stop myself. It’s his turn to contact me. I just get this nagging feeling that he’s playing with me. I’ll become convinced of this if he doesn’t contact me soon. Before I become completely unhinged.
I look at the clock and am glad that it’s only a few minutes until Bradley’s due here. Good, another distraction. I’m about to head into the little bathroom to touch up my makeup when another courier comes through the door. “Oh, I’m sorry the package was already picked up.”
The courier looks at his clipboard, “No ma’am, I’m not picking up, I’m delivering. Sign here.” He points to a spot on the clipboard and then hands me the envelope and tells me to have a good day.
I look at the envelope and there’s not a return address. How strange. I can’t imagine what it is. I turn it over and pull the tab strip to open it. I pull out a newspaper clipping with a note taped to it. I look at the handwritten note.
Miss Austen,
It appears you have a penchant for choosing two timers.
Harrison Towers is obviously a busy man.
Time for you to back off gracefully before someone gets hurt.
An admirer
My mouth drops open and I start to tremble. I look at the clipping and instantly feel light headed. There are two pictures next to each other of Harrison and Marion. The first picture is of them in an intimate embrace while looking at the camera and the other is of Marion leaning in to kiss Harrison.
The sender has highlighted the caption in yellow, and the caption reads:
After a successful business coup Tuesday, Harrison Towers and Marion Devereaux celebrate.
We here at the Examiner wonder what is next for these two.
I don’t bother reading the rest. In one moment, my entire world has now changed. He has no interest in Marion my ass! I sit down on the settee to digest this information. My mind is whirling and I’m trying really hard not to jump to any kind of conclusions, but my assessment earlier today is true. Marion has her clutches dug deep, but to what degree, and is there any chance for me? For us.
Sitting there staring at the clipping I hardly notice Bradley approaching the door. Oh no Bradley! I can’t do this right now. He comes bounding through the door like Tigger coming to see Pooh. I hand him the note and the clipping without saying a word. He reads it, then looks down at me, and then looks back at the pictures. He takes a deep breath and then sits down next to me. “Oh, Dani, I’m so sorry. I mean, I hated the thought of you seeing that guy, but the last thing I would want is for you to be hurt. I already took care of that.”
“Oh Bradley, I’m such a fool. I shouldn’t have been so blind and naive. I don’t really have a right to be mad. He never promised me happily ever after. He did lie to me though and said he wasn’t into her. What business associate kisses another on the lips and embraces like that?”
“Honestly, none that I know of, but you never know with those crazy Canadians. But, you aren’t a fool, Dani, you just love the wrong people.”
With the tears welling up and the bile from my upset stomach burning the back of my throat, I can’t bear the thought of going out in public. “Listen, Bradley, can I get a rain check on drinks tonight? I think I might hop in the car and head down to my parents’ house.”
“Dani, I don’t mind being a shoulder to cry on, besides I really don’t think you should be driving. We could order in and I could hang out with you in your condo.”
“I appreciate that, Bradley, but I would rather head down to my parents’, I need some space and time to think. It’s kind of you, but I am most likely going to be a blubbering idiot the rest of the night and you lie when you say you can be a shoulder to cry on. You always wimped out whenever I cried.”
He laughs. “Yeah, you’re right. Then do me a favor and head down to your folks in the morning. I don’t think that drive is a good idea at night under the best of circumstances.”
“I don’t know, I’ll think about it. I really want to head to my condo for now and sort out my thoughts at the very least. I may head down in the morning.” I stand to show him to the door.
“Okay, fair enough. At least text me what you’re going to do so I don’t worry.”
“Sure, I’ll try to remember to text you. Thanks, Bradley.”
He gives me a hug and an awkward kiss on the cheek and then leaves. I sigh and turn to grab my things when he pokes his head back in the door. “Hey, Dani, let me walk you back to your condo and see you safely inside. I feel a little weird about you getting packages from an undisclosed sender. Not to mention all the other odd stuff.”
“Go, Bradley, it’s still light outside, I’m fine!” I insist.
“Okay, drinks next week though.” He makes the call me sign with his right hand and then he leaves.
I walk briskly around the corner to my building with my hackles up and fighting back the tears. I keep looking over my shoulder and am acutely aware of the man following me from about twenty yards back. I rush in the front doors of the lobby and see that Frank isn’t at his usual post. Of course! Of all days. I literally duck behind a large planted palm by the concierge desk. The man following me stops at the front lobby doors and peers in. I can hardly make out his face due to the glare, but if I didn’t know any better, I could have sworn it was Garrin Leone. I wonder if Harrison has him watching me? He leaves the front door and I make my move to the stairs at the side of the elevator. I get to the first floor and then summon the elevator from there.
Back in the comfort of my condo, I look in the refrigerator and now wish I had taken Bradley up on his offer for takeout. Despite my feeling sick to my stomach, I want to eat something. I pull some stale wheat crackers out of the pantry and settle down on the sofa. I send my mom a text.
5:30 PM
Me
I am going to head down tomorrow. I need to get away. I will explain later.
5:31 PM
Mom
Are you okay baby girl?
5:31 PM
Me
Yes, no, it’s complicated. I need to see you and daddy. Be down around midday.
5:32PM
Mom
Okay, please drive carefully and text me when you leave Portland.
5:32 PM
Me
Ok.
While on my drive, I ponder my next step. The commute to Cannon Beach is swift and uneventful, which I’m thankful for. A lot of times, traffic to the coast can take forever as it’s usually a single lane of slow moving vacationers, lollygagging their way to the beach. With it being mid-September, tourism has died down and now it’s just weekenders heading to the coast for their 2-day beach escapes. It gives me a chance to play things over in my head without worrying too much about the other drivers since there are hardly any on the road. My Jeep Cherokee practically drives itself anyway.
I keep replaying my last conversation with Harrison over in my head. I’m trying to convince myself that for now, I can be happy with the status of my complicated relationship with him. He is hot, sexy, and he takes my body to places I never knew I could go. He makes me feel attractive and desirable. I never had these things with Bradley. The main thing I have to remind myself is that he’s been forthcoming about his intentions towards me. He’s never promised me anything more than what he’s already giving. I just find this whole mystery surrounding him and Marion hard to accept. It’s odd to me and I don’t think it coincides with his behavior, or does it? I know one thing, I won’t be the other woman, nor will I allow him to have her on the side. It’s one or the other.