Closer to the Heart (The Heart Trilogy Book 3) (7 page)

Chapter 10

Sliding into the passenger seat of her Mercedes Felicity relaxed her facial muscles and laughed. She was still chuckling when Daniel fired up the engine and they drove home.

“That was perfect” she breathed, as the townscape dispersed into rolling fields.

“Do you think the police will leave us alone now” Daniel asked, rubbing his hand over his swelling jaw.

“They have nothing on me. All those interviews last week about Anthony's death and then having the cheek to ask if I knew anything about the stabbing of Stephanie's husband....as if!!”

She reached over and started to rub his inner thigh. Daniel pushed his foot down on the accelerator as her fingertips reached higher. Felicity pulled down his zip and slid her hand between the teeth. Daniel was already hard to her touch.

“Shall I pull over?”

“No. I'm just teasing you ready for later. But first I need to get home and speak to Mitchell, tell him all about his memorial service”

Mitchell saw the Mercedes kicking up dust as it powered up the driveway and drove into the garage. Daniel entered the house but his mother sauntered to his door and unlocked it.

“Mitchell....Mitchell can we talk” she called from the bottom of the staircase.

“Yes, I'm upstairs” he sighed.

“How are you?”

“How do you think I am?”

“It’
s
not for much longer now and then you'll be free in your new identity”

Mitch sighed and turned away.

Felicity stood up and opening her handbag pulled out a couple of photographs. She laid them on his coffee table.

“They did a fine memorial service for you today. So poignant even I felt emotional for Mitchell Cooke”

He looked back at her, tears teetered on his lashes.

“Was Charlie there” he mumbled.

“Oh yes of course she was. I have to say I admired her long velvet coat.....but her choice of men has sunk even lower”

“What!”

“Oh it appears she is with the owner of Dusk till Dawn, a friend of mine saw them in the park together on Christmas Day”

Mitch felt sick to th
e
core
,
he couldn't believe that of her. He had seen the reply to his text on Christmas Eve, this was just more lies.

“Leave me alone”

“As you wish, I'll send some food over later” Felicity said, tripping back down the stairs and out. He left it a good half hour before he picked up the photographs she had left on the coffee table. They were blurred and distant but he could make out a couple embracing in the snow covered park. A blac
k
Labrado
r
was in the second one, unmistakably Jester. Fuck! This looked like Charlotte and Zach although their features were difficult to see.

Perhaps her text had not been th
e
truth
,
perhaps she had said it under pressure from James? He shook hi
s
head
,
he couldn't believe all of this. He no longer knew where the truth was? Who wa
s
lyin
g
to him now, his mother or Charlotte? Lying back on the sofa he ripped the photos up and scattered the pieces on the floor
.
If only he'd had time to look in the encrypted file
.
He guessed his mother had this now or had destroyed it along with his laptop. It seemed hopeless to try and plan an escape, especially if Charlie was now involved with Zach. After all he owned two night-clubs and probably drove a flash car. How could Charlotte resist now that she thought he was dead?

He flicked the remote on the sound system and chose the playlist that he had compiled during their relationship. He knew listening to the songs would be torture but in his dejection he found then strangely soothing. Closing his eyes he remembered all their good times and as the last track faded out he pressed stop and deleted it. His only option now seemed to be to move on. He didn't want to go back to James and the memories of his old life. Maybe this new start with his Mother would work? If not he might just manage to walk out of it with some money that he could use in the future.

Back inside the house Felicity made her way to the bedroom. She knew Daniel would be waiting there for her and after today's acting stint at the memorial service she was ready for some fun. Starting to giggle again she thought of how her ex-husband had looked, old and haggard. Inside his room Daniel watched her enter, he was already wearing his dressing gown. He had lit candles and the massage oil was on the bedside table.

“Here let me” he said, rubbing her shoulders as she slipped out of her heels.

Reverently he undressed her and led her through to the sunken bath in th
e
ensuite. It was already filled with warm, fragranced water and Felicity slipped beneath the soapy surface. Daniel continued to massage her shoulders and then joined her in the bath tub. His hands tenderly caressed her legs and thighs as she closed her eyes and smiled. Then he wrapped her in a towel before he began the massage. He preferred this to when she was domineering but it so rarely happened.

After they made love he left her to relax and set about preparing dinner for them all. His jaw still ached from the punch Zach had thrown at him earlier. They had been friends since high school and through college but since the advent of Felicity in both their lives things had drifted between them. Daniel still regretted not getting involved with the club when Zach had opened his first one and made a success of it. Closing his eyes he thought back to the day that Felicity had asked him to move in and now they would be moving on again.

Putting the food onto a tray for Mitchell he walked across the yard, opened the door and left it on the table. In a way the only flawed piece of Felicity's plan was Mitchell who would potentially inherit everything. He wanted the wealth and unless Felicity relented and married him, he would forever be at her whim, kept or discarded if she so chose. That thought always bugged him and at the same time kept him compliant to her every wish. He heard footsteps approaching and quickly stepped bac
k
outside
,
he didn't need Mitchell seeing the bruise appearing on his chin.

Felicity was also thinking about their showdown with Charlotte and then Zach at the memorial service. Daniel had proved his worth in saving her from a punch in the cheek but had then let her down when Zach waded in and put him on the floor. She smiled wistfully as she thought about the time she had spent with Zach in the past. She had met both of them at the health spa, watched them with a view to seduction. Her husband Anthony had been heavily into the swinging scene and loved holding elegant parties at their home for their affluent like-minded friends. Single men were always necessary to keep the numbers up at these events and this was where Felicity excelled.

She prowled the Health spa, looking desirable and sexy in her quest for the right men to join their elite group. It had been in the summer and after a game of tennis with her friend Marcia she had noticed Daniel and Zach on one of the other courts. Their lean fit bodies rippled beneath their tight t-shirts and shorts. She had waited casually for them to vacate the court and joined them on the path back to the shower rooms. Offering them a drink on the house she had met them in the bar. Daniel had been the confident one, happy to chat and flirt especially when he knew she was the manager.

She had offered them a three month free membership at the Spa and made sure that she was around when they used the facilities. She would be swimming at the same time they were, showing off her cosmetically enhanced body in skimp
y
bikinis. Then she had made her move in the sauna one evening. A hand on Daniel's leg as the sweat trickled down his firm, young skin which he had reciprocated. She remembered how Zach had made a move to leave but realising his hidde
n
voyeuristi
c
tendencies it hadn't taken much to make him stay.

“Felicity, dinner is ready” Daniel called up the stairs, breaking her happy day dreams.

“I'll be down shortly, have you opened the champagne” she replied. Then slipping into her full length silk robe she sashayed downstairs for food. At the table she savoured the cold, bubbles and enjoyed the hot look that Daniel was giving her.

“The estate agent is calling round tomorrow to show us the proofs for the brochure. Hopefully he will have some viewings lined up”

“We will need warning so that we can make sure Mitchell is hidden if they want to view the barn conversion” Daniel said.

“Yes, I need to speak to Keith and find out how all the paperwork is progressing. I'm hoping the photo's I left are doing the trick and turning him to my way of thinking”

“Do you think we should arrange another party before we leave?” Daniel asked, thinking of the last one a few months before.

“Oh yes, what a fantastic idea, why don't you invite Zach this time. I hope you're not going to let one punch come between you
r
friendship?”

“He probably won't come” Daniel said “but I'll talk to him, warn him off Charlotte”

“Yes, she hasn't suffered enough yet and if Zach is making a play for her she will find it shocking to know about his shady past” Felicity giggled, this turned into a laugh that echoed up to the ceiling.

Back at his apartment Zach sat down and breathed in the faint scent of Charlotte that lingered on his coat lapels. It was musky and sweet and took him straight back to New Year's Eve. She was the first girl he had yearned for, she reminded him of his first love, Sasha and he hadn't thought about her since the night of the party 7 years ago. He had tried to blot out that awful memory for years but his confrontation with Daniel and Felicity had bought it back to the surface. Crossing the room he poured his usual JD and ice before sinking into his leather sofa.

Where Sasha had jet black hair and smooth dark coffee skin, Charlotte was the opposite. He had liked her with red hair but now it was almost blond it suited her features and made her green eyes stand out against her porcelain skin. Oh those green eyes, they had glinted with naughtiness after he had spanked her. Just thinking about it again made his hand tingle with delight and other parts of him stir.

About a week after they had met Felicity at the Spa he had ventured there alone one day. Sasha was running the Aerobic class and he stopped to look in at her through the glass wall that separated the studio from the gym. She was older than him but younger than Felicity. Her skin shone with sweat like a polished conker. She was slim and supple but still with curves in all the right places. Although he was shy he waited for her outside the door and handed her a bottle of water with a smile.

They had swam together in the pool and then chatted in the sauna before arranging a date. Everything was perfect Daniel went to the Spa for Felicity, Zach for Sasha. She had taught him everything he ever needed to know about pleasing
a
woman
,
he had fallen in love with her completely. He drained his glass and shook his head clear of the memories of the night that had changed his life. He needed to move on, he needed to forget.

Chapter 11

James returned to work the following week and Charlotte to college with a heavy heart. She walked Jester in the park and let her mind replay the times she had shared with Mitchell. He had been her true love and now that he was missing presumed dead she was trapped in her prison of memories. Beratin
g
hersel
f
for fooling around with Shelley that had led to them breaking up and Mitchell leaving for his Mothers place. If only....IF ONLY she could go back in time and change her actions then he would still be alive. In the back of her mind Zach lurked, waking her from sleep with an aroused itch that even her vibrator would not lay to rest.

It was only a week to the wedding and surprisingly everything seemed to be organised. I had dragged Charlotte back to the bridal shop and with our dresses fully fitted we were ready. Sarah had been back up for a dress shopping trip and Chris had come too. Partly to cheer James up but also to get his suit fitted as he was to be the best man. We had decided not to have stag and hen nights so instead a close family and friends meal was organised for the weekend before.

In our room I stood in front of the wardrobe looking through my dresses for the evening meal. A hand on my back surprised me and I turned to see James.

“Wear the pink one you wore in the hotel on our first date back together” he breathed. His lips bent to start a trail from my shoulder blade to my lips.

“Ok, as long as you wear the purple shirt”

“Deal” he said, before our kisses silenced us. He had tried his best over the last few weeks to move on, but his eyes betrayed him. A shadow of pain still lingered there and until he was able to contact this file hacker friend of Simon's he could not fully move on.

Across the landing Charlotte sat in confusion, her laptop screen on. She read the email again from Arlene Phillips.

“Charlotte,

I would personally like to invite you to audition for the part of Francis Houseman (Baby) in the stage production of Dirty Dancing. This will take place on the 21st February in London. The studio address and directions are listed on the attachment. I hope this gets to you as I did send the same email a week ago to Mitchell but have had no reply. I look forward to your confirmation shortly.

Kind Regards

Arlene“

Wiping the tears away once more she held her fingers poised on the reply button. Part of her wanted to just ignore it, delete the message and wipe away the pain that dancing without Mitchell would cause. The other part of her knew that he would want her to carry on, to dance in his memory.

“Arlene, thank you for the invitation I would love to attend. Mitchell is dead” sh
e
paused
,
she hated that word it was so final. Deleting it she re-wrote

“Mitchell is missing presumed dea
d
it’
s
a long story but I need to come to try and appease my guilt over it all. I have slightly lost my will to dance but I know he would want me to continue.

Kind Regards

Charlotte“

Tears splattered on the keyboard as she pressed send and realised that she needed to get dressed ready for the meal. She stood up and looked through her clothes and pulled out the black dirty dancing style dress. Pulling it on she was shocked to find it gaping at the sides and loose at the waist. It looked awful so she found her padded bra and her tight silver belt which made it look better. Around her neck still hung the heart necklace and with a bit of make-up she looked ok. Her silver cardigan hid her thin arms from view. Slipping into her shoes she glanced at the picture on her bedside table, a happy moment in London.

I knocked on the door

“Charli
e
ar
e
you ready the taxi is here”

“Yes Mum”

The door opened and my daughter smiled weakly at me.

“Are you ok”

She nodded and rushed into my arms, her body shaking with sobs.

“Don't cry, please don't cry” I murmured into her hair, my own tears threatening to break free at any moment.

“So....sorry...Mum” she gulped out “Perhaps it would be best if I stay home tonight”

“No I need yo
u
there
,
everyone wants you to be there”

She nodded as I untangled her arms.

“Go re-do your face and we'll see you downstairs” I said. She paused in the doorway and I looked into her eyes

“I can't fix this, only time will and even then you will always feel that splinter in your heart”

In the hallway Sarah and Chris were waiting, along with Darren and Sophie, Pam and Peter and James.

“She's coming in a minute” I said “Go ahead into the minibus and we'll be out”

When Charlie joined me she looked a little better so I linked my arm throug
h
hers.

“Thanks Mum”

As we climbed into the bus, Sophie said

“There's a seat here by us Charlotte”

I sat down next to James as he slid the side door shut and we drove out of town to the restaurant.

James sat at the head of the table, I sat beside him on the one side with Charlotte between me and Chris
.
With the wine flowing our conversation centred on the wedding day plans
.
We were all booked into the small boutique hotel where the ceremony and reception was taking place. Charlotte, Sarah and I were going to get there the evening before, leaving Chris at home with James. We were booked in for some serious pampering and I hoped it would help cheer up Charlotte.

The following week seemed to fly by. I was busy training up an apprentice DJ called Louise or Lou for short. She had been working the dead zone for the last few months from ten till midnight in the week. In my sleepless nights I had tuned in downstairs and realised her true potential. While I was away for three weeks on my honeymoon I knew she would do a good job, potentially better than me. As Greg was busy setting up the next new station in Manchester I needed more time off the air to fill in for his absence.

I finished my show on Friday afternoon and walked into the staff room to find Jack, Leon, Greg and Naomi waiting for me.

“Here's a card from us all” Naomi said, handing over a large envelope.

“And just a little token gift but you might need to open it before the ceremony” Jack added. I grinned as he passed me a small box. I opened it to find a lace garter trimmed with cream silk and a small chocolate coloured rose. Kissing them all I smiled broadly.

“Just look after the station while I'm away” I said “And I look forward to seeing you all tomorrow evening at the reception”

Jack walked to the door with me.

“See you tomorrow Jack, the ceremony starts at eleven and I need you and Justin to keep my baby girl happy”

“Don't you worry we will so long as you look absolutely drop dead gorgeous tomorrow when I walk you down the aisle”

His hug warmed my spirits as I set off towards the hotel in the Cotswolds. Sarah was picking up Charlotte and meeting me there. I quickly checked the back seat of the car, my wedding dress carefully packed in a bag. I smiled as I turned the stereo on and found my favourite playlist on my iPod. The first track filled the car interior as I sang along to the lyrics I knew off by heart. Ric
k
Astle
y
singing 'Hold me in your arms' which was what I was going to do tomorrow.

“You only have to hold me, touch me to make me feel this way”

The old fashioned lamp posts lit my way up the driveway and I parked next to Sarah's car in front of the warm sandstone exterior. A doorman came to the car and carried all my bags inside and then up to my room while I walked through to the bar and the welcome sight of my daughter and my best friend. They had chosen th
e
sof
a
nearest the fire and a bottle of white wine was open on the table.

“Mum” Charlotte called out, the heat from the fire leaving marks on her cheeks.

“Charlie, Sarah” I said, as I sat down next to them both.

Sarah poured me a glass of wine as I sank back into the cushions and took a long slug.

“S
o
what’
s
the plan, girls”

“We're booked in for dinner in an hour. Then tomorrow morning we get up at eight have a massage, light breakfast and then hair, nails and make-up before we're all ready for eleven” Sarah said, holding up her glass.

“A toast to Stephanie and James and their big day tomorrow”

I tapped my glass to hers and then to Charlotte's before we took a sip.

“I'm going to go and get washed and changed if that's ok because you two are making me look dowdy”

“You look lovely Mum, but if you must” she said softly.

Walking into the bridal suite I pulled out my phone and sent a quick message to James

“Arrived safely, room is spectacular
I
can'
t
wait to share it with you tomorrow night”

James quickly replied.

“I can't wai
t
either
,
I never believed that this day would come. See you tomorrow sweetheart x”

I showered and pulled on my favourite floral print dress and returned to the girls in time for us to head through to the dining room.

Over the meal Charlotte made a surprise announcement.

“I've got an audition in London next weekend for the part of Baby in the stage version of Dirty Dancing”

I looked up, startled but overjoyed.

“Wow, congratulations” I said, raising my glass once more.

“Well done, Charlie” Sarah chimed in.

“They wanted Mitchell too” she murmured, the shine in her eyes dying.

“Oh”

“Mum, I'm so scared that
I
won'
t
be able to dance anymore. I want to go for Mitchell's memory but......” Her voice trailed off.

I reached for her hand and gave it a small soft squeeze.

“You can do it, I just wish I could go with you but I'll be on honeymoon”

“It’
s
ok Mum, I’m going to ask Julia when I see her later”

“Well, whil
e
Step
h
is away if you need anything just give me a call” Sarah said.

We finished our meal and Charlie excused herself to bed, leaving Sarah and I to a glass of Bailey's and the fireside sofa.

“Let’
s
hope this audition will cheer her up” I said.

“Come on try not to dwell on everything that has happened, tomorrow is your day...no more worries”

Sarah's words made me smile and kept it there as we walked upstairs to our rooms.

I slept like a baby all night, no nightmares no dreams just sleep. I woke early and realised I had an hour before our massage was booked so I slipped into my gown and went down the corridor to the Spa area. The pool was deserted as I slipped into the water and swam up and down the length. The calm monotony soothed my mind of every worry I had for the day. I returned to my room and showered before I heard Sarah's knock on the door. Charlie was waiting too as we wandered back along the corridor.

Any knots I had left after the swim were quickly dispatched and I could have easily drifted back off to sleep on the table. Then back in my room we all enjoyed some muesli and yogurt for breakfast before the beautician and hairdresser arrived. Gradually my hair was fastened up in a style so similar to how I had worn it for my end of school dance. The only addition was the stunning tiara that she fastened in at the end. Charlie wore her hair loose but curled and a smaller gold band in hers. Sarah short hair was sculpted and her fascinator put into place.

A knock on the door bought Jack and Justin carrying our bouquets and a bottle of champagne.

“You look amazing” he gasped “an
d
that’
s
without your dress on”

I smiled as I sipped the cool bubbles and surveyed the happy crowd in my room.

“Ok, everyone out now as we need to get our dresses on” Sarah said.

“I'll be waiting outside” Jack said, planting a soft kiss on my cheek.

My underwear hugged my figure, defining it even more. I took my time pulling on the pale stockings and then the garter that my staff had given me. This was my ne
w
item
,
m
y
crotch les
s
panties were my novel joke at blue!! M
y
necklace of pearlswer
e
a present from my Mum as they had belonged to her. The only thing I didn't have was something borrowed. Pulling the dress on I fastened it and stared into the full length mirror. Sarah was the next to enter looking beautiful in a silk dress of deep blue.