Lured into Love (Blossom in Winter Book 2)

by Melanie Martins

  Chapter 4

  Bedford Hills, August 28, 2020

  Petra Van Gatt

  “Good morning, Miss.” Despite having my eyes closed, I immediately recognize Cynthia’s voice as she walks into the bedroom. “Did you sleep well?”

  “Mmm…” I mumble as I slowly stretch my arms. I try to do the same with my legs, but my muscles hurt like I ran a marathon. Jeez, they are so tense! I try to bend them, and although it’s slightly better than yesterday, it’s still impossible to get up without help. Turning to my right, I’m not surprised not to find Alex there. He’s the type of person who wakes up at six in the morning, hits the gym for one hour, showers, eats a quick breakfast, and by eight, is already working. I look at the alarm on the nightstand: it’s nine-thirty a.m. Yeah, I’m not crazy like him. Even during the school year, waking up at seven-thirty was still a big hassle for me.

  Cynthia is already pulling on the bedsheets and dragging my legs to the floor. “Do I have aquatic gym today?” I ask, impatient to get all these muscles functioning again.

  “Yes, later on today,” she replies. Great! I’ll have at least some semblance of a summer day as I do my workout in the outdoor pool.

  I hold on to her arms and lift my body up, then I switch over to the walker, and with Cynthia’s help, I drag myself to the bathroom.

  After getting showered and dressed, Cynthia tells me the program for the day. “Dr. Nel is waiting for you on the terrace, then you have two hours of reading, lunch at one o’clock with your fiancé and your dad, one hour of reading, then an hour of aqua gym, then electrotherapy for fifteen minutes, and a full-body massage session.”

  “Wow. That’s pretty filled up,” I blurt out. But it seems like Cynthia is not even finished.

  “Then you have nineteen minutes to read, and dinner with your fiancé at seven thirty.”

  “Oh,” I utter, quite surprised to have a romantic dinner with him and only him. That must mean he’s not mad at me for my insistence yesterday. As we take the lift down to the ground floor, I wonder if, once I’m married, I’ll have Maria telling me my schedule every morning like this. I kinda like it, waking up and having someone tell me what my day will be like. That’s what assistants are for, I think to myself. But assistants don’t walk into your bedroom and wake you up, only household staff can do that. Might be something to tell Maria to start doing.

  As I reach the terrace, I see Dr. Nel sitting at the table having an espresso. It’s a beautiful, bright morning in Bedford Hills, blue sky, warm weather… What more can I ask for?

  “Good morning,” Dr. Nel greets me, a big grin on her face, before standing up.

  I return the smile and take baby steps to get to the chair beside her. “I’m sorry for taking so long,” I tell her once I’m finally seated.

  “Don’t worry, it’s normal. How are your legs?”

  I wish I could tell her I’m all good, but unfortunately, I’ve got to tell her the truth. “They are very tense from yesterday’s workout.” Then I glance toward the doorway and see Maria carrying a tray with a matcha latte, grilled mushrooms, and avocado toast. Oh, wow! It looks so delicious! To my surprise, Maria greets me in Dutch as she puts the food on the table. And I hear Dr. Nel replying back in the same language.

  After she leaves, Dr. Nel is the first to break our silence. “Your fiancé asked me to prescribe you the pill,” she informs me. “Were you already taking it before your coma?”

  “Oh,” I utter as I taste the grilled mushrooms. I see my fiancé doesn’t waste time. “Um, no, I wasn’t.”

  “Were you using any other form of birth control?” she asks again, and her question makes me squint at her.

  “Why do you need to know all that?” I ask her as I take a sip of my matcha latte.

  “Well, it’s normal. You might have used patches, injections, implants…”

  “No, I’ve never used anything before.”

  “Alright.” Dr. Nel starts writing something in her familiar notebook. And I start to wonder if this is just for her, or to share with my mom. “Is your menstruation cycle regular?”

  “Um…” The question makes me twitch in my seat. I’ve never given much importance to what my body does. I kinda trust that it’s doing its part, so I don’t really know. But for the sake of answering, I say, “I think so.”

  “Do you have any pain before or during your periods?”

  The avocado toast is so tasty that for a second, I forget Dr. Nel is still beside me asking questions. “No, I don’t even notice when I get it.”

  “Oh, that’s great,” Dr. Nel says as she keeps writing in her notebook. “Alright, I’ll ask Cynthia to get you a box. Please keep me updated if you notice any side effects.” As she writes the prescription, I keep eating my toast. “You have to take one pill every morning with breakfast for twenty-one days,” she explains. “Then you stop for seven.”

  “Is it immediately effective?” I ask, already full of hopes for tonight.

  “No, you have to take it for seven days first.”

  Seven days?! The idea of sleeping with Alex and not doing anything for seven more days seems terrifying. I already miss him so damn much! “Can I start today?”

  “Only tomorrow morning,” Dr. Nel says. “Maria will give it to you every morning with breakfast so you don’t forget it.” My heart squeezes a bit hearing her. I wish I didn’t have to move back to Park Avenue once my classes start again. After all, just like Dr. Nel thought, I should be living permanently with my fiancé. Except I’m not. In nine days, I will have to live at Park Avenue during the week with Dad. How ridiculous! I hope I can change his mind before classes start, because I have no intentions of sleeping at Park Avenue again. And why would I? Alex has a condo in the city, and we can perfectly well stay there during the week.

  Bedford Hills, August 28, 2020

  Alexander Van Dieren

  With the current social distancing protocols in place, most of our meetings have been done through Zoom calls. Today’s no different; Roy and I are sitting in the dining-room-turned-boardroom, getting ready for our next call. As I flick through the report we’ll be discussing, Roy shatters the silence with one single question. “Did you talk to her?”

  And I can’t believe he’s asking me that. I wish I could tell him that my life with my fiancée is none of his business, but I need him on my side more than ever, so I swallow my pride and say, “Yes, I did.” I keep it short, not even bothering to look at him as my gaze remains on the report Paulo sent me an hour ago.

  “And?”

  Fuck! He’s going too far. I squint my eyes, looking at him with annoyance. “Well, it’s between she and I, don’t you think?”

  “No, I don’t,” he answers without any bother, sounding like an arrogant asshole, his stare defying mine as he patiently waits for all the details.

  Shaking my head in disapproval, I ponder if I should tell him to fuck off or not, but I remind myself I need his support against Tess, and despite the anger creeping up my neck, I reply as friendly as possible, “She just lied to me about the pill to get pregnant, that’s all.” And I cut eye contact just as fast, my gaze drifting down to the report.

  “That’s all?” he repeats in outrage. Since Roy sees my being indifferent about the matter, his indignation keeps rising, and he asks louder, “That’s all?”

  “I already asked Dr. Nel to prescribe her the pill. Problem solved. Can we move on?” My attention falls back to the sheets I have in my hand, but something tells me Roy has more to say.

  “And is she really gonna take it?”

  I hold my breath for an instant. Roy is really testing my patience today. I hate sharing details of my intimate life with him, let alone those involving his daughter so I just mumble, “I believe so.”

  “You believe so?”

  Tired of his inquisition, I put down the report, take off my glasses, and, holding his stare, I tell him once and for all, “Look, Petra and I are together. You know that and—”

  “A
nd you’ll be gone to Singapore very soon.” His reminder is like a hammer crashing into me. “I just want to make sure you won’t be leaving a single mother behind.”

  What a fucking asshole he can be. If I didn’t have so much self-control, I would punch him right now until he was lying on the floor in tears. “What a disgusting remark,” I snap, shaking my head. “Don’t you see how Tess is destroying our friendship?” Since Roy doesn’t say a word, I add, “Before Tess knew about Petra and me, everything was fine. Don’t you miss it?”

  “Alex, we’ve spoken about this a thousand times,” he says, the lines around his eyes pulling tight as his jaw subtly shakes. “There’s no other way around it, and you know it. My remark might have been crude, but my concern is nonetheless pertinent.”

  My pulse intensifies at the idea of breaking up with her. It’s impossible for me to do so. That I am sure of. But time is passing, and very soon, Tess will be flying back here to visit Petra. And since she is now awake, I’ll have to… leave.

  Or at least that is what I promised her I’d do.

  The easiest option seems to be to take Petra with me to Singapore before Tess travels here, but I know the pilot and crew will recognize her instantly and call Roy. Even if she flies separately, sooner or later, Roy will find out and won’t waste any time telling Tess. There is nothing he wouldn’t do to protect his little reputation. The truth is, our friendship is now solely based on the premise that I’ll leave for Singapore and break up with his daughter. If I don’t, Roy and I will most likely become… enemies.

  Wow. Enemies? A shiver runs down my spine thinking about it. Having Roy Van Gatt as an enemy is the last thing anyone would want, including me.

  Especially me.

  “Maybe she should go back to Park Avenue from tomorrow on,” Roy suggests. “It’s a safer option.”

  “You know it’s better for her to stay here than in an apartment. Even Dr. Nel told you so,” I remind him. “Maria will make sure she takes the pill every morning,” I add to appease him.

  Roy seems satisfied—or at least silenced—with my answer as he draws in a deep breath, his eyes falling down to his copy of the report. Then my laptop starts ringing, and I know it’s time for Roy and me to jump on our Zoom call.

  As I reach the terrace, I see Petra from afar, sitting at the table and watching the last rays of light as the sun slowly sinks beneath the horizon. Cynthia is a genius—she knows Petra hates to show her physical incapacity in front of me, so she has been mindful enough to seat Petra before I arrive. Not that it bothers me, but I’ve noticed that Petra hates to display her limited mobility around other people. I guess it’s a matter of pride—I’d have probably felt the same.

  “Hey,” I greet her, giving her a peck on the lips.

  As I sit in front of her, her gaze remains glued on the scenery behind me. “You missed the sunset.” And her tone tells me she knows exactly why.

  I turn to look at the horizon. True, the sun is already gone, resulting in rich hues of red blended with orange, purple, and crimson in the sky. “Ah, well, there will be many more.” I find myself drawn to her exposed collarbone and the pendant she is wearing. A quick sigh escapes me, remembering when I put it on her. Damn, I’m the luckiest man alive. “You look absolutely stunning today.”

  “Only today?” she asks in a tease, her brows raising in amusement.

  Her humor twists my lips into a smile, and, playing along, I say, “Yep, only today.”

  And I manage to get a laugh from her. “You look nice today too.”

  Petra doesn’t waste any time telling me all about her aqua gym and deep-tissue massage session. She always has something interesting to share, and, despite the fact I’m still in total awe that she is here, all I can do is smile as I try to focus on what she is saying. I guess I will need some time to get used to the idea that she is finally back. Then, Maria comes in and places our starters on each side of the table. Once she leaves, Petra falls silent, probably engrossed in her thoughts as she stares absently down at her plate. And I’m like an idiot, observing every inch of her face, her hair, her lips…

  “Once my classes start again,” she says in a low voice, “um, maybe I could move in with you to your condo.” With an ounce of timidity in her voice, her gaze goes up to meet mine as she waits for my answer.

  “You know that’s not possible.” It hurts like hell to smash her hopes and watch her smile fade away. “Your dad is looking forward to you going back to Park Avenue.”

  Blowing out a breath, Petra doesn’t hide her discontentment, and her eyes drift away, staring past me at nothing. “Why is Dad so insistent about that?”

  “He just wants to spend some time with you,” I tell her. “After six months in a coma, you can’t blame him for that.” But Petra is not naive. She can see through me like no one else, even if she doesn’t say a thing about it. In an attempt to reassure her, I add, “We can spend the weekends together.”

  “We are in the twenty-first century. Couples live together even before getting married,” she points out. “I can see him from time to time.”

  The last thing I need is another fight with Roy. After all the arguments we’ve already had since Petra woke up, my friendship with him is within a hairsbreadth of falling apart. “Look, once we are married, we’ll live every single day together,” I tell her, sounding as confident as I can. “Just enjoy your last months there.”

  Petra takes a mouthful of her food and keeps quiet while chewing. Then she drinks a bit of her juice, still considering my advice. “Alright,” she mumbles, her gaze on mine. “I guess I can survive a few months there.”

  We exchange a quick smile, and I reach for her hand, giving it a kiss. “I truly appreciate the sacrifice, Miss Van Gatt.” My tone is sarcastic, and she plays along.

  “I hope so.”

  The sound of her laughter is enough to fill me with joy.

  Regardless of what the future holds for us, a part of me still believes I will marry her.

  Fuck, what a fucking mess I’ve gotten myself into…

  But my critical thinking and rational minds pull me back to reality— they know very well my time with her is limited. And the more I look into her big blue eyes, the more I know I’ve got to accept it—with Miss Van Gatt, there’s only a present, not a future.

  Chapter 5

  Manhattan, September 8, 2020

  Petra Van Gatt

  After over ten days in upstate New York, I find myself stepping into the hallway of my home on Park Avenue. And without Cynthia’s help or a walker. Nope. I can’t really do much more, and it still hurts when I bend my legs, but being able to put one foot in front of the other on my own is already a big victory for me. Although I love Bedford Hills, especially for its fresh air, green scenery, and quiet surroundings, being back in the house where I grew up brings a wave of memories that feel so old and distant, and yet some are no older than a year. With twenty minutes left before the beginning of my first online course, I can’t help but sneak into my bedroom to have a look. The place is immaculate—Janine must come here often to clean the dust. Then I step into my closet and find all the clothes I wore the past year, perfectly stowed. Even my white dress is here too… A quick sigh escapes me at the sight of it.

  “Hey, Miss Van Gatt,” Janine greets me, entering the room. “So good to see you here.”

  “Hey, good morning,” I reply. “I see you’ve been taking great care of this place. Thanks.”

  “This place, Miss…” She lets her words trail off as she steps closer to me. Then Janine glances around, taking in our surroundings. “…is your bedroom. And no matter what happens, it will always be yours.” Her tone carries some sort of nostalgia that I know all too well.

  Her expression becomes melancholic as she ruminates about something. And I can’t help but ask, “Are you alright?”

  Janine dips her head in embarrassment, and she quickly wipes something away. “I… Oh, it’s nothing, Miss. Don’t worry,” she mumbles, twist
ing her apron.

  Holding her arms, I try to meet her gaze and insist, “Of course not, tell me.”

  Her eyes lock with mine for a second before they survey the room once more. And I’ve got the sensation she’s hesitating whether to open up or not. “It’s just… it’s just so weird that you’re engaged and no longer living here. I never thought the day I would no longer wake you up and prepare your avocado toast would come so soon.”

  A quick laugh rolls off my lips, and I say, “If it reassures you, Dad wants me to stay here until I’m married, so you might have more avocado toasts and matcha teas to prepare.”

  Janine throws me a grin full of empathy that warms up my heart. “Oh, well, I don’t think Mr. Van Gatt is ready to see his daughter leave him so soon. Who can blame him?”

  “I know…” My lips curving up, I recall everything Dad has done for us and how he even agreed to come to the engagement party. And while I’d rather have moved in with Alex, we both need my Dad’s support more than ever. “Dad’s been so incredible and supportive,” I tell her. “I never thought he’d be like that.”

  “He loves you a lot.” Janine has such a sweet, friendly voice that I can’t help but smile again. “Not many parents would’ve done the same,” she says. “I know my dad for sure would’ve kicked me out of his household if I didn’t end the relationship.”

  Wow, that sounds quite excessive. But I guess in a way she’s right—not everyone is as lucky to have a dad that is so tolerant. I know if I had been living with Mom, things would’ve been pretty different. Then, curiosity getting the best of me, I ask, “Did you, um, did you know about us from the beginning?”