“I saw her again today. She is the COO of the restaurant with which we are merging.”
Alec gasped from beside him. From the corner of his eyes he saw him cover his opened mouth, as if trying to mask some of the shock. His body leaned closer to Ethan, now far more interested in the story than before.
“What now?” he asked. “Are you going to talk to her again? You clearly still love her.”
Ethan wished he could deny it. He was a proud man, so he hated the fact that he was in love with a girl who couldn’t care less about him. But what was the point in trying to mask it all up? It was clearly not going to work.
“Why in the world isn’t this alcohol kicking in?” he finally said after a long moment of silence.
He shoved the bottle in Alec’s hand as he stood up to walk past him. He didn’t turn to look, but Alec was probably far beyond confused. He heard Alec say something, but he didn’t bother to listen to the guy. Instead, he made his way inside, hoping that sleep would be of more use than the useless drink he just had.
Chapter 2
When Ethan opened his eyes, he was still unsure of what was going on. For seconds he stared back into the complete darkness, his mind in a fog, unaware of his surroundings. The sound of banging was loud, but his mind refused to process it. He didn’t know what the hour was, but judging by how he felt, he doubted he had been asleep for too long. For a few moments he stayed beneath his blankets, half of him hoping the sound would go away, while the other half just urged him to ignore it altogether.
It seemed like the alcohol had done more damage than he initially thought, the major headache that pushed against his skull was the sole proof. His stomach churned too, it flipped and groaned, bathing in the alcohol that he had ingested so carelessly. It was kind of a bummer that he was having a hangover without even actually being drunk. If he had only been awake a bit longer, then that drink wouldn’t have gone to waste.
The loud banging hadn’t stopped. On the contrary, it was more intense now, and far more persistent. He rarely had any visitors; his friends weren’t the kind to pop out unexpectedly. So, who exactly was it? Ethan knew there could be nothing good waiting for him on the other end of the door. Groaning, he peeled the duvet off of him and swung his feet off the edge of the bed. He struggled to pull a shirt over his head, nearly falling in the process.
Alec seemed to have woken up too. He was exiting his room, his appearance just as bad as his. His hair was all over the place, his eyelids still dropping with sleep. The lights in the hallway were on, and Ethan wasn’t sure if he should be annoyed with Alec for leaving them on or with whoever was at the door. It was way too much for him.
Ethan just sighed and walked past him and down the stairs, groaning as he asked:
“Who is it?”
By the time he opened the door there had still been no answer. And even if there had been, he doubted he would still remember it after the wave of shock that came as soon as he opened it. Shock wouldn’t even come close to describing what he felt in that moment. It was way beyond that. His heart stopped, the world suddenly became so small. Ethan had to close his eyes and open them again to make sure he wasn’t dreaming. And even after doing so, he came to wonder if he was hallucinating it all.
Leila was there, her hair covering most of her face, the smell of alcohol dripping off of her. She was leaning against the door, her eyes peaking from between her chestnut strands of hair. Her hand hanged in midair, as if ready to knock against the wood once more. Ethan looked at Alec, and then back at the woman, his mouth wide open. He choked on his own words, only gasps left his parted lips.
It took her a few seconds, but she finally realized someone had opened the door. Ethan watched in disbelief as she walked past him. She didn’t seem lucid at all. She was unaware of the situation in which she had dragged herself.
“I’m guessing she’s the Ex? I have to admit she knows how to use alcohol way better than you.” Ethan glared at Alec, who in return only raised his hands in defense as he chuckled.
“Yep, I’m the ex he probably badmouthed.” Leila answered with a giggle.
“I like her.”
Ethan wondered how he could handle both of them; they were challenging his short temper way too much. Sighing, he chose to ignore Alec and instead turned towards Leila. She was clearly drunk, but why was she there?
“Leila, I think you should go home. Before you do anything stupid.” Ethan took a step towards her, but she took one back too.
“Nope. I came here to talk to you. Do you know how many shots it took to get here?” she said in between laughs.
Ethan could guess, as the smell was so strong, he tended to believe the entire street came to realize just how much she had drank. Of course, he kept the thought to himself, swallowing it along with the other words he would have wanted to address to her.
“Leila- “he warned, his eyes staring at her seriously. His tone didn’t seem to affect her, she stared back at him just as persistently.
“Just hear her out man. I doubt she will remember any of it in the morning anyway.”
Alec might have been right; it wasn’t like they had much of a choice anyway. Ethan knew Leila; no matter how much she changed he doubted her stubbornness would vanish. So, with a groan, he invited her in the living room. Alec was behind them too, eager to witness the entertaining scene.
“I see this place still looks the same.” Leila said, not a single trace of humor in her voice.
Ethan could think of a few changes he’d done to the place, but he decided to remain silent. He wasn’t in the mood for chitchat. Having her back in his life was hard enough, now she was inside his home too. The image of her in his living room awakened memories he had long forgotten.
“Why are you here?” he asked his voice low and emotionless.
“You have to take the deal.”
His heart dropped when he heard that. Part of him had wished she was there for another reason. Maybe regret? Guilt? Anything that showed him he wasn’t the only one reliving the past. Knowing that she was there because of that stupid deal infuriated him.
“That’s why you’re drunk? That’s why you are here?” he wished his voice would have been plainer, and vague. But his tone betrayed every emotion.
“I know you, Ethan. I know you are willing to throw away everything just to get back at me. But I can’t have you throw away all the hard work you’ve put into it, all the hard work I’ve put into it, because of some stupid mistake I did in the past.” she said. “When my CEO told me who I was to meet, I almost quit. But I didn’t. I was brave enough to face the past, to- “
“Maybe you were just stupid.” Ethan was trying to hurt her, the way she was hurting him. But she seemed unfazed.
“Maybe. Maybe I also had other reasons to return.”
Ethan wasn’t willing to hear the rest of the sentence. He wasn’t willing to hear some drunken confession that would turn his life upside down again. So, he didn’t let her continue. Instead, he shook his head and turned towards Alec.
“Take her to my bedroom. She can sleep there. There’s no way I’m letting her go in this state” Alec nodded. “We’ll continue this conversation when you’re sober.”
*****
Leila was awake, but she didn’t dare open her eyes. She kept her eyelids shut, forcing a weight onto them. Bile rose to her mouth with each breath she took. Every sound was like a needle piercing through her brain. She would have killed for an Advil, anything to alleviate the ruthless symptoms of the major hangover. Indeed, she would have killed for it, but she wouldn’t have gotten out of bed for it. Facing her own flipping stomach and the bitter taste in her mouth was way better than facing the consequences of her own drunken actions. She wanted to bury her face beneath the covers, to save herself from the fate that was sure to come. But her muscles wouldn’t even move to do that.
In the back of her head, she saw it all clearly. Every single event that had occurred the night before was brightly displayed. Her
blood was boiling with shame and guilt, and her mind screamed of promises to never touch alcohol again. Of course, nothing mattered anymore; she knew where she was and what she had done. She also knew that beyond the closed door of Ethan’s room laid a path she would rather not take.
“You know you can’t hide in here forever, right?” Ethan’s voice made her body jolt in a sitting position.
He was leaning against a wall, looking perfect as ever. He was wearing a plain white shirt that reflected the shadows of his well-built chest. His hair was damp, sticking in all direction, the smell of cologne reaching to her. She stared at him with wide eyes, hating the amusement on his face.
Was it too late to play dead again?
“How long have you been standing there?”
“Long after that mess happened.” He teased as he pointed towards her hair.
Like the grownup she was, Leila did the first thing that came to her mind. She grabbed one of pillows and threw it at him. Of course, her decision would have been so much more appreciated, had she actually hit him. The pillow didn’t even come close to touching him.
Ethan shook his head and rose a brow. He was silently mocking her; his eyes spoke with loud sarcasm. For a second, Leila was back in the past, in a time where she made Ethan laugh. Of course, the moment was too beautiful to last for too long. The playful look vanished off his face as if it had never been there.
“Breakfast is ready. You better come down soon. I don’t like having you around.”
Leila wondered when the rudeness would come around. He had acted like his goofy self for way too long. Speechlessly, she stared as he left the room. She sat there for a few moments, staring at the door. Her hangover wasn’t as loud anymore, the pain in the center of her chest was way stronger. Nostalgia washed over her as she looked around.
The room was the same as she remembered. Bittersweet memories lay in every corner. She knew she had no right to be sad, she had been the one to walk away. Of course, she had had a reason to leave and a plan of coming back. But Ethan wasn’t aware of it, so all those reasons and ideas weren’t valid anymore.
Sighing, she stood up, refusing to allow herself to go through that torture any longer. She did what she did, there was no point on dwelling over the past. She needed to focus on more important things. Like the deal.
She had only been promoted weeks prior to the trip. And her CEO made it pretty obvious that if she didn’t close the deal, she could kiss her position goodbye. She needed to do her best. She probably couldn’t make Ethan forgive her, but she had to at least try and make him see through his furry.
Unfortunately, there was no real way of getting out of the shit in which she found herself. Years ago, she vowed to come back, and life made sure she kept that promise. Now, she had to face the consequences of her actions.
Leila was now standing and facing the mirror. Ethan hadn’t been joking when he called her a mess. Her hair was tangled in knots, each strand having a life of its own. The makeup she had on the day before was all smudged, trailing down her cheeks and up her cheekbones. Her dress was wrinkled too, the strap hanging loosely down her shoulder.
She looked disgusting. No wonder Ethan was so eager to have her out of the house. Not only did she remind him of a strong betrayal but of bad choices he had made in the past. He could have had any girl he wanted, he chose the worst one of all. She was okay confessing that.
Leila tried to clean up as fast as she could. She didn’t want to be an inconvenience for too long. Of course, as hard as she tried, there wasn’t much she could do about her appearance. She still smelled like alcohol, and her hair would still look like a mess even when tied. Luckily, she managed to get rid of the makeup and the stains on the hem of her dress.
Slowly, she made her way down the stairs. She still knew her way around the house but being there felt different. She tried pushing those thoughts to the back of her head, knowing they will return later. The smell of bacon and eggs was strong, sneaking through the cracked doors and around the corners of the hallway. Delicious as it was, it still managed to turn her stomach upside down.
The kitchen was next to the staircase, she stood at the last step, her eyes gazing into the kitchen. She stood there but couldn’t find herself to take another step. She watched Ethan and his friend as they walked around the room, fighting over something Alec didn’t do. She almost smiled at the scene. It was funny how strong her emotions were.
“I see our little visitor is awake!” She had been so caught up in her daydream that she failed to notice Alec looking at her.
“Good morning.” She smiled at the man.
Leila was still unsure who the man was. He hadn’t been around when she was there. Ethan and he seemed to fight a lot. But above it all, he seemed to be living with him too. She couldn’t help but think that there was a story behind their friendship. She looked between him and Ethan, who didn’t spare her another glance.
“I’m Alec, by the way.” she already knew, but decided it was best to just keep that detail to herself.
“Leila.”
“Finally, a face to- “
“Alec, make yourself useful and get the orange juice.” Ethan interrupted him midsentence. Alec looked at Leila and shrugged.
Leila took a deep breath and looked around, wondering how she should announce her departure. She looked at the table and the set of utensils that were placed for her - if only they wouldn’t have been placed there out of curtsy. The plates he had on the table were all different, and she knew just why. She had broken almost every set he had ever bought. It seemed like Ethan didn’t bother to buy new ones.
“I-I wanted to say I’m sorry about last night.” She finally blurted out, “I’ll be leaving now.”
Leila turned on her heel, her fingers fidgeted with one another. She heard the silence that lingered behind her, as the two men wondered what they should say next. She heard Alec’s voice, but couldn’t make out what he whispered, the meaning of the words getting lost in the distance. Leila wished earth would open up and swallow her already; she had never been in a more awkward situation. She heard Ethan groan behind her, she remembered that sound of exasperation as if it was a part of her.
“Just stay for breakfast. Might as well talk about that proposal.”
Leila hesitantly turned around, unsure of what to say. She looked between the two guys. Her eyes finally settled on Ethan, her previous thoughts of saying something vanishing in thin air. The tension between them was obvious even to a blind person. They couldn’t focus or function properly while in the same room. Thousands of unspoken words lingered between them, most of them being words of spite addressed to her.
“Okay! Who wants coffee?” Alec said overexcitedly.
Ethan didn’t answer, instead he slipped in a chair took a large gulp of orange juice. Leila smiled and shook her head before she sat down too. Eating was the least of her concerns, but she didn’t say anything. She was going to suck it up and talk about the proposal. Maybe something good would come out of the mess she had singlehandedly created.
She hoped Ethan would start talking already, she hated to be the coldhearted one out of them. She already looked like all she cared about was the business deal. However, instead of saying anything, Ethan munched silently on his breakfast. She tried to do the same, but every bite she took seemed to get caught in her throat.
“So, Leila, have you been COO for a long time?”
“Not really, I just got promoted. In fact, this is the first project I’m working on.” She said.
“Funny, the first project brought you back home.” Alec chuckled.
Home. She doubted she could call that place home anymore. Everything she ever believed in had turned her back to her, rightfully, might she add. London was not her home, she never actually build a life there, she worked her way up the ladder, but that was all she ever did. In the back of her head, she always meant to return, but as time passed, that thought was pushed further aback by fear. She doubted she had a home
now.
To her, home meant family, and she wasn’t close to having one. No one cared for her, no one eagerly waited for her to return. She doubted anyone would even notice if she were to suddenly disappear. Years ago, everyone looked down on her because of who she was. Her ambition led her out of that situation, but it had also pushed away anyone who was now willing to be by her.
“Did you get a chance to look around? I’m sure a lot has changed since you left.”
Indeed, a lot had changed. She thought as she looked at Ethan from beneath her lashes. There was a time when she could look at him care free, when he would laugh and joke around. She wasn’t used to him like that. She hated to admit it, but it broke her heart. She never thought she would feel so brokenhearted.
Ethan sighed and placed his fork down, his gaze lifting slowly.
“Tell your team I’ll be signing the deal. I already talked to my secretary; she is organizing a press conference for the event. You can send me your schedule; we can organize a final meeting before that.” Ethan didn’t leave any room for her to breathe. He said everything so fast, without a single emotion displayed on his face.
Leila felt relieved that she wouldn’t be losing her job, but why was she still so unhappy? Despite the smile on her face, the heaviness on her chest persisted, getting heavier as she watched Ethan stand up and walk away, without as much as a goodbye.
“Wow, and I thought Sebastian was grim.” Alec said, referring to Ethan’s nephew. “Well, at least you got the deal!”
Leila smiled and nodded, although she didn’t feel exactly victorious. Sighing, she pushed her chair back, and looked around. She had barely touched her breakfast, but she felt full. Alec watched her, but he continued to munch on the piece of toast he had in hand.
“Thanks for the breakfast. I’ll get going now.”
Alec nodded and pursed his lips.
“Well, I guess I’ll see you around then. I’ll try to talk to him, although I doubt, I’ll change anything.”
The Cowboy One Page 2