by Cidney West
When she told Maggie, she pointed out that Ella lived in one of the biggest tourist destinations in the country. Ella had never considered that for some reason, and it did give her something to seriously think about. Maggie encouraged her to go for it and told her she would highly recommend her when Knightley started putting together the digital aspect of Vannoy.
So, Ella might end up back there after all. Time would tell.
With her first days without a job coming, Ella decided to get some serious rest that first weekend, so she’d have the energy to move forward. She knew this would be a tough transition. But there was no going back now. It might give her too much time to think about Cedric. Maggie had been told he resigned and was waiting for more information. But those last days at Vannoy felt empty without him and she was happy to leave it behind.
That Saturday morning, when all she wanted was to sleep in, the first thing she experienced was Scarlett jumping on her bed and shoving her awake. When Ella tried to move to a safer spot on the bed, Scarlett tugged her until Ella landed on the floor. Then, Scarlett started lugging her by her legs–on her butt–toward the living room. Ella was too tired to fight her, but she wasn’t going to help out either.
In a shorter time than Ella expected, Scarlett stopped in front of the TV, pointing at it frantically. “You went to all this trouble for the news?” Ella said, her vision still blurry, but she could make out a woman on the street holding a microphone.
Scarlett jumped up and down, her loose auburn hair bouncing around, and Ella tried to decipher what the story was about. It seemed to be about a car accident nowhere near them. “I don’t understand…” Once that story finished, Scarlett shushed her and cranked the volume, bouncing on her toes.
Ella blinked to see more clearly, leaning against the couch for support. Changing direction, one of the anchors started yapping about fairy tales and romance. Ella had no idea why Scarlett had dragged her from a sound sleep for this and she zoned out until the words Knightley and Pearce penetrated her consciousness.
She wanted to ignore it, but…well, Ella couldn’t help coming to attention. Scarlett turned the TV louder and sat next to her. “Why is Knightley Media on the news?” Ella said with a yawn.
“Just pay attention.”
More awake now, Ella kept glued to the screen, waiting for details. “The CEO of Knightley Media is on the hunt for the woman who left this shoe behind at their annual charity ball recently,” the reporter said. She stood in front of the Knightley Media building and an image of the shoe in question flashed on the screen as they explained how some woman lost it at the ball.
Ella sat in stunned silence while Scarlett smacked her leg in rapid succession. It was Ella’s high heel. The one she’d lost when she ran away from Cedric. She could see the other one in her mind tucked away safely in its original box in her closet. It was useless now, but she still couldn’t let go of it.
“They’ll be visiting each and every woman Mr. Pearce danced with that night,” the reporter continued. “Whomever the shoe fits will win a romantic dinner for two with Knightley’s own Cedric Pearce, one of the most sought-after bachelors in the world.”
They explained the search started that day and would go in alphabetical order by last name and they warned anyone affected to be prepared for an impromptu visit. After some almost-humorous banter between the anchors, they went to commercial.
Ella blinked. What? She must still be asleep, dreaming all this up. Or that’s what she assumed until Scarlett shrieked in her ear. “It’s your shoe! Yours! He’s trying to win you back!”
Ella pushed up onto the couch, staring at the TV blankly. “Impossible…”
“Obviously not. He’s insanely rich, he can do what he wants.” Scarlett stuck her narrow nose in the air, possibly to mimic someone insanely rich.
Ella shook her head, trying to clear it and make some sense of all this. “That shoe could fit more than one woman at the ball that night, which is kind of a flaw in the plan if you ask me. And Cedric would know it belongs to me, anyway. He doesn’t need to go to this trouble. They said it’s headed by Cedric’s father, not Cedric. I…I don’t know what this is exactly, but I don’t believe Cedric’s trying to do anything.” It sounded like some sort of weird marketing ploy. After all, the company had sold Cedric out to every available woman at the ball. This sounded like nothing more than part two.
Scarlett sat next to her. “First of all, you sound way too logical right now for my taste. You just woke up. You shouldn’t be this sane.”
Ella side-eyed her. “You’re the one who’s been jumping around and screaming.”
Scarlett rolled her eyes. “That’s not really sanity and this isn’t about me. And who cares? It could still be a way to make amends.”
“Not if he doesn’t want to do this.”
Scarlett watched her a moment. “Okay. I’m confused. Who broke it off and ran into the night without one of her shoes?”
Ella narrowed her eyes. “He made it clear he never planned to stay.”
“He also wanted you to go with him.”
Ella pinched her lips together. She couldn’t counter that. But she wasn’t sure Cedric had really meant it either. If he didn’t want to stay and he’d spent years flitting around, who was to say he’d want to be with her in the long-term? She wasn’t glamorous and exciting. She didn’t have a lot to bring to the table that would keep him interested.
Scarlett stood up, satisfied she’d cornered her. “I just thought you’d want to know.” She shrugged. “It’s something to think about.”
Scarlett left a little while later, giving Ella too much space to think, which might have been on purpose. Soon after, Ella found herself on her knees in front of the closet, staring at the lone high heel in its box. Even if Ella said it was her shoe, would it matter? She and Cedric hadn’t known each other that long. What if he changed his mind about her? Or…what if he already had? That notion was truly depressing, especially since she’d thought about him all the time since that night. And imagining somebody else, like one of her stepsisters, winning a date with Cedric…well, nothing short of pure rage shot through her veins.
Could she really just sit here and let this pass her by? Maybe it would come to nothing. But how would she know if she didn’t at least try? She’d been brave about other things lately, including cutting ties with her stepfamily and stepping out of her comfort zone with work. Why was this any different? Even if it didn’t work out, at least she could look back and know she gave it her best.
But she couldn’t say that if she sat here wasting away, feeling sorry for herself. That wasn’t in her nature and now was not the time to start. After staring at the other shoe for another minute, it occurred to her that her last name began with the letter “B.” How many women on the list would come before her?
Without answering her own question, Ella got up and ran for the shower. She had no idea how the shoe search was going or if they’d even know about her, but she wasn’t going to miss her second chance. Cedric would no doubt leave anytime now. Ella knew it had been years since he’d come back to New York. She was running out of time. Whatever the outcome, it was now or never.
CHAPTER 22
Somehow, everyone in New York seemed to know more about Cedric’s life than he did. He’d randomly put on the news that morning and discovered he was about to be somebody’s date. He threw on some clothes and flew over to the Knightley offices, not bothering to shave or fix his hair. His father didn’t even bat an eyelash as Cedric waltzed in on a conversation he was having, dismissing the other man for the moment. He knew his father would be there, even on the weekend.
Once they were alone, Cedric raised his arms. “What’s going on? Why is there a…a…shoe hunt all of the sudden?” If this was another publicity thing, Cedric wasn’t digging it.
“I’m trying to help you.”
Cedric only stared back. “How is this helping? Ella’s going to think I’m a complete loser who can’t even rememb
er it’s her shoe!” And he remembered just fine. That moment she ran from him would be emblazoned in his memory for life.
“Or she might think it’s terribly romantic.” His father shrugged. “I don’t think you’re giving yourself a real chance here.”
Cedric huffed. “I don’t know what you mean.”
“Have you figured out where you’re going yet?”
Cedric was thrown by the change in topics. “What do you mean?”
“I mean, you’re still here. The way you acted, I thought you were leaving the next day. But when I checked in, you hadn’t taken the jet and you never fly any other way. Then, I discovered you were still very much in your apartment. In fact, you’ve barely stepped outside in two weeks.”
Cedric was tempted to ask how many spies his father kept on him, but instead, he said, “So?”
His father planted his gray eyes on him. “So, you must still be here for a reason.”
Cedric had to resist the urge to look away. He hadn’t left yet because he just couldn’t make up his mind where he wanted to go. Somewhere tropical, somewhere cultural, somewhere adventurous…there were a lot of options to sift through. And while he usually got on a plane with no plans whatsoever, he wanted a clear destination this time. “I still don’t know what you’re getting at.”
“I think all this running is catching up to you.” He sat back and folded his arms. “You haven’t left because you don’t want to but it’s an ingrained habit. Whenever you start to get yourself together and things are going well, you always find an excuse to bolt.”
Cedric put his hands on his hips, squinting up. “No, I don’t.”
His father raised his eyebrows. “Really? Because I’ve seen it over and over. Even in school. You’d finally do well for a while and then out of the blue, you’d backslide. And there was never a real reason for it. Your situation was still the same. You just…quit.”
Cedric moistened his lips. A minute ago, he’d been dead sure his father didn’t know what he was talking about. Now…as memories flashed in his mind, he wasn’t so sure. All those times in school when Hunter had pulled him out of a tight spot, and then when he was old enough to take off on his own…he’d always found reasons to walk away one way or another.
“I used to think you did it to get back at me,” his father added. “But after a while, I realized that wasn’t it.”
“I’m not doing it on purpose.” Things always just…imploded. Didn’t they?
“I know, Cedric.” He held his hands out. “I can’t tell you why. I know it pretty much started after your mother died. But I can tell you that you won’t escape this pattern without recognizing it first.”
Cedric pressed his lips tight. He felt confused. On the other hand, as memories fell into place, it made a lot of sense. Why was he leaving New York now? Yes, Ella had come to her senses and realized he wasn’t worthy of her. But his father was right. Things were going well. And they had been with Ella too until he decided to pull his usual tricks and attempted to convince her to do the same. She was just too smart to fall for it.
“So, you really have someone out there trying that shoe on all those women I danced with?”
Cedric’s father nodded.
“I hope he’s being paid well,” Cedric muttered.
“As a matter of fact, he is.” His father cocked his head to the side. “And right before you showed up, I heard from him. He’d been to the Brodie home and discovered there was no one there who fit the shoe. However, one young lady of the same last name was missing. When he asked about it, they dismissed the whole thing at first.”
Cedric snorted. “Her stepfamily. They’re pretty horrible.”
His father’s eyes opened in question, but he didn’t ask about it. “Apparently, not all of them. One of the sisters told them where Ella lived.”
Cedric’s eyes snapped to his father.
“He’s on the way to her house as we speak.” His father smiled, satisfied with Cedric’s obvious interest now.
“Are you sure?”
“Positive. It’s Ella’s address.”
Cedric swallowed while his head spun. What would Ella think of all this? What would she think of him?
“If you hurry, you might get there before he leaves…” His father motioned to the door. “But you need to get going.”
Cedric nodded, all the pieces starting to fall into place. At least, he hoped so.
“Well?” His father said as he still lingered. “What are you waiting for? Go get her!”
A smile breaking on his face, Cedric obeyed, dashing out of the building as fast as he could go. Unfortunately, traffic wasn’t in his control. With each passing second, Cedric could only hope he would make it in time. Or more to the point, that Ella would want him there.
When the intercom buzzed, Ella was relieved she’d gotten herself together. Part of her really did not think that anybody would be coming to her apartment for her to try on a high heel. It all sounded so outlandish and bizarre. On the other hand, a lot of crazy things had happened recently, and Ella didn’t want to risk it.
She still really didn’t believe what was happening when a man and a woman stood in her apartment and explained the situation and asked her to take a seat. She could have just told them it was indeed her shoe. She could even explain how she lost it. But instead, she sat down and patiently waited her turn.
After producing a random shoebox out of a messenger bag, the man, J.J., who seemed to be leading the procession, opened it and pulled aside the tissue paper. As he did so, his eyes went wide with horror and his face paled. He and his assistant, Liz, exchanged panicked expressions.
“What’s wrong?” Ella prompted.
J.J. opened his mouth and shut it a couple of times, his eyes darting to and from the shoe box. Finally, he just lifted it out. Ella’s eyes went wide as a mangled high heel came out of the box. It looked like it had been smashed with a hammer and the heel dangled off. Ella could only think how much money that must’ve cost.
“How did this happen?” he shrieked. “I never let it out of…my sight…” His voice trailed off as he met his assistant’s knowing gaze.
“There was that one time…” Liz said.
“At the last house.” He shut his eyes and muttered something Ella couldn’t quite hear.
“That woman was pretty unpleasant about the whole thing.” The assistant folded her arms. “I bet it was her.”
Ella raised her eyebrows, still fixated on what had been a work of art for a high heel in her estimation. Now it was only fit for the trash. The wheels started turning and Ella wondered if they’d visited her stepfamily by some chance…
“It wasn’t our fault this thing didn’t fit her.” J.J. gritted his teeth, shaking the high heel in the air. “This is a disaster!”
“It’s not a disaster,” Ella said, taking her eyes off the shoe. “It’s going to be fine.”
“How?” He shrieked again.
Then, Liz added, “We’re going to lose our jobs for this.” She waved a dismissive hand at the shoe. “All because Romeo is good for business.”
Ella pursed her lips. Maybe this all was a weird publicity stunt. Still, Ella couldn’t just leave it at that. “I can help.”
Both sets of eyes landed on her dubiously. “I highly doubt that,” Liz said. “We only found you because one of the women at the last place gave us your address.”
“I see.” Ella laced her fingers together. “There wouldn’t happen to be a mother and two daughters living there?”
J.J. and his assistant exchanged looks. “How did you know?” they asked in unison.
Ella shrugged. “We’re sort of related. And one of them told you to come here?”
J.J. nodded. “I don’t remember her name, but she had some wild curls going on there.”
It was Angie. Ella shook her head in disbelief. She wasn’t sure why, but maybe Angie wasn’t all bad. That meant Marie had destroyed the shoe somehow, which didn’t surprise her.
“They didn’t want to tell us why there was no other Brodie woman in the house when you were on our list.” The assistant swiped over Ella. “But then one of the girls volunteered the information.”
“I’m afraid it was to no avail,” the man said despondently.
Ella brightened. “Like I said, I can help.”
“How?” J.J. said again, almost whining.
Ella reached under the side table and drew out a shoebox. She uncovered the box and carefully lifted out the other high heel, still in perfect condition. “It’s my shoe.”
Both jaws fell open and the mangled shoe fell out the man’s hand. He reached for the unharmed shoe like it was the Holy Grail. Clearly, neither of them expected a woman who lived in that apartment to be able to afford those heels. And they were right. But the expressions of pure shock, then relief, then excitement was totally satisfying.
The man practically hopped up and down and rushed over to Ella, dropping to his knees. Ella lifted her leg and J.J. carefully placed the glittering heel on her bare foot, though he didn’t need to at that point. “It fits!” He yelled, holding out his arms as wide as they would go. His assistant clapped.
Ella was certain it was more that they were finished with their assignment than for her.
“Congratulations!” Liz said. “You’ve won a date with one of New York’s most eligible bachelors!”
Before she even finished the sentence, Ella’s door flew wide open and Cedric tumbled through with Scarlett in tow.
Everyone froze and stared at him. The man and his assistant blinked, maybe wondering if they were imagining this. Because that’s what Ella was thinking.
“It’s Cedric Pearce,” the assistant whispered.
“I know,” J.J., still on his knees, whispered back.
Ella didn’t know what to do, so she stayed on the couch with her foot in the air. Cedric took a step toward her. “Hi…everyone.” He waved to the three of them. “Yes, it’s me. Cedric Pearce. Congratulations.” His sandy hair flopped across his forehead, his chin and jaw sporting some scruff. Ella wondered if he’d just gotten out of bed and decided to come over.