by Len Webster
“You look beautiful, Ally,” he whispered.
Hurry up, Adam!
Ally closed her eyes for a second and took a deep breath. “Thank you.”
“Are you nervous about something?” he asked, his finger trailing up her arm.
The goosebumps made an appearance, and she felt them. The hairs on the back of her neck rose. “Mr Abraham, you’re extremely too close for comfort.”
He hummed. “You’re not really here with him, are you?”
Oh, you are so off the board when Liam comes back.
“I am,” she stated with a smile.
Mr Abraham flinched. “You need a real man, Ally.”
“You’re old enough to be my father. Whatever you think is going to happen, forget it,” she spat.
This time, he laughed. It was obnoxious and loud. “I can buy you whatever you want. Just one night. Cut off princess like you needs expensive things.”
Ally gasped and startled back. “I am not a whore, Mr Abraham,” she seethed.
“According to every paper in Sydney, you are. I hear you’ve done far worse than sleep with an older man. I’m sure you won’t have any problems with me—”
“What the fuck did you say?” Adam growled, his hand on Mr Abraham’s shoulder and turned him.
Mr Abraham chuckled. “Mr Duncan, I suggest you run along.”
Adam glanced over at her, his eyes flashed with concern. Ally shook her head for him to forget it, that she was all right.
“You’re done,” Adam stated, his face close to Mr Abraham. “You apologise to Ally.”
“Amateurs.” Then the middle-aged man cackled and began to step back, but not before Adam clutched his arm in a tight grip.
“Consider yourself off the board,” Adam sneered.
“You can’t get rid of me, Mr Duncan. May I remind you that your role in Melbourne is temporary?”
Realisation swept through Adam’s face as he let go of Mr Abraham’s arm. “I’m sorry, sir. I made a mistake.”
Mr Abraham laughed as he spun around, sipping his champagne and left.
“I’m sorry, Ally. I don’t want to make a scene and draw attention to you. Not when you’re trying to escape all of this,” Adam said, regretfully.
Ally set her glass down on the table next to them and took his hands in hers. “I appreciate what you did.”
“He could get me fired,” Adam mumbled. “Your brother needs me and I let him down—”
“Hey,” she said, interrupting his wallowing. “You forget who actually owns O’Connor Investments. Technically, it’s me since I have the largest amount of shares.”
“But no one knows that your brother signed over his shares earlier this year.”
Ally grinned. “They will now. Save me a dance. I need to go have a chat with Mr Abraham. I need him off my board.”
“That fire in your eyes. You’re insanely hot right now.”
She leant forward and kissed his cheek. “You’re welcome to watch me become an inferno.”
“Fuck, yes.”
Ally laughed as she walked him towards the board members sitting at the main table. They all chuckled, drinking their thousand-dollar bottles of champagne paid for by the company. Benefits were a waste. They hadn’t helped anyone. Not in the humanitarian sense. But most definitely did in the societal sense.
“Gentlemen,” Ally greeted. She had a plan, and it involved her date. “It’s lovely to see the board all getting along.”
“Miss O’Connor, you look beautiful. Far different to what we’re used to seeing,” Mr Nakamura stated once his eyes had made their descent of her body.
“Thank you, Mr Nakamura. It’s time I stopped playing pretend. Now, we have some business to discuss,” she announced. “You’ve all met Mr Duncan? Adam is one of the senior directors here in Melbourne. Second in charge under Liam. Well, some of you don’t know this because my family wasn’t going public with this information for a while. As of January this year, I currently own sixty-five percent of the company. My father is still CEO. But I am the major shareowner of O’Connor Investments. And as of yesterday, ten percent of my shares were given to Mr Duncan here. So as of Monday, he will be your boss.”
Ally watched the fear flash in Mr Abraham’s dark brown eyes. Sexual harassment was going to backfire on him. And she would find immense joy in it. She glanced over to see the shock on Adam’s face. She cleared her throat to see him flinch and then he corrected his posture and facial expression.
“Mr Duncan, I do believe you have some changes you wanted to implement?”
The grin spread across his lips. “I do. But I’ll wait until everything is all legalised and the contract has been signed. Gentleman, I look forward to our next meeting with Liam and Mr O’Connor. Ally, that dance?”
“I’d love to,” Ally said honestly. Then she glanced over at Mr Abraham and winked at him. “Didn’t think a whore could do that, did you, Mr Abraham? Gentlemen, I’ll see you all next time.” She slipped her hand into Adam’s as he led her to the dance floor.
Ally held her chin high as she sashayed away from the board members. When she was in the middle of the dance floor, Adam brought her close, his hand on her hip as he led her into the slow dance, both of them laughing.
“That was incredible!” Adam said in a loud voice. “God, that was amazing.”
She laughed as her hand settled on his shoulder. “You know you get a significant pay rise as a senior director and shareholder of O’Connor Investments?”
Adam’s smile faulted. “You don’t have to—”
“I want to. I have too many shares. Consider it a gift for attempting to come to my rescue,” she teased.
He dipped her, causing a giggle to escape. “Totally rescued your cute rear end. How about I get you home? I know you don’t want to be exposed to all of this for too much longer.”
When he had her vertical again, Ally smiled. “You know, this was the best date of my life. You’ve made me laugh and we got to scare a really powerful man. And I’m pretty sure you just became a millionaire.”
Adam’s eyes widened. “What?”
She laughed at his startled reaction. “Shareholders can make at least a couple of million for owning a small portion of the company. Congratulations.”
“But Liam …”
He had twirled before she explained. “Would want this. Trust me. Someone neutral without the O’Connor blood running in their veins is good for the company.”
Adam stopped their dance and smiled down at her. Then he kissed her forehead in one sweet move. “You’re amazing. They don’t give you enough credit.”
She shrugged. “I’m just a pretty girl in a short dress in clubs for them. But I’m not her.”
“Coming here to Melbourne has changed you,” he pointed out.
“It made me better,” she revealed. Health wise, maybe not. Morality-wise, definitely.
“You seem happier.”
“I’ve never felt this free before. I just have to last five more months, and I can say goodbye to being a socialite and eye candy for men like Abraham,” she said.
Adam let out a heavy sigh.
“What is it?” she asked, concerned at the way a frown formed on his lips.
He shrugged. “Julian’s brother. He’s so lucky to have seen all of this before I did. You’re amazing, Ally. You’re awe-inspiring. You’re nothing like what people believe,” he said softly as his hand reached up and settled on her cheek. “He had better love you right.”
She gave him a small smile. “No matter how big or small, I’d like it if he could love me at all.”
“I can’t believe he apologised to you while I was in the bathroom,” Ally said with a chuckle. “Abraham is a coward.”
“I’d say he’s a pussy, but we’ll go with a coward,” Adam said, walking her towards the apartment building’s front door.
Ally laughed once again. With Adam, it was easy. He knew her life, all the ugly that it created and submerged her in. But as s
weet and as attractive as Adam was, he’d only ever be her friend. He didn’t make the sparks fly out of control. He didn’t make her question her morality as Rob did. He didn’t make her see a future like Rob had. She didn’t feel the passionate surge as she had around the eldest Moors brother.
He wasn’t Rob.
It was that plain and simple.
I’m in love with Robert Moors.
The thought should have her hating him. Cursing him for not letting her in. But he had her reasons. They were legitimate reasons, and Ally would wait. But first, he had to make it to the Olympics. He had to achieve his dreams. Then he’d have room in his heart and life for her.
When they were close to the door, Ally turned around and faced him. Her hands cupped his face and she smiled at Adam. She had whispered, “Thank you for tonight,” before her lips pressed against his right cheek. A sign of her appreciation for his understanding. His companionship. And his humility. He saw the good in her. She’d just have to make others see it, too.
“You should let people see the real you,” he urged with a smile.
Ally let out a short laugh. “I’m trying.”
“I’m glad you found him, Ally.” His smile downscaled into a tight line. “Julian’s brother. You deserve to have him love you. The real you. The you he saw the moment he met you.”
“Seriously, thank you for tonight. It’s been a rough week for me. I almost gave up and went back to Sydney, but you reminded me why I escaped it. Those benefits. Those men like Abraham. The lies. The media. The façade. Tonight made me realise how horrible my life was. I’d rather be broke and my father think I bring dishonour to the family name than to go back.”
I’m never going back to the old Ally O’Connor.
Never again.
“Good night, Ally,” Adam said softly as he pulled away from her.
“Good night, Adam.” She turned around and headed for the door. Once she reached it, she pulled it opened and stepped out of the cool night and into the lobby. She couldn’t help the smile she had on her face as she took several steps forward. However, the person sitting on the lobby couch caught her attention.
When she took in who it was, her smile faulted and stumbled into a concerned frown. There he was, Robert Moors, staring at a bouquet of flowers. Ally squinted to find that it wasn’t one type of flower. It was a mixture of different types and shades of yellow flowers. Her heart beat hard and fast. The rhythms of its beats were intense in her chest. Then her feet made her next move. Step after step, she had made her way to Rob. Once she’d reached him, he lifted his chin up at her and their eyes met. His pain filled and regretful blues staring up at her.
Ally glanced down to see that from a distance she was correct. Individual and single yellow flowers that created a beautiful and bright bouquet. Her lips curved into a small smile as she sat next to him.
Rob let out a heavy sigh. “I fucked up, didn’t I?”
She took a deep breath and grasped his left hand, her fingers entwined with his. Then she squeezed it once and uttered, “We both did.”
We both did.
What does that mean?
If anyone had to be sorry, it was Rob. Allison hadn’t done a single thing wrong. His insecurities and confusion had hurt her. When he had knocked on her door, his brother had explained she was on a date. It tore him up inside that she was. But he deserved it for what he had done to her. Allison leant into him and rested her head on his shoulder, her thumb tracing circles on the back of his hand. Right here, in the middle of her apartment building’s lobby did he feel like she was his. A moment of shared understanding. A moment of realisation. He wanted this. He wanted her hand wrapped in his for the rest of his life. He’d be content. He’d never need a gold medal. He’d never need anyone but Allison.
Rob glanced down to see the dress she’d worn. It was like a ball gown. Wherever her date had taken her was somewhere she had dressed up for. She looked beautiful and heavenly. She was stunning in every aspect.
“You look beautiful tonight, Allison,” he whispered.
“Thank you,” she said in a soft voice. Her voice was so sweet, reminding him of all the times he’d listened to it over the phone.
His eyes fell to the bouquet he’d gotten her. He’d had every single yellow flower the florist carried fastened into a unique bouquet for her. Rob might not have known her favourite flower, but he knew her favourite colour was yellow. “These are for you. I didn’t know your favourite flower, so I got you every yellow flower they had.”
The soft laugh she made caused his heart to clench. Then she moved her head away from his shoulder and sat straight, her hand never leaving his. “They’re beautiful,” she said as he handed them to her.
Rob craned his neck to see the smile on her face. It was that breathtaking, unaware of how beautiful she was kind of smile.
“Why are you here, Rob?”
He winced. Then he sighed and let his other hand cover hers. “I came to apologise for what I did to you. For putting me before you. When I knocked on your door, Julian told me you were on a date.” His eyes found hers, and he mustered his best smile for her. “How’d it go?”
“Good,” she said, breaking his heart with one word. “But it was a business date.”
“A business date?” The question fell out of his mouth. Even Rob had heard the relief in his voice.
She smiled and put the flowers beside her. Then she twisted so that she faced him properly. “I gave ten percent of my shares to my brother’s best friend. He’s second in charge here in Melbourne. Besides a few laughs with Adam, it was like slow torture having to pretend again. I don’t miss my old life. And being exposed to it tonight just further strengthened my need to get out of Sydney and away from my family’s company.”
Rob reached over and tucked a loose curl behind her ear. “I’m sorry I chose my career and the Olympics over you. I care about you, Allison.”
Her smile deepened and then she breathed out. “Then why would you do it?”
I’m not gonna tell her I love her in the lobby of her apartment building.
It has to be more than that.
Instead, Rob settled for as close to the truth as possible. “You make me want to give up rowing and that’s what scares me. The one thing I love besides my dad and my brother is rowing. And when I’m with you, I don’t want it. I don’t love it. And that’s fucking scary. You’re not who you’re supposed to be, and I’m not what I’m supposed to be. But what’s worse is that I’m terrified of losing you. Not the Olympics and not rowing. Not anymore. I told my coach I don’t want it without you.”
Her eyes glazed over as her eyelids fluttered. Allison’s lips parted. “But—”
He silenced her with the shake of his head. “I can’t compete in Rio without you there with me, Allison. I don’t want it if it means I have to say goodbye to you.”
She pressed her lips together and pulled her hand free. Then she stood up, bent her knees, and cupped his face. “Come upstairs, Rob.”
Heart stopped.
It was the only way to describe the lack of sensation and movement in his chest.
“You sure?” he asked in a small voice.
Allison leant in close and her lips fluttered over his in a chaste kiss. Then her forehead rested on his. “I’m sure.”
When she stood straight, she held out her hand and Rob took it as he got off the couch. The moment her hazel eyes softened, his other hand found the back of her head and he pulled her into a kiss.
There was no dominance.
He thought he would show her his love with this kiss. He hadn’t admitted it just yet, but he hoped he had showed it to her. He felt as if he had melted into her. The searing heat from their connection was more than enough to know that being with her was right. Each kiss. Each movement of their lips. And each sharp inhale she made was right.
Allison O’Connor was right for him.
Then she pulled back, separating them. Her breaths were heavy pants. And her li
ps were a gorgeous red colour. “I care about you, too.”
Rob pulled his hands away from her and wrapped his arms around her small frame. “I don’t want to hurt you anymore. Eight months of back and forth. I can’t sit back and wait another eight more to find out that someone better made you feel beautiful. I don’t want to take that chance.”
Allison pulled away and took his hand. “Then come upstairs.”
Rob shut the door apartment door behind them. It’d taken them minutes to ride the elevator to the sixth floor and enter her apartment. The moment it clicked shut, he stilled. He glanced down to see his black dress pants and light blue dress shirt. Frowning at his less than impressive outfit, he turned and watched Allison set her small clutch and her bouquet on the hallway table. Then her focus was on him.
God, she’s beautiful.
In that dress, with her hair up and her makeup subtle, she was the most stunning woman he had ever seen in his entire life. But when she smiled, it took his breath and every thought away. Allison’s cheeks reddened as he kept his eyes on her. Everything he had said downstairs was true. He didn’t want to be a professional athlete without her. He didn’t care who he had to fight. He’d never let them talk bad about her ever again.
This Allison, the one who walked towards him, was the Allison he loved.
She had reached out and held his hand for a brief second before she led him towards her bedroom. Nothing was said, their footsteps the only sound. When they reached the door, Rob pulled her hand to stop her.
“What are you doing, Allison?”
She lifted her chin and her eyes searched his. The wonder and fear in them had their way with him. “I need you tonight.”
“What?” he breathed. His heart now made nervous, almost painful squeezes.
“I’ve waited long enough. You may not love me as you did Stevie, and that’s okay. But you look at me differently than any other woman and that means something. If you think you could love me someday, you’ll follow me into my room. You’ll give me tonight.”