~~~
It was past ten now, and he was just getting ready to call Ella. He’d texted her earlier that they’d had an issue at the cabin and he’d call her a little later than usual. By the time Adelina’s stubborn ass accepted that her car wouldn’t be going anywhere unless they got a tow truck up there—and there was no tow truck or cab that was going to make the trip up there tonight—they’d wasted precious time. They then had to get her shit out of the trunk, which had been no easy task. Curiously, even though she’d claimed not to have planned on staying, she had brought an overnight bag. Felix then had to get her in and situated. Luckily, all the rooms in his cabin had been well-prepped before he’d gone up there.
Now he sat on edge of his bed, and for the first time that week, he dreaded talking to Ella. She’d never asked him much about Adelina, but he saw it in her eyes and heard it in her words the few times she’d brought her up. Ella wasn’t completely comfortable with Adelina. The fact that she’d pointed out he had a very pretty publicist more than once had not gone unnoticed either. The only good thing he had going for him was that he had told her last night about his meeting with the Mercedes-Benz people and his publicist today, so Adelina still being up there wouldn’t come as too much of a surprise. But he’d also made sure to point out that her visit was going to be a fast in-and-out thing. He was certain she was wondering now what kind of issue could’ve kept him from calling her on time the one time Adelina showed up.
He hit speed dial, holding his breath. “Hey, baby,” he said as soon as she answered.
“Hey,” she said, and already she didn’t sound as cheerful as she normally did. “What happened?”
“Adelina’s car got stuck in the snow.”
“Oh . . . where?”
“Here,” he said, closing his eyes and lying back in his bed slowly. “Right outside as she was trying to leave.”
She was quiet for a moment, and he braced himself. “I didn’t realize it was still snowing up there.”
“It is,” he said, sitting up. “You can look it up. It’s a little unusual for this time of year, but it really is.”
“Okay,” she said, pausing again for a nerve-wracking moment. “So what’d she do?”
“There’s nothing she can do until tomorrow morning,” he explained as he wondered if people could actually feel their blood pressure spiking because he could swear his was. “The only way she’s gonna get it out now is with a tow truck, and no one’s gonna drive up here until tomorrow morning.”
She was quiet again, and he wanted so badly to tell her she had nothing to worry about, but he was afraid that might actually call attention to the fact that maybe she should be.
“So she’s spending the night there.”
It wasn’t a question. It was a statement, but he answered her anyway. “Yeah, I have plenty of extra rooms here. So she’s staying in one of them, and we’ll get a tow truck out here first thing in the morning.”
To his surprise, she asked about the endorsement. He told her about it, leaving out the numbers, but said it was a good deal. The numbers were bigger than any he’d had in the past, and he knew even his previous deals would blow her away. He wanted to ease her into that part of his world—a world he wanted her to be a part of soon. But he hated reminding her just how different their lives were, so he held off for now.
They talked a little longer with her telling him about her day and how she’d be leaving tomorrow for her cruise with her dad. The whole time there was something off. She hadn’t asked much more about Adelina, and he’d gladly gone with the change of subject, but he could feel the unspoken tension, and he hated it. He figured tonight’s conversation was already fucked. He may as well bring up what he knew he had to even if it might cause more tension.
He stood up and began to pace. “Baby, there’s probably gonna be stories in the tabloids tomorrow. You know it’s all bullshit. I just want you to be prepared.”
“Stories about what?”
The tone of her voice was one Felix had never heard before, which only stressed him out further. He gripped the phone tighter, hoping to God she’d understand. “About Adelina being here. The news vans are parked outside my complex, so they saw her drive in here. I’m sure there are already photos and theories flying around about that. And now that they won’t see her leave until tomorrow, they’re gonna run with it. It’s how it always happens.”
He shook his head, now suddenly understanding why Abel and the other guys hated the paparazzi so much. They had the power to destroy your life. Back when the whole thing went down with Gio and Bianca, he’d barely had time to hate the paparazzi. He was too busy being angry at Bianca and Gio, and then Jack died so unexpectedly and 5th Street burned to the ground. There was too much emotion going on in his life for him to focus on the media’s input in how everything went down. By the time it was all over, he had no choice but to accept that he’d fucked up and he probably would’ve lost Bianca anyway.
Then soon after that he’d gotten so caught up with Shelley’s pregnancy. There’d been little time to hate the press. But this was different. He didn’t know what he’d do if the paparazzi coupled with his notorious past cost him his relationship with Ella.
“It’s a good thing I’ll be on that cruise,” she said. “I’ll stay away from any gossip websites or shows. I usually do anyway.”
Felix stopped his pacing. “Good! Yeah, do that. Because I swear to you anything they say trying to turn this into something it’s not you know is all bullshit. None of it is true. Noah and Gio could vouch for it too.”
“They don’t have to, Felix. If you say there’s no truth to anything they’ll say and I have nothing to worry about, then I believe you.”
“You have absolutely nothing to worry about,” he said, wishing she were there so he could kiss her silly.
“Then I won’t.”
“God, I love you,” he said, his body already releasing some of the tension that had built up from the moment he saw Adelina’s car slide into that embankment.
“I love you too.”
Now he heard the familiar smile in her words, and that strain he’d felt earlier was gone. He fell back onto his bed with a groan. “I cannot wait to be with you again.”
He heard her giggle. “And when will that be?”
“What time do you get back Sunday?”
“I think three in the afternoon.”
“Then Sunday at three it is.”
“But what about the trainers from Bosnia?”
“They leave Sunday, and I’d already warned Noah I was out of here Sunday when you got back, so I’m sure they’ll be gone early.”
The conversation the rest of the night was like any other they’d had all week. Once again he had to force himself to call it a night and hang up, but when he did, he lay there smiling. He was officially done thinking there’d be no other way Ella could impress him. They just might get through this relationship without the paparazzi fucking shit up.
Already he could hardly wait for morning so he could call her again.
Chapter 19
Ella
It was a cruise with a bunch of older people as Ella was able to tell right from the get-go. She was taking it with her dad, so the romance she’d always associated with cruises was out the door. Still, she couldn’t help feeling excited about it. She’d never been on one, and just standing in line to board was exciting.
Memo thought it better that he stay home to help sort what would stay and what would go. They’d told their dad that he hadn’t been able to make it as they’d hoped, but they agreed to make the best of their father-daughter cruise, and she had every intention of doing so. She only hoped this bonding time wouldn’t all be for naught when they got back and he’d see what Memo had done while they were gone. But she’d already decided she wasn’t going to even think about that until they got back. She was determined to enjoy herself, especially because she needed to get her mind off how much she missed Felix. It was beginning to get
embarrassing just how much time she spent thinking about him.
Ella had done her homework on the use of cell phones on ships before leaving. She hated the thought of not being able to even talk to Felix for three whole days. What she’d found out was she could talk to him but the roaming rates were astronomical. So she’d already told Felix that after she was away from the port she’d have to turn off her phone for the rest of the cruise. At first he thought she’d meant because of the lack of reception. The moment she mentioned the high rates he begged her not to turn it off. He insisted he’d pay her bill but not to cut him off like that. He said it would be torture and even reminded her to keep it charged.
Just thinking about that conversation and how everything he said to her was just that sweet had her smiling and feeling all warm and fuzzy. The warm fuzzy feelings went up in flames the moment she looked up from the foo-foo drink she’d been drinking on the deck with her dad and saw Grayson walking toward them.
“Looks like we’re gonna have beautiful weather for the trip.” He smiled big, taking the seat next to her dad.
Ella didn’t know how to ask without sounding rude, but he had to know she was wondering why the hell he’d failed to mention he’d be coming too. He’d said from the beginning he’d never been into cruises or Cold Duck. She could already feel her insides warming. The sneaky jerk!
“I didn’t know you were coming too,” she said, staring at him and not caring much if her stare crossed over into a glare.
“I wasn’t until my cousin let me know he hadn’t been able to get rid of the last four tickets he had.” He waved a waiter down and ordered a drink and another round for Ella and her dad. “I asked around work and was able to get rid of three more for him. He’s been going on and on about this cruise for years. I haven’t taken a vacation in a while. I didn’t want him to have to eat the last ticket, so I figured why not?”
Ella couldn’t believe it never once crossed her mind he’d do something like this. He’d been all about helping her with her father’s issues and just the other day made mention of how cool it was that she and her dad were going to have this time alone.
The way he was making himself so comfortable at their table now Ella could already tell she and her father wouldn’t have much alone time this entire cruise.
Right on cue, her phone rang with a call from Felix. After his morning calls, she usually didn’t hear from him until the evening once he was done for the day. But this morning he’d told her he wanted to talk to her before she left to see her off.
She stood up, taking her drink with her, and addressed her dad. “I have to take this.”
God! How was she supposed to tell Felix this cruise had now turned into one she’d be spending with her ex, a guy Felix had never actually said he couldn’t stand but Ella knew without doubt he couldn’t?
His usual “Hey, baby” was replaced with a cheery “Bon voyage.”
“Thank you,” she said, walking over to the side rail and looking out into the busy port.
“Are you already moving or still at the port?”
“We’re still here.” The loud horn went off, and she covered her ear. “Hold on,” she said as the announcement came on over the loud speaker, letting everyone know they were about to sail. “I guess we’re about to leave,” she shouted into the phone.
It was a bit broken up, and between the wind and the announcement, Ella was able to make out Felix asking her if she wanted him to call her a little later. She said yes and hung up.
By the time she got back to the table, her second round had arrived. She was almost done with her other one and had set it on the table since it’d gotten a bit watered down. As the ship began moving, the announcement came on about everyone reporting to their muster stations with their life jackets for the mandatory muster drill.
“Our rooms are right next door to each other,” Grayson said with a smile, “so we’re assigned the same station, the Lido deck.”
Ella peered at Grayson. Right next to each other? That just confirmed that his lying ass hadn’t gotten the tickets at the last minute as he claimed to have done. He’d planned it this way from the beginning. If her dad weren’t there, she’d tell Grayson off. Telling Felix about this had just gotten worse. Way worse.
But she absolutely had to. She’d picked up on something from Felix loud and clear. He was practicing honesty all the way—no matter how uncomfortable or upsetting.
They all made their way down to their rooms to get their life jackets. Grayson seemed to pick up on her annoyance, so he chummed up with her dad instead of trying to talk to her. Of course, Felix’s next call came when they were in the middle of the drill, and she couldn’t take it. She snuck in a text to let him know about the drill and that she’d call him when it was over.
She laughed at his response saying Noah was going to kick his ass for slacking off so much today but he’d wait for her call regardless. That only made the knot forming in her stomach a little tighter. Hearing how much he was looking forward to talking to her warmed her as it always did, but she hated that she’d be informing him about Grayson. She almost wished she could just hold off telling him until she got back because she didn’t want to ruin his weekend and she knew this just might.
Ella had yet to tell her dad about Felix, but she’d begun to think this cruise might be the perfect time to tell him. He’d likely be excited about it, and she now believed in her heart that Felix was really in love with her. This relationship might actually have a fighting chance of making it even with their erratically different lifestyles. Although this phone call she was about to make had her worried now.
Things got worse before they got better. By the time the drill was over, Ella and her dad were now part of a group. Grayson introduced them to his cousin Fredo and his wife Hannah. Then there were the people from his work. An older detective and his wife and his wife’s sister also joined them. Apparently, all the extra rooms his cousin had were all near each other.
Grayson introduced everyone, annoyingly referring to Ella as his ex-girlfriend who he was still good friends with, as if that were even necessary to point out. Then came the even more annoying part. The detective’s wife’s sister, Margie, was a lady who looked to be in her late forties early fifties. But she dressed and did her hair and makeup as if she were in her twenties. She had the look of a woman on the prowl or at least a woman who was there to let her hair down. And she was eyeballing Ella’s dad. That wasn’t the annoying part. The annoying, almost enraging, part was that Grayson made it a point to introduce Margie to her dad and even mentioned what a big Dodgers fan her dad was—just like Margie. It appeared this was likely a part of what was beginning to feel like a well-planned scheme of Grayson’s.
Grayson’s detective friend Drake and his wife America “but everybody calls me Meri” quickly made arrangements that their group would meet with the rest of them in a few minutes up on the deck.
“Hear that?” Drake pointed up with a big goofy smile. “Sounds like the band’s already getting warmed up. Let’s get this party started, guys.”
“We’ll get a table big enough for all of us,” Margie said, smiling big at Ella’s dad.
“Sounds good.” Her dad smiled back. “We’ll see you all in a few.”
Ella wouldn’t even look at Grayson. She handed her life jacket to her dad. “Will you take this back to the room for me, please? I have to make a call. I’ll just meet you all up there.”
She made it a point to walk away in the opposite direction of Grayson. “Unbelievable,” she muttered as she walked out onto one of the decks. Taking a deep breath, she was about to hit speed dial then remembered Felix’s lack of focus he’d mentioned more than once this week. He’d be training with those Bosnian trainers this weekend. She didn’t want to ruin that for him, and she was certain this would. But she couldn’t keep this from him, could she? He’d be furious.
“He’s gonna be furious regardless,” she whispered, staring out into the ocean. “Damn you, G
rayson!”
Yesterday when he’d told her about Adelina having to spend the night, she’d been ready to go off on him, but he’d been able to calm her before she snapped. He’d been completely honest and sincere and assured her she had nothing to worry about. And she believed him. As maddening as this was, he’d have to believe her too if she assured him he’d have nothing to worry about, right?
Ella hit speed dial with a newfound determination. She could do this, and he’d believe her when she told him she was just as annoyed by this turn of events but Grayson wouldn’t be getting what he thought he might be getting by pulling this stunt—a chance to reconnect. He had to believe her.
“Hey baby.” He laughed. “Hold on. I was listening, but I gotta take this. She’s on a ship.”
She heard the guys say something else and then more laughter. “Should I call back another time?” her cowardly ass asked a bit too hopefully.
“No! No way.” He laughed again. “I’ve been waiting for your call. I can take getting my balls busted in more than one language.”
She heard him tell them he’d be back, and then the voices in the background were suddenly gone. “So how’s it going? You having fun?”
“Well, it just started. I haven’t actually heard the band yet. How’s training with those new trainers.”
“They haven’t been here long,” he explained. “But they’re already giving me a hard time about not focusing again. All kidding aside I really do need to get my shit together. I was just waiting to hear from you, but after this, it’s on.”
“Oh,” she said with a gulp.
“Something wrong?” As usual, Felix picked up on her altered moods instantly.
“No, not at all,” she said, doing her best to sound as cheerful as always. “I just miss you,” she added as the guilt seeped in.
How could she tell him now? His entire weekend training would be a wash. As much as she tried to sugarcoat this, he was going to be pissed.
Felix Page 24