Say what you came to say so I can get out of here. She let out a breath and took two large sips of the scorching beverage and glared at him.
His brows jumped. “Message received. I’ll make this quick,” he swallowed. “You were right. It’s nearly impossible to always get it right when you’re working alone,” he swallowed hard. “I’d never second guess myself or miss an important piece to the puzzle. Underestimate someone or find myself to be completely inconsiderate of those that matter. That was never me. Sometime after venturing out on my own, I lost the qualities that got me so far and the ones that made me proud to be the type of businessman I’d become.”
Great. He’s here to remind me how I fooled him.
“In the short weeks that I’d known you, you taught me more than you could imagine.”
Elle frowned as hope tugged at her heart. But she pushed it aside, remembering his bitter words that crushed her. She took another long sip.
He glanced at the near empty cup and reached into his coat pocket, pulling out a thickly folded document.
He slid it slowly across the table. “I don’t want to work alone anymore. I need someone by my side; someone who could hear a quick summary of a roadblock in one of my new investments and figure out that I might be getting hustled. I might have the funds and the vision for opportunity, but you have just about everything else.
Elle glared coldly at the papers in front of her, not bothering to touch it. Was he seriously asking her to work for him? A pity job? She had heard enough. She finished off the cappuccino. “Time’s up. Thanks for the cap.” She pushed off the table to stand and he reached out and caught her arm.
“Please,” his voice was soft. “Just open it.”
She ran a quick hand over her forehead and picked up the document, scanning its contents. Elle’s mouth opened before she spoke. “This is an offer for…”
“Full partnership. Fifty-fifty.” He said. “And I’m not asking for an investment or buy in; I’m not interested in your money.”
“Very funny,” she muttered.
He smirked. “I’m interested in everything you have to offer…intellectually.”
“That’s all?”
He studied her and cocked his head. “What else is there?”
He was still cold and unforgiving.
She stood. “I don’t understand, first you try to fire me…now you’re offering a partnership?”
“I suppose that would be accurate.” He stayed seated and looked up at her. “I’m a patient man. I’ll give you time to think about it.”
She glanced down at the tempting offer to not only live out what could possibly be a dream job but do it side by side; equally, with the man she loved.
And who didn’t love her back.
Pain stabbed at her again. She needed to get away. She glanced out the window and saw a place where she could cool off with a guarantee he wouldn’t follow her. “Don’t bother,” she said, before she tossed the papers down and strode away.
Elle ran through the doors and hoped to have disappeared in the crowd that surrounded the rink. She zipped up her puffer jacket and walked up to the booth, handing the attendant her boots.
Scott was now nowhere in sight and she breathed a sigh of relief. The rink had a fairly small crowd on Christmas mornings and the weather was cool but not bitterly cold.
She pulled on the worn skates and carefully stepped onto the rink. It wasn’t something she typically did when she went there each year. In fact, she wasn’t all that great at it. She always preferred to watch. But Scott had caused her adrenaline to spike when he showed up out of nowhere, looking at her the way he did and then having the audacity to offer her endless days of suffering being side by side with him while he what? Went out with the Claudia’s of New York City?
No thank you.
The flurries continued to fall around her as she took off attempting her first lap around the ice. She wouldn’t say she sucked but was mediocre at best. After the first easy lap, she picked up the pace. She was flowing so smoothly now, she let her mind wander back to his soft eyes. She looked up to see a figure coming toward her. An older gentleman holding a little girls’ hand.
Oh no. How do you stop these things again?
She braced herself for impact just before a hand caught hers and tugged her out of their way.
She gasped as Scott skillfully slid across the ice, pulling her into an even glide alongside him.
“I thought you didn’t skate,” she called.
He glanced back at her. “I said I thought it was an odd sport. Not that I didn’t know how.”
She clutched his hand tighter. At this speed, there was no way she could balance on her own. “I can’t work with you,” she called.
“Why not?”
She pushed aside a strand of hair that flew over her face. “Because...you wouldn’t trust me.”
He didn’t say anything and kept focused ahead.
“I lied.”
“Did you? About what?”
Her cheeks were getting cold. “You know about all of them.”
He guided them to a halt, and pulled her to face him. “Good,” he breathed. “Then there aren’t really that many.”
She took the opportunity to skate away from the man that only confused the hell out of her.
But he caught up. “Because I remember nearly every word you said to me, Elle. And I’m not as ignorant as you think I was. I can tell when I’m being lied to. I just didn’t care to question it until it was thrown in my face.”
She wavered for a moment and shot him a glance. Her eyes stung and she skated past him praying the wind would cease any tears in their tracks.
He slid effortlessly beside her. “I know you tried. I know you fought to be as honest as you could be,” his gentle tone so different than the shark that kept her up at night.
A lump caught in her throat and the first tear fell. “Not hard enough,” she kept her voice even and swiped at her cheek.
“I made mistakes too.” He caught her waist and pulled her against the rounded wall. “All starting that last night you came by.”
She looked up at him. “Really? What would you have done differently?”
“Not much, probably” he chuckled. “It was still too fresh. But when I kissed you, it would have been sweet and gentle, the way you’re meant to be kissed,” he brushed her lips with his thumb and swallowed hard. “And when you told me you’d fallen in love with me, I would have held onto you...and made you say it again.”
Her breath caught.
“Then I would have swooped you off your tired feet and laid you down in my bed. Kissing you right here.” He brushed her forehead with his fingertips. “You would have argued that it wouldn’t be right to stay and I would have assured you we could continue our screaming match in the morning.”
She smiled, unable to hold back. “And do we?” she asked.
“No. Dean comes over first thing so I hide you in the closet.”
She burst out laughing and nearly lost her balance on the ice. He caught her and held her close.
His serious eyes took the smile off her face. “What about the rest of it?” she asked in a low voice. “The weeks we spent together, the lies?”
“You want to know what would have happened if you were honest from the start?”
She closed her eyes. “Not really.”
“Neither do I. Because I like our story just the way it is. Comical, entertaining, and quite suspenseful, no?”
She laughed lightly and shrugged. “I should have trusted you anyway.”
“Do you now?”
She nodded.
“Then give me another chance; say it again.”
She breathed in the cool air. “I love you.”
The corner of his mouth lifted. “And I am so in love with you. Probably since I saw you jump off that stage; flushed yet confident as hell.”
“Yeah, I have intense stage fright but I take joy in setting people straight.”
He smiled down at her. “Come home with me. I’ll warm you up properly.”
Elle shook her head lightly. “And I suppose next you’ll tell me we need to make up for lost time?”
“I was talking about my fireplace and a hot cacao, jeez Elle, get your head out of the gutter.”
“Oh.”
He leaned down and whispered. “FYI. I hate being predictable,” he winked.
Epilogue
Elle
10 months later…
Donovan lifted his glass for the tenth time that evening toasting his loyal wife and beautiful friends. Elle was pretty sure he meant that the other way around. Or at least she hoped he did. Although his speech was beginning to be slurred and his upper body swaying; with no music playing.
“Oh jeez,” Elle muttered and eyed for Mimi on the floor. She spotted her easily now that Dean finally broke his one rule into a million pieces.
She made eye contact with her old colleague from where she stood and signaled her to cut the man off for the night.
“Probably a good idea,” Dean appeared beside her, clinking his champagne glass against hers. “We’re getting ready for the dessert anyway shortly.”
“Good, that’s on schedule, right?”
Dean turned to her and smirked, “Nothing you need to worry about; you’re a guest here tonight.”
Elle winced.
“Oh come on, Dean,” Scott came up behind Elle, placing one hand on her back and toasting them as Donovan wrapped up his speech. “You know she can’t help solve a problem she sees a mile away.”
Donovan and Elaine were now celebrating their twenty-sixth wedding anniversary. After the extravagant party he had thrown together last year, Elaine had insisted on one just like it every year. Same venue, same vendors; and yep…even the same photographer.
Dean set down his flute. “Scott, I know you planned on taking off early, I was just told your car is ready outside,” he winked and left them alone at their table.
Elle turned to Scott, confused. “We’re leaving? I mean sure Donovan will notice but they’re just serving dessert,” she pointed out.
Scott took her glass and set it on their table along with his. “Don’t worry sweetheart, I made sure there were no raspberries in any of the desserts for the evening,” he grinned.
She laughed.
“You know you didn’t have to wear the same dress.” Scott lifted her arm and spun her once to admire the gown from when they’d met.
Elle shrugged. “Kind of an inside joke. Besides you’re the only one who would remember what I wore that night.”
“’I doubt that.” He took her purse from the table and nodded once at Dean who stood a few feet away.
Outside, Elle looked around the empty driveway. The same driveway where he’d found her “waiting” last year and basically chased her away.
“I thought Dean said your car was ready.”
Scott turned to her and arched a brow. “Well then I guess we’ll just have to kill some time.”
They walked along the pier behind the Square Landing. The planked walkway was suspiciously lined with tree lights along the sides. Something stood at the edge. it was a little hazy at first, but as they neared Elle gasped at the small round table set for two. A sample of various desserts were spread. Three tall candles within glass cylinder holders were lit.
“I actually think it’s completely fitting that you wore that dress again tonight, one year after the day we met,” his voice was soft and raspy. “You took my breath away that night and haven’t stopped since.”
She opened her mouth to let him know she felt the same way, but he went on.
“This past year, getting to know you, spending time with you, waking up with you and falling more in love with all the things that make up who you are…it’s all I ever want,” he whispered before reaching into his pocket and pulling out a small shiny object. “For the rest of my life.”
Elle gasped as the man she loved more than anything held out a gorgeous diamond setting in front of her. “Scott,” she breathed.
“Elle…Isabel,” he let out a laugh. “Be my wife. And sincerely make me the richest man in Manhattan.”
“Yes,” she exclaimed. “I mean I would love to be your wife.”
His eyes shined and his smile was ecstatic as he slipped the ring on her finger.
Her eyes watered and she stood on her toes to kiss him. “I love you.” She looked down at her hand again. “It’s beautiful.”
“Today and forever; I will love you more.” He led her to the table. “You didn’t really think I’d ever let you skip dessert. Especially since you insisted on skipping to ice cream on our first date.”
Elle crinkled her nose. “I was starting to have my doubts about you twenty minutes ago,” she said, popping a raspberry in her mouth. Which they had declared as the fruit of their love.
Barely five minutes went by before a waiter from the venue approached the table, setting down a bottle champagne and one too many glasses.
Scott looked up. “Um. Thank you, but my fiancé prefers tea with her dessert...”
“Nonsense,” Ron said from behind the waiter, who was tearing off the wrapping regardless of Scott’s request. “Assuming she said yes, I wanted to get one last toast for the evening in before calling it a night.”
Elle picked up a glass and kicked Scott under the table to do the same.
“I want to start off by saying that there are no two people in the world that I think belong together and I’m thankful you two found each other.” He turned to Elle, holding his glass. “I’m toasting today to the very last thing I’ll want see you plan; your own wedding.”
Scott cleared his throat and stood. “Thank you…that means a lot to us.” He focused on Elle for a moment. “And thank you for being a part of what brought us together,” he swallowed, “Dad.”
Ron looked down, a smile escaping him.
Elle stood, saving Ron from any words. “Thank you, but I will most definitely be hiring a planner. Except for the invitations…that’s all me.”
Ron smiled then looked thoughtfully at the two. “I’ll leave you two to celebrate.”
Once Ron had gone, Scott took a step and wrapped an arm around her. “Speaking of invitations, have you given any thought about visiting your parents soon?”
Talking with her mother had been no different, but Elle no longer felt as affected by her cynicism. Then again, she told her very little about her new life with Scott.
“I suppose I could accept their invitation to Thanksgiving.”
Scott cleared his throat. “Remember, you won’t be alone.”
“I know. And that will be the only thing I’m thankful for this year.”
The End.
Acknowledgements
Thank you to my readers. I hope you all enjoyed Scott and Elle’s story. Their story was so enjoyable to write, and I’ve been waiting anxiously to share it with you.
Thank you to my wonderful ARC Team (Roxanne’s Rocks) You guys are amazing, encouraging and make this crazy world I’ve fallen into all worthwhile with your feedback and cheers.
To Amala – for once again generating an incredible cover that always brings a slow smile on my face. Once again; your work, vision and guidance throughout, is something I will never forget.
To Stefanie – my superb editor; for pointing out the made-up and overused words; tightening up this story with your amazing talent and finally polishing on the second round. But mostly for making my editing review the most fun I’d had in nearly last three months of quarantine.
To David – for being my number one fan and supporter… and also for putting up with my thinking out loud…and basically being my walking thesaurus.
About the Author
Roxanne grew up in New York City, where she studied th
eatre and stage management and screen writing. Her passion for writing and storytelling started very young and every story had to have its beginning, middle and end – even if it never made it on paper.
In 2015 Roxanne completed a Sci-Fi screenplay, which is currently being re-worked into a series with several episodes.
While her genre was never limited, she now enjoys writing contemporary romance, creating realistic heroine’s with relatable rising actions. Her debut novel was Summer of Chances, a young adult coming of age novel.
A traditionalist at heart, Roxanne loves spending time in bookstores, diving into an exciting new titles. She now lives in New Jersey with her real-life male hero.
www.roxannetully.com
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