The Only One

by Melissa Ellen

  “Perfect. I’ll begin finalizing the designs, and we will work up some preliminary drawings for you to review. We’ll also need to discuss your thoughts on the interior.”

  “Let’s discuss over lunch. I’m sure you’re both hungry,” Rhett suggested.

  “That sounds good. Let me just grab my phone from my office, and I’ll meet you two out front.”

  “Actually, Tom, I apologize, but I have prior plans,” I interrupted. “Would you mind, if I missed lunch?” I asked nervously, not wanting to look at Rhett. I could feel the tension emanating from his body. I was grateful for Tom’s presence.

  “Of course, Ava. Enjoy your lunch,” he said, dismissing me. I hurriedly exited the room without looking back at Rhett, leaving him alone to brood.

  As I made it to the front, I saw Owen already waiting for me. Joce was talking to him while he stood near the door.

  “Oh, there she is!” Joce said, seeing me approach. I don’t know how long he was waiting. I just hoped she hadn’t mentioned the flowers to him.

  Owen turned to face me. “Ava,” he smiled in greeting.

  “Hi,” I responded shyly. “Let me just grab my things, and we can go.” I hurried to my desk, wanting to leave before Rhett saw us. Why did I feel the need to hide my date from him? I snatched up my purse and walked towards Owen. He put his arm out for me. I took it, trying to rush us out the front door. It was too late. Rhett and Tom were already coming towards the main area, his eyes immediately went to me and my arm linked with Owen’s.

  I could see the pain and anger spread through his body like wildfire. The recognition on his face made me instantly feel guilty. I have no idea why. I had no reason to. Rhett started to step towards us. I turned quickly, moving Owen out of the door into the street. I was gambling on the hope that Rhett wouldn’t try to stop us in front of everyone. Owen helped me in his car with a peculiar look on his face.

  The whole lunch I was distracted. I did my best to focus on Owen as he talked and asked me questions. He was genuine and kind, but all I could think about was Rhett. I was annoyed with myself for letting Rhett get in my head, ruining my date.

  Owen was what I thought I always wanted. He was exactly the kind of guy I would have fallen for before Rhett. But that was the problem. He was post Rhett and no matter how much I wanted to feel things for him, I couldn’t.

  “You seem distracted,” Owen watched me intently as the server cleared our plates. I casted my eyes downward feeling ashamed that he noticed.

  “I’m sorry, Owen. I just had a really busy week. Work has been keeping my mind pretty occupied, even when I’m not there,” I said apologetically, feeling remorse for my distracted mind, and my lie.

  “I see. Does this work have anything to do with the gentleman that was there when I picked you up?” I looked at him surprised by his perceptiveness. “I recognized him from the other night. At the bar. He had the same expression that night that he did today.”

  I turned my head from Owen, not wanting to meet his eyes. Discussing my ex on a date was not something I wanted to do.

  “Ava, I like you a lot, but if you aren’t in a place-”

  “No!” I interrupted, panicking. “I am,” I said unconvincingly. He gave me a small smile.

  “Okay.” He didn’t sound convinced, but he didn’t challenge me further.

  We left the restaurant, and he took me back to work. I was thankful to see Tom was back with no sign of Rhett. We stood on the sidewalk outside my office.

  “I’d like to see you, again, when I’m back from my trip.”

  “I’d like that, too,” I said not really sure if I meant it.

  “Great. I’ll call you when I get back.” He leaned in, giving me a lingering kiss on my cheek. I was relieved that he didn’t try to kiss me on the lips. “Bye, Ava,” he smiled before walking away.

  The rest of the day was uneventful. When I got home that night, I half expected Rhett to be waiting for me. Or maybe I hoped he would be. I’m not really sure. My brain and heart are constantly confused these days.

  I made myself dinner and got ready for bed. I tried reading a book to distract myself from checking my phone. Rhett had been texting me goodnight every night since our day in Malibu. He didn’t text me tonight. I closed my eyes trying to convince myself it was for the best.

  CHAPTER 5

  It was Friday. I couldn’t be more excited. I was picking Lizzie up after work. It had been months, since I had seen her last, and I could really use my best friend, right now. I still hadn’t heard from Rhett, but I wasn’t going to think about that today. It’s what I wanted, after all, and nothing was going to ruin my weekend with Lizzie.

  Half way through the day, Tom called me into his office. “Ava, I have some exciting news for you.” I groaned internally. Lately, Tom’s idea of exciting news for me was anything but. “During our lunch, yesterday, Mr. Blackwood brought up that he would like some of the marble and other materials that will be used on the interior to be sourced directly from Italy. He suggested we make a procurement visit to select the items. He would like you to join him. You’ll be there for a few weeks.” I sat there speechless. What the hell? Did I hear him right?

  “I can see you’re shocked with excitement,” Tom offered as he looked questioningly with his eyebrow raised.

  I finally found my voice. “Yes. Shocked.” More like infuriated, though, than excited. “I don’t understand. Shouldn’t you be going instead of me?” I asked confused.

  “Well, as you know, Mr. Blackwood is in a bit of a hurry for this project. He has arranged for the trip to happen next week and there’s no way I can leave Marie to go overseas.”

  “But what about my other projects? And you don’t have enough people to get all the work done if I’m gone.” I searched for excuses to stay. I thought about lying and saying I didn’t have a passport, but Rhett knew I did. He had made me get it right after he gifted me with a trip around the world.

  “Don’t worry, Ava. Joce, Drew and myself will all look after your other projects. And Mr. Blackwood has given me a very hefty retainer to make all this happen quickly. It’s enough for me to hire another person on if needed.”

  “Right,” I replied, still sitting there dumbfounded. Somehow, Rhett managed to talk my boss into this absurd idea. Though, I knew it probably didn’t take much convincing on Rhett’s part if he was paying Tom upfront. “When do I leave?” I asked quietly, trying to control the agitation in my voice.

  “Monday.”

  “Monday!?” I said astonished.

  “Yes, I know. Like I said short notice and all,” Tom looked remorseful for just dropping this on me. “I figured you could take the rest of the afternoon off to start preparing for your trip. Paid of course,” he tried to soften the blow. “Mr. Blackwood has arranged for the two of you to fly out Monday morning. A car will pick you up and take you to the airport. I’ll email you the details.”

  “Right…. Okay, then.” I stood, feeling like my world just turned upside down. I turned to leave Tom’s office.

  “Ava,” Tom called after me.

  “Yes?” I spun around.

  “Try to have fun and enjoy the experience. This really is a great opportunity for you,” he smiled. I responded with a feeble smile of my own. If Tom only knew what I already knew - this was not about a procurement trip.

  I arrived at LAX airport a little early, thanks to Tom letting me off for the rest of the day. I texted Lizzie to let her know I was there. She had barely landed. I waited at curbside pick-up for her. As soon as I saw her, I almost cried. Okay. I did cry.

  I sprinted to her too excited to wait for her to make it to my car. We hugged, jumping up and down as we turned in circles, screaming like two teenage girls who just won backstage passes to a Justin Bieber concert.

  “I missed you,” I said finally calming down, pulling back from our embrace.

  “Missed you, too. Now, let’s get out of here. I only have the weekend with you, and I don’t want to spend it at
the airport.” I linked my arm through hers as we walked to my car to put her luggage in the trunk.

  We stopped at my apartment to change before going to dinner. We decided to walk to one of my favorite seafood restaurants located near the Santa Monica Pier. It had a beautiful view and excellent food. Our server came to the table to take our drink orders. “I’ll have a martini extra dirty,” I said, feeling adventurous and ready to kick-off the weekend with my bestie.

  “Just water for me, thanks,” Lizzie looked back down at her menu. I stared at her confused. Lizzie was not one to pass up a drink on a girl’s weekend. About two seconds later my mouth fell open.

  “Oh my God. Are you?” I couldn’t even finish saying it. Lizzie looked up at me, grinning ear to ear. “Oh my God. You’re freaking pregnant! Aren’t you!?” I said excitedly and a little bit shocked.

  She laughed, nodding her head. “Yep, you’re going to be Auntie Ava.”

  I screamed with excitement, jumping out of my seat to hug her. “Oh my God! Oh my God!” I kept repeating as I hugged her.

  “Calm down, Ava. People are going to think you’re having an orgasm over here,” she laughed whole heartedly.

  “Congratulations! I had no idea you guys were even trying,” I sat back down in my seat.

  “We weren’t exactly trying. In fact, it probably couldn’t come at a worse time with him opening up his restaurant, but he assures me it’ll all work out.”

  “Of course it will! This is so exciting. How far are you?”

  “Only ten weeks. I barely found out the day I called you. I just decided I couldn’t tell you over the phone. I had to do it in person,” she smiled at me. I was so glad she did.

  “Wow. I’m so happy and sad at the same time. I hate that I’m so far apart from you,” I paused, wishing I wasn’t on the other side of the country from my friends and family. I loved California and it had helped me heal, but a huge part of me wondered if I should move home. I felt like I was missing so much of my friend’s and family’s lives. “I want to be the one to throw your baby shower.”

  “You better! There’s no way I want my mom handling it. She’s already driving me nuts,” she rolled her eyes. “If I thought she was an overbearing, unbearable woman before, she’s even worse now that she has a grandbaby on the way.”

  I laughed, knowing Lizzie had always preferred to be around my family than her own. The waiter returned, delivering our drinks and took our food order.

  “Well, I guess I’ll be drinking for two, while you eat for two,” I goaded her.

  “Ugh. Don’t remind me. That’s going to be the worst part. I will be fat and sober for the next few months.” Her nose scrunched up with disgust. I rolled my eyes at her as I sipped my martini.

  “Enough about me. Anything going on with you?” she asked nonchalant, but I could sense the caution in her voice. I eyed her suspiciously as I placed my martini back on the table.

  “You know,” I looked at her in disbelief.

  “Know what?” She attempted innocence. I tilted my head at her while crossing my arms, giving her the look that told her I didn’t believe her. “Okay. I know he was here,” she surrendered.

  “Did you know, before?”

  “No.”

  I glared at her.

  “I promise, Ava. I didn’t know, until recently. That was one of the reasons I decided to come early. That and I couldn’t wait to tell you about the baby. I wanted to make sure you were okay,” she paused waiting for me to answer as I looked out at the Santa Monica Pier all lit up in the black sky. “So…how are you?”

  “Confused,” I said honestly, turning back to look at her.

  “What are you confused about?”

  “Everything. I have no idea what he’s doing here. I have no idea why, now. I have no idea how I feel about it. As much as I tell myself that it’s in the past and I’ve moved on, I can’t help how he makes me feel every time I see him.”

  We both were silent for a moment before she spoke. “Do you still love him?” she asked, leaning forward, almost in a whisper.

  I didn’t want to answer. Saying it out loud hurt too much. A tear rolled down my cheek before I could stop it.

  “Oh, Ava….have you told him? Have you talked to him about everything that happened?” She sat back her face full of empathy.

  “There’s nothing to talk about,” I said flatly.

  She gave me a look that told me she disagreed, but she knew better than to push it. I suddenly felt the need to know why she had always been so adamant about me talking to him. Riley’s words seeping into my thoughts at the same time.

  But before I could ask her, our food came and she changed the subject to lighter topics. She filled me in on what Mike’s plans were for the new restaurant and things that had been going on back in Litchfield. I told her about my date with Owen. She pretended to be happy and excited for me, but I knew she was only doing it to be a supportive friend. She was Team Rhett. By the time we finished dinner, we were both exhausted and decided to call it a night.

  The next morning we went shopping. She wanted to buy maternity clothes, and I needed some clothes for my trip to Italy. I could tell she was excited for my upcoming ‘business trip,’ but she pretended to be indifferent about it as we picked out clothes. We stopped in a few baby stores, and I bought her a tiny, cream, knitted baby blanket as a congratulatory present.

  Saturday night we stayed in and just hung out on my balcony, eating Chinese food and laughing about old times as we listened to the ocean.

  “It’s so peaceful here. I’m jealous you get to fall asleep to this sound every night,” she looked out at the ocean.

  “It does beat the sounds of New York traffic and sirens.” We both leaned back, listening to the waves roll onto the shore. “How’s Stephen?” I asked, breaking our comfortable silence.

  She turned to look at me as I stared out into the darkness. “He’s good. He and Amber started dating earlier this year,” she responded carefully, knowing what had happened between Stephen and me.

  “Really? That’s great!” I said sincerely. I was genuinely happy to hear that.

  “Yeah, she’s finally getting him to straighten out and grow up.”

  I waited a moment before bringing up my next question. “Lizzie… when Rhett first showed up, Riley was with him. He said something to me about Stephen. He accused Stephen of knowing something and not telling me….do you know what that would be?”

  I listened to her take in a deep breath, letting it out before she responded. “Yes.” She paused while she sat up, twisting her body towards me. “Ava, Rhett was at the hospital that night,” she delivered the words slowly, allowing them to sink in. “Stephen wouldn’t let him see you.”

  My heart started beating faster as she spoke, and I was having a hard time breathing. “What?” I tried to process what she just said. I could hear my pulse beating in my ears, making it hard for me to focus on what she was saying. “No. That doesn’t make sense. If Rhett was there, he wouldn’t have let Stephen stop him from getting to me. How would he have even known to go there?”

  “Because I told him,” she dropped her eyes, looking at her feet remorsefully. “I didn’t tell you before because, at the time, I knew you would kill me. But I also knew you needed him. I didn’t know he actually showed up, though. I thought he had chosen Serena by not coming. I was angry at him for a long time until we ran into each other in New York. He told me everything after I chewed him out for being an ass.”

  I sat there my head and hands shaking, not believing everything I was hearing.

  “As far as Stephen, Rhett thought it would have only made things worse for you, if he did anything to Stephen.”

  This can’t be true. None of it. But Lizzie wouldn’t lie to me. The tears were coming as I started to realize how different things could have been for us. Why didn’t anyone tell me? Why would Stephen do that to me? I already had my answers to those questions. I just didn’t want to accept them. I wouldn’t let anyon
e talk to me about it, especially not Rhett. I refused to listen to what anyone had to say. I was too hurt and grief stricken. Stephen had his own reasons, but I needed to hear it from him.

  Lizzie moved to sit with me on my lounger, hugging me as I cried silent tears. “It’s not too late, Ava,” she whispered as she held me.

  She kept her arms around me until I calmed down and assured her I was okay. I told her to head to bed and get some sleep. I needed a few more minutes alone with my thoughts.

  I sat lifeless, staring into space, reliving that moment in my Wellesley apartment. Hating myself. I never even really gave Rhett the chance to explain. It still didn’t explain why he wasn’t at the funeral and why it took him so long to come to me. I still had unanswered questions.

  I picked up my phone, staring at it. I needed to make this call. I needed to hear it from his mouth. I scrolled through my phonebook, looking for his name. I knew it was late there, but I didn’t care right now. I listened to the ringing on the other end of the phone, hoping he answered.

  “Hello.” I heard his gruff sleepy voice.

  “Is it true?” I tried to hold back the anger in my voice.

  “Ava?”

  “Yes, Stephen, it’s me. Is it true?” I asked a little more harshly. “Did you keep Rhett from me in the hospital the night my dad died?”

  I heard him let out a heavy sigh as a ruffling commotion sounded in the background. He didn’t answer for a few seconds, but it felt like an eternity. “Yes,” he finally responded. That one word was like a dull knife twisting in my heart. “Ava, I’m sorry. I thought it was what was best for you at the time.”

  I didn’t respond. I just hung up. His excuses, all the sudden, didn’t matter. The damage was done. The years lost.

  As we stood outside the airport, I hugged Lizzie tight, not wanting her to leave.