by A. E. Radley
“So, you were in the hospital in Paris?” Kate asked.
Here we go, Holly thought. “Yes.”
“Were you admitted to the hospital here? In New York?” Kate frowned. “I mean… where did you stay? Did the authorities help? I don’t know how it works.”
“I stayed with Victoria,” Holly admitted.
“What… like, at her house?” Kate looked dumbstruck. “But, she’s a bitch.”
Holly stiffened. She wasn’t naïve enough to not know that people spoke about Victoria like that, but she wasn’t about to sit back and let Kate be one of them. “Actually, she isn’t. And, you should know that we’re in a relationship.”
Kate stared at her. She burst out laughing, nearly knocking her latte flying. She slapped her palm on the table as she cackled. “Good one,” she wheezed.
“I’m serious,” Holly said. “We’re together.”
Tears had fallen down Kate’s cheeks. She sucked in a deep breath as she tried to control herself, ripples of laughter still shaking her body. “Yeah, right. You and your ex-boss, the Dragon Lady.”
“Don’t call her that,” Holly ground out.
The laughter stopped, and the smile slipped from Kate’s face. “Oh my god, you’re serious!”
Holly grabbed her laptop bag from the floor and started to pack away her things. “I am, and I know you don’t approve but it’s my life and I’ll choose how I want to live it. Without your judgement.”
“Whoa, whoa… Holly.” Kate reached across the table and grabbed her arm. “Holly, wait… she’s… you’re seriously in a relationship with her?”
Holly pulled her arm back. “Yes, we’re living together. And we’re very happy. I’m very happy.”
Kate’s mouth open and closed. Holly could practically see the cogs turning in her mind, trying to catch up and figure out what to say next.
“Holly,” Kate whispered seriously. “You’ve got to listen to me… this isn’t right. This isn’t you. I don’t know what she’s told you… but you’d never—”
“Victoria didn’t tell me anything. I’m perfectly capable of making decisions myself.” Holly threw her last few belongings into her bag and stood up. She looked wistfully at her scone, it looked delicious, but her stomach churned, and her appetite had long since vanished. “If you’ll excuse me.”
“Holly… wait!” Kate called after her.
Holly rushed towards the counter and threw some bills at Tom. “Thank you. See you later.”
“Are you okay?” Tom asked. He looked towards where Kate was getting to her feet.
“Yes, she’s an old friend. I need to go home.” Holly hurried out of the door and across the sidewalk with her hand raised in the air. Luckily, a taxi was passing at that moment and came to a screeching halt beside her. She practically threw herself into the back of the cab and told him the address. She peered out of the back window once they started moving. Kate was standing outside the coffee shop, watching her leave.
CHAPTER 4
Victoria was exhausted. The Arrival offices closed completely for Christmas, and staff leave meant staffing issues on the run up to the holiday. But there was still the same amount of work to do, it just meant fewer people working harder. For her, Christmas wasn’t an enjoyable, festive period. It was a pain in the ass. On top of all the work, and extra work, there were parties, galas, carol concerts, and more to attend. She didn’t know who decided to schedule so many social events at a time when everyone was up to their eyeballs in work, but whoever it was needing shooting.
On top of all that, she had precisely zero Christmas spirit. Her mind was full of Spring colours and fashions, such was the nature of working in publishing and having to plan a few months ahead. If she ever had any Christmas spirit, it usually came at the end of Summer.
She looked at the tall, slim Christmas tree that adorned the hallway, reaching its way up two levels between the staircase and the upper landings. Garlands hung off the bannister rails, small white lights sparkling through the leaves. If anything should be able to inspire some Christmas feeling, it was surely the tasteful decorations. But she still felt nothing.
“Mom, do you think you’ll be able to come to my concert tomorrow? I know you said you might have to work.” Alexia appeared beside her, nibbling on a Christmas cookie. She’d need to speak to her daughter about sugar addiction soon.
“I’m not sure, darling. I’ll do my best.” It looked unlikely, but it was always best to ask forgiveness rather than permission. Especially when disappointing your daughter. It was hard to explain that missing a concert meant it was more likely she would be able to get home in time for dinner on Christmas Eve.
“Okay. Are you sure you don’t want a cookie?” Alexia waggled the baked item in front of her. She smelt cinnamon.
“I’m sure.” She patted her slim waist.
“It’s Christmas, Mom,” Alexia chastised.
The doorbell rang. “That may be, but calories don’t know that,” Victoria said as she walked towards the front door. “Despite what Holly may tell you.”
She opened the door and her breath caught in her chest. A police officer stood in front of her, a serious look on his face. She quickly reminded herself that Alexia was behind her, Holly in the kitchen, and Hugo upstairs on his computer.
“Miss Hastings, I’m sorry to bother you late at night,” the office apologised.
“That’s quite all right, Officer…?” It wasn’t all right, but she was desperate to know what terrible news he was there to deliver.
“Officer Whitehead,” he introduced himself. “Does a Miss Holly Carter reside here?”
Victoria blinked. “She does.”
“May I speak with her?”
“What is this about?”
“I really must speak with her directly,” Whitehead insisted.
“This is ridiculous, what is—”
“I’m Holly Carter.” Holly crossed the hallway and stood beside Victoria. She felt Holly’s hand on her lower back, comforting, calming. “Can I help you, Officer?”
Whitehead shifted his stance, his gaze flickered up to Victoria and then back to Holly. “We’ve received a report, a concern for your welfare.”
Holly laughed. “What?!”
Victoria stiffened. Her lungs burned. She reminded herself to take a breath.
“I’m sorry to come here and ask you, but since we received a report… we have to follow it up.” His eyes drifted to Victoria again.
“Why don’t you give us a moment?” Holly asked Victoria softly, pressing a kiss to her cheek.
She released her death grip on the door handle and took a couple of small steps backwards.
Holly stepped into the spot vacated by her. “As you can see, I’m absolutely fine, Officer. Can I ask about this report?”
“We had an anonymous report that you were being coerced, held here against your will.” He sounded almost apologetic.
Holly laughed again. Victoria didn’t know what was humorous. She wanted to take him by the throat and demand who had made such a ridiculous allegation.
“I assure you, I am absolutely not being held against my will. I live here, by my own choice. I’m so sorry that someone wasted your time, Officer.”
“Am I correct in understanding that Miss Hastings holds power of attorney for you? That you suffer from brain damage?”
“I don’t think you’re legally allowed to ask me that,” Holly replied. “But in the interest of putting this matter to rest, Victoria used to have power of attorney over me but that has since been dissolved. And, yes, I suffered an accident and I have gaps in my memory. But that in no way has anything to do with why I am here now. I’m here because I want to be.”
“I’m sorry, I know this is difficult. But we do have to investigate these reports.”
“I understand, I’m just sorry that someone wasted your time.”
He handed Holly something. “That’s all right, ma’am. It’s my job. If you need to contact me, here is
my direct number.”
Holly handed what Victoria presumed was a business card back to him. “I don’t need this, Officer. If I kept it, it would go straight into the trash. Like I said, someone has wasted your time. In fact, wait here a moment.” Holly rushed from the door and into the kitchen.
Victoria stood and stared at the police officer. Deep down, she knew it wasn’t fair to take her rage out on him, but he was an easy target. Whoever had made the complaint was beyond her purview.
He broke eye contact, looking at the holly wreaths that surrounded the doorway.
Holly returned with some cookies in some paper towel. “Here you are, Officer. So, it wasn’t a complete waste of your time.”
He took the cookies. “Thank you, ma’am. I’m sorry to disturb you.”
“Not at all, you’re just doing your job,” Holly said. “Have a lovely evening.”
They said a final farewell and Holly closed the door. She turned around and looked at Alexia. “Alexia, can your Mom and I have a moment, please?”
“Does someone think that Mom’s kidnapped you?” Alexia asked.
“Alexia,” Victoria said softly. “Now.”
Wisely, she closed her mouth and hurried up the stairs.
“I’m sorry,” Holly said. “I should have told you when you got home but I wanted to forget all about it.”
“Forget that someone believes that I’m holding you prisoner?” Victoria asked bitterly.
“I didn’t realise she thought that. And I had no idea she’d make a report to the police, that’s just insane.”
“She?”
“Kate.”
Victoria raised an eyebrow. She knew around three hundred Kates.
“My ex-girlfriend,” Holly added.
Victoria bit the inside of her mouth.
“She ran into me at a coffee shop this afternoon. It was bound to happen eventually. I told her about us, she wasn’t happy, but I didn’t realise she’d do something as ludicrous as this.”
They’d never spoken about Holly’s ex. All Victoria knew was that they had broken up before Holly left for Paris.
“Say something?” Holly requested.
Victoria spread her hands in a helpless gesture. “What is there to say? Your ex-girlfriend thinks that it’s so ridiculous that you are in a relationship with me that the only possible explanation is that I have you here against your will. And she’s willing to report it to the police, so ludicrous is it to think that you could care for me.”
“Love you,” Holly corrected angrily. “And I don’t care what she thinks. I’m angry that she’s wasting police time, and sad that she’s upset you. But her personal thoughts on my relationship? I don’t care.”
“I wonder what she’ll do for an encore?” Victoria mused. “Maybe she’ll rescue you from my evil clutches.”
“I’ll fix it,” Holly promised. She crossed the hallway, standing in front of Victoria. “I promise.”
“I think I’ll have an early night,” Victoria said. “It’s been a long day, and I’m suddenly very tired.”
She turned and breezed past Holly, quickly ascending the stairs to make her escape. They had spoken occasionally of Victoria’s chosen coping mechanism—running away. Holly allowed it and gave her space. But Victoria knew she’d only be allowed an hour on her own, at most. That knowledge caused her lips to tug into a small smile. She didn’t know how long her relationship with Holly would last, didn’t know when Holly would finally see the light. For now, she relished it. Even when she was exhausted and emotionally battered.
CHAPTER 5
“Dinner?” Victoria yelled. Actually yelled. She never yelled.
Holly took a step back and closed Victoria’s office door. “Yes, dinner.”
“With your ex?” Victoria looked flabbergasted. “With the woman who called the police on us?”
“Yes.” Holly walked around the desk and stood behind Victoria’s chair. She put her hands on tense shoulders and gently massaged. “That way she’ll see that we are happy together.”
“Why does she need to see that? Why is she a part of our lives at all?”
“Because she called the police on us,” Holly replied. “We were together for a long time, she’s bound to still feel a connection to me. Maybe even responsibility for what happened.” Holly felt tense shoulders become impossibly tighter at the mention of responsibility. “It will clear the air. She’ll see that I’m fine. Happy and well. Then she’ll leave and that will be the end of it. And we don’t have to worry about what she might do next in her misguided attempts to make sure I’m safe.”
“Surely you can have dinner without me being there?” Victoria asked. Her voice had softened and she was relaxing into the impromptu massage.
“That kind of defeats the objective of seeing us happy together,” Holly pointed out.
Victoria moaned as Holly hit a particularly tight muscle knot. She applied a little more pressure and made a mental note to get Victoria to her masseuse as soon as possible. At this rate, the woman would be nothing but knotted muscles.
She knew dinner with Kate wouldn’t be top of Victoria’s list of things she wanted to do. Or even on her list of things she minded doing. But Holly had thought about it from every angle and she knew that Kate was stubborn and wouldn’t let go without a fight. If she sincerely believed that Holly was being coerced, she’d do whatever she could to help. And, considering Holly had spent months complaining about Victoria, who could blame Kate for thinking that it was a decidedly odd turn of events? Kate had to get to know Victoria, had to see her as Holly did. Or at least a peek into their relationship.
Of course, Victoria wasn’t going to open up much to the woman who had thought the notion of them being in a relationship worthy of calling the authorities. But it was a start. And Kate would be able to see that there was nothing untoward.
Hopefully.
“When?” Victoria asked.
“Tomorrow?” Holly asked. “I’ve spoken to Alexia and told her that you probably won’t be able to make the concert tonight. She understands.” She knew how difficult it was for Victoria to get home at a reasonable hour these days. And she knew that Victoria was already struggling to find time to get to the concert. Taking the hit of Alexia’s disappointment was easier for her.
“She wasn’t upset?”
“She understands. She’s getting older, she knows you can’t always be there and she has to pick and choose. She’d rather you be here on Christmas Eve. And she and Hugo are out with Mark and his parents tomorrow night, skating at Rockefeller, so it’s a good time. We can get all of this wrapped up before Christmas.”
“I presume you’re planning on having dinner at the house?” Victoria asked.
“Well, yes, it’s the easiest way to show that I live there. Willingly.” Holly continued massaging her shoulders. She lowered her chin to the top of Victoria’s head. “We can keep it short… have some time to ourselves afterwards.”
Victoria let out a long sigh. “Very well,” she conceded. “But she best behave herself.”
“She will, I’ll make sure of it. If she steps out of line then I’ll throw her out.”
“Is it really worth the effort? Surely, she’s moved on? She reported her ridiculous accusations to the authorities. Do we need to put on this display? For her?”
“It’s not a display. It’s just… showing her the truth.” Holly removed her hands, and walked back around the desk. “I’ll make arrangements.”
Victoria sat forward and picked up her fountain pen. “I notice you didn’t answer. You don’t think she’s moved on?”
“I don’t know, but it’s best to be safe. I don’t want to have to bribe Officer Whitehead with any more cookies.” Holly smiled but her heart wasn’t in it. She knew Kate wouldn’t move on. She’d consulted her journals again the previous evening; it seemed Kate was tenacious and difficult to convince. And she hated Victoria with a passion, and now she had a reason to. She’d always thought that Holly spent
too much time with Victoria, thought she defended her boss and her terrible behaviour a little too often. Nothing was going on back then, but Kate wouldn’t believe that.
“Very well. Dinner,” Victoria mumbled under her breath. “In my house. With your… ex.”
“Thank you, I really appreciate it. And I’ll make it up to you, I promise,” Holly said.
Victoria hummed but continued to focus on her work. Holly knew not to push her luck. Victoria had agreed to something she was loathe to do, at a time when she was frenetically busy. She’d won, and the best course of action now was to leave before anything went wrong.
“I’ll see you this evening, work as long as you need but make sure you eat dinner,” she instructed.
Victoria made a vague noise of agreement, but it was obvious that her attention was now fully elsewhere. Holly smiled and slipped from the office. In the outer office, Victoria’s two assistants looked up and both let out a sigh of relief.
“Everything okay?” Louise asked, warily eyeing the door.
“Yes,” Holly replied. She walked over to Louise. “She’s stressed; we need to book a massage. Can you fit it in the schedule?”
Louise looked like the throbbing vein in her forehead might just explode. “This year?”
“Before Christmas,” Holly pressed. “If you don’t find time, she’ll get worse.”
“Worse?” Claudia chuckled nervously.
“We had a Christmas like this once before,” Louise said. She sat back in her chair and her eyes glazed over as she wistfully reminisced. “The photographer for the cover broke her leg in a paragliding accident. I thought Victoria was going to go to the hospital and break her other leg for disrupting the schedule.”
Holly remembered reading about that in her journal. The fear she’d felt as she wrote the entry was still palatable months later.
“Make sure she eats something for dinner tonight,” Holly said. “Get her something from that new place she went to a couple of weeks ago; she liked their salmon.”