Slide

by Michelle Congdon

  I thought about his comment as I took a sip of warm sake. I couldn’t recall the last time I had a nightmare. The haunting images of the car accident I used to have every night had suddenly stopped, but when? Had Ryan really been the reason why?

  A light tap on my shoulder interrupted my thoughts. I turned to my left and my jaw dropped when I immediately recognized the redhead standing in front of me.

  “You’re Evangeline Montgomery, right?” Ryan’s therapist, Jessica, said with a strange smirk on her face.

  Unable to speak, I was grateful when Derek came to my rescue and stepped in. “Excuse me, can’t you see that we’re trying to eat?” He pointed to the food between us then turned away from Jessica and shook his head in disgust, muttering just loud enough for her to hear, “Damn pap’s, they don’t have any respect.”

  “Err… I’m not the paparazzi. I just had something I needed to say to Evangeline,” Jessica replied, placing a hand on her hip.

  “I know who you are,” Derek spat acidly. “The answer is still no. So, go away and let us eat in peace.”

  Instead of leaving us, Jessica continued to stand there with a raised brow and that annoying smirk. “I guess that means Ryan has mentioned me. But how much has he told you, Evangeline?”

  “Didn’t I tell you to go away? She doesn’t want to speak to you.” Derek barked.

  “And I will… once I say what I came here to say,” she shot back, pointing a thin, manicured finger at me which caused me to snap out of my stunned state.

  “What do you want?” I asked in the bravest voice I could muster, turning myself so I could look her straight in the eye.

  A malicious grin spread across her features the instant I spoke. I tried not to react but I couldn’t help the uneasy feeling washing over me. In the back of my mind I knew she’d purposely done this knowing Ryan was out of town.

  “So, Ryan’s told you all about me, huh?” I didn’t answer but it didn’t stop her from continuing. “I’m interested to know just how much he has said, and whether he told you the entire truth. He has the ability to make people believe in whatever he wants them to, you know.”

  “He’s told me enough,” I said firmly, swallowing the lump in my throat.

  “And you believe him? Did he tell you that when he’s not inside you, he’s with me, and when we’re both waiting around for him, he’s out there fucking every other girl that smiles his way?”

  My whole body tensed. She had it wrong. Ryan wouldn’t do that; he admitted that he hadn’t been with anyone since being with me. He said he loved me… Was he lying about everything? Of course he was lying, my mind hissed at me.

  I held my breath to try and stop the unwanted tears that I knew were on their way. I couldn’t let her see that her words affected me. I didn’t want to give her the satisfaction of seeing me that way. That was what she wanted.

  “That’s it, get out of here!” Derek shouted, rising from his seat so fast.

  My eyes quickly scanned the room before landing on my best friend. Groups of people in surrounding booths had stopped what they were doing and were all watching us; even the waitresses were standing there not knowing what to do.

  With his nostrils flaring and narrowed eyes locked on Jessica, Derek looked ready to hurt someone. I’d never seen him like this before. I knew he’d never hit a girl, but seeing the hard look in his eye had me suddenly second-guessing myself.

  Jessica let out a wicked laugh. “Calm down, pretty boy. I’ve said everything I’ve come to say.”

  She flicked her bright red hair, turned and began walking away, leaving me to stare at her departing figure. She got half way to the door then stopped and cast a glance at me from over her shoulder. “Oh, one last thing. I’d keep a close eye on the magazine stands over the next few days if I were you. There might be something there of interest to you.”

  With another laugh she was out the door, leaving Derek and I staring blankly at one another, completely speechless.

  CHAPTER 27

  Two days later, Jessica’s haunting words inside the restaurant finally made sense.

  A sickening feeling whirled inside my stomach as I stared at the front page of the magazine Derek had handed to me earlier. I wanted to disappear and pretend I was somewhere else entirely.

  Staring back at me was an innocent smiling Jessica sitting on a red leather sofa clutching her flat stomach. The headline above her read: ‘Jessica Aitkens: meet the real woman in Ryan Fox’s life. Still smiling and happily pregnant.’ To her right was a smaller picture of Ryan dressed casually with his Yankees cap and his head tilted sideways as if he were talking to someone that had been cropped out of the picture.

  “It’s bullshit,” Derek growled beside me.

  Ignoring him, I continued to stare at the magazine. The world I’d come to know was crumpling to the ground as reality hit me with full force. The truth was I didn’t know how to feel. My emotions were running high and were all over the place. I wanted to cry and I wanted to scream, but neither was going to fix anything.

  I was furious, not only with Ryan for doing this to me, but also at myself for allowing him to. I’d been used. He’d been lying to me the entire time, pretending to love me and then saying all those things. It was all to keep me around and now he was having another woman’s child. I had no one to blame but myself. I knew what I was getting myself into with a man like him, but I allowed myself believe he was different. Of course he wasn’t. He was just like every other male out there.

  “I hope you don’t believe in that stupid story, Evan. She’s a crazy, lying bitch, with claws out to get you.”

  I blinked and slowly lifted my eyes from the magazine.

  “She’s having his baby, Derek. I don’t have a choice whether to believe it or not.”

  “He wouldn’t… He wouldn’t be so stupid—”

  The sound of my cell ringing interrupted the end of Derek’s sentence. I didn’t feel like talking to anyone, especially Ryan, but it gave me the excuse to escape from the conversation.

  I walked over to the bench where I’d left my phone earlier and glanced at its flashing screen. It was Connor. This meant he’d already seen the article. Wonderful…

  With inward sigh, I answered it.

  “Evie? Are you okay?”

  “No…” I replied, unable to lie to my brother. I felt a warm, single tear trickle down my cheek.

  “Jesus Christ. This is absolute madness! I’m going to kill that asshole the next time I see him!”

  “Don’t bother, Connor. I’m never going to see him again,” I said, feeling my chest tighten at the thought.

  “Good. That guy is bad news. He’s worthless, Evie. You deserve someone better than that! Do you need me to take the day off? We can go do something? Get some ice cream or bake a cake?”

  A tiny smile tugged at the corner of my mouth. I was so blessed to have Connor as my big brother. He was protective, like all brothers, but he tried everything possible to cheer me up, even if it meant baking — since he was a lousy cook. But because of that, it was what I loved about him the most. “No, don’t do that. Derek is here with me, I’ll be fine.”

  “I’ll come over as soon as I finish up here and I’ll also give Amelie a call, she’ll be done in a couple of hours, she’ll want to make sure you’re okay.”

  “Thank you, Con.”

  “You don’t need to thank me, Evie. I’m your brother and we stick together. I’d knock out whoever I have to just to make sure you’re okay.”

  “I know you will.”

  “I love you, little sister, but I’m warning you, if I see that Ryan Fox guy around again I will give him what he deserves for hurting you.”

  “I know that too.”

  My cell beeped indicating another call coming through. I lifted the phone away from my ear and looked at the flashing screen. It was Ryan. That meant he also knew about the articles and was now calling to apologize, or he still had no idea, and was just calling to see how I was. Stop thinking
he’s one of the good guys!

  I said goodbye to Connor but didn’t bother answering Ryan’s incoming call. I couldn’t bear to speak to him at the moment and I wasn’t sure when I was going to be able to again.

  ****

  I finally found the courage to speak to Ryan after a couple of days passed with endless missed phone calls. It was easy to avoid him while he was out of town, but that didn’t stop the goose bumps from forming all over my skin whenever the ringing phone flashed his name on the screen.

  I gave him a small opportunity to explain his side of the story, which was that Jessica had made the whole story up. Ryan swore on his mother and all of his sisters lives that he’d never cheated on me and admitted that the last time he’d slept with Jessica was the night after he had met me in the club. But I didn’t see how any of that helped the issue at hand. If Jessica was indeed pregnant, it could still very well be his child. How could he not see that?

  In the end, I made the only decision that seemed right at the time, no matter how much it pained me. I told Ryan that I never wanted anything to do with him.

  To say Ryan listened and accepted my decision would be too easy. I still received at least three text messages a day from him for an entire week. I ignored every single one, not reading them and leaving them as unread. I found it hurt a little less this way.

  After day three, Derek called to tell me work was quiet so he’d requested a month off and suggested that we get out of the city and go on a holiday somewhere. Connor and Amelie couldn’t agree with him fast enough, both saying it was for the best, considering the media had gone crazy over the recent Jessica and Ryan story. I was now dubbed as Ryan’s ‘other girl’, the one that had tried to come between the happy lovers.

  I had paparazzi waiting day and night outside my apartment building, and they would pounce every time they saw me leave. They even had the audacity to chase me down the street, and hound me with questions as to why I would do such a thing. The whole situation was overwhelming and a couple of times I found myself close to having an anxiety attack. I was thankful I was left in the protection of Connor’s driver, Clifford, who was asked by my brother to stay by my side until everything died down. I didn’t see that happening any time soon and was afraid of it never happening.

  I knew by the photos in the papers and magazines that Derek waved in my face that Ryan was dealing with the same issues. Apparently, after denying his relationship with Jessica, he refused to speak to anyone, and also refused to sign anything for fans.

  Most of the photos were of him with a lowered baseball cap with an aloof look that seemed to be a permanent fixture on his beautiful face. Ugh. I had to stop thinking of him like that. He was just as much to blame for this mess and Jessica was.

  After surviving the horrifying week and Ryan’s constant text messages, I’d finally agreed to the holiday Derek had begged to go on, and chose Saint Barthélemy as our destination. My father had a beach house there, equipped with its own private beach. There was nothing the sun, the beach and cocktails couldn’t fix.

  ****

  We were at the airport when my cell buzzed inside my handbag. I pulled it out and looked at the screen. Great. It was Ryan. Something inside of me told me I’d punished the guy long enough, so I took a long, deep breath before answering the call, careful to avoid the wary gaze Derek was throwing my way.

  “Hello?” I answered abruptly.

  “Evangeline? It’s me.” It immediately pained me hearing the sound of Ryan’s tired voice on the other end.

  “I know who it is. Why do you keep calling?” I replied, trying to ignore the tight ache in my chest.

  He went silent for a moment. I looked up instinctively as the overhead speakers boomed with a female voice, advising the next flights boarding.

  “Are you at the airport? Where are you going?”

  “I really don’t think that’s any of your business, do you?”

  He sighed into the phone. “I guess not. Evangeline, please listen to me. I swear I never touched her again after that night. She’s making this all up. I don’t know why, but she is. I’ve been faithful to you the whole time.”

  “Ryan, she’s pregnant. It doesn’t matter whether you’ve been with her again, because the last time you slept with her you left her pregnant!” I snapped. I didn’t mean to sound so angry but I couldn’t stop myself.

  “That’s bullshit! I don’t believe her stupid story and neither should you—”

  “What can’t you believe? The part where you two are a ‘happy couple’ and I’m the other woman ruining your relationship, or the part where she’s having your baby!”

  “Both!” he shouted on the other end. “I’ve said in a public statement that her and I were never a couple, and that her stories are all cruel lies. She’s crazy, Evangeline. It may have taken me a little longer to realize that but it’s the truth. I’ve ordered my manager to sort out the media mess and I’ve got my lawyers looking into her statement about supposedly carrying my child.”

  “You can do that?” I questioned, glancing over at Derek, who just raised a brow.

  “Just listen to me. I’ll do whatever it takes to clear this up. You’re the only girl I’ve been with where I’ve forgotten to use protection. So if anyone were to be pregnant it would be you, not her. But you’re on that birth control, right? I can’t deny I haven’t slept with plenty of girls but not one has come out claiming I’ve fathered children. Her story is just a fucking publicity stunt set to ruin my life and yours.”

  “Accidents happen, Ryan,” I reminded him in a weak voice.

  “I’m well aware of that, Evangeline. Look, my manager and lawyers will handle everything until I can get back to New York, but please, I can’t have you give up on me. I’d never hurt you, Evie. Please just believe me. I can’t lose you.”

  I didn’t know what to say. My mind was torn and spinning like crazy. Half of me wanted to ignore the mess and run straight back into his arms, while the other half whispered not to forgive him so easily.

  “Just tell me where you’re going...please,” he asked, sounding beat, ending the silence between.

  With a quiet sigh, I decided on telling him. It wasn’t like he was going to be able to pop up uninvited anytime soon anyway. The major league season was well underway with his team playing away most of the time.

  “St. Bart’s.”

  “For how long?”

  “I don’t know. I’ll stay there the whole summer if I have to.”

  “Please don’t leave me to fight this alone.”

  “I don’t know what you want me to do, Ryan.”

  “Say you’ll come back. We’ll get through this together—” The lady on the overhead spoke again, cutting Ryan off.

  “I have to go. Good luck with the next game,” I said hurriedly, and before he could say anything else I hung up.

  Derek rushed by my side as soon as I dropped the cell into my bag. Overwhelmed with emotion, I couldn’t help but burst into tears as soon as I felt his comforting arms wrap around me.

  “There, there, baby cakes. St. Bart’s will get your mind off this dreadful place, trust me.”

  CHAPTER 28

  Derek wasn’t wrong. As we stepped off the private jet, or I should say my jet, since it was one of the things my father left me, the salty, fresh scent of the Caribbean ocean hit me, almost making me forget about the terrible life I’d left behind.

  Two weeks into our holiday, and Ryan was nothing but a distant thought in the back of my mind. My days were spent mostly at the beach, either going for a swim in the warm refreshing water, basking in the summer sun or drinking cocktails by the pool bar. We’d also taken the yacht out and sailed around the island the weekend Connor and Amelie came for a visit.

  St Bart’s had been a favorite holiday destination for my family when I was younger. It was the first time I’d been back in thirteen years, and it brought back so many happy memories. One memory was of my two brothers play fighting in the ocean, splashing
one another, while I followed Mom around, trying to copy everything she was doing. Another one was of my father and I building a sandcastle together, only to later have Connor run up and jump on it, laughing as he stomped all over it. I cried, so of course that caused a fight between the two boys, since Alex was the protective older brother at the time.

  “What are you thinking about?”

  My eyes fluttered open, and I turned to the side to look over at Derek laying on the matching sunbed next me.

  “Huh?”

  “You have a stupid grin on your face. I thought you were asleep?” he asked, looking at me from the top of his shades.

  “Oh. I was just thinking about when I used to come here with my family. How Connor used to pick on me and Alex would put him back in line.” I smiled, thinking of my oldest brother again.

  “I can’t imagine Connor being so mischievous. He’s just too damn serious.”

  “Oh, he was and he was a handful. He just had so much energy.” My smile faded. “He grew up quickly after Alex and Mom died. He took it upon himself to protect me. Even though we had Gran and Pop, Connor never left my side until he was eighteen and left for New York. It broke my heart when that day came but we still spoke everyday.”

  “I still remember that. Trying to beg you to come out was a nightmare. You’d always say to us: ‘not until he calls’.” Derek waved his arms about and did a terrible job of mimicking my voice, which we both laughed at.

  “You miss him, don’t you?”

  I shot him a look. I knew we weren’t talking about my family anymore. I nodded slightly, afraid of admitting it to myself.

  “I need more suntan lotion. Care to rub it in for me?” he asked, a clear sign of changing the subject.

  I gave him a smile, pushing back the thoughts of Ryan. “Go on. Turn that fabulous ghetto booty of yours around,” I said teasingly. I saw him pull a face before rolling onto his stomach.