New Beginnings

by Lori Maguire

  He chuckled. “Hey, sweetness.”

  “How was your flight?”

  “The flight was good. The landing a bit bumpy, but that happens sometimes with water.”

  “With water?” I asked suspiciously.

  “Yes. We have to take a floatplane from Lake Union to Vancouver.”

  “A floatplane?” I asked puzzled.

  “You know, one of those planes that takes off from and lands on water. The flight is only an hour.”

  I sucked my breath in as I pictured a dangerous little prop plane. “A little prop plane?”

  “Yes, a little prop plane. They are perfectly safe, Ella. Don’t get stressed out. I’ve got to run, baby. My ride is here. I love you,” he said sincerely.

  “I love you, too.” Within seconds, the line went dead. I dived into work in hopes that it would keep me from becoming another emotional mess.

  In the late afternoon, Renatta asked if it would be all right if she spent the night with me. Apparently, Tom was in Spokane covering the bridal festival, and, like me, she wasn’t looking forward to going home to an empty house. Since I’ve spent so little time with her since moving out to Seattle, I quickly agreed. A girl’s night was just what I needed to keep from thinking too much about Xavier.

  I called Bev and gave her the night off since we planned on picking up a pizza on the way home. Before we could even order it, Devlin was calling Renatta to see what she had planned for this evening. His girlfriend was currently on her way to Portland for an overnight trip with some girlfriends. “Sure,” I said. “Let’s make it a party.”

  By the time we pulled into the condo garage, Devlin was already parked in Xavier’s spot just as I had instructed him to do. He stepped out of the car with a big smile on his face and held up two six packs of beer.

  Renatta snorted. “Ella won’t be drinking any of that,” she said in a derisive tone as she pointed to the beer. Devlin gave her a puzzled look. Before I could even stop her, she blurted, “She’s pregnant.” I rolled my eyes at her and launched into the details surrounding my pregnancy as Devlin peppered me with questions.

  Once we got upstairs, I showed both Renatta and Devlin to their rooms. Devlin joked saying he was going to need a GPS to find his way around the astronomical condo. I smacked him teasingly on the shoulder as we made our way back out to the living room.

  Renatta had the pizza, some paper plates, and one of the six packs out on the table. I turned the TV on and handed the remote to Devlin while I grabbed water from the kitchen.

  Renatta and I quickly discovered that Devlin was an avid fan of chick flicks. This was made evident by his excitement when he stumbled across the beginning of Sleepless in Seattle on one of the cable channels. It was his ability to recite most of the lines that had both us gaping at him. Renatta joked and said she was never going to let him live this down.

  Despite my pleas to slow down on the beer, Renatta ended up getting quite tipsy. Thankfully, Devlin was around to help her off to bed.

  “She’s going to regret that in the morning,” he joked, as he made his way back out to the living room.

  I moved up onto the couch. “Oh, I don’t know. She usually bounces back pretty quick. Thanks for taking care of her.”

  “Not a problem. Glad I was here to help. How long have you two known each other?” he asked. He curled up on the couch next to me. His close proximity made me a little uneasy. Devlin himself was also tipsy. Between the two of them, they managed to kill both six packs.

  “About fourteen years. She’s five years older than me. In a lot of ways she’s like the sister I never had.”

  “I get that. She’s always had a maternal feel to me or maybe it’s because of our age difference. But she also seems … protective at times.”

  I laughed. “That’s Renatta.”

  He looked down at me with a small smile. “You have a great laugh and a beautiful smile. I hope Xavier manages to extract both from you frequently.”

  “He does,” I assured him. I stifled a yawn.

  “I’m keeping you awake,” he said softly.

  I reached over and grabbed the pizza box and the used paper plates and got up to take them into the kitchen. Devlin turned the TV off and followed. “Can I help with anything?” he asked kindly.

  “No, thanks. I’ll take the pizza box out tomorrow. Leave the bottles. Bev will take care of them in the morning.” I pointed to the empty beer bottles on the counter.

  “Bev?” he asked quizzically.

  “Oh, Xavier’s housekeeper and cook. Well, she’s really more like part of the family then an employee of his.” We started to head down the hall towards the bedrooms.

  As we approached the room he was staying in, he gently grabbed my arm. “Thank you for letting me crash your little party, Ella.” There was something serious about the look on his face that set me on edge.

  “Don’t mention it, Devlin. Good night.”

  Before I could turn to walk away, he grabbed my upper arms and mashed his mouth to mine. I clamped my mouth closed and pushed on his chest. Within seconds, he let go of me and stepped back. I wiped at my mouth with the back of my hand. He stood frozen with his eyes wide and his mouth gaping.

  “I’m so sorry, Ella. You remind me so much of Donna. I’ve been drinking and I … I don’t know what came over me. I didn’t mean to …” He looked contrite as he stumbled over his words.

  I frowned at him. “Don’t ever do that again. There’s only one man for me and you’re not him,” I said in warning.

  “I know. I’m sorry,” he pleaded.

  I narrowed my eyes at him. “My ex-husband had an affair that lasted for years. Cheating isn’t something that I tolerate. At all,” I said angrily.

  “I’m so sorry, Ella. I swear it’ll never happen again. I don’t know what came over me.” He had his hands up as if surrendering as he stepped back another step.

  “I won’t mention this to anyone. Ever. Good night, Devlin,” I said stiffly.

  “Good night, Ella,” he murmured. I turned and quickly stomped down the hall.

  As soon as I got into my bedroom, I shut and locked the door behind me. What the hell? I made my way into the bathroom to get ready for bed. Xavier said not too long ago that he thought Devlin was attracted to me and I didn’t believe him. Then again, Devlin did say that I reminded him of his girlfriend plus he had been drinking. That’s no excuse though. I can’t mention this to Xavier or he will freak.

  I brushed my teeth quickly and slipped into a t-shirt of Xavier’s before I climbed into bed. I reached over and grabbed his pillow and hugged it close to me. His unique scent lingered on the pillow, and I found it to be quite comforting. Just as I started to drift off to sleep, I heard my phone vibrate on the night table.

  It was a text from Xavier. I glanced at the time. It was just after midnight.

  I can’t sleep without you. :(

  His text made me smile. My awkward encounter with Devlin quickly faded as I typed out my response.

  I’m sorry, baby. Fortunate for me, your scent clings to your pillow, which is now curled up with me.

  My phone started vibrating in my hand. He was calling instead of texting me back. “I miss you,” I said in lieu of a greeting.

  “I think I’m jealous of my pillow.” I chuckled as he paused for a moment. I could picture the little playful pout that I’m certain was on his face. “Quit your job so you can travel with me. I never want to sleep without you again,” he said gruffly.

  “You know I can’t do that.”

  “Why not? You know I will take care of you. Ella, you never have to work another day in your life,” he said sincerely.

  “Xavier, I need a job. I need to have something to do or I will go crazy sitting around the house waiting for you to get home every day.”

  What was I saying? I’m pregnant. I don’t want to return to work after the baby is born, and I’m betting there isn’t a chance in hell that he would let me even if I wanted to.

 
“Sweetness, I know you love your independence and that you love your job. But I’m miserable without you and I know you’re miserable without me. Quit your job and devote your time to your true passion of landscape and nature photography. Think of the potential locations that would be available to you if you traveled with me.”

  I sighed. “That offer is unbelievably tempting.” Especially after Devlin’s little move on me tonight. If Xavier knew, he would have me quit my job tomorrow.

  “Don’t worry, sweetness. I’ll wear you down on the subject. Get some rest, beautiful. I’ll call you tomorrow. I love you,” he said with a reverent tone.

  “Do try and get some rest, baby. I love you too,” I replied with the same reverent tone.

  “Dream of me,” he whispered.

  “Always,” I breathed before we hung up.

  The smell of bacon and eggs assaulted my nose as I headed down the hall causing my stomach to turn violently. I paused for a moment to steady myself. Carefully breathing in through my nose and out through my mouth, I waited until the wave of nausea passed. Then Renatta’s laughter traveled down the hall. I couldn’t help but smile at the playful sound, which also helped propel me towards the kitchen.

  When I rounded the corner, Renatta and Devlin were sitting at the breakfast bar while Bev was standing at the sink rinsing out the excessive amount of beer bottles from last night.

  “Well, I see you two are feeling just fine this morning,” I said, smirking at them both.

  “Hey, Ella.” Renatta smiled. “You know me. I never get a hangover,” she said, as she rolled her eyes at me playfully.

  “Good morning, Ella. Would you like some tea?” Bev kindly asked.

  “Yes, Bev. I would love some tea,” I said gratefully.

  The only available seat was the one next to Devlin. Trying not to feel awkward about it, I went and sat next to him. “Good morning, Devlin,” I said politely.

  “Good morning, Ella. Did you sleep well?” he asked.

  “I did, thank you. You?”

  “I did. Thanks again for letting me stay.” Regardless of how comfortable I tried to feel sitting next to him, there was still some tension that crackled between us.

  “Ella, what can I fix you to eat?” Bev asked.

  “I’m feeling a little queasy this morning, Bev. I think I’m going to skip breakfast.”

  She gave me a stern look. “I’ll fix you some dry toast then.” Before I could protest, she made herself busy with the bread and the toaster. I resisted rolling my eyes.

  “I’ve got my list of jobs for today so I think I’m going to head out,” Devlin said.

  “I’ll show you out.” I hopped off the bar stool and walked him to the elevator.

  “Thanks again, Ella. I enjoyed hanging out with you and Renatta. And I’m sorry about … you know. I didn’t mean anything by it really. I just behaved stupidly,” he mumbled.

  I inhaled deeply. I needed to clear the air between us if I ever had any hope of the two of us being able to work together again. “Devlin, I like you as a friend. You were drinking. It would be best if we just acted like nothing happened. There are still occasions when we may need to work with each other and I don’t want it to be awkward between us, okay?”

  “Thank you, Ella. And if I may say so, you truly are an amazing woman. You’re going to be a terrific mom,” he said sincerely.

  “Thanks.” I gave him a tight smile. “Okay, get out of here. Get to work.”

  I headed back into the kitchen. Renatta gave me a puzzled look. I graciously ignored her not wanting to get into it in front of Bev. Waiting for me on the breakfast bar, were two slices of dry toast and a steaming cup of tea. “Thank you, Bev.” She gave me a small smile in return.

  By the time Renatta and I headed out to start the day, I had to admit that I did feel better now that I had something in my stomach. We only had three locations that required the two of us to work together. The last location was a condo down off Second Avenue that only required photos. This I would be able to go to by myself. I was surprised that Renatta waited until our last location together before she approached me about what happened this morning.

  “So, do you want to tell me what that strange tension between you and Devlin was all about this morning?” she asked.

  “That question has been on the tip of your tongue all day. What’s taken you so long, Ren?” I teased.

  “I was hoping you would tell me on your own, El.” She raised an eyebrow at me as her lips pressed into a thin line.

  I let out a deep breath. “He kissed me, but…” I quickly held up my hands stopping the words that formed on her lips. “It was impulsive. He had been drinking. He said I reminded him of his girlfriend.”

  “He kissed you?” she asked incredulously. “Are you kidding me?” She sounded a little angry. “We all have to work together. What the hell was he thinking? You are engaged and pregnant. He has a steady girlfriend.” She paused and shook her head for a moment. “I’m gonna kill him.” She sounded angrier.

  “Ren, please. He literally only mashed his mouth onto mine for a matter of seconds. I pushed on his chest and he backed right off. He was horrified and immediately apologized. I really just want to forget it ever happened, okay? We don’t need to make a big deal out of this.” I warned her.

  “Okay,” she said. “So, no tongue?” she asked.

  I rolled my eyes at her. “Geez, Ren. No, no tongue. Like I would have let that happen.”

  We finished the rest of the location without another word about Devlin.

  “Are you still coming over later?” I asked before we parted. I drove her back to Equinox so she could grab her Tahoe.

  “Yeah, Xavier isn’t back until tomorrow, right?”

  “Right.”

  “Yeah, I’ll see you later, El, and no Devlin. It’s going to be just a girl’s night tonight,” she said as she winked at me.

  “Agreed.” I smiled widely at her.

  I made my way to my last location on Second Avenue. It was a fairly small condo that didn’t take up much of my time. I stopped at a deli for lunch around the corner on Cherry Street surprised that I was hungry for a change.

  Opting for a cup of turkey noodle soup and half a roast beef sandwich, I grabbed a table in the corner. Reaching into my camera bag, I grabbed my iPad and started to read. I jumped when the chair next to me suddenly started to scrap across the floor. My stomach flipped when I looked up into the cold, dead eyes of Eric Tanner. He eyed me lewdly as he lowered himself into the chair.

  “Lucky me being able to share a table in a crowded restaurant with the most beautiful woman here.”

  It wasn’t until his comment that I realized that every table in the fairly small restaurant was in fact occupied. I stowed my iPad in my camera bag. Eric Tanner wasn’t the kind of man you wanted to be distracted around.

  “Hello, Eric.” I gave him a tight smile.

  “Hello, beautiful. Were you working in the area?”

  I paused for a moment. Did he know what I did for a living? “Yes,” I replied hesitantly.

  “What place around here is for sale?” he casually asked.

  That answered that question. How the hell did he know? “There is a condo for sale on Second.”

  He let out a chilling laugh. “Is Xavier moving?”

  “Xavier and I aren’t moving.” I was sure to accentuate the and I. “Sorry, it’s not his place for sale.”

  He glanced down at my hands as he eyed my engagement ring. “So, you two are still together. I wasn’t sure since no official engagement announcement was ever made.”

  “He has his reasons for that.” I assured him.

  “Oh, I’m sure he does. Since Heather, he seems to be overprotective to the point of being ridiculous with it when it comes to you. You don’t seem to be as possessive, though.”

  He made my skin crawl as he looked me up and down. “Oh, I don’t know. I can be pretty possessive myself. Maybe I’m just better at hiding it.”

&
nbsp; “Well, I’m surprised that you aren’t with him on his Vancouver trip or is your job that important to you?” He raised a brow at me.

  “My job is important to me, but most importantly I trust Xavier,” I said smugly.

  “Even when it involves Monica?” he asked, sounding surprised.

  All the blood drained from my face at the mention of her name. “I’m sorry?” I whispered.

  He placed his left arm on the back on my chair and leaned in close so he could whisper in my ear. “That’s what I thought, beautiful. You see it’s this little cat and mouse game she likes to play with Xavier all the time. She holds her family’s company over his head and threatens to leave his firm whenever he ignores her. In the end she always gets what she wants.”

  Suddenly, Xavier’s attempts at buttering me up before he left made perfect sense. So, Monica was a client of his firm. That explained her attendance at some of the functions I had attended with Xavier. But, why didn’t he tell me? I thought back to our conversation last night. He said he couldn’t sleep. I knew he was in his hotel room alone. He hadn’t been with her, not at that moment anyway.

  Warm fingers ran down my cheek and pushed my hair back behind my ear. I recoiled from the unfamiliar and unwanted touch.

  “You look pale, Ella. You know you have nothing to be upset about. I’m right here. Use me if you are looking for a way to get back at Xavier for being with Monica.”

  My stomach roiled. At first, I wasn’t sure if it was at the thought of Xavier being with Monica or Eric wanting to have his hands on me. Then those nasty images of Xavier with her flashed through my head once again. I had to get out of here. I needed to get away from this sick bastard. I grabbed my bag off the floor and reached for my jacket off the back of the chair. “If you’ll excuse me, Eric.”

  He reached out to grab my arm. “Ella, where are you going?”

  “I need to get back to work. I’m sorry. I’ve got to go,” I said apologetically.

  “But you didn’t finish your lunch,” he protested.

  “It’s all right,” I said, dashing out of the restaurant.

  As soon as I rounded the corner onto Second and spotted my SUV, I broke into a sprint. As I climbed into the comfortable leather seat, I breathed a sigh of relief. I reached for my cell phone and tried to call Xavier. It went right to voice mail. I hung up. It was nearly three in the afternoon and I hadn’t heard from him all day. I headed back to the condo.