by Unknown
Yet, this time when he leaned in for a kiss she did not pull back, wanting the intimate connection to speak for her heart. She wanted to know what it felt like, to hold the moment forever in her memory. She may not have Luke, but she had this moment to remind her of loving a man who could easily be her soul mate.
When the kiss ended she saw in his eyes what she did not see in Graham’s. She felt in her heart what she had not felt for any man before.
Luke revealed a second reason to making this trip with Vitoria. He was finally ready to let her in on how he was to help her with inspiration for decorating the coffee shop.
The Olde Shoppe presented a fascinating insight into the past. The curio shop held an amazing array of objects that celebrated a period of history that depicted the grand and ornate on a level quite forgotten by modern designers.
Vitoria felt like Alice entering Wonderland. The air was spiced with the aromatic scent of woods. An odd assortment of chairs and chandeliers competed for aerial space, hung by deceptively thin cords of string. She simmered with barely contained excitement that amused Luke.
“You’re like a child in a toy shop just before Christmas,” he teased.
Victoria ignored him; she was in her element here.
Luke gave her complete creative freedom on choosing whatever objects she desired to display in the coffee shop. This turned out to be more overwhelming than she thought it would be. A crystal chandelier evoked a squeak of delight and then her eye would settle on another eccentric gadget that had her exclaiming in delight.
While she was absorbed by the knickknacks of a golden age left behind, Luke was in a conversation with the owner who was quite animated in his part of the discussion, waving his arms about as if giving directions to a lost tourist.
Vitoria wondered what that was all about.
Luke joined her not long afterwards. Vitoria recognized that twinkle in his eye and was just about to ask him what he was planning when he led her towards a small room off the main shop. “I thought you might appreciate this,” he said taking her hand and leading her to an extraordinarily large display stand heaped with odd-sized strange-looking objects. Her eyes caught sight of them immediately she drew nearer. The miniature models of iconic buildings took her breath away. They were exquisitely made of varying colors of offcut wood. The accurate detailing that spoke of the passionate work of a master craftsman was beyond belief. Vitoria’s eyes settled on one model in particular – the Palace of Westminster. When Luke drew her close, she was quite aware of his arms enveloping her and settled into him.
Would she ever experience a more perfect moment she asked herself.
While Vitoria gave the miniature models a closer examination, Luke went in search of the owner. She had barely registered the chime of the doorbell announcing a customer, but when a familiar voice belted out a ‘hello’, her heart froze. Was she just visiting an old memory or had a nightmare of the past just entered her present?
Footsteps made their way in her direction. She braced herself for what she was about to encounter, but no amount of preparation could help the utter dismay she felt when she saw Graham standing before her. She felt the foundation of her world fall away.
Vitoria, panic-stricken, looked around for Luke and was momentarily relieved to see that he was still engrossed in conversation with the owner, as if nothing was amiss.
“Vitoria?” The surprise in Graham’s voice told her that at least this meeting had not been engineered by him. He was taken off guard just as she was.
“Graham.” She forced the words out.
“It is you.” She seethed at the excitement that underlined his tone. He was oblivious to the horrified look on her face.
“For a moment I believed my eyes were deceiving me and that you were a vision from my dreams. But I am not surprised now I see that what I had come for, drew you here too,” he said taking his eyes off her for a second.
“What on earth are you talking about?” she asked nervously.
Graham was unpredictable and his mere presence threatened her sanity.
“The miniature models The Palace of Westminster,” he said indicating the model behind her, “I knew I had to have something extraordinarily special with which to try and win you back.”
Smugness came naturally to him. Why hadn’t she seen that before?
“Win me back?” Vitoria could only choke out the words. “What makes you think there is even a zero point one percent of a chance I would take you back? You’re married Graham!”
“Janet and I are over,” he said dismissively as if it was of trifling significance. “You know what we had Vitoria, we can have it back again if you’d only let it. This is really a fortuitous situation,” he said self-assuredly, “I feel as if destiny has delivered you to me once again.”
He inched forwards.
Vitoria didn’t care much for the haughty look on his face.
“You cannot deny the attraction we both felt,” he continued ignoring the icy reception meted out to him.
That confident tone grated on her nerves. Vitoria could only feel revulsion for the man before her. “You’re mistaken Graham,” she said injecting as much coldness as she possibly could in her voice, “I feel absolutely nothing for you anymore.”
“I find that hard to believe.” There was just that bit of dangerous intent in his voice that sent alarm bells ringing in her head. “I think maybe a reminder would help matters, don’t you?”
He grabbed her by the shoulders catching Vitoria by surprise. Vitoria struggled to get out of his vice-like grip. She wanted to scream but the shock prevented her from making a sound. His face took on a grotesque look that had her insides crawling in disgust and she felt she wanted to throw up. His hands were all over her body and Vitoria’s fear grew fiercer, every muscle in her body as tight as a wound up clock. Surely he would not …
Whatever he was about to do, he was prevented from when he was suddenly and forcibly wrung away from Vitoria. Her sudden release disoriented Vitoria for a moment.
“I think the lady has made her feelings perfectly clear.” The voice could have cut steel, dripping with barely contained anger.
Vitoria shivered at the vehemence contained in Luke’s voice.
“I think,” said Graham trying to shake himself free of Luke’s clutches and attempting to inject a bit of bravery into his shaken voice. “This is none of your business. Vitoria and I are engaged,” he sneered.
Luke’s head turned to slowly settle upon her. Vitoria could not raise her eyes to meet his but felt the intensity of his gaze.
“Vitoria? You know this man?”
Vitoria could not find her voice to answer Luke. Her mind screamed out justification after justification for her deception but she could not force them out of her mouth. Out of desperation she willed her eyes to speak on her behalf but the anger and hurt on Luke’s face told of a disappointment that would not easily be forgiven.
She was the cause of that hurt. This was something she would not easily forgive herself for. Luke did not deserve it. He had shown her only kindness and generosity. She knew then, when it was too late, that she loved Luke, and for all the right reasons. She had been looking for someone like him all her life.
“Are you coming with me or staying with him?”
Wordlessly without a glance at Graham, Vitoria followed Luke out of the shop ignoring the futile attempts of Graham.
Vitoria stole a glance at Luke. His stony silence and grim profile was intimidating, and made the drive back full of a loud silence that sat unbearably heavy between them.
Unable to take Luke’s silent treatment anymore, Vitoria bravely burst out with, “Luke please let me explain. I need you to know why I …” and then words deserted her.
“Lied?” ground out Luke helpfully. There was no forgiveness in his voice.
“You continued to lie even after you knew how I felt about being lied to, about being deceived. I told you about my marriage and Sophie. Visiting those memories an
d getting the words out was torture. But I wanted you to know, needed you to know,” he almost shouted.
His words tore at Vitoria’s heart. “I couldn’t tell you the truth,” she cried. “At first I didn’t plan on staying long enough for it to matter, she sobbed, “then after getting to know you, I couldn’t because I knew how much it would hurt you.”
She turned to look at him, “Luke,’ she pleaded, “I never meant for it to have come this far. And now that I …”
“That you?” taunted Luke. He still refused to look at her.
“Don’t tell me you now have feelings for me,” he scoffed.
The brutal tone of his voice brought tears back to her eyes. How could she now confess her feelings for him when all he felt was utter hatred for her? He would never believe her now. She had turned herself into a liar. Vitoria thought she knew what heartbreak was, but this pain that arose from deep within spoke of a new level, a level that she didn’t think she could bear.
“All I want you to know is how sorry I am for all of this. When I was left standing at the altar on my wedding day confronted with Graham’s lie, I knew I never wanted to face that kind of humiliation again. I did not want to be me for a while. You offered an escape that I wanted and needed. So I took it. I was right in the decision I made. Yes, it was wrong to have lied to you, but would you have treated me like you have if you had known the truth?
She reached out for his hand that gripped the gear lever so tight that his knuckles stretched over his skin, taut.
“We will never know now, will we?” he said pulling his hand away.
Vitoria’s heart sank even further at his rejection of her and the aloofness of his voice.
The rest of the journey back to the bookshop was made in silence. Vitoria didn’t attempt to change Luke’s mind any further. She wanted to but knew her words would just anger him further, her justifications sounding weak in his ears.
Chapter Five
New York didn’t feel quite like home anymore after her time away. There was an emptiness in her heart, and getting back to a routine that was once so familiar was impossible. Vitoria’s mind and heart was with Luke, Emma and the others and her life at Books Right Here. She tried to inject enthusiasm into her work but the lack of motivation and a despondent heart created a barrier she couldn’t overcome. Her friends were worried about the dark place she had barricaded herself in. She refused all invitations to meet them and when they did visit her, she sat in resolute silence unable or unwilling to participate in conversation.
After a few weeks of living a shadow of a former life, Vitoria slowly began to make brief appearances out of the muddled world that she found safe. It was during another emotional breakdown that Vitoria realized she couldn’t continue on this path. She wanted to fight for Luke. It was either that or to put the past totally behind her.
She was prepared to start once again somewhere anew. Her friends persuaded her to act on the former. She had spoken with such love of Luke that they felt trying to win his heart back was the best option for her future happiness. Vitoria found that option more favorable and spent the next week pulling herself together before making her way again to the coastal town that had enthralled her and where the man she loved lived.
The tinkling bell that announced her arrival into the bookshop provided a familiar jovial welcome that uplifted Vitoria’s heart. It was like coming home again after being away for a very long time. It was Sharon who rushed out from behind the counter to give her a heartfelt hug.
“We’ve missed you!” she cried out, enveloping Vitoria in a second hug.
“I’ve missed you too.” Vitoria was touched by the warm welcome that greeted her.
Her heart began to hope that it was not just Sharon who was glad to see her, but there was something about the way Sharon averted her eyes, not willing to look at her directly that sent bells of warning ringing in her head. She was just about to ask after Luke, when a peal of laughter stilled her heart.
Another peal of laughter. Then movement, shoes on hardwood floor. One was definitely a pair of heels. Before she could register her feelings, Luke appeared with a gorgeous redhead on his arm.
Any hope she had clung to fizzled out at the sight of the woman who had her arm proprietarily on Luke’s arm.
Vitoria’s heart hammered in her chest, half wanting and half fearing to meet Luke’s eyes. It seemed like eons had passed before she looked at him to find a pair of intense eyes settled upon her, no recognizable emotion she could discern. He wasn’t smiling nor did he say anything. It was the redhead who spoke first.
“Hi!” sang a lyrical voice.
Too musical thought Vitoria unable to quell the rising jealously. But she wasn’t surprised at all. It would be too cruel not to have such a sweet voice match an attractive looking face.
Not a word out of Luke yet.
The growing silence was beginning a tale of awkwardness and the redhead must have begun to pick up on the intensity between Luke and Vitoria for her voice faltered when she introduced herself as Julie.
Vitoria smiled at her and introduced herself. She was still aware that Luke had not taken his eyes off her.
“Nice to meet you. Well, we’re off to lunch. Luke promised to take me to that gorgeous new Italian restaurant.” She smiled to show off cute twin dimples.
“Come Luke. I’m starved.” She said dragging him out of the shop. He didn’t look very reluctant to follow his date thought Vitoria dismally.
“Julie?’ asked Vitoria, eyebrows raised registering the name.
“Julie,” confirmed Sharon, ‘the one who missed the interview. Just showed up one day looking for Luke. Said she wanted to explain what had happened that day. Why, after all this time I cannot fathom.”
“Not a fan of hers I take it?”
“I don’t know her well enough to have anything against her. It’s just a feeling I get whenever she shows up.” You could always trust Sharon’s loyalty mused Vitoria.
“I don’t know why Luke tolerates her,” said Sharon shaking her head annoyed at the very thought.
“He must like her,” offered Vitoria, although the image of the two together gave her heartburn.
“I don’t think so,” said Sharon matter-of-factly, ‘despite what appearances may seem.
To be honest,’ she continued looking meaningfully at Vitoria, “she is just a diversion if you ask me. He is not serious about her.”
“If he is or isn’t, it has nothing to do with us.” Vitoria could not help keep sadness out of her voice. “How about a coffee?”
“Of course!” yelled Sharon gleefully. ‘You don’t know. Come, let me show you.” And with that she half dragged Vitoria after her.
The sight before her took her breath away. Luke had completed the coffee shop project. So, he did not abandon it after she had left. The miniature model of the Palace of Westminster was on proud display on a counter behind the till. He had gone back for it.
The place was busy she noticed happily. The delicious floating aroma of coffee was like a familiar old friend. She could only stare in wonder at what he had accomplished. Luke had done all this. She noticed every detail of her plan and vision had been adhered to. Vitoria acknowledged that it couldn’t have been more perfect than if she had done it herself.
“He wanted every detail carried out exactly the way you wanted,” said Sharon.
“You know, he spends a lot of time in here which is good for his spirits and our emotional bliss,” she cooed. “The copious amounts of coffee I’m not so sure of.” Sharon shook her head ruefully. “It’s his favorite place.” She said softly speaking with her eyes as much as with her words.
Vitoria did not know what to say. Sharon was trying to paint her a picture, a picture that her heart longed to be true. But recent events had painted a much more real picture that she could not deny or ignore, no matter how much she wished it.
“Sharon,” said Vitoria taking the young woman’s hands in her own, “I appreciate your friends
hip, I really do. But I’ve done things I wished I hadn’t. Luke can’t look past it and I don’t blame him.” Sharon started to say something, but Vitoria carried on unaware, “I wish him every happiness. Sharon. Please look after him for me.”
It was Sharon who then appeared to have lost her voice. She just nodded tearfully and hugged Vitoria once again.
“This is goodbye Sharon. Take care of you.”
When Vitoria walked out of the shop she knew she would not be returning again. She wanted no ends untied. Doors would close, no regrets. A life with Luke was just not what the cards held for her. She would make peace with that in time she promised herself.
Vitoria did not go back home immediately. She felt she needed something she would not get there so she booked her ticket for a different destination instead.
Chapter Six
Sharon had given him an earful for his stupidity when he arrived back at the bookshop after lunch. The fact that he was her boss did nothing to lessen the enthusiasm with which she spoke to him.
He would have left then and there but practical matters dictated otherwise. He didn’t even know her last name or where she lived. Inspiration struck when hope reached the stage of dying embers. He thought of the curio shop owner. It was a possibility and worth a try even if it was just reaching for straws. But Luke’s luck was about to change. Graham had indeed left his contact details and yes, Luke could have it. It was as if a sliver of sunlight had begun to force its way through a heavy blanket of overcast sky.
It would have been far easier to converse with a bad-tempered ogre than attempt to glean any information from Graham. Despite this Luke persevered. Luck struck once again on the eleventh call, and after threatening all manner of things Graham capitulated and provided Luke with what he needed.
If Luke thought it would be smooth sailing thereafter, he couldn’t have been more wrong. Winning Vitoria back was going to be far from easy. Vitoria had not been at home nor had she been seen at work for a few days. She had taken time off that had been due to her.