Turn Back Time (The Full Circle Series Book 1)

by Annette G. Anders

  CHAPTER 40

  David—October 2018

  D

  avid turned on some jazz and poured himself a glass of wine. He had a few bottles left from Stella’s visit, and it wasn’t worth shipping them home. While he sipped, he imagined her here with him. The combination of earthy aromas of wet leaves and faint floral smell of roses made him smile.

  Stella sometimes tried to pick out certain taste notes in a wine, but had a rather unique way of describing them. “I smell horse barn,” was his favorite.

  He stood in front of the cold fireplace, scanning the living room. It was finally time to pack up and prepare for his return to the States, to Stella. Just as in every other city before, he hadn’t accumulated a lot of personal items. Long ago, he learned to travel light.

  Since Stella returned home, he had often replayed their day in Dover in his mind. She had been on the brink of breaking up with him. Had almost turned the tables on him. He admired her for having the guts to do it in person, while looking him in the eyes.

  When he realized what she was about to do, he couldn’t breathe. His heart had skipped a few beats before it picked up again at record speed. He wasn’t surprised at all that she had doubts and fears. It wouldn’t have been normal if she didn’t question what happened between them.

  Every time when he made love to her, he saw her trust and her love for him in her eyes. And her silent plea that she was enough for him. She didn’t seem to realize the question ought to be whether he was enough for her. Would he be able to give her what she needed?

  What she didn’t know was, she had shared some of her terrors with him almost every night, when deeply rooted fears took hold of her. She often whimpered his name, her mumbled “Why?” and “Where are you?” shaking him to the core. And all he had been able to do was hold her, and slowly guide her out of the nightmares. Their middle of the night lovemaking was when they bared their souls and became one, until the world around them didn’t exist.

  His gaze fell on the object on the table. The book was identical to the one he gave Stella three years ago. But inside his were two other items: a photograph of them, and a copy of his damned letter. A letter not even written by hand, but typed on his computer like a routine cancellation notice for a boring magazine subscription.

  Why did he save a copy of it? To remind himself of his own stupidity!

  He didn’t need to unfold the letter.

  He remembered...Every. Single. Devastating. Word.

  Dearest Stella,

  I’ve been in Budapest for a few weeks now. Aaron is telling me already about other offers and gigs all over Europe, and he even talked about going to Sydney. It is thrilling—and humbling—to think about singing at the biggest and oldest opera houses. But it also makes me think about us. Where do you and I fit into this life?

  We’ve been together for two years now, and under different circumstances, this could be the time to take our relationship to the next level. Yet I don’t know what my future holds, where I will be next, and I can’t offer you any stability or certainty.

  When I left America, you said you’d wait for me. We thought I’d be gone for six months. When I visited you in May, and told you about going to Budapest, you took it in stride that I would stay here for at least another six months, maybe longer. But, Stella, I can’t make any promises anymore.

  I don’t have the right to ask you to wait for me any longer, because it isn’t fair to you. I’ll have to let you go.

  Take your love for me and give it to another man, one who can be there for you and give you everything you deserve.

  Maybe our paths will cross again one day, and we’ll meet as friends.

  Yours, David

  He crumpled up the letter and tossed it in the empty fireplace. What devil had ridden him to tell Stella to give the love she felt for him to another man? Talk about adding insult to injury! No wonder she never tried to contact him afterward.

  Her willingness to talk to him in Paris was more than he deserved.

  He reached for a match and lit the letter. The flames devoured the paper, and he wished they could also turn the painful memories into ashes and destroy the twin letter in her possession.

  Because he would never take her love for granted and would prove it to her every single day for the rest of his life.

  Stella was a romantic at heart. She didn’t expect expensive gifts or extravagant vacations, had never once asked anything of him. All she wanted was to be loved wholeheartedly for who she was, to be treated with respect, and to be accepted as an independent woman.

  He would not ask her to give up her work and her family to be with him. She had made too many sacrifices already. Never would he make her choose between him and her job.

  David reached for his phone. He knew what he needed to do, and it was time to set his plan in motion. He had two messages to write.

  The first would go to Aaron.

  The second recipient would make him eat dirt.

  CHAPTER 41

  Stella—November 2018

  “Y

  ou want what?” Stella plopped down in front of the spick-and-span fireplace, held the cell phone away from her ear and stared at it.

  She should’ve let the call go to voice mail. But who was she kidding? There were a handful of people who could call her at any time, and she’d pick up.

  “I need you to meet me in an hour,” Naomi said.

  “Why?”

  “There’s this guy I meet when I take out the dogs. I only wish Bozo would stop humping poor Scarlett every time he sees her.”

  “Who is Bozo?” Stella interrupted.

  “He’s Frank’s German Shepherd, super cute. But...”

  “And Frank is…?” she asked toneless.

  “The owner of Bozo, of course. Anyhow, Frank is a history geek, and I may have let it slip how much I like it, too.”

  Stella wiped her hand over the hearth. “Since when? And what do I have to do with it?”

  “He asked me to go with him to a special exhibit at the Museum of the American Revolution and to an early dinner afterward. You know me. I don’t mind the dinner, but who wants to go to a museum?”

  “So, tell him you fibbed. Or just go.”

  “But…umm…what if he asks me something about history and I have no clue what to say?”

  “Wait a minute… Did you think I’d agree to come with you just to prompt the right answers?” Naomi was unbelievable. She knew Stella didn’t have time for this kind of nonsense today.

  “Sort of...maybe.”

  “You know, normally I would love to help you out, but maybe you forgot David is arriving tomorrow? I still have a bunch of things to finish before he gets here,” Stella said, and once again ran through her mental to-do list.

  She had changed the bed linens, cleaned the bathroom, and emptied out space in the closet for him to hang up some of his clothes, but squeezing in a museum visit wasn’t on her agenda.

  “Pleeeeaaaase…… I neeever ask you for aaanythingggg,” Naomi whined.

  “I know, but I have a pedi scheduled for later.”

  “You had one two weeks ago, and I’m sure the Troubadour is going to forgive you if your feet are not baby-ass soft tomorrow. Just make sure you shave your legs in the morning.”

  “Being rude doesn’t help your case.” She really didn’t want to go, but she also didn’t want to leave her friend hanging. “What time do you need me?

  “You weren’t listening. We meet in an hour. At the park behind Carpenter’s Hall. You don’t have to dress up, it’s only the museum.”

  “I really don’t know, Nam…” Stella hesitated. “Why today of all days?”

  “You still owe me one. Since I never set up a blind date for you, I’ll let it slide if you help me out today.”

  “Blackmailing me isn’t fair.” She’d just about had enough and couldn’t believe Naomi had the nerve to bring this up. “I’m with David again, w
hich makes the need for a blind date obsolete. As you fully well know!”

  “Don’t use those big words with me. And a promise is a promise. In an hour! At the park! Your bench! Don’t be late!”

  Stella didn’t get the chance to agree or refuse. The line was already dead.

  When she arrived at the park, she spotted Naomi sitting between two men. They all had their backs to her. One had his arm draped over the back of the bench, tapping her shoulders. He wore a leather jacket and baseball hat. The other one had the hood of his sweatshirt pulled up.

  What was up with a second guy being there? If Naomi had set her up after all, she’d be totally pissed. And she’d let her know it.

  “Hey, I’m here,” she called.

  Hood guy’s head swung around.

  Stella gasped a lungful of air.

  “Surpriii-iiise!” Naomi sang and clapped her hands.

  David jumped up, rounded the bench, scooped her into his arms and spun her around, kissing her and laughing and holding her tight.

  “I thought this moment would never come, my love,” he said between kisses.

  “What? Why?” Stella didn’t know what to say, or what to do with her hands. “I thought you were arriving tomorrow?” She couldn’t tear her eyes away, even after he put her down again and wrapped her arms around him.

  Naomi stood, too, and grinned. “Yeah, well, it’s a long story.”

  “You knew this? Since when?”

  “Doesn’t matter, missy. Maybe your boyfriend can tell you later.”

  “I still can’t believe you’re here, baby. Are you real?” Stella pinched her arm. “No. I’m not dreaming!”

  Then she looked at Naomi and said, “I guess I don’t have time to go to the museum right now.” She held out her hand to the other man, “I’m Stella. You must be Frank?”

  He shook her hand and said, “Yup. When Naomi told me about her little scheme, I couldn’t refuse. It was nice to meet you and David, and now this lady and I are off to the museum.”

  “Are you sure we have to go?” Naomi whined. “Why don’t we get the dogs and take them for a long walk down by the river?”

  “Oh, no, I told you if I play along, you’re coming to the museum with me,” Frank took Naomi’s hand and waved to Stella and David. “See ya later.”

  Stella didn’t see any luggage or bags. “Where’s all your stuff?”

  “In a hotel across the street. I came in a few hours ago and wanted to take a quick shower. It was the hardest thing not to come to you right away, knowing you’re only fifteen minutes away. But it was Naomi’s first condition for helping me. Can you forgive me?” He kissed her.

  “Of course, but now let’s get your things and go home.”

  “There’s another condition,” he said as they started walking.

  “Do I want to know?”

  “She made reservations for dinner at seven o’clock tonight. She’s bringing Frank. Do you mind?”

  “I don’t care if she’s bringing Frank or Rumpelstiltskin. As long as you’re with me. And yes, it’s fine, because I don’t have anything at home for dinner but a can of soup.”

  Stella had never eaten at City Tavern. In her opinion, it was reserved for tourists.

  But as soon as she walked into the restaurant, she fell in love with the ambiance and was delighted to see the staff wearing eighteenth-century clothes. She knew the original building had been razed in the 1850s, but the tavern was rebuilt in the 1970s, and patrons dined in an accurate and astonishing replica of the historical building where many of the Founding Fathers were frequent guests.

  “It’s said this building is haunted by two ghosts. One is a waiter, and the other one a bride who died upstairs in a fire on her wedding day,” she told David.

  Naomi gave her a piercing look. “Listen, missy. Leave your ghost stories at the front door, if you don’t mind. We’re here to enjoy a nice meal, and we don’t need any apparitions.”

  David kissed Stella. “You can tell me later. But I’m also looking forward to a quiet meal with friends. And with my love.” He kissed her again.

  “Is this how it’s going to be from now on?” Naomi made kissy noises.

  Frank turned her to face him and placed a kiss on her lips before he said, “Leave ’em alone.”

  “Thank you, Frank. I’ve heard she’s difficult to shut up,” David said and ducked when Naomi tried to smack him on the head.

  “Don’t worry, I’ll take care of her. She’ll be as quiet as a mouse.”

  “Are you out of your—” Naomi started...and was silenced again.

  This’ll be fun to watch. Has Naomi met her match?

  While they chatted over appetizers and enjoyed a first round of drinks, Stella observed her friend closely. Frank wasn’t the type of man Naomi usually dated. He was much more casual and seemed very easygoing. She’d have to quiz her later.

  Putting down her menu, Stella said, “So, tell me, Nam, why was going out to dinner one of your requirements for helping David?”

  “Well, I’ve never eaten here, and I figured your lover would want to celebrate with us. If I left you two to your own devices, you wouldn’t leave your house for the whole weekend. What I did is called intervention.”

  “You’re allowed to use his real name every now and then.” It was annoying when Naomi referred to David as “Troubadour,” and Stella didn’t want “Lover” to become her latest nickname for him. “And I don’t think we need any interventions. But…thank you for picking this restaurant. Why did we never come here?”

  “Too much history oozing out of the walls and floors in this place”—Naomi grinned at Frank—“but now I’m getting a totally new appreciation for it.”

  “After one visit to a history museum? Wow,” Stella teased, and studied her menu again. “I don’t know what to order. The veal cutlet looks good, the beef tips sound amazing, and the filet mignon, too.”

  “Order the veal cutlet, and I’ll get the beef tips. Halfway through, we’ll swap. Remember our dinner in Paris?” David suggested.

  “How could I forget?” she grinned.

  “David, dahhling! I saw you walk in. Oh, my God, to run into you here, of all places!”

  A woman approached their table and leaned down to kiss his cheek. Her platinum blonde hair was styled in an asymmetrical, chin-length bob. Dressed in slim-fitting black pants and a silver top, she was stylish, but the low-cut top, which offered a generous view of two of her clearly enhanced assets, ruined the first impression and gave her an overall unpleasant appearance.

  If she was wearing eighteenth-century garb and wig, she would’ve been a convincing harlot. Yet even a high-end restaurant like this wouldn’t go to such lengths for the sake of recreating past times.

  The woman kept going, “It’s hard to keep track of you these days. You’re never long enough in one place to catch up with you.” Her manicured fingers rested on David’s shoulder and her calculating stare slid over Stella first, then over Naomi, until she stopped at Frank, where the look turned coquettish. “Oh, am I interrupting something? Davy, I don’t think I’ve met your friends before.”

  “What are you doing here?” His skin had taken on a grayish-greenish shade, and his cold voice gave Stella chills. She was surprised he hadn’t even said hello to their intruder.

  A terrible sense of foreboding settled in Stella’s stomach. No, this couldn’t be…

  The woman ignored his question and rattled on, “I’ve wanted to talk to you for several months. Your phone number doesn’t work anymore, and I tried to get your new one from Aaron, but that man is as useless as ever. I even explained to him that I want to patch up our little misunderstanding.”

  The room temperature dropped at least twenty degrees. What had she just said?

  “Adrienne, what do you want?” David said under his breath, again not replying to her complaints.

  Stella’s head snapped around. Adrienne? This was the Adrienne?r />
  Okay, call her slow, but it was no wonder Stella didn’t recognize her right away. The new hairdo...and additional enhancements...had changed her appearance dramatically compared to the photos Naomi found of her when she and Nam were on the plane. Too bad she hadn’t paid much attention.

  “I’m in town for a friend’s concert tomorrow. Did you hear they’re auditioning for Love Never Dies soon? I was thinking we could try to get in together. Just imagine the attention we’d create if we were an item again! Maybe onstage and offstage… Tell Aaron to get on it!” She patted his shoulder.

  “I have no idea what you’re talking about, but it’s not happening. How dare you even try to get information about me from Aaron? And what the hell makes you think I’d ever want to be together with you again? How twisted is your mind?”

  David seemed as surprised as everyone else at their table at Adrienne’s appearance, but why didn’t he just send her back to where she came from? Or get up and walk away from her? This wasn’t some pushy fan who didn’t respect his privacy. This was the woman responsible for his insecurities—and, indirectly, Stella’s hellish twelve months.

  She looked at Naomi for help, but her friend’s eyes were glued to the scene at their table. She could almost see Naomi’s wheels turning, and tried kicking her under the table to do something, but Frank’s legs were in the way.

  She had to get out before she did something she might regret later. Without looking at anybody, Stella got up and left.

  Once outside, she paced the street in front of the restaurant. It was cold, but she didn’t mind the bite in the air. It was nothing compared to the icy fingers holding her heart in a tight fist.

  “What are you doing out here?” Naomi demanded, and handed her a warm scarf.

  “What’s going on in there?”

  “You’ll find out when you move your ass back in there. Don’t you think David could use your support right now? You know he loves you.”

  “Then why are you out here and not him?” Stella cried out and wrapped the scarf around her shoulders.