How Many Chances

by Beverley Hollowed

  A cough from the doorway snapped Ally out of it but Cole didn’t seemed phased at all.

  Ally looked behind Cole to find Nick standing there, his face red with embarrassment, having caught them once again in a compromising position.

  “Sorry, sir,” Nick began nervously, not looking directly at Cole or Ally. “I think there is something you need to see.”

  Cole turned and looked at Nick. He knew Nick well enough to know by the tone of his voice, this was serious.

  “What’s wrong?” Cole asked turning to face Nick completely. Nick didn’t speak, instead he glanced towards Ally then back to Cole. Ally could feel her face blush when she realised he didn’t want to talk in front of her. Then it struck her this could be something bad.

  “It’s okay,” Cole assured him, knowing his reluctance to speak in front of Ally. “Anything you have to say to me you can say in front of Ally.”

  “If you are sure Mr Thomas,” he said, but the uncertainly was still clear in his voice. He handed Cole a newspaper. “It would seem our friend Fitzmaurice has had a lot to say for himself. And about Ms Brody too.”

  He looked at Ally and the expression on his face was all Ally needed to know that whatever was written was definitely not going to be good.

  “That lowlife son of a bitch!” Cole snarled as he quickly read down through the newspaper article. His words made Ally’s heart crash against her chest. She took a deep breath, trying her hardest to remain calm.

  “Can I see?” she finally managed to say, her voice sounding a hell of a lot calmer than she was feeling.

  “Ally, you sure you want to?” Cole asked, although he already knew the answer.

  She nodded and he handed her the newspaper without saying another word.

  She took a deep breath and looked up at Cole one more time before her eyes dropped to the page.

  The story told about how long-time rivals Cole Thomas and Sean Fitzmaurice came to blows in a top class London restaurant the night before over Cole’s mystery woman. And how she was in fact Fitzmaurice’s estranged daughter Alexandra. The story went on to talk about Ally’s mother and her death and how it had left the then teenage Ally out of control and unmanageable. How she caused nothing but trouble between him and his then second wife. About how she had broken his heart with everything she had put him through that in the end he had to walk away.

  And now, how Cole had chosen her, in a sad attempt to rub his nose in it and reignite old arguments they had at a business level. How he was disgusted Cole would stoop so low as to use his obviously unhinged daughter to get back at him.

  “UNHINGED!!!” Ally exclaimed angrily, as she slammed the paper to the floor in pure temper. ”I will show that son of a bitch who is unhinged.”

  She pushed passed Cole and Nick and stormed out, heading straight for Cole’s bedroom.

  “Ally, sweetheart,” Cole called after her as he followed her quickly to his room. “Sweetheart, please calm down.”

  “I am going to kill him!” she retorted over her shoulder and she disappeared into Cole wardrobe and she began pulling out clothes and underwear. Cole followed her into the wardrobe.

  “Ally, you need to calm down,” Cole said taking hold of her. He turned her to him and wrapped her tightly in his arms and Ally began to sob. She was so angry. She had promised herself a long time ago she was never going to let him make her crazy again. “It’s okay gorgeous girl, I will fix this. And I will fix him too. For once and for all.”

  “Why can’t he just let me be happy?” she sobbed bitterly into Cole’s chest. “I have never once asked him for a single thing since the day he walked away. I have never even tried to contact him. Why would he do this to me? I was not the one who ruined our family. He did with that tart. He was off fucking her while my mother was dying. I was the one left listening to her cry for him while he was with that tramp. And then thought it was fine to move her in barely a month after my mother died. He did this, not me.”

  She pressed her face against Cole’s chest and sobbed harder. And once again she was the 15 year old girl who had just lost her Mom and was destroyed by her lying, cheating father.

  “Ally, sweetheart, this isn’t just about you,” Cole said trying his best to calm her down. “I have come up against him so many times and he has never been able to get the better of me. Unfortunately he has seen a way to make me look like a low life and get at me, and sadly he just didn’t care enough that what he was saying would be destroying you too.”

  “I don’t get why he would tell such nasty lies about me,” she said trying to bring her breathing back under control.

  “Because he is a parasite,” Cole replied. “Please don’t let him get to you, I will take care of this. I promise.”

  Cole held Ally tightly until she had finally calmed down and composed herself.

  Ally’s phone began to ring in the other room and she knew it would have been someone from home, who had seen the paper too.

  She looked up at Cole, kissed him and smiled.

  “I should answer that,” she said, before she headed to the bedroom in search of her phone. When she picked it up she saw Nan’s number flash on the screen. She took a deep breath before she accepted the call.

  “Hey Nan,” Ally said as brightly as she could as she flopped down on the bed.

  “Ally, sweetheart,” Nan said, the worry in her voice was very clear and it made Ally feel even more sad. Not only was her father getting to her, but he was hurting her grandparent once again too. “We saw the newspapers. Are you alright pet?”

  “I’m okay Nan,” she lied. “I promise. I bumped into him briefly. We didn’t even talk.”

  “Why would he say such horrible things about you,” Nan asked and her voice was so sad the tears filled Ally’s eyes again. But she coked back the lump of grief in her throat. She could not let her grandmother hear her so upset.

  “He and Cole are business rivals,” Ally explained. “And that’s why he did it. It was to make Cole look bad, not me.”

  “I have half a mind to get on a plane,” she could hear Pops saying in the background. “I will teach him the lesson I should have taught him years ago.”

  “Oh hush now,” Nan snapped at him. “We don’t need that talk, beside Ally has Cole to fight her battles now. So you can calm yourself down.”

  Ally smiled listening to them argue. No matter what happened in her life. She knew her grandparents were always there for her and they would never let her down. She looked at Cole, who was pacing up and down inside the wardrobe on his phone. Now she had him and she knew he would never let her down either.

  “Nan, I am okay,” Ally said turning her attention back to her grandmother. “But I need to go. I promise you I will ring you this evening. And please don’t worry about me. I am fine.”

  When Ally said her goodbyes she hung up and walked back into the wardrobe just as Cole hung up the phone from his call too.

  “Everything okay with Nan and Pops?” Cole asked with concern as Ally slipped her arms around him.

  “They are angry and upset,” she answered then looked up into his face. “Are you okay?”

  “Of course I am okay,” he smiled brightly at her. “I have you, don’t I?”

  “That you do,” she agreed as she leaned up and kissed him.

  “Okay, I need you to get ready.” Cole said looking down into Ally face. “Put on something really nice. You have about two hours to get ready.”

  “Get ready for what?” Ally asked, confused. She had no idea what the hell Cole was up to.

  “There will be a reporter and photographer here in two hours,” Cole explained and held his breath as he waited for Ally to go postal.

  “What for?” she asked stepping back from Coles embrace. He quickly stepped forward towards her and took her into his arms again.

  “Please don’t freak out,” he pleaded. “I won’t have the world having this soiled, negative image of the most important person in my life or of our relationship. I want
the world to know I love you and how incredible you are. I want to tell them you have agreed to be my wife.”

  “Cole I haven’t even told my grandparents or my friends yet…” Ally began to protest but Cole stopped her with a kiss.

  “I know,” he said when he released her lips from his. “The story won’t run till next week in the magazine. By then we will be back in Dublin and your family and friend will all know first I promise you.”

  Ally stared at Cole for a moment and considered what he had just asked her to do. Could she, Ally Brody, ordinary, everyday girl next door, sit next to this gorgeous man and be interviewed for some glossy magazine. For god sake she didn’t even read them. They were more Caitlin and Hannah’s type of thing. She was more likely to be found with a copy of Auto trader than Hello

  “Trust me,” Cole pleaded with her.

  “Okay,” she agreed and smiled up at him. Could she really do this? Time would tell.

  Exactly two hours later she was sitting next to Cole on his big leather sofa, her hand clasped in his, in front of a pretty brunette called Jules, who talked rapidly and shot one question after another at Ally.

  Ally was way out of her comfort zone but Cole stepped in every time he sensed Ally was panicking and with his easy going charm he smoothed things over.

  After a while Ally started to relax and became more and more comfortable with the girl. And the girl seemed genuinely interested in the fact the Ally was a mechanic and just the girl next door. She loved the whole romance of how Ally came to Coles recue at the side of the road and how Cole had then searched her out.

  When the interview was finished she stood and shook Coles hand before she turned to Ally.

  “It was really lovely to meet you Ally,” Jules said taking Ally by the hand. “And for what it’s worth I read the interview Sean Fitzmaurice gave about you and I think you are far better not having that asshole in your life. I wish you every happiness in the future.”

  “Thank you Jules,” Ally replied truly grateful for the young woman’s comments. She really liked this girl.

  “Although something tells me,” Jules added nodding towards Cole. “The way he looks at you, I think you will be just fine. Hope when I fall in love, he loves me even half as much as Mr Thomas very clearly loves you.”

  Ally smiled at Jules, and thanked her again. Then Nick appeared and escorted Jules and the photographer out.

  Ally turned to Cole and smiled happily at him as Jules’s word ran around her head.

  “So what now,” Ally said Cole once they were alone.

  “Well,” Cole said, nervously. “If I am honest, there is just one more thing I would really love.”

  “Name it,” Ally replied brightly. There was nothing she wouldn’t do for him.

  “I want you to meet Ben,” Cole said looking at Ally hopefully.

  “This really means a lot to you, doesn’t it,” Ally said looking into Coles eyes.

  “This means everything to me,” Cole admitted with a half-smile. “You two are the most important people in this world to me. I don’t want to feel I have to keep you in separate parts of my life.”

  He was almost holding his breath waiting for her to respond. Praying she would finally agree to meet his son.

  “Okay,” Ally agreed and meant it, she wanted to make him happy. And this was the one thing he truly wanted.

  “Tomorrow then?” he asked unable to keep the look of relief from his face.

  “Tomorrow,” she smiled and kissed him.

  Chapter 15

  Ally’s stomach was doing somersaults as she sat in the car next to Cole. They had discussed going to meet Ben and his mother the night before and she told him very honestly, she was really nervous about meeting Steph. And that she really didn’t feel comfortable with going back to the house.

  She told him walking in to her home, which he had bought for her and their child just felt wrong. He said he understood and so he arranged for them all to meet up in The Dorchester Hotel for lunch.

  When they reached the hotel, Nick pulled up to the curb and the doorman from the hotel, immediately walked to the car and opened up Cole’s door. Cole stepped out from the car then turned and took Ally’s hand as she stepped out after him.

  “Welcome to the Dorchester.” the doorman said with a friendly smile. Cole and Ally both smiled at him before Cole still hold Ally’s hand, walked towards the revolving doors of the hotel and into the warmth, away from the biting January breeze.

  “Mr Thomas,” a middle aged man, dressed in a well fitted suit, with a huge smile said, as he hurried towards Cole and Ally. “Lovely to have you at the Dorchester once again sir. It has been far too long.”

  “Thank you Stephen,” Cole said taking the man’s out stretched hand. “And I would like to introduce you to this wonderful young lady. This is my fiancée Ally Brody.”

  “A pleasure, Ms Brody,” he said, shaking Ally’s hand. “Welcome to the Dorchester.”

  “Thank you,” Ally said with a smile she really didn’t feel. Her heart was hammering hard in her chest and she thought she was going to be sick. She had no idea why she was so nervous about meeting Steph. Yes she gave Cole his first child but it was her he wanted, not Steph. She had only ever been a one night stand. But because of that one stupid night she would be connected to Cole and in a way part of their lives for ever.

  She thought about Ben, he was barely two weeks old, but if she was truly honest she resented him and that didn’t sit right with Ally. She knew her father’s mistress hated her and it had destroyed her already then strained relationship with her father.

  She was afraid she would see this little, innocent baby and she would hate him, making her no better than the tart that had ruined her life when she was fifteen.

  “Ally,” Cole said looking at her anxiously. She looked up at him and smiled. “You were miles away, are you okay?”

  “I am fine,” she lied and gave him the biggest smile she could.

  “You don’t have to do this,” he said as he took her by the hand and gave it a reassuring squeeze. He didn’t fully believe the smile. He knew her too well by now and he knew she was panicking and out of her comfort zone.

  “No, I want to,” she reassured him and smiled once again.

  “Thank you,” he said quietly and kissed her tenderly on the lips.

  They both turned to Stephen who was standing waiting on them patiently, trying to look everywhere except at them.

  “Okay, Stephen,” Cole said with a smile and nodded. “We are ready, after you.”

  “Very good, Mr Thomas,” Stephen smiled at them both and turned and continued to lead the way. “I have reserved the most discreet area of the Promenade Lounge as you requested. Although it is very quiet in there today.”

  “Thank you, Stephen,” Cole replied and stole a sidewards glance at Ally, who looked like a rabbit caught in the head lights of a car.

  “Your other guests have arrived,” Stephen continued completely unaware of the impact his words just had on Ally, whose heart was hammering so hard in her chest now she could barely breathe. Suddenly her feet were like ton weights and each step she took became harder and harder to take.

  “Guests?” Ally finally found the words inside her. “You mean she isn’t alone?”

  “She insisted on bringing her sister Becca,” Cole replied wishing now he had told her this piece of information sooner. But honestly it hadn’t occurred to him to do so.

  “I see,” was all she replied. They reached the doors to The Promenade Lounge and Ally stopped dead in her tracks. She thought she was going to be sick.

  “Ally,” Cole said turning to her and looked at her with concern because of the look of complete terror on her face. “Sweetheart, are you okay?”

  “I’m fine,” she lied once again. It took every ounce of strength she had to keep calm and act as normal as she possibly could. “I actually just need to use the ladies room. I will follow you in, I promise.”

  “I can go with yo
u,” Cole said, and Ally knew he was afraid she was going to run. So she reassured him the only way she knew how. She leaned up and kissed him softly on the lips.

  “I promise I will be right back,” Ally smiled. “Please don’t worry.”

  She knew Cole was still watching her when she turned and made her way to the bathroom she spotted at the far end of the corridor. She fought hard the urge she had to run to the toilet and throw her guts up. She walked at a steady calm pace and tried to breathe through the nausea.

  When she reached the ladies she was relieved to find it was empty. She grabbed some paper towels from the dispenser and ran them under the cold water and wrung it out before she carefully pressed it against her forehead.

  She looked at her reflection in the mirror and what she seen on the outside didn’t match what she was feeling inside.

  Ally had spent a long time picking out something to wear for meeting this woman. She want to look just perfect and had chosen a simple Black woollen dress and her black Louboutins. She left her blonde hair down in soft curls that fell to her shoulder. She looks elegant and classy. But her whole insides felt like it was on a spin cycle.

  “What the hell is wrong with you?” she asked her reflection in the bathroom mirror as she gripped the edge of the vanity unit. “You need to stop this!”

  Suddenly she could hold back no more, running to the toilet she bent over and threw up violently.

  When her stomach was empty and she couldn’t throw up any more, she could fight the tears no longer.

  She closed the door of the cubical, put the toilet seat down, sat down pulling her knees up to her chest and buried her face in her hands and cried.

  She knew she was being totally irrational, this was so not like her. There was a time she would have marched in there and shown this girl exactly who was the boss. But she was such an emotional mess lately and she had no idea why.

  She knew she couldn’t go in and face them now with puffy, red eyes. Ally pulled her phone from her hand bag and called up her contact list. She scrolled down until she found Coles name and was about to press call but she didn’t. She scrolled down further until she came to Nick’s name.