Page 30 of Hunter

“I’m so sorry,” she finally gasps, just as I walk in to join them in the reception area. “Phoenix wasn’t well this morning and I had to make sure he was ok before I left. I should have phoned but I…” She falters for a moment, trying to think of a good excuse but seems to come up with nothing. She merely smiles sheepishly, then tries to pat down her cardigan which is now gaping open to reveal her chest heaving up and down. It’s almost hypnotic, especially to a guy who hasn’t stopped thinking about her for the past few weeks.

“Daniel, I’m so sorry. Did I miss anything? Has Trent already been in?”

“Yes, but no need to worry,” I reassure her, gesturing to my office, to which she dutifully walks toward, the whole time still trying to straighten herself out. Theo eyeballs me before finally returning to his own office.

Louisa stands awkwardly by the door before I close it and pull the chair out for her. She looks anxious, probably mentally playing out the lecture I’m going to give her on tardiness and communication. Instead, however, I kneel down in front of her and take her hands softly inside of mine, hoping I’m not coming across as creepy.

“Louisa, are you really ok?” I ask as she eyes my hands over hers with a little trepidation. Slowly, and for reasons unknown to me, she trusts me and answers my question with a slight shake of her head.

“Phoenix stormed out last night. I didn’t see him until this morning and only because I peeked into his room and saw him passed out. He was so angry like he always is these days.”

“Why? What’s happened?” I can’t help feeling all kinds of good that she’s choosing to open up to me.

“My ex, Tony? From the festival?” I nod my head when I recall the asshole who grabbed onto her the other night. “He came to talk to me; Phoenix didn’t like it.” Well, who would have thought that Louisa’s brother and I would agree on something? “Phoenix wanted me to tell him what we talked about, but I refused. He got mad and left.”

“What did he say?”

“It’s not important,” she mumbles, looking away, which tells me it probably was very important. “I need to help him, I need him to stop blaming himself for what happened to me, but I don’t know how.”

“You can’t fix someone who doesn’t want to be fixed, Louisa,” I sigh. I learned that from my brother. He held onto his guilt like it was his own brand of heroine, and it ended up killing him. “Do you want to go home? We’ll manage-ish.”

I laugh a little to try and break her from her funk. Thankfully, she laughs back.

“No, I’m fine, honestly,” she eventually says, swallowing when she looks at our clasped hands, and with a blush taking over her cheeks.

“You are safe aren’t you, Louisa?” I ask quietly. “I mean from Phoenix and your ex?”

I wish I hadn’t asked that though, because she immediately pulls back her hands and makes to stand up, getting away from me like I just wounded her.

“Of course,” she snaps, “Phoenix would never hurt me…ever. As for Tony, well, there is no Tony. I’ll get you guys some coffee. Let me know when you need me to get ready for this afternoon.”

She backs up toward my door and I let her. Fighting the urge to chase after her, I simply smile and nod, letting her go with her dignity and secrets still intact.

_____

Daniel

Forcing myself to watch from the sidelines, I see Louisa playing the doting fiancée to a tee. She no longer looks sad and lost; she expertly wears a mask of happiness and devotion as well as any professional actress. The only problem being is the fact that Trent is lapping it up like a gullible little puppy, mistaking her acting skills for genuine affection. I bet he thought it would be the other way around; how ironic. His father watches on with a face-splitting grin while Neil, our local gossip photographer, takes shots on his camera like his finger is physically stuck to the button.

For the first time since we began this whole charade, I regret asking Louisa to do this. She seems more fragile now, and I can’t help thinking this farce is making it all the harder for her. She’s going to start being recognized soon and I’m not sure how she’s going to take it.

Eventually, Neil shakes my hand with a promise to get the shots processed quickly so they can be sent out to every gossip mag and website within a day. I smile but it doesn’t reach my eyes, though I still thank him for his work; he’s done an amazing job, I just don’t like this particular job. I pace up to the happy fake couple to tell them they can call it a day, but it would seem Trent is going to use this opportunity to follow through with his plan to make a move on Louisa. I momentarily freeze on the spot, unable to move forward or turn away.

“So, Louisa,” he begins, taking her hand inside of his from across the table. She looks at their joined hands with a hint of horror passing over her face, which only intensifies when he begins to stroke her skin with his fingertips. “What are you--”

“Daniel?” she rushes out with wide, pleading eyes. “Are you free for that date this evening? I can cook you a nice boeuf bourguignon?”

Trent and I must have the exact same expression of confusion on our faces, while Louisa continues to silently plead with me through eyesight alone. She bats her thickly coated eyelashes and then smiles with lips that have been vastly over-painted with fuchsia pink lipstick. Trent laps it up, but I can’t wait to see her looking natural again.

“I would love to,” I reply, choosing to save her instead of giving my loyalty to my client. “What time shall I come by?”

I try to ignore the grimace on Trent’s face, instead, I devote my whole line of sight to her and her alone. I won’t lie, it’s not hard to do.

“Say, eightish?”

“I’ll be there. Why don’t you finish for the day, and I’ll see you then.”

“Sure, thank you, Daniel. Until next time, Trent.”

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