Page 76 of Room Service
“She… I…” She’s struggling to form words as she blows out another breath. “She slept with Derrick.”
Oh fuck, so she does know. Jesus. What a mindfuck.
“She lost it on the phone, calling me selfish and all the usual bullshit she used to chuck my way, and then it was like she forgot she was talking to me as she said he should have chosen her.”
“Elise—”
“She loved him, and she was jealous of me, which turned to hate in the end.” She lifts her eyes and looks at me as she says, “They never deserved me, Dorien. And I’m so pissed at myself for not realising it sooner. I’m pissed I threw away years of my life and wasted my opportunities to try and please people that never fucking loved me in the first place.”
I let go of one of her hands and reach up, cupping her face.
“But I’m also a little grateful to them,” she continues, and I frown as her lips pull into a soft smile. “It sounds weird, but if they hadn’t been the way they were, then I may never have worked here, and I may never have met you.”
Fucking hell, she’s killing me. For a guy that felt nothing a short time ago, I seem to feel fucking everything with her.
“I love you, Dorien, and I love that you don’t try to change me,” she whispers, and then her arms are wrapping around me as she hugs me fiercely, like I’m her lifeline. I hold her close to me, knowing that our story didn’t start conventionally, but it’s one I wouldn’t change for anything, because it gave me her. She was in room twenty-nine on that first morning I met her for a reason, and it will always stay in my mind as the best room service I ever had.
Chapter Fifty-Four
ELISE
My life has been like a whirlwind for the last couple of weeks, but as I stand in front of the bathroom mirror in my new suit, which I got for my new duties as the housekeeping manager, I feel lighter than ever. It may not be my dream job, but I’m not going to give up hope that one day I may get to design clothes that will be worn around the world. I’ll never let myself stop believing again, and Dorien is the reason for that.
I smile at myself in the mirror, the bruises that are fading no longer reminding me of the pain I’ve endured, but more what I have survived.
There’s a knock on the door as I enter the main room, and I know it’ll be Celeste, who I appointed as my deputy when I called her over the weekend.
“Morning, boss,” she says breezily, the excitement radiating from her.
“Stop with the boss talk,” I tell her, but there is no wiping the smile from my face at seeing how happy my best friend is.
“Well, you are, technically.”
I roll my eyes, because it sounds so ridiculous right now. I’m sure I’ll get used to it, eventually, maybe. “Coffee?”
“Please.”
I lead her over to the table by the window and pour us each a cup, taking a seat while Celeste walks onto the balcony to gaze over the city.
“Wow, that is some view,” she says when she comes back in and sits opposite me.
“It’s incredible.”
“So, you and Dorien…” She lets her voice trail off, and I laugh at how unsubtle she is.
“We’re good.”
“Is that all I get? Good? He’s had you holed up in here for over a week, and all I get is good?” Come on, give me something else, let me live vicariously through you,” she says, making me laugh and nearly spit out the mouthful of coffee I just took.
“He’s amazing,” I gush. “He’s changed me, Celeste.”
“I can see that. Your eyes sparkle again, and you look like you want to live,” she comments, nothing but joy on her face.
“I do. I really do.”
“I’m so happy for you, Elise. You deserve it more than anyone I know,” she says genuinely, and my heart fills with warmth. The feeling of being loved is coming more naturally with every passing day.
“I cut ties with my mother,” I tell her, and her eyes widen slightly. “It’s a good thing. Turns out, she was fucking Derrick before I even married him.”
