Page 4 of Axel

He had not taken them up on their obvious invitations of course. He was not looking for romance. After the fiasco with Serena, he stayed clear of any sort of involvement that involved the heart. From now on, it was just physical interaction and nothing more. He had his fill of women who were after him for what he could give them.

His eyes shifted to the sun going down on the horizon, a feeling of well-being moving over him as he watched the fiery orb of changing colors slowly disappearing.

He could have stayed with his family, but as he had convinced them, he was in and out at odd hours and had grown so accustomed to living on his own, that it would feel weird being around other people.

The house he was having built was only half finished and he had no idea what he was going to do once it was completed. He owned houses - several of them all over the world - a pied a’ terre in New York, a flat in Knightsbridge, a villa in Tuscany and houses in Boston and Chicago.

He had built one here in River Glades for his mother and sister, a sprawling ranch type home where they had several acres of land to plant their herb and vegetable gardens.

Turning away from the stunning view, he gazed at the weathered brick with the sloping walkway and the shrubs that had been planted along the perimeter in lieu of a fence and were springing up nicely. His mother had insisted on popping over several hours a day to tend to the garden.

“Daffodils, pansies, and oleanders. It would look perfect.” She said with her beaming smile. Pottering around in the dirt made her happy and he was not the one who was going to take that away from her.

He was here in his hometown, and they were delighted that he would be for an extended period. He needed the break as well. He had been going at a breakneck pace for more than ten years. It was time to take a break and slow down.

But this damn upcoming interview was pissing him off. He had no idea why he should have someone shadowing him so that they could write about his accomplishments when it had already been published.

“This one is going to be a personal piece. You are back in your hometown – that perfectly quaint place where it all started. People are eager to learn about the real Axel Lakeside, what motivated him to reach for the stars and the secret to his success. Ms. Logan will interview your mother and sister as well.”

His head of PR had hastened to try and convince him of the benefit of agreeing to the interview. “You are fabulously wealthy, very attractive and single and you managed to carve out a name for yourself, through sheer determination and smarts. There is no downside to this.”

He had glowered at her, but Felicia had not backed down. She was damn good at her job and knew she was not in danger of being fired.

“I don’t want her in my damn space,” he growled.

“She will be staying in a cottage a few blocks from your place, and she is a professional. It will be over before you know it.”

“She will be here for a week. Why does it take that long for her to gather information?”

“She is very thorough. You have probably heard of her.”

“I doubt it.”

“She was a lingerie model before she became a writer.”

“Wonderful.”

“She is very good.”

“So, you keep saying. I just want it over and done with.”

And he did. Taking off towards the path that led to his place, he stopped to take in the new bulbs his mother had planted, an indulgent smile touching his lips.

Chapter 2

The prolonged silence was becoming uncomfortable. Ellie had only agreed to the dinner invitation because her mother had insisted on it.

“I have not seen you in weeks. And your father told me you visited him a few days ago. I am your mother, surely, I deserve the same courtesy?” She had made it sound like a competition which had pissed Ellie off.

But Eleanor knew how to pile on the guilt. Now she was here in the cold and clinical apartment having dinner on the balcony overlooking the city. Her mother loved the spotlight and had chosen a place in the middle of the uptown area with all its bustle and bright lights.

Ellie adored the city as well, but she preferred someplace where the lights were not vying or obscuring the pale orb of the moon and the brilliance of the stars. And she did not like the sounds of traffic whizzing by or staring at the lights from the towering buildings surrounding the apartment.

Her mother had retired from acting or so she declared several times, but every now and then, a plum part would come up and she would be charmed into going back in.

“That’s all Marge!” She dismissed the housekeeper with a flick of one elegant hand. During the meal, they discussed inconsequential things, like the weather and the ending of summer and her mother’s trip to Europe to do some shopping.

“You are leaving for a week.”

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