Page 21 of Safer Together
I feel my body stiffen at once, as soon as I hear that voice. I feel myself start to sweat, even though the night air is relatively cool. Elliot unfolds his arms from me and walks over to the man who had come out to see him, I hear the sound of two hands slapping as they connect in a handshake.
“Dylan, how’re things?” I don’t need Elliot’s confirmation of his name to know who that voice belonged to. I knew that I would never forget that voice, and here is that proof. Even after all this time, it feels like only one day and not years that have passed.
I take several unsteady steps forward, closer to the railing. It might look as though I am trying to gain a better view out at the water, but I am heading there for another reason. I need to hold onto the handrail to steady myself. I’m shaking by the time that I walk those few steps and am immediately glad to hold onto something solid.
I try to control my breathing, one deep breath, followed by another, and another. Hoping with everything that I have that it is just a giant coincidence. That the voice belongs to another guy named Dylan, that it wasn’t who it sounded like. While I’m concentrating on inhaling oxygen, I’m not paying attention to the conversation unfolding behind me, that is until I hear Elliot call out to me “Angie, sweetheart. Won’t you come meet my foreman, Dylan?”
His foreman. Of all the people in New York he could work for, he works for Elliot. Before I can think too much about it, not wanting Elliot to think that I am ignoring him, I reply adding as much honey to my voice as possible “Absolutely, I’ll be right over.” I take a couple more deep breaths, closing my eyes, willing myself to calm down. Opening them again, I plant a fake smile across my face and turn around, locking my eyes with Elliot’s, out of the corner of my eye I see Dylan standing there. I walk straight to Elliot and into his open arms. I wrap my arm around his waist and look up at him maintaining our eye contact.
He leans down and presses his lips to my forehead for a moment. When he pulls back, I turn to Dylan with the fake smile still present on my face. “Hi, Dylan.” I look directly at him, not letting him see the fear he still instills in me. I can see the surprise on his face register when he realizes who I am.
After all, I am no longer the timid, blonde-haired girl he used to push around for fun. “Angie” he starts, “Angela White?” His voice is laced with shock, disbelief, and wonder.
“That’s me,” I reply. I then turn to Elliot who is looking between the two of us, trying to determine the connection between us.
“I’m going to head inside and find Kat and Drake. Come find me when you’re ready, baby.” I lean up on my toes to kiss his cheek and then I whisper in his ear “I can’t be here. Sorry.” I then turn and walk back inside.
I have to find a bathroom, preferably a private one. I need somewhere to fall apart without anyone watching. I walk past a group of ladies I had been introduced to earlier in the evening and return their smiles.
“Won’t you join us, Angela?” a tall brunette asks as I walk past.
“Absolutely, I’ll be back in a jiffy.” I don’t stop as I reply, instead I keep going, not wanting to be stopped again before I make it to the ladies’ room.
Once inside the room, I check to make sure I am alone before I let myself relax slowly. “Shit, shit, shit, shit,” I mutter under my breath and smack my hands on the vanity top. “God freaking dammit!” I shake my head from side to side, slowly, while looking at myself in the mirror.
I know that I have to pull myself together and appear as though nothing had fazed me, especially in front of Elliot’s employees. I know that there will be questions on the ride home and that I would need to tell him the truth. He already knows that I had an abusive ex and his name was Dylan. He just doesn’t know that the abusive ex I had told him about is his foreman Dylan.
I pull my lip gloss out of my bag with unsteady hands and apply a thick coat to my lips, mainly to give my hands something to do. I then run my forefinger under both eyes to remove the small amount of mascara that had left itself there from the tears I didn’t notice had fallen.
I was proud of the way I handled myself out there. I didn’t run away. I was polite, and I didn’t make a scene.
As I prepare myself to walk back out, Kat ducks her head in the door. Once she sees it is me, she comes into the bathroom and locks the door behind her. “There you are. Are you all right? Elliot asked me to look for you when he noticed that you weren’t with us,” she asks.
“I’m fine. I’ve just had too many drinks tonight.” I smile and give a half-hearted laugh while throwing my thumb over my shoulder pointing at the toilet.
“Ahh, I know that feeling well, in fact….mind waiting for me?” she wanders into the stall.
“Sure.” I’m glad to see that my excuse is believable.
Once Kat has washed her hands, she unlocks the door and we walk out together. Waiting just outside is Elliot, leaning casually against the wall. Relief washes over his face when his eyes meet mine.
“Found her.” Kat smiles at me and wanders away.
“Angie, are you okay?” Worry dripping off his voice, he holds out his hand to me and I take it at once.
“Of course,” I reply, he pulls me into his arms and hugs me tight. Being in his arms makes me feel safe, like nothing in this world could ever hurt me.
I feel his lips brush against my hair and then he speaks “We are about to dock back at the marina, I’ve rented the boat until midnight, so some of my employees and their partners are staying until then but I’m happy to head off as soon as you are ready to go.”
I pull out of his arms just enough so I can look at his beautiful face. I nod, “Yes, please, Elliot, I’m ready to leave.”
He smiles back down at me. “Sounds good to me, baby. Let’s go say goodbye to Drake and Kat.” He releases me from his hug and we walk hand in hand, back towards the main room to find his friends.
