Page 37 of Beautiful Desire

Gia visibly deflates. I give myself a mental pat on the back for a job well done.

“Oh, okay. It’s just that you two looked so cozy last night, and then I saw you guys leave together. I just thought…”

“You just thought we hooked up and something was going on between us and you could plan our wedding and future?” I say, chuckling, swallowing the sour taste in my mouth as I speak.

I feel horrible lying to Gia, but what’s the point in sharing the truth? So we can both drown in my misery of being rejected?

Her cheeks turn a little pink as she shrugs. “Kind of, yeah.”

We all laugh, but the truth is, I was kind of thinking there was something between us, too. I try not to let my disappointment show, but I can feel my veneer slipping the more we talk abouthim.

We end up staying for another hour talking, but I’m in my head after Gia brought up Dom. Truth is, I’m confused and hurt. If this is how he was feeling waking up to find I had left, I truly understand how he must have felt. I never meant to hurt him. I just didn’t want to make the morning after awkward. But that doesn’t explain him saying the things he did last night and then just leaving me after the night we spent together.

His words and actions last night just don’t add up. Yes, he’s pulled away since the flight and I haven’t seen much of him since we’ve been here, but last night, he was the same tentative man from the first time we met: charming, sweet, and irresistible. Why say those things to me just to get me into bed if he didn’t truly feel that way? We’ve already slept together, so it’s not like he was curious as to how it would be.

It just doesn’t make sense. If it was a work emergency, I’m certain he would have left a note or at least told Fabi to tell me. Something else is going on. The question is, what?

CHAPTER12

ELLE

One Year Later

Shit,come on. I’m going to be late.

It’s the third day of my first week back at work. I can’t be late again. The morning rush-hour traffic is no joke. Of course, Peter has been understanding, but I don’t want him to think I’m taking advantage. The cab has moved approximately three car lengths in the past twenty minutes. I pull out my cellphone and see the time reading 8:53 a.m. We’re still fifteen minutes away from the office, but in this traffic, it’s going to be another thirty minutes at least.

I dial Peter’s office to let him know I’m going to be late, but he doesn’t answer.

Hmm, that’s strange.

I try his cell, but it goes to voicemail.

What the hell?

I try calling Beth to see if she knows where Peter is, but she doesn’t answer either. An uneasy feeling rises in my belly. Something isn’t right. I scroll through my phone until I find the breaking news app to see if something has happened at the building, but there’s nothing.

I don’t like this feeling one bit.

Finally, at 9:17 a.m., the car pulls up in front of the office. I pay the driver, quickly exit the cab, and race toward the main doors of the building. Making my way over toward the elevator, I hurriedly press the call button.

Thankfully, I don’t have to wait too long for the elevator to arrive. The doors open and I make my way inside and quickly arrive at the twelfth floor, stepping out to the offices of LM Investments.

As soon as I step out, the whole floor is in absolute chaos. What the hell is going on?

I turn left in the direction of Beth’s desk, hoping she’ll be able to tell me why everyone is running around like headless chickens. As I approach her desk, she spies me and jumps out of her chair, making her way toward me.

“Beth, what the hell—”

“The company has been sold overnight,” she blurts out frantically.

What the hell did she just say? What does she mean the company has been sold?!

“Beth, I know I’ve just come back, but this isn’t a funny prank to play.”

Taking me by the arm, she spins me around, and we begin walking back in the direction I just came, heading toward my desk.

“This isn’t a prank, Elle. This is serious. It’s done. Sold. Nobody knows what to do.”

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