Monday morning, I woke up earlier than usual to fit in an early run. I’d forgotten how peaceful it was to run Hyde Park at dawn before anyone was awake, and I made a mental note to start doing it every day. Just me, the asphalt beneath my trainers and my panting breaths mixed with the soft tweeting birds nestled into the bare branches of cherry blossom trees. Bliss. After a steamy shower, all thoughts of the weekend escaped my mind as I prepared for another week at court. I’d carefully applied my makeup to the small cut on my neck, not wanting to draw any necessary attention to it and headed out. By four o’clock I was back at the office, none of these court cases seem to last a full working day of which I’m grateful. It gives me more time to assess other cases and the details for this merger – if it’s still bloody happening. Throughout the day my mind wandered to the way Liam was before Saturday, squeezing my eyes shut I try to forget about our kiss. The way his lips felt against mine, the way he tasted. My skin flushes and my core tightens as I remember his hands in my hair, oh how badly I wanted more. Stop it!
“Hey! Are you free on Saturday night?” Becca’s chirpy voice brings my head up from my computer.
“I’m not going out Bec” I tell her as dead pan as possible. Did she forget that I was attacked already?
“No, Silly! Jason and I have found a venue and we want to stay the night, see what it’s like you know? I was wondering, as my maid of honor if you would come with us? There’s a gorgeous Spa there” she tells me with an excited twinkle in her eye. Now a Spa I could do with.
“That sounds great actually” I reply with a smile.
“Awesome, I’ll send you the details” she goes to turn away, but I stop her.
“Bec, I’ll book it for you. I’m the maid of honor – let this be my first duty” I say far too excitedly, grateful to finally have something else to take up my attention.
“Are you sure?”
“Of course!”
Clapping her hands together she saunters out of my office. I smile at how excited she gets sometimes. But I guess this is her wedding, and I should expect her to be worse than usual.
An hour later, I get on the phone to the country manor Becca emailed me.
“I’d like to book the executive and bridal suites for Saturday night please”
“The bridal suite is available, but the executive is not, I’m sorry” the chirpy lady on the end of the line tells me. Huh. Double room for me then.
“That’s okay, I’ll take the bridal and a double”
“Lovely, Name?”
“Amelia Bellucci, and I’ll supply you with my card on our arrival” I hate using my full name, but legally it is my name and the one that’s on all my credit cards. I should get around to changing it properly then I wouldn’t have to hear it.
“All done, Amelia. We will see you Saturday”
“Thank you”
I figured if they hired this place for their wedding they would want to see the Bridal Suite too. God, I hope she likes it, the price they’re charging is extortionate. I laugh at my own thoughts. I know I don’t need to worry about money, but it doesn’t mean I like throwing the stuff away.
∞ ∞ ∞
On Wednesday I headed over to the new office, I wanted to see how the interior was coming along. I knew it was a possibility that I would bump into Liam, but I had to get over it. We would be seeing each other every day soon. I hadn’t heard from him, so I took that as no news is good news and assumed the merger was still going ahead. Positive thoughts. Most of the floors are complete, except the top three where new paint is being applied to plasterboard walls and new flooring is being installed. I head to the top floor to see how our offices are looking.
The walls and floors up here are complete, there’s just some finishing touches for the kitchen and bathrooms to do. The new furniture we ordered is covered with plastic wraps to safeguard them from any decorating damage, but the space looks great. The top floor is where Liam and I will be, along with his assistant and Becca. The lift opens into a large space where a new receptionist will be, and then a long hallway that splits into two. I was certain the plan had three offices originally but since David is longer working here, I can only assume that Liam changed them. On the left is my office and, on the right, is Liam’s, with a conference room in the middle. The floors are a stark white and grey polished marble, and floor to ceiling windows allow natural light to enter the space. It’s similar to Bellucci’s office now, but starkly different to what Liam’s used to. Curiosity gets the better of me as I head down to his office. Liam has already been in here; his furniture isn’t covered in plastic and some personal items have been added. It’s nice to see that he’s keen. I notice some framed pictures on the far wall above his desk and decide to be nosy cow.
Their all of buildings, more specifically nightclubs, bars, and houses. I wonder if these are all the ones he owns? Turning I notice an open magazine on his glass desk and the photo immediately catches my eye. Leaning over I read the article.
‘Liam Hadleigh, CEO Hadleigh Solicitors, feeds malnourished child in SA’
Liam is on his haunches holding a bottle up to a tiny, horrifically thin baby and my heart catches in my throat. Liam looks as if he’s covered in sweat but smiles sweetly at the naked little boy. I read a few more lines.
‘Liam donated an undisclosed amount to the charity and visited the village to help volunteers. Hadleigh is an active member in numerous charities and has been thanked for all of his support’
Well. Shit. Doesn’t that just make me feel worse for kicking him out? Why is he so bloody nice? My chest aches at the image in front of me, and I can’t help the soft smile that spreads across my face. I flick to the front page of the magazine and realize it’s not yet been published, that explains why it never came up on the FBI search that Becca conducted. It’s humbling to see that he uses his money wisely, like I try and do. But I’ve never had the guts to put myself out in the field like he has. After seeing the photo of him at the Innocent Addictions gala, I was happy to see us both supporting charitable work. Not many men in this line of work would think to donate some of their millions to a better cause. I have totally misjudged Liam, and I owe him a big, fat apology.