Chapter 27

Elle

“That’s weird,” Elle said to Kelly. “That was Forrester.”

“Wasn’t he going to come in and see you?”

“I think so,” Elle said. “That was the plan. Everything went perfectly last night, and this morning. He was going to come here for breakfast.”

“He must have forgotten something,” Kelly said. “He’ll be right back.”

Elle nodded. She felt a moment of fear, although not quite panic, at the sight of Forrester’s taillights driving away.

He’ll be right back, she told herself.

He’ll be right back.

But he didn’t come right back. Thirty minutes passed. Then an hour. And still, no Forrester. She must have looked out the window a thousand times, hoping to see his truck in the lot.

Where was he?

What had changed?

Everything had been perfect.

He’d said he loved her. He’d promised.

One hour turned into two, and two into three, and still, Forrester never showed.

“Elle, child, you look pale,” Grace said when the lunch rush was over.

Elle looked at her watch. It was two.

He wasn’t coming.

“What happened?” she said helplessly to Grace and Kelly as they sat to join her at the counter.

There were still a lot of customers so she couldn’t wait for an answer. She had to put on a brave face and keep doing her job. She refused to let her worry show. Something was delaying Forrester. She’d call his hotel. She went to the phone behind the kitchen and called.

“Forrester Snow, please,” she said.

“Sorry madam, there’s no guest here by that name.”

“What?”

“There’s no guest here by that name.”

“Did he check out?”

“I’m really not at liberty to discuss our guests’ actions, madam. All I can say is there’s no one here by that name.”

“Was there last night?”

“It’s a matter of confidentiality, madam.”

“Confidentiality? I was with him all night. Who’s in the penthouse?”

“The penthouse is empty, madam.”

It wasn’t until eight hours later, after the last customers had cleared out from a long dinner service, that Elle could let the pent up emotion finally pour out of her. It was dark outside. She remembered the sight she’d caught of Forrester’s truck.

Was that the last she’d ever see of him?

She sat down at the counter, practically collapsing onto the stool. Her body was robbed of all its strength.

“Something must have come up,” Kelly said.

Elle wanted to believe her, but when she looked at Grace, she was shaking her head.

“Don’t take it too hard,” Grace said. “He was a bright flash, that’s all. He was here for a few days to brighten up your life, and maybe he’ll be back again, or maybe he won’t. Either way, it wouldn’t make any sense for you to let it get you down, child. Try to think of the nice time you had with him.”

“The nice time I had with him?”

“A fling, child.”

“It wasn’t a fling,” Elle said, tears choking her voice.

“I’m not saying for sure that it was,” Grace said. “Maybe he’ll be right back. I’m just saying, if he doesn’t come back, try not to let it break your heart.”

Elle was shaking her head. She looked at Kelly, and when she saw the compassion in Kelly’s eyes, she understood. They were consoling her. They were already trying to console her and make it better. They thought Forrester wasn’t coming back.

And they were probably right.

“He said he loved me,” Elle said, feeling pathetic.

“Men often say things like that without realizing what it means,” Grace said.

“He said he wanted a future with me.”

Kelly and Grace put their arms around her as the tears fell over her cheeks. She was heartbroken. Whatever Grace might try to tell her about being brave and not letting her emotions get out of control, she was heartbroken. If Forrester didn’t come back, she would die. That’s what she felt, and that’s what she believed.

“He was right outside,” Elle said, her voice a high-pitched wail.

“He was, but he left,” Grace said.

“Why? Why did he change his mind. Why did he change his mind about me? What did I do wrong?”

“You did nothing wrong, child.”

“He said he wanted a baby,” Elle said, her voice almost inaudible from anguish. “He said he wanted me to give him a baby, and we made love without protection,” Elle said. “I know it was very fast, I know we’d only just met, but I really felt a connection with him. I thought it was the real thing. I wanted to give him a baby.”

“Shush now,” Grace said soothingly.

Elle’s mind was overpowered with grief. She couldn’t think straight. All she could do was sit on the bench and cry, her small body shaking with anguish. She couldn’t have been more upset if someone had died. To her, this was death. The pain was as intense as any death.

“I was a fool,” she said, and she didn’t even know if she believed her own words or not.

Forrester said he’d be back. She was overreacting. But he’d said he’d be there for breakfast. It was almost eleven at night. The day was over, he’d checked out of his hotel, and he hadn’t even said goodbye.

She looked into Grace and Kelly’s faces and decided to tell them something she’d never told anyone.

“My own mother couldn’t love me,” she said.

“What?” Grace said. Kelly’s mouth opened in surprise.

“No one will ever love me. It’s my curse. I know it’s true. I try not to give in to my fears, I try to stay positive and be brave, I try not to feel sorry for myself, but sometimes, I really honestly fear that I’m cursed never to be loved. My own parents never loved me. Why the hell would a guy as amazing as Forrester?”