Chapter Twenty-Two
Molly
It was two days after landing back in New York that I woke to finally feeling relieved from jet lag and the time change. I had no idea how Alfie, or Harry for that matter, managed to travel all the time the way they did. The trip back over had me sleeping irregularly for the past two days along with constant bouts of headache and fatigue.
I stretched in relief as I sat up in bed. It was good timing too. I had to talk to two realtors about selling the flat in London later that day. A task, which should have been Harry’s doing, but instead, he asked me to do it. Harry had made it obvious he wanted his own place away from the memory of what we could have been. Just thinking about selling the flat and finding a new apartment made my head hurt. The familiar heartache of having to explain things for the hundredth time to people that the wedding had been called off rose sharply inside of me.
I needed to call my old boss, Gary, before I got too involved with apartment hunting throughout the afternoon.
A gentle knock filled the guest room before Peyton opened the door to peek her head through cautiously. A smile graced her face. “I’m glad to see you awake,” she said and pushed the door open. “I brought you some coffee just in case you were up already.”
“Thanks,” I said, smiling. I took the mug with a grateful sigh as Peyton arranged herself on the edge of the bed. “I needed this boost of energy before I called the realtor this morning along with Gary.”
“Does Gary know what happened?” Peyton asked, curiously.
“No,” I said, shaking my head. “I didn’t want to explain it in an email either since I had upped and left at Harry’s command without much warning. He’s going to give me a big ass, ‘I told you so.’ He was totally against Harry, but you knew that.”
Anger tore through me.
“I’m sure Gary understood your reasons,” Peyton said, sipping at her coffee. “I mean, he knew who Harry was and that the two of you were going to most likely settle down in London.”
I tapped a finger against the side of my coffee mug. “It’s so weird to be back here in the States, too, because I thought—”
I cut myself off before it could slip out. I had hoped Alfie would ask me to stay with him at his estate. After everything that had happened between the two of us, I didn’t know what to expect from our relationship. If we could even call it a relationship, but Alfie treated it like one. His phone call on Friday night after we landed still raced through my mind. It had been so short, but incredibly sweet. It let me know quickly that he was thinking of me.
I needed to call him later that day and return the favor.
“Thought what?” Peyton asked, dragging me from my thoughts.
“Nothing,” I said, and took a long gulp of coffee. “I have to take a shower before I get this day started. The hot water should do me some good. Help me wake up.”
“You can stay here with me, Mol,” Peyton said. “I’m not kicking you out by any means. I hope you know that. It might be nice to have some extended company, especially since it’s you!”
I grasped her hand warmly with a grateful smile. “I know that. I just need my own living space. You know how I am.”
“That I do.” She got up and walked to the door. “The towels are in the cabinet just above the toilet. I’m headed to visit with my mom. You should stop by later if you’re free.”
“Thanks. I might.” I waited until she left to pull myself from the bed. I piddled around the room, choosing an outfit and drinking my coffee as my thoughts raced back to where they had been more often than not lately: Alfie.
I picked up the phone and called, hoping that I didn’t wake him.
“This is Alfie,” he said.
I smiled, unable to help myself. “Hey, you. I just wanted to hear your voice.”
He chuckled. “Be careful, love. Lest you make me feel like king of the world.”
“Cockiness does not fit your persona well.” I grabbed my clothes and walked toward the bathroom.
“My staff might disagree with that statement, but seeing that they’re not here to correct you…” He chuckled, and I joined him. There was something so comfortable and welcoming about our relationship, whatever it was.
“What’s on your agenda for today?” I closed the door behind me and stripped as best I could holding a phone. It felt a little naughty, and a part of me wanted to mention to him that I was naked while we talked, but I was being silly.
“I’m meeting for dinner with a few investors. Why? Do you have some time around lunch that you’d like to get together? I would enjoy seeing you again, Mol.” His deep voice washed over me and left my body tight, wet and aching.
“I’d love to have lunch, but unfortunately, I have to meet with my old boss this morning to beg for my job back, and then I’m hoping to talk with a few realtors this afternoon. You’d think everyone would be chilling seeing that it’s Sunday, but no. We’re back in New York. The world is fully alive and busy as ever no matter what day of the week it is.”
He chuckled. “Sounds like New York and the rest of the world, and you’re not exactly resting either. Busy body.”
I wanted to remind him that I didn’t really have much of a choice, but he probably already knew that. “This is very true. I wish I could see you.”
“Me too, though I might not let you go if we met up again.”
“That doesn’t sound like a bad thing at all.” I smiled and wrapped my arm around myself. “Everything going okay with you?”
“Yes. I’m actually going to meet with some marketing folks here in the U.S. and a few state-side investors and tell them your marketing ideas. I think I’m going to push forward with them.”
“Hey! That’s great news.” Warmth filled me. The idea of helping him was second nature at this point. “If there’s anything else you need from me, just let me know.”
“Thanks, Mol. I’ll let you know how it goes. Are you free for dinner on Wednesday night? I should have another lull in my schedule by then.”
“Absolutely. I would love that.”
“Good. Then put me on your calendar.”
“Consider it done.”
We hung up, and I got into the shower, washing off quickly before drying and running around the apartment in a hurry. I had to see Gary before meeting with Alfie, and where getting my job back and getting a new place to live was important, nothing felt more needed than seeing the man I was falling in love with.
My thoughts forced me into a slight depression by the time I reached Gary’s large house on the outskirts of town. Being that it was Sunday, he didn’t want to haunt the office at all. It was the only day he stayed home, though the guy worked nonstop.
My depression was due to the fact that Alfie would be leaving to go back to London soon, and then what?
I rang the doorbell as I chewed on my bottom lip. How could I stop him from going back, or even better yet, could I go with him? Would he want me to?
No. I had to get my shit together before I tried to have another relationship.
“Molly!” Gary opened the door and moved back. “Come on in, girl. I can’t hide the fact that I’m a little surprised to see you.”
“Thanks, Gary.” I walked in and gave him a quick side hug. “I appreciate you seeing me. I won’t take too much of your time. I just needed to talk for a few minutes about maybe getting my old job back.”
“What? What happened to London?” He glanced down at me as we walked to the living room. “Take a load off. You want something to eat? Drink?”
“No. I’m good.” I sat down and tried not to look around the elaborate living room. His wife was an interior decorator, and the place was certainly decked out. Beautiful wouldn’t begin to describe it. “Harry slept with a few girls at the pub the night before the wedding, and my best friend caught him.” I shrugged and tried hard to hold Gary’s gaze. “It sucked like hell, but I walked. I had no choice.”
“Well, I told you that Harry was a piece of shit and that you were giving up far too much, girl.” He gave me a loving, but fatherly look. “However, I’m really sorry to hear that happened. No one deserves to be treated like that. Especially not a great girl like you.”
“Thanks.” I forced the hot ball of regret in my throat back down. “I’m here to see about getting my job back. I’m not too proud to beg if needed.”
He chuckled. “You wouldn’t need to beg, although I am still a little hurt by you leaving so fast. You didn’t even give us much notice, and you were my top marketer. Recovering from that was horrible.”
Shame raced through me, and I looked down at my hands. “I understand. I wasn’t thinking clearly. Love had me a bit blinded.”
“I should say so.” He let out a short sigh. “But… I would give you the job back in a heartbeat.”
I glanced up to thank him, not fully listening anymore. I was reliving the hell that had been my life for the last few weeks. “Really?”
“Yes, but it’s not available. I’m not sure I can convince upper management to create another position, but I will let you know if something else comes up, or anyone else leaves.” I could see his regret on his face. He wanted to help me out, but his hands were tied.
“Okay. Well, if you hear of something.” I stood, not wanting to take up more of his Sunday. “Even if it’s not with you. I just need to pick up the pieces of my life and somehow get it all back together.”
“I’ll keep my ears open for you, kiddo.” He patted my back as we walked to the door. “And Molly…”
“Yes, sir?” I paused and glanced back at him.
“Promise me that the next time some of us speak wisdom to you that you’ll at least listen and chew on it. I had nothing but honesty for you when you came to see me about leaving with Harry.” He rubbed his chest. “We’ve been together since you graduated college. Your career meant and still means a lot to me.”
“I know. Thanks, Gary.” I smiled and turned to walk to the car as tears filled my eyes. I wasn’t brokenhearted about the job. I was devastated to realize what a fool I’d been.
Everyone BUT me saw that Harry was an asshole. I was blinded by something, and scarily enough, I didn’t think it was love.