Chapter Nine

 

Stella

 

“Greg Clark called my office this morning,” Tiffany announced as she sipped on her glass of wine.

“Isn’t that Gavin’s attorney?” I asked.

“Yes. He wanted to know how to get in touch with you. I let him know you were staying with me,” she leaned back in her chair, slid her finger along the stem of her wine glass, and waited for my reaction.

“Why does he need to know where I am?” I snapped.

She laughed. “Sweetie, you did sign an iron-clad contract for eight years,” she informed me.

I pushed my wine glass toward the center of the table and pushed my head into my hands. “Can he make me go back?” I asked.

“They can sue for breach of contract if you don’t,” her voice was filled with concern.

“They can have all the money back. I don’t want it,” I sighed.

“Have you spent any of it?” she asked.

I shook my head. I’d still been driving the little red sports car, but only because Gavin had me return mine. The allowances that I was given for incidentals covered any expenses I’d had and allowed me to save some of that money as well. “It’s all in my account,” I said.

“I’m sure we could work something out, if they intend to sue, that is,” she stated.

“I feel so bad for Isabella. I just want to see her,” I sulked.

“You know you can’t do that. You handled leaving with her as best you could,” Tiffany smiled warmly.

I didn’t feel as though I’d handled it well at all. Telling her that I was taking care of my father, that I didn’t know if I was coming back. What was that? The poor girl. She must feel abandoned. “After all those women came in and out of her life, and her own mother pushed out of her life, I hate that I continued the pattern for her,” I whined.

“I’m truly sorry that I pushed you toward signing that contract,” Tiffany said, finishing her glass of wine.

“You didn’t. My mind was made up before I called you. Otherwise, I wouldn’t have called you at all,” I admitted.

“I told you not to let your feelings get involved, for him, or the girl,” she sighed.

“I know,” I pushed my head back into my hands.

All I wanted to do was sleep, and hopefully for long enough that when I awoke, I’d have forgotten all about Gavin and Izzy.

Tiffany had been in and out, each time trying to get me on my feet. I’d grumble at her, pulling the blankets back over my head, and refuse to get up. I knew it’d been at least two days that I wallowed in that bed. I still hadn’t forgotten; if anything, I was missing them both more.

“Get up!” Tiffany yelled, flipping on the guest room light. It had become my haven, my place for seclusion that had depression thick in the air.

“I was up earlier,” I argued, knowing it was only to grab a container of ice cream and get back into the bed.

“I have a letter here from Greg Clark. It’s thick,” she said, waving a white envelope in her hand.

I sat up, stared at the letter with remorse, anger, and fear in my gut. Fuck! What if they are forcing me to go back there?

“Have you read it?” I asked, propping myself up against the headboard of the bed.

“No. I wanted to wait until I was with you,” she said.

She moved toward the bed, taking a seat on the edge. I was embarrassed by the stench I’d created with empty food containers, snotty tissues, and lack of showering.

“Open it,” I insisted.

Her eyes were filled with compassion as her finger slid across the flap of the envelope, her sharp nails slicing through the paper with ease. The sound was eerie, causing my skin to feel as though it were crawling.

I watched her carefully as she pulled the thick, folded letter from inside. She unfolded it and read it, her expression blank as she studied the words. It was killing me. “What does it say?” I barked.

Tiffany pushed the paper away from her eyes, lying in on the bed near my feet. “You’re off the hook,” she sighed.

A strange mixture of relief and disappointment fell over me as she spoke. I was off the hook. I didn’t have to go back. I’d never have to see Gavin Bellefonte or his daughter Izzy again.

“There is a stipulation,” she said slowly.

My heart raced. “The car?” I asked, knowing it wasn’t mine to keep all along.

“No. You are not required to give back the car, or the money. In fact, you are being compensated for the remainder of the first year of your contract,” she said.

“What’s the stipulation?” I asked.

“You have to attend a meeting with Mr. Clark, and his client. You will be given papers to sign releasing you from the contract, and from what I understood from the letter, you’ll also be given all former contracts to review,” she said.

My mouth fell open. I was in awe. It was hard enough to believe that Gavin wasn’t asking for reimbursement, although why should he? He was the one who’d fucked this up, not me. My head was spinning with guilt, anger, confusion, and pain. “If I don’t go to the meeting?” I asked.

“There was no threat that I noticed. But once you do not show on the date required, there could be further action brought against you,” Tiffany warned.

“When is it?” I asked.

“Monday morning,” she replied.

“That’s too soon,” I exclaimed.

“We don’t have anything to prepare. It will be quick and simple. You sign, we leave,” she stated.

“What former contracts am I supposed to review?” I asked, pushing the blankets away from my body.

“There is a letter in here from Gavin addressed to you; maybe that’ll explain what that means.” She picked up the letter, stuffed it back into the envelope, and handed it to me.

My hand was shaking as I gripped the thickly stuffed envelope. I wasn’t sure if I wanted to read the letter from Gavin. What could it possibly say?

“I’ll leave you alone,” Tiffany stood from the bed, patted my foot, and then walked out, shutting the door behind her.

I held the envelope close to my chest, staring up at the ceiling as if it would give me the answers I needed. This was hard, too hard. My heart was breaking already, seeing Gavin was only going to make it harder.

I stuffed the envelope into the nightstand drawer and walked into the bathroom. I needed a shower, for more than one reason. I was hopeful that the warm water would not only wash away my stench, but would also give me a clear head.

Water blasted onto my face and then poured down my body. As the strong streams of water flicked at my nipples, a familiar sensation worked up between my legs. I covered my face with my hands, letting the water roll between my fingers as I tried not to smile. I couldn’t stop thinking about Gavin, and how good he made me feel. Why did I even leave? It was just a job; that’s all, right?

My eyes closed, imagining his wild grin. The water felt like his hands, softly caressing me as it slid down my hips. It felt like his tongue, as it flicked at my skin, teasing it as it tightened.

For a moment, I could smell him, taste him, and truly feel him. Goddamn, I missed him!

I walked around with the letter for the next two days, never reading it, but wanting to. The envelope was tattered, and the papers inside crinkled from how many times I unfolded it, and then quickly folded it back, just to stuff it back into its envelope.

My feelings were still too strong. I’d told Tiffany how much I’d missed him, and that I knew I had fallen in love with him. She agreed that reading the letter would only complicate things if I couldn’t read it without emotion. I couldn’t.

“We leave in thirty minutes,” Tiffany announced, peeking around the half-open guest room door.

“Okay,” I replied.

I sat on the edge of the bed, holding the envelope that contained Gavin’s letter. I couldn’t show up to the meeting without having read it, so I took it out. I unfolded the papers, and shuffled through them until I found the letter handwritten by Gavin and addressed to me.

 

Dearest Stella,

I understand how things must’ve looked to you, but I wanted to at least let you hear my side. Yes, Caroline is Isabella’s mother. She was a stripper, but working in a coffee shop when I met her. She was a wildly energetic woman: smart, beautiful, and fearless. I loved her, I truly did. She was never a contract, but is the reason I started using them.

Her drug habit was well-hidden, at least for the first two months we dated. When I found out about her addiction, I placed her in rehab, and did everything I could to help her. She informed me she was pregnant, and at first, I was happy. I thought I’d finally found my chance at a family.

What I didn’t know, was Caroline wasn’t clean, and fear that she’d hurt my child gravely concerned me. I took her in, hired a nurse to sit with her every day. She was under watch, ensuring she didn’t do anything to hurt herself, or Isabella. I thought my tactics had worked, and that she was finally clean, willing to be a mother to this beautiful little girl she’d just brought into the world. I couldn’t have been more wrong.

The first year of Isabella’s life involved finding her mother overdosed seven times, being left with strangers in a crack house while her mother scored more drugs, and being left in a department store because her mother was so high, she’d forgotten she’d had her with her on the trip.

I paid her off, giving her enough money to set herself up for life, and offered her the finest rehab treatment center that money could buy. In exchange, she signed Isabella over to me, relinquishing all her parental rights. That was her choice, and I made sure she was sober when she made it, even testing her at the hearing.

She wanted that money bad enough to stay clean to pass the test, but she couldn’t do that for her daughter.

As for the contracts, after my experience, I wanted nothing to do with love. I did, however, want Isabella to grow up in a healthy, loving home, with a mother and a father.

The meeting will provide you with all the former contracts to review. You can read through them and see for yourself what each contract entailed. I can assure you, yours was the only one that was so involved, and so intimate.

This may have been a mistake on my part, creating a more intimate setting, but the other times were cold, stale, and felt like a business transaction. I wanted something more, but I got much more than I ever expected.

I hope you find it in your heart to forgive me.

 

Gavin Bellefonte

 

P.S. Izzy’s been missing you something terrible, and would love to still see you. I will do whatever you want, including never contacting you again if I have to. But as far as Izzy is concerned, if you would still like a relationship with her, I won’t stand in your way.

“Let’s go,” Tiffany said, pushing open the door.

Tears flooded my eyes, falling quickly to my cheeks. I let out a sob as I let the letter drop from hands onto the mattress. “Are you okay?” she asked, rushing to my side.

“I just read his letter,” I sniffled.

She shook her head and gave me a look filled with empathy. “Sweetie. Why?” she asked.

I picked up the letter, held it to my chest and sighed. “It was beautiful,” I admitted.

“We’re going to be late,” she said, motioning me toward the door. “We’ll talk in the car,” she added quickly.

The ride there, I filled her in on what Gavin had written. “So, you think that is all true?” she asked.

“I don’t think he has any reason to lie,” I replied.

She nodded, and then smiled in my direction. She found a parking spot in the large garage and then gripped her briefcase tightly by her side. “You ready for this?” she asked.

I nodded. I’d never been more ready for anything in my life. I suddenly couldn’t wait to see Gavin. I didn’t need the other contracts to know he was an honest man, a good man. He wanted only what was best for his daughter, whatever he done before me was just that, before me. I felt foolish for getting so upset before. But one thing I did know was I couldn’t go back to playing house with him and Isabella.

“Good morning,” a tall, slender, red-headed woman greeted us as we entered the pale, brick building with the sign ‘Clark & Harris’ on the door.

“Mr. Clark will be right with you. Can I get you coffee or juice?” she asked.

Tiffany shook her head and then quickly looked toward my direction. I shook my head as well, offering a smile to the woman who quickly disappeared to the back office.

My heart skipped a beat when Mr. Clark entered the waiting room. The last time I saw him, he was driving off with Caroline in his car. I wondered where he’d dumped her that day. After reading Gavin’s letter, I knew it didn’t matter.

“Good morning, ladies. Thank you for coming,” he said, motioning down the hall where several wooden doors led to what I suspected were meeting rooms. I wondered which one Gavin was behind. My hands started to sweat, and a lump in my throat grew quickly, making it tough to swallow.

“Can I get some water?” I asked the red-headed woman as she opened the last door on the left and motioned us inside.

“Of course,” she smiled, and took off to retrieve it.

Gavin stood when we entered, his eyes locked onto mine. He smiled, just barely. It was obvious he was nervous, but just as excited to see me, as I was him.

“We’ll make this short and sweet. I know you have a busy schedule,” Mr. Clark spoke directly to Tiffany.

“Thank you,” she said, pulling out a chair on the opposite side of the table as Gavin.

He waited for me to pull out my chair and sit before he took his own. He stared at me, smiling, and his blue eyes penetrating through my soul like hot knives.

I didn’t speak, but I could feel my cheeks burning as they started to blush, and my lips curling into a smile against my control.

Mr. Clark looked at me, smiled, and then looked at Gavin. “You two okay?” he laughed.

I didn’t respond. I couldn’t take my eyes off of him.

“Here are copies of all former contracts, including the legal documentation between Mr. Bellefonte and Caroline Grace,” Mr. Clark said, pushing a stack of papers in a white file folder toward me.

“I don’t need these,” I said softly.

“They are yours to keep, to do whatever you wish,” he added with a smile.

“I want you to know everything,” Gavin said, his voice so deep and sexy it vibrated my entire body.

“If you sign this, all monetary gain will be kept intact, as well as release of the remainder of the year’s promised earnings, and the contract will be void,” he said, sliding myself, and Tiffany a copy of the same paper.

“I don’t want the money,” I insisted, to which Tiffany gave me a warning glare.

“We are not going to waste any more time drawing up new papers. Sign it, and if you don’t want it, just give it back,” she said with a smile.

I reached for the pen, quickly scribbling my name where it stated. I pushed the paper back toward Mr. Clark, who quickly pushed it back toward Gavin. I watched as he signed. “I won’t take it back,” he smirked.

God, that smirk. It drove me wild.

“Okay. That’s it,” Mr. Clark said, standing from his seat.

I slid my chair back, stood, and watched as Gavin did the same. My gut ached at the thought of leaving. I wanted to rush into his arms, to tell him I loved him.

“Can I buy you breakfast?” Gavin asked.

His voice melted me, weakening my knees, and sending butterflies into my stomach.

“Yes,” I agreed, quickly, too quickly.

Tiffany and Gavin’s attorney shared a glance, and a smile as they both shook their heads. Gavin reached for my hand, intertwining his fingers between mine, and winked.

“You look beautiful,” he whispered as we walked out the door.

I smiled, feeling that familiar tingle between my legs, given easily with just the sound of his voice. I thought to myself, If only he’d seen me two days ago.

I wasn’t hungry, so I ordered coffee while Gavin worked on a stack of pancakes. “So, what do we do now?” he asked.

I knew we couldn’t go back to the way things had been. I loved him. I couldn’t pretend with him anymore; that’s all I knew.

“I don’t know. What should we do now?” I asked softly.

He reached across the table, taking my hands in his. “Stella Griffin, I have a proposal,” he smirked.

My heart raced as his eyes pierced into mine. His lips curled into that sexy, crooked smile I loved so much, and a deep sigh escaped from his throat.

“This is territory I’m not familiar with, not comfortable with. But how would you feel about coming back home, as my girlfriend,” he said.

His eyes locked onto me hard. I could almost taste the fear coming off of him.

“I can’t go back to pretending,” I whispered.

“I don’t want you to pretend. I don’t want to pretend. I love you, Stella,” he said, his voice starting to shake.

“So, no contracts?” I asked.

“No,” he said.

“What if it gets messy?” I asked, remembering what he told me about real relationships, and why he didn’t want one.

“A wise man once told me that life is messy, love is messy, and without love, there is no life,” he said.

“What about Isabella?” I asked.

“Izzy’s done nothing but whine about you coming back home since the day you left,” he said.

“I love you, too, Gavin Bellefonte. Yes, I’ll come back home,” I gushed as he slid from his side of the booth and into mine.

His arms wrapped around me, squeezing me tightly. It felt so good to have his lips on mine once again. I never wanted them to leave me again.