14. Gemma
Lil returns with Mary on her arm, a smirk on both their faces as they take in the disheveled state of my dress and hair. A flush creeps down my neck.
Connor follows behind hands in his pocket.
“Well, hello, you two.” Mary tilts her head, eyeing us. “What have you been up to all alone in here?”
Elijah’s gray eyes never leave mine. “We were discussing Gemma’s new fashion brand and my investment in it.”
What? My eyes widen. How did he find out about it?
“Bash mentioned her designs to me, and I wanted to take this chance to get to know her better.” My stomach flips. A few seconds ago, his fingers were literally inside me.
“An investment, huh? How generous of you,” Mary says.
I glance at her. She clearly doesn’t buy it. Why should she?
“Indeed, I really like what I’ve seen so far. It would be a good fit for our fashion label.” Elijah places his hand on my back.
Lil elbows Mary. “That’s good, right? Gemma’s amazing at what she does.”
“Yeah, congrats!” Mary says.
“I have no doubt. I look forward to discussing the details.” Elijah turns to me. “I’ll message you.”
A part of me yearns to believe in Elijah’s sincerity, while another warns me not to let my guard down. Elijah is engaged, and I’m still wounded from my failed marriage. Getting involved would only end in heartbreak.
“Sure,” I manage to choke out, my fingers fidgeting with the slit of my dress.
He leans in. “And this time, don’t ignore it.”
I have to clench my hands at my sides to avoid reaching for him. To pull him close and—
He steps back and gives a polite nod to Mary and Lil before following Connor out of the room. What is Elijah doing to me?
“Are you going to tell us what’s really happened in here?” Mary asks.
“There’s nothing to tell.” I shrug. “We… talked.”
“Talked. Admit you want him.” Lil points at me.
“It’s not that simple.” I sigh, raking a hand through my hair. “He is engaged, remember? Although he said it’s fake, I don’t know. And now he wants to invest in me?”
“It’s fake? Good news, right?” Mary nudges me. “You deserve to find happiness again. And if Elijah is the one to help you rediscover that part of yourself, then you owe it to yourself to see where this leads.”
“I know you mean well. But what if it is a game to him?”
Mary exchanges a glance with Lil. “So, why don’t you two keep it casual? No strings attached. He could be your rebound.”
“Yeah…” My gaze drifts down. Maybe it’s not a bad idea? The more I think about it, the more appealing it sounds. Could it be that simple? After what happened with Oliver, it could be better to live my single life to the fullest.
Lifting my head, I notice Lil’s dress has a large wet spot down the front. “Lil, what happened to your dress?”
She glances down and chuckles. “Oh yeah, total klutz move. I was trying to grab another glass of champagne from a passing waiter and ended up like this.”
Mary clicks her tongue. “Champagne is so sticky, too.”
“Tell me about it.” Lil picks at the wet fabric. “I tried to clean it up in the bathroom… but no luck.”
“Let’s get home then,” I say.
The next day I wake with a throbbing head. After a few moments, the ache dulls to a bearable level. I sit up on the edge of my bed and rub the sleep from my eyes, recalling the events of last night. The charity gala. Elijah.
Walking into the kitchen, the scent of freshly brewed coffee fills the air. Mary and Lil are already seated at the table, their hair disheveled. Same as mine.
“Morning,” Mary mumbles into her mug of coffee. Lil grunts in response.
I pour myself a cup and join them at the table. “How are the hangovers?”
Mary rubs her temples. “Like a herd of elephants stampeding through my brain.”
“Same, I’m tired,” I say.
“Same here,” Lil says. “I feel like I’ve been hit by a truck.”
“Maybe next time we won’t drink so much,” Mary says, earning a giggle from both Lil and me.
“Did Elijah call?” Mary eyes me over the rim of her mug.
“No, he didn’t.” I stare into my coffee, watching the wisps of steam curl and vanish.
“I’m sure he’ll call soon,” Mary says.
What if he lied about the engagement being fake? Everything in me screams he told the truth. So why didn’t he text me yet?
Lil reaches over and squeezes my hand. “Don’t overthink it. See what happens. There’s surely more between you two.”
I take a sip of coffee and shrug. “I don’t know what you mean. We discussed business.”
Him-fingering-me-to-orgasm-business.
“Yeah, of course,” Mary says.
“Fine,” I say. “It was a bit more than business.” This man knows which buttons he has to push.
“Speaking of last night… did anyone catch who that woman next to Sebastian was?” Lil toys with her bacon.
It’s obvious she’s trying to hide her jealousy, but I can see a hint of frustration in the tightness around her mouth.
“Ah, yes,” Mary says. “I believe her name is Serena, from the Morgan family.”
“Serena Morgan.” Lil still picks at her food. I wish she would let us in more. Tell us what happened between her and my brother so we can help. “Are they dating?”
“From what I’ve heard, they’ve been spotted together quite frequently over the past few weeks.” Mary takes a sip of her coffee. “Maybe they’re friends.”
“Or they currently have a business deal to discuss,” I say. Better not jump to conclusions. I’m certain Bash is still in love with Lil. He wouldn’t date another woman. “Otherwise, he would tell me.”
Lil nods, biting her lip. “It’s none of my business, anyway.”
“Enough about last night,” Mary says. “Let’s talk about something else. Any plans for today?”
“Work, as usual. What about you two?” I say.
“Yoga.” Mary puts her hands over her head together, imitating a pose. “I hope I will survive it. I can already hear my teacher complaining.”
Lil laughs. “I undoubtedly won’t be doing any sports today.”
All our eyes snap to my phone as it buzzes on the table.
An unknown number flashes across the screen.
Elijah? Could it be him? Shit, I forgot. I didn’t unblock his number yet. I’m so stupid. Of course, I didn’t get any text messages. But who?
Heart pounding, I hesitate. As I want to pick it up, the call disappears.
“Who was that?” Lil asks.
“Unknown number.” I shrug, avoiding their gaze. “Probably a telemarketer.”
“Or Elijah.” Mary waggles her eyebrows.
“Doubtful. He’s probably too busy planning his wedding with Esther.”
“Oh, I see. We’re back to hating him.” Mary winks at me.
My phone buzzes again with a text from the same unknown number.
Unknown number: I told you to answer.
It’s Elijah.
“Who’s making you smile like that?” Mary asks.
“Nobody,” I say too quickly. It buzzes again.
Lil leans over to peek at the message preview on my phone, but I snatch it away before she can read it.
“Oh, come on. It’s him, right?” Lil reaches for my phone. “Please. Let us see.”
“Fine, but let me check first. To see if it’s… safe.” I pull up the messages.
Unknown number: I told you to answer.
Unknown number: Table is reserved at 8.
Mary and Lil both stand up and glance over my shoulder.
Mary nudges me. “Ha, it’s him. Right?”
Lil screeches. “I knew it. You have to write him back.”
“Do you think he is sincere about investing and helping me?” I ask out loud.
Mary touches my shoulder. “Why not? Meet up with him, and if not, you can still fuck him.”
Her directness makes me and Lil laugh.
As if on cue, my phone buzzes again.
Unknown number: River’s Club. I’ll pick you up.
Me: Busy tonight.
“What do you have planned?” Lil asks.
I huff. “My mom set up another date.”
I place my phone upside down after saving his number under ‘Mr. Answer Me’.
My phone buzzes twice in quick succession, but I don’t move, and Lil and Mary return to their seats.
I cross my arms under my chest, lifting my shoulders. “I can’t.”
Mary and Lil exchange a glance.
“My mother insists I need to ‘get out there’ more.” I make air quotes with my fingers. “Anyway, it’s dinner, so hopefully, it won’t be too painful.”
“Who is the lucky guy? Elijah?” Mary sips her coffee.
“Certainly not. But I don’t know. Mom wouldn’t give me any details, said he’s ‘perfect’ for me.”
I let out an exasperated sigh. “We’ll see about that.”
“So what about Elijah?” Mary probes, her eyebrows raised in curiosity. “It’s obvious he’s into you.”
“He’s engaged,” I say. “Besides, if he’s allowed to parade around with Esther, why shouldn’t I go on a date?”
“True.” Lil nods her head.
The rest of breakfast passes, and by the time Mary goes off to her yoga class and Lil relaxes on the couch, I’ve almost convinced myself that I don’t care about Elijah or his messages. Almost.
I busy myself with chores around the apartment as the day drags on, anything to keep my mind occupied, but Elijah’s face keeps flashing in my mind. The feel of his fingers inside of me.
Groaning, I jump on my bed. Face down. I need to find a way to get him out of my head before I do something stupid, like message back.
My phone buzzes.
My fingers itch. No. I won’t.
Replying will only make things harder. Not today.
I turn my head, looking at my phone.
Ugh.
Mr. Answer Me: What do you have planned?
Mr. Answer Me: Cancel it.
Mr. Answer Me: You’re making me crazy, my little gem.
He’s engaged for crying out loud. He has no right to make such demands. And yet, it’s fake. There I am, second-guessing myself. I press on his ‘Cancel it.’-message and hit reply.
Gemma: Can’t.
Mr. Answer Me: Why?
Gemma: Pick another day.
Mr. Answer Me: Fine.
Fine? This was… too easy.
I toss my phone onto the bed and start getting ready, fixing my hair and applying makeup. All the while, Elijah’s words keep ringing in my ears. Cancel it.
Tonight, I’m going to enjoy my date with someone new, someone who isn’t engaged. And if Elijah truly cares, he’ll have to prove it, not with empty words, but with actions that speak louder than any text message ever could.
I slip into my dress and step into my heels. You can’t have it all, Elijah Milton.