Chapter 29
AVA
Iwoke up the next morning, feeling deliriously happy at the touch of Desmond’s hand on my waist. The sun shone brightly down through the window in a blue sky that seemed to promise endless happiness.
Until I realized just what I had waiting for me two hours into my day.
That sent me sitting bolt upright in bed and searching around for my clothes.
“What time is your interview?” Desmond asked, rightly interpreting my haste as I ran to the master bathroom to get showered and dressed.
The place was so big that I had to run between the closet in the bathroom to grab my bathrobe to the shower at the other end of the bathroom, fifteen feet away.
“In two hours,” I said, squeezing the lemon-scented body wash onto my hands and scrubbing myself. “I need to give off an aura that says woman you don’t mess with because this is my only chance to let Kyle know that I can’t be scared into hiding anymore.”
Desmond waited by the side of the glass shower door until I stepped out in my bathrobe.
He gave me a kiss, water droplets and all, and said, “You will do it, sweetheart. I believe in you.”
That sent a warmth exploding through me that I hadn’t known was possible. Desmond was checking way too many boxes in the good partner column.
What a pity that this is just a short-term fling.
Desmond stepped into the shower while I got dressed. I’d packed a spare set of clothes in my bag last night before I came over, and Desmond had made sure it was pressed and ready for me in the morning.
“Hulle Laundry Services,” I read out loud when I saw the black bag that encased my neatly ironed clothes and raised my eyebrows in mild awe before I took out my clothes and put them on. It smelled like lavender and definitely gave off confident woman vibes.
Desmond knew me too well.
“I thought Hulle was a bakery?” I asked as Desmond came up from behind me. “I’ve never been there, but I hear they make amazing cakes.”
He pressed a kiss to my hair. “It’s the same one. They’ve branched off into many industries,” he said. I looked at the bag again. “I’ll take you there sometime. But for today, you’re going to kick ass in that interview.”
Reaching up on my toes, I gave him a quick goodbye kiss. “Thank you,” I whispered before I ran out the door and into the elevator, knowing that my cab ride was just around the corner.
Desmond had persuaded me to try a local cab service, and I’d given in to him for just once. It had worked out great and saved me a good ten minutes of walking at breakneck speed to get to the subway station.
After that, cab rides to work on the days I stayed over at Desmond’s had become my new norm.
He paid for it, just like he paid for the breakfast he ordered in occasionally when I was in the shower, preempting me from cooking eggs and bacon after I got dressed.
I’d stopped fighting it, and for once, I just learned to accept that he was going to do things for me.
It felt good in a way I hadn’t remembered feeling for a long time. Relaxed.
It’s short-lived after all, I reminded myself whenever a pang of guilt hit me at the amount of effort he was putting into taking care of me.
Desmond and I would move on, possibly when Mom’s restaurant reopened and I didn’t work here anymore.
For the next ten minutes, I spent most of the car ride practicing what I had to say about Kyle’s involvement in the embezzlement.
I reached work and got out of the car, smoothing my skirt as I did so, when I heard another car pull up behind us. Desmond’s car.
Jesus. This guy was going to give us away if he insisted on following me at such a close distance.
“Wait,” I whispered as Desmond got out of the car, a smile on his face when he saw me climb the steps. “Wait a few minutes first.”
I hurried away into the lobby, and in my haste, I ran into a couple of women who were talking to Otto at reception. I stopped to apologize just as one of the women turned to look at me.
Ellie Hunt.
Desmond’s footsteps followed me not a minute later, and Ellie’s gaze went up to him in the distance in some surprise.
“You’re in late today,” she mentioned briefly.
I felt nervous, but Desmond walked up to stand in front of the women.
“Ellie.” His voice was curt and brusque. His eyes flicked to the woman next to Ellie. “Who do we have here?”
Ellie smiled a liquid, stretchy smile and put her hand on his arm. “Desmond,” she said, “meet Bianca Rutherford. The reporter who’s going to interview Ms. Hale.”
I turned to Bianca. She was slim and tall, had her ash-blonde hair in loose waves, down to her back, and wore a blue pantsuit that accentuated her blue eyes.
She had on bright magenta lipstick, and her smile was wide, but her eyes were sharp.
She radiated a no-nonsense, do what it takes aura that seemed as powerful as a large tsunami approaching a tiny island.
She is going to rip me apart in this interview, I thought, feeling a weakness wash over me.
Bianca’s eyes widened with surprise when she saw Desmond before she turned to Ellie. “You’ve got quite the welcoming committee for me, Ellie.”
Desmond stepped forward and shook her hand. “Ms. Rutherford, nice to meet you finally, after you recently threatened to expose me and my shady practices.”
Bianca gave him a wink. “All a part of the job. Please, call me Bianca.”
She turned to me. “Ava Hale, is it not?” she asked, shaking my hand firmly. “Now, Ms. Hale, if you’d join me in this meeting room Ellie’s reserved for us—”
But Desmond stopped her. “Since this involves my company and I’m trusting you with my employee, I’m going to ask you to send me a preliminary copy for review before you publish.”
Bianca looked astonished. “Ellie has always received the preliminary copy. That used to be enough before.”
“Ah, but your reporting has changed direction quite a bit from before, Bianca,” Desmond responded. “It’s been a lot more speculation and a lot less factual reporting lately, hasn’t it? So, I insist. A copy forwarded to me by the end of the week, please.”
Bianca looked like she wanted to challenge him on it but thought better of it. After a moment, she nodded reluctantly in agreement. “You never fail to surprise me, Mr. McKinley.”
She turned to me, having made her peace with the new order. “I’m thrilled to meet you, Ms. Hale. Now, are you ready for this?” She took a step closer.
I spoke after a moment, my voice sounding firm but shaky. “A month ago, I told myself that I’d find Kyle Whitby and make sure he paid for ruining my mother’s restaurant.” I hesitated. “And if you’re going to help me do it, then, yes, I’m as ready as I’ll ever be.”
She nodded at me, a firm woman-to-woman nod, just as I saw Desmond relax beside me.
Without waiting for an answer, she gestured to the small meeting room on the first floor.
I turned around for one last look at Desmond before I followed her and saw his eyebrows draw together in concern as his eyes followed me.