Chapter 34
CHAPTER THIRTY-FOUR
ALORA
I step onto my back foot, surprised by his prediction. “That’s ridiculous,” I fire back.
Wait….
There is a scandal brewing…could his story have some merit?
“He doesn’t love you, Alora.” He twists his lips. “Not like I did.”
“Pascal, we haven’t been together for months.”
“Eight short weeks and you’ve already promised to marry someone else? You don’t even know someone in eight weeks.”
My eyes hold his.
“Did our relationship mean so little to you that you would marry someone like him just to get back at me?”
“This has nothing to do with you,” I whisper.
“Wake up, Alora. He’s going to throw you aside as soon as he gets bored, because that’s what Prescott does. Speak to his long list of broken-hearted ex-girlfriends; they were all promised the same things as you and look where they are now.”
“Pascal.”
“Edward Prescott looks after Edward Prescott…. But I guess you’ll find that out the hard way.”
I feel Philippe walk up behind me. “Everything alright here?”
“Yes,” I lie. “I’m coming now.” I look Pascal dead in the eye. “Goodbye, Pascal.”
“Is it?” he replies sarcastically. “It doesn’t feel so good to me.”
I brush past him and walk into my store, rattled by his accusations. I put my purse out the back and sit at my desk. My heart is racing and my face is flushed.
Damn it.
Why did I have to see him…. This is supposed to be a happy celebratory day.
Why did he have to put that into my head?
I know his accusations are utterly ridiculous because we are in love and I know that Edward wouldn’t do that to me.
Adrenaline pumps through my bloodstream as alarm bells scream in the distance.
Would he…?
3 P.M.
“Oh my god.” Jonty waves his arms around in excitement as he holds his phone. “Here it is, here it is.”
“Shh,” I mouth, and I gesture to Philippe, who’s reading his book at the front of the store. “Come in the office,” I mouth.
Don’t ask me why…. But since I saw Pascal this morning, I don’t want to be openly gushing about the engagement.
On one hand, I know that Pascal’s a jilted ex and I’m not going to let it come between Edward and me, but the truth is that it has taken the shine off my excitement.
In fact, it’s kind of filled me with dread.
What if he was right? What if this is all some elaborate plan to hide from the story about Hermione that’s going to blow up?
It’s not….
“It says…” Jonty reads the story from the newsroom.
“The casino king Edward Prescott has announced his engagement to a mystery woman, Alora Sorenson.” He hunches his shoulders up in excitement.
“It says here, Edward Prescott, who has been noticeably absent from social gatherings for an extended period of time, has re-emerged a taken man. He made a statement this morning. ‘Alora and I dated years ago and she was always the one that got away. We reconnected and are very much in love. We are very excited to be planning a life together and would appreciate privacy at this special time.’ Oh my god.” Jonty reads on. “There’s a picture of the two of you.”
“What?” I frown.
“Oh, you look good too.”
I snatch the phone from him to see a photo of the two of us just after we got engaged, I think Charlotte took this photo. We are in the garden, drinking champagne, and his arm is around me, we are both laughing and my ring is front and center. “I didn’t know he was using this photo?” I frown.
“You don’t like it?” Jonty takes his phone back and studies it again.
“No, I do. I just assumed he would have gotten approval that I wanted to use it.”
Jonty smiles as he stares at the photo. “As if he would ask for permission for anything.”
Hmm….
Even Jonty has an opinion of Edward.
My phone lights up on my desk as a call comes in. Thomas Stone.
Actually…I could use a Thomas pep talk right now. “Hello.”
“Hey.” I can tell he’s smiling. “I just read a very interesting story about a future Mrs. Prescott.”
“Ha.” I hold my finger up to Jonty. “Back in a minute.” I walk past Philippe. “Just going to sit and have a coffee in the café. You can watch me from here, I’ll sit by the window.”
He glances around. “Yeah, okay.”
I rush out into the street. “Oh my god, thank god you called,” I whisper.
“Are you on cloud nine?”
“I was until I saw my ex this morning.” I try to keep my voice down.
“You think you’re marrying the wrong guy?”
“No,” I scoff. “Nothing like that. Hang on.” I put the phone down and ask the server, “Hello, can I just grab a table by the door please?”
“Sure thing.” She leads me to a table and I sit down. “A café Americano, please.”
“Of course.”
“What’s going on?”
“So…I need you to tell me I’m being an idiot.”
“Why?”
“Well, Edward and I, we are so in love and it feels right, you know?”
“Okay,” he replies.
“And he took me home to meet his family in London and he spontaneously asked me to marry him and gave me his mother’s engagement ring.”
“What?” He gasps. “Are you serious?”
“Yes.”
“My god, congratulations.”
“I have a problem now.”
“What?” He listens. “So….”
“On the way to work this morning I ran into my ex, Pascal.”
“Is this the guy you ran into in Paris?”
“Yes.”
“Why is this guy running into you everywhere?”
“I don’t know. But he said that he thinks that Edward only asked me to marry him to cover up a scandal.”
“Oh, fuck off,” he scoffs, “Jilted lover much.”
“You think?”
“He’s such a fuckwit. Do not listen to this asshole.”
“It’s really upset me.”
“Why would he say that to you? Even if you thought it, you would never say it unless you were purposely trying to hurt someone’s feelings.”
“You think?”
“I know. Alora, let’s break down what he actually said…he thinks that the only reason someone would ask you to marry them is because of a scandal.”
“I guess.”
“And that someone like Edward Prescott couldn’t possibly love someone like you.”
“Basically.”
“Fuck. Him.”
I smile, feeling better. “You think?”
“Babe, if Edward Prescott didn’t want to get married, not even the devil himself could make him do it.”
“You’re right.” I feel a weight lift off my shoulders. “God, I’ve had the worst day.”
“Honestly…. This ex of yours is a narcissist. You dodged a bullet with that one.”
“Yeah, perhaps you’re right.” I smile. “Thank you, I feel like I can’t talk to anyone. You have such a great perspective on things.”
“Lucky you’ve got me as a friend, then, isn’t it?”
“It is. When do you get back?”
“I fly in on Friday. I’ve got the weekend off; do you want to grab a coffee or something?”
“Sure.”
“Hey, congratulations, babe. I’m so happy for you. Enjoy this special time and don’t let anyone steal it from you.”
He’s right.
“Thank you.” I smile down the phone, feeling happy for the first time today. “I’ll see you on the weekend.”
“Okay, bye.” I hang up and my coffee arrives, and I hold my hand out and look down at it, finally I can sit here and stare at my beautiful ring in peace.
5 P.M.
Jonty and Helene stand at the window and peer out onto the street. “Another carful just pulled up.”
“Surely not,” I stammer as I nervously reapply my lipstick. “What the hell are they all doing here?” I pull my fingers through my hair and straighten my skirt. “Damn it, I should have worn something nicer.”
A swarm of activity has begun outside, paparazzi are gathering out the front of my store. “Get back,” Philippe instructs them as he holds his hands out to direct them the distance he wants them to stay away.
“How do they even know who I am?” I frown as I dial Edward’s number.
“It wouldn’t be hard to find you, they just have to google your name,” Helene calls.
“Hello, Miss Sorenson,” he purrs through the phone.
Butterflies swirl at the sound of his voice, it’s so damn delicious that I can’t stand it. “Hello.” I swoon.
“How was your day, sweetheart?”
“Wonderful,” I whisper. “How was yours?”
“Even better than that.” I can tell that he’s smiling too. “What’s up?”
“Photographers have started congregating outside my store.”
“Yes, so I heard.”
“Well….”
“Well, what?”
“Well, what do I do?”
“Ignore them.”
“What?” I frown. “How do I ignore them?”
“You walk out to the car with your guards and you get into it and then they will drive you into our secured garage and then they’ll leave.”
“Oh.” I frown as I think. “So I don’t have to do anything?”
“No. Not unless you want to.”
“Want to what?”
“If you want to answer their questions you can, although I would advise against it because if they know you are going to entertain them then they will hound you even more.”
“Oh.” I begin to pace as I think.
“Is that all?” He cuts me off.
“I mean…. Are you in a rush or something?”
“No, but the ten men sitting around the conference table who are all watching and waiting might be.”
I hear a collective chuckle of men.
“Oh, crap. Sorry. Okay, bye.” I hang up in a rush and screw up my face in horror. How do I always forget that he’s busy in meetings all the time? I’m not sure I’ll ever get used to dating someone important.
“What did he say?” Helene calls as she stands at the front window. “It’s becoming a real circus now, and can we talk about how hot Philippe is when he’s being bossy?” She puts her arm out all dramatic like. “Get back,” she says in a deep voice as she mimics him.
Jonty and I roll our eyes at each other.
“He said ignore them and just get into the car without saying anything to them.”
“That makes sense,” Jonty replies. “Don’t want to encourage the fuckers.”
“That’s what he said.” I pack up my things. “Okay, are we ready?”
“Yep.” The others grab their things and we turn off the lights and make our way over and open the front doors. “Miss Sorenson,” someone calls. “Can I have an exclusive please?”
“Miss Sorenson, congratulations on your engagement.”
“Miss Sorenson, how did you meet Mr. Prescott?”
“This way.” Philippe leads me to the car as cameras flash and I am quickly ushered into the back seat and the door is slammed behind me.
Cameras flash through the windows and I glance up to see Helene and Jonty walking down the street alone and my heart sinks. I didn’t even say goodbye to them.
Ugh, I need to get better at this.