Fallen (Beautiful Book 1) (2 page)

‘Shall we?’ he asked.

She nodded, and they left for the evening. They headed for the restaurant and were shown to their table. He admired her, the candlelight lit up her face.

‘Have I ever told you how beautiful you are?’

‘All the time.’ she giggled. ‘And thank you for telling me.’

‘I love you.’ His pupils dilated as he said that.

‘I love you too.’

He put his hand across the table and took her hand.

‘Are you okay? Is everything going okay at work?’

‘Everything is good. Not as great as you of course.’

‘Well, we can’t all be Faith’s.’ She teased.

He loved that about her. Her confidence, the way she didn’t apologise for who she was. He’d stand by her, she was too pretty to leave anyway, and his ego wouldn’t let him. In a way he loved showing her off to the world.

‘So this big business deal, how’s it going?’ he asked.

‘It’s amazing. This it is Jacob, this is my Everest.’

‘I’m happy for you, you deserve it.’

‘Thank you.’ She beamed and looked at the menu. ‘Should we order a bottle?’

‘I think so. We can toast to your success.’

She laughed. He was such a charmer, and she loved it. Every time she was with him, the more she loved him.

‘What do you fancy?’ he asked.

‘How about a Vose Romanee Les Hautees?’ she winked. ‘Vintage 2011? We are celebrating, aren’t we?’ She laughed.

‘Why not!’

He ordered the five hundred pound bottle of wine.

‘So, we still on for Friday evening?’ he asked.

She wrecked her brain. What was on Friday evening? Without her calendar, she was a speed train heading for a collision.’

‘Date – ’

‘Night.’ She gasped.

‘You’d forgotten hadn’t you?’

‘No… of course not.’

‘So I’m still coming over for that dish you promised?’

‘Yes, it was a promise, remember.’ She laughed lightly without a clue in the world what she had promised. ‘It’s at my house isn’t it?’ She had to make sure.

‘Yes.’ He watched her a moment.

‘Yes. Ha ha!’ She had totally forgotten, but she would check her calendar as soon as she got home.

The wine arrived. Jacob took a moment to savour it. It was perfect, and the waiter filled their glasses.

‘To your new venture.’ He lifted his glass.

‘Yes, to my new venture.’

They decided on the food and then he looked up at her and smiled.

‘What?’

‘You’re just so perfect.’

‘Oh stop it, no one’s perfect.’

‘But you are.’

She laughed.

‘Talking about perfection, I think I’m losing it a little,’ she said.

‘Why would you say that?’

‘You know how I like my room a certain way.’

‘Yes, I do. That’s why you don’t let the cleaners in your room.’

‘Exactly!  That’s the one room I want to sort out myself. But lately I think they’ve been going into my room.’

‘They wouldn’t do that, would they?’

‘It’s either that, or I’m loosing my mind.’

‘Why, what’s happened?’

‘This morning my toothbrush cup had been moved. I could’ve sworn it was on my left before I went to bed.’

‘But your cleaners wouldn’t have come in, in the middle of the night.’

‘I know, that’s why I think I’m losing it.’ She took a sip of the wine.

‘You could’ve unconsciously put the cup to the right. It happens. You’re so swamped with work, you could just be tired.’

‘True, but my chest of draws had been rearranged.’

‘Rearranged how?’

‘I like my bras in the top and second draw, and my panties at the bottom. This morning, everything had changed. My panties were in the first two draws, and my bras in the bottom draws.’

‘Yeah, that’s a little strange. Are you sure you’re not sleep walking again?’

‘I haven’t done that in years. It’s possible. But why would I do that?’

‘I have no idea how the mind works. You’re under a lot of stress.’

‘True, but its good stress.’

‘But nervous too. You have to deliver on your promise.’

‘And I will.’

‘That can be extremely stressful.’

‘You’re right, but my shoes had also been rearranged.’

‘Your mind could be trying to tell you to let go once in a while.’ He laughed.

‘Honey, this is serious, it’s freaking me out. I accused the cleaners this morning.’

‘Listen. Why don’t you just see your doctor just to be safe? I’m sure it’s just stress.’

‘I think you’re right. I’ll make the appointment. I hope I’m not sleep walking again. I’ll have to go on that medication again.’

‘Don’t stress about it. You’ve got enough to worry about.’

She nodded, he was right. They enjoyed the rest of the evening meal and finished with dessert. Faith called for a driver later that evening. They were both in no state to drive home.

He walked her to the door of her beautiful home.

‘Can I come inside?’ he asked while she unlocked the door.

‘Not tonight honey, I’m exhausted.’

‘Not even for a coffee?’

‘We both know what that means.’ She laughed. ‘I promise I’ll make it up to you on Friday.’

‘You promise.’

She stepped forward and wrapped her arms around him. ‘I promise. I’ll cook; we’ll have a good time. And I will deliver your wildest fantasy.’

‘Okay. I’m holding you to it.’

‘Please do.’ She kissed him. ‘I love you.’

‘I love you too.’

He waited until she was safely inside before he left her. Faith put down her things and headed upstairs for the bathroom to take a shower. She wanted to be in bed as soon as possible. She switched on the bedroom light, and stopped. Six pairs of her red panties were scatted across the floor.

‘What the?’ She looked behind her. ‘What??’ She gathered them up quickly and walked into the closet. The bras and panties that had been scattered that morning weren’t there. She felt dizzy. She was either crazy, or the cleaners had completely disobeyed her. She took slow steps towards the chest of draws and opened the top drawer.

‘Oh god!’ She dropped the panties and panicked. ‘What’s going on?’ The bras had been put back into the top draw. She opened the next draw, and there were more bras, and then she opened the last draw, the panties had been arranged nicely in the draw. Was she seeing things or was this really happening?

‘Shit.’ She tried to calm down. She took the time to pick up her knickers and put them back in the draw.

She walked back into the room and picked up her mobile.

‘This better be darn important,’ said Mel. ‘I was just about to nod off.’ She laughed.

‘Mel.’

‘What’s the matter, luv?’ asked her long time best friend.

‘I don’t know what’s happening, but something very strange is going on in my house.’

‘Tell me, what’s wrong.’

She told her about that morning, and what had happened that night.

‘Jacob thinks I might be sleep walking again, but this last incident didn’t happen in my sleep.’

There was silence between them.

‘It must be the cleaners; they might have something against you.’ Mel concluded.

‘You think?’

‘It’s possible. You’re not the easiest gal to please.’

Faith laughed. Mel was right there. ‘That may be true, but I’m not nasty either. I’m just to the point.’

‘Sweetie, sometimes people don’t like points. Some people need to be eased into it.  Sometimes you need tact.’

Faith giggled. ‘You’re right. I have to learn tact.’

‘That’s right my friend.’ She ran her hand through her red locks. ‘You know I love you no matter what. And because I can tell you where to go.’

She laughed. ‘That’s true.’

‘But some people fear you, so it might be spite. I’m not saying change who you are. Perhaps sit down and speak with them. If nothing changes or they still deny it, it might be time to hire new cleaners.’

‘Thank you ging.’ She’d called her ginger since high school days because of her shocking red hair.

‘I love you. Don’t stress.’

‘Now that I’ve spoken to you, I feel so much better.’

They spoke for a while longer, and then she hung up, had her shower and went to bed.

The next morning, nothing had changed. She checked her draws, and all was okay. Her toothbrush hadn’t moved, and all was well. She’d also spoken to the cleaners again, and they were adamant that they hadn’t done anything. She accepted it, but if it happened again, she would have no choice, but to find new cleaners.

Chapter Two

‘Come in.’ Faith kept her eyes on the screen.

‘Coffee?’ Noah came in holding a Starbucks coffee.

‘Where’s Charlie? That’s her job, not yours.’ She looked up at him and smiled.

‘I told her I’d get it.’

‘I’d rather you concentrate on the important stuff, than get me coffee.’

‘Well, there’s nothing more important than my boss.’

‘What have I told you about sucking up, Noah?’ She turned back to the screen.

He pulled out a seat and sat down. ‘You hate suck ups.’

‘You’ve come to ask me something and thought that if you buttered me up with a coffee, I’d mellow.’

‘No, I just wanted to do something nice for you.’

She sat back and studied the handsome man with the salt and pepper hair. He wasn’t someone she’d date even though he’d asked a number of times. It wasn’t because he wasn’t great, because he was; it was just that he wasn’t man enough for her. Faith was certain she’d eat him, like a black widow spider.

‘Thank you Noah. Is there anything else?’

‘I thought we could discuss the projects process ahead of the meeting on Monday.’

‘You need me to baby you?’ She didn’t blink.

‘No.’ He raised his hand to his chin, she noticed the silver medical alert bracelet around his wrist. In all the years she’d worked with him, she’d never noticed it.

‘Did you always wear that bracelet?’ she asked.

‘Yes.’

‘Strange I never noticed it.’

‘You don’t notice a lot of things, I don’t blame you. You’re a very busy woman.’

‘Thank God for Lilly.’ She laughed. ‘Okay, you have twenty minutes. Let’s see what you’ve got.’

He beamed. ‘I’ll just nip for my laptop if that’s all right.’

‘Sure.’ She went back to work.

He was back a few minutes later and she gave him her time. She remembered Mel’s words. She would try to pay more attention to the people around her. They were the bricks and mortar of her company.

It turned out to be a good session and she learnt a few things from him and he did from her.

‘This has been good. For once sucking up helped.’ She laughed. ‘But next time, just come straight to me without the bells and whistles.’

‘Absolutely.’

‘You’ll do great on Monday.’ She smiled and watched him leave the office.

She was on the phone ten minutes later on a conference call. An hour later she was heading for the conference room for a meeting. Two hours later she was back in her office, on the phone for the next hour.

Finally she took time to read emails, catch up on some things she’d been putting on hold. And as usual she lost track of time. Jacob walked into the office at a quarter to eight.

‘Shit!’ She fell back into the chair. ‘It’s Friday isn’t it?’

‘It is.’

‘I’m so so sorry. We can leave right now! I’m keeping my promise.’

‘Don’t worry about it. You’re a busy woman.’

‘No, I’m making you dinner, even if you get it at midnight.’ She gathered her belongings. ‘I’ve had all the groceries ordered and a great bottle of wine. All that’s needed is the cooking.’

He watched her and melted. Just looking at her pulled at his heart strings. He was a visual man, like many, but with her it was just too much. He thought that after a year, he’d be over it, but each time he saw her, it was like seeing her for the first time again.

He pulled her into him. ‘You know I’ll let you get off lightly.’ He kissed her.

‘Why’s that?’

‘Because you’re the most beautiful woman I’ve ever seen.’

‘If it weren’t for my looks, would you even be with me?’ she asked.

‘Why would you think that?’

‘Sometimes it feels that way. I’m more than looks you know.’

‘Boy do I know that. You’re hot, successful. You’re the whole package.’ He kept her in his arms. ‘Please don’t punish me for stating the obvious. I don’t think I’ll ever tire of admiring you.’