KEPT: A Second Chance Fairy Tale (14 page)

Closing my eyes, hating the fact she’s truly leaving, I take in a breath before opening them again. Out of curiosity, I scan the area where the woman I now know as Ashlie had been, only to find her gone. I look further into the room for Michael, finding no sign of him, either. An odd sense of jealousy creeps up my spine, and I sit up to beat it back. It’s pointless to admit, even if only to myself, that I’m developing a crush on a man who’s closed-off, pointedly blunt, and has the charm of a warrior readying for battle. Unfortunately, women feel what they feel.

So be it.

“Lucy?” I hear a voice call from above. When I look up, I see Lillie standing over me, a cup full of punch in her hand. “Honey, are you okay?”

Shaking off my thoughts, I reply, “Yes. It’s getting late.” I check my watch and note the time. It’s only seven-thirty.

God, I’m lame.

“We can go anytime. I’ll give you a lift.”

“No, Lillie,” I answer. “I’ll call a cab. All of your friends are still here.”

Lillie looks into the small crowd and smiles warmly. “Michael’s not been in yet.”

Standing, I put my hand on her arm. “See? You have to stay and wait. He’d be disappointed if you didn’t.”

“Are you sure you want to call a taxi? Maybe he’d take you home. Or Corbin.”

“No,” I deny too quickly, catching a small smirk crossing her lips as her eyes dance in amusement. “I’m good.”

“All right,” she answers, leaning in to hug me. I hear the break in her voice as she whispers in my ear, “Take care of them, Lucy. I’m not their mother, but I worry like one.”

I nod into her shoulder and give her a reassuring squeeze. “As soon as I know
I
can live without you, they’ll be in good hands.”

Lillie laughs while pulling away and smiles wide as I turn around to go.

I stop when I hear, “Lucy?”

“Yeah?”

“You’d make him very happy if he’d let you. Convince him of that, okay?”

Rolling my eyes dramatically, I give a small wave and head into the hall. On my way there, I try not to think about Michael being unhappy and why. Lillie’s request came to me as a surprise. In everything I’ve come to know him to be, Michael is who he is. Nothing more, nothing less.

Once I’ve reached my desk, I sit for a few seconds, trying to remember why I’m here. I grab my purse first, then my cell phone.

The female voice startles me briefly before my eyes focus on Amazon Ashlie coming in my direction.

“Can I help you?” I ask sweetly, covering up the jealousy I truly shouldn’t feel. I think back to Corbin telling me she belongs to Michael.

“You can, actually,” she sneers.

Corbin warned me, so this ought to be good.

Michael

“W
HERE HAVE YOU BEEN?” LILLIE
scolds as I make my way into the conference room. She’s standing by the door, holding a red cup full of something. “I’ve been waiting all evening for you.”

“I had a few things to finish up.” That’s a lie. In truth, I was sitting at my desk in my locked office, brainstorming ways to avoid the party.

I hate crowds. Even more, I hate crowds of my own employees. The associates here tend to get tight and clam up in my presence. I knew Corbin and Lillie, even Lucy, had things handled, so I procrastinated for as long as I could.

“This is for you,” I inform Lillie, hoping to assuage her annoyance due to my late arrival.

“Do I speak just to hear my own voice?” she questions, pulling me in for a hug after seeing what I’ve brought her. “I said no presents!”

“It’s from all of us, Lil,” I assure, handing her the envelope. “You threw your own party. You weren’t going to buy your own gift.”

When her eyes start to water, she lifts her glasses to swipe a tear away. “Oh, Michael, really. What am I going to do without you?”

“You’ll see me in two weeks,” I remind her. “If Lucy’s still here for her one month anniversary dinner.”

“Oh! Yes, there’s that.” She smiles. “I forgot all about it.”

Lucy has managed two weeks at Mercer Law, and not because I’ve selfishly wanted it, but because she’s trying hard.

When Lucy botched my coffee three days in a row, she never folded under my frustration. She simply told me to drink it and went on to explain I’d live to see another day.

When she entered a meeting with a client and handed me the wrong file, she didn’t get flustered. She just told those waiting she’d had a rough Monday, even though it was Thursday, and she’d be right back.

Several times, she transferred my clients to Corbin, shrugging it off and stating how not everyone hated change as much as I did, saying they probably enjoyed talking to someone as nice as him in comparison to me.

Even through all of this, she’s remained steadfast and hasn’t wavered once, even in the slightest. So I’ve admitted, if only to myself, she fits.

She fits my life.

She makes me feel at ease, even in my own stubborn presence.

She captures my interest and holds it with her ridiculous way of tormenting me more than any woman I’ve ever met.

“My god. You didn’t,” Lillie exclaims with wide eyes as she takes in what Lucy insisted she have. “But why?”

“Why what?”

“Why be so nice now that I’m leaving?” she asks. “I would’ve left years ago for this!”

“It’s a cruise, Lillie, not a retirement home.”

“Oh, so you say! This is wonderful, Michael. Truly, it is.”

Appreciating her gratefulness, I can’t take all the credit. “Corbin had a little something to do with it.”

“And Lucy?” Her eyebrows lift, waiting for my admittance.

Nodding, I answer, “Lucy, too.”

“I love that young woman,” she breathes. I think she means it in a friendly sense until she continues. “I mean, I really love her for you.”

“Lillie…” I grit out in a low tone.

“Pardon me for saying this, but you’re a fool.”

“What?” I ask, feeling my face warm in reaction to the insult.

“You see her or, rather, you
watch
her.”

Jesus Christ, Lillie and Corbin must compare notes.

“Lillie,” I growl again. “Stop.”

She’s never feared me, but today is worse because she knows she can piss me off without suffering any consequences.

“I will
not
stop,” she insists. “Get to know her better and you’ll find she’s quite fun to be around.”

I know she’s right. I’ve been around her enough over the last two weeks to see she’s fun. “We’re not talking about this.”

Lillie scowls, her eyes narrowing to mere slits. Once she lets go of her agitation, she asks, “Now that you know her, will you tell her who you are?”

I know she’s pushing, hoping I’ve had a change of heart. But I haven’t and I won’t.

“No, Lil. That was the agreement when Corbin hired her.” Hoping I’m not obvious, I scan the room, just as I had when I entered. “Did she leave already?”

“Not yet. She’s calling a taxi.”

“A taxi?” I question. “What about Ruby?”

“Ruby?”

“Her car.”

Lillie laughs. “Oh yes.
Ruby
died. I picked Lucy up this morning.”

Immediately, I brainstorm ideas to help, then quickly fight it back, reminding myself it’s not my place.

Leaning down and giving her a swift kiss on the cheek, I say, “All right, Lillie. I’ll see you in a couple weeks for the dinner.” I point to the envelope still in her hand. “Lucy says you need to schedule the cruise as soon as you can. It’s only good for six months.”

Reaching up, Lillie wraps me in her small arms. She’s done this many times before, but this time is different. In a professional sense, she’s truly saying goodbye.

She kisses my cheek and pulls away. Her hand reaches up and she uses her thumb to remove her lipstick before she smiles. “Be good, Michael. And be nice.”

“I’m always nice.”

With my last response, Lillie rolls her eyes and turns back to the crowd of people here to wish her well.

Fuck, I’m going to miss that woman.

Instead of hanging around and making the staff feel uncomfortable, I head into the hall, curious as to Lucy’s whereabouts. I take a quick look left and find no one near the restrooms. Then I look in the direction of my office and see Ashlie leaning over Lucy’s desk as Lucy sits in her chair. My mind goes over why Ashlie would be approaching Lucy, and none of it is good. Protective instinct propels me forward, as I listen closely to what Ashlie’s saying.

“He’s not who you think he is, you know,” I hear Ashlie advise Lucy. Once I’m standing behind her, I listen as she continues talking. “Michael loves me, so unless you want your feelings hurt, I wouldn’t act on your crush.”

Jesus Christ.

Ashlie wasn’t supposed to be here. She said she had plans tonight, and I didn’t try to talk her into changing them. Truth be told, I haven’t made much of an effort to talk to her over the last week at all.

I step to the side and see Lucy’s wide eyes. Her cheeks are flushed, but not because Ashlie’s words have embarrassed her. I believe Ashlie’s presence in general has pissed her off.

When Lucy’s eyes come to mine, she says nothing, just reaches down and grabs her cell phone.

“Are you listening to what I’m saying?” Ashlie growls. “He’s–”

“
He’s
right here, Ashlie,” I announce in a sullen tone. Without wanting to cause more of a scene in front of Lucy, I keep the conversation casual. “I thought you weren’t going to make it.”

“O-oh, um…” Ashlie stutters, realizing I’m not happy with her being here.

She mentions something about a cancelation in her calendar, but I don’t hear it. I listen to Lucy on her phone as she gives the address to our office. Without thinking, I walk to her side of the desk and grab the phone from her hand. Once the call disconnects, I hand it back over.

“I was in the middle of a call!” she exclaims.

I turn my head in Ashlie’s direction first. Her mouth is open, but she’s finally stopped talking. I look down at Lucy and find her completely flustered, having no idea why I just did what I did.

“I’ll take you home,” I tell her.

“I was calling a taxi. That’s who you just hung up on.”

“I’ll take you home,” I tell her again. “It’ll save you time.”

“And money she probably needs for clothes or whatever,” Ashlie sneers.

“Seriously?” Lucy questions as she turns her glare to Ashlie. “No, thanks.”

This isn’t going well. Based on the staring contest between them, they clearly aren’t finished. Ashlie may be bigger in size and appearance, but Lucy’s swift and relentless when it comes to delivering her ire. I should know. I’ve had considerable experience with it.

“It’s done. I said I’ll take you,” I state in a way that offers no further argument. “Ashlie, you can call me tomorrow,” I instruct, already doubting that I’ll answer. Looking at Lucy, I tell her again so she doesn’t think of moving away, “You’re with me.”

“Michael,” Lucy addresses. I look to find her biting her bottom lip. She looks genuinely nervous. “I can call a taxi.”

Ashlie clears her throat. When my eyes move to hers, I notice she’s waiting for me to say something. I don’t. Instead, I grab Lucy’s phone from her hand, shove it in her purse, and start to pull out her chair.

On the way to Lucy’s apartment, I stay quiet. Not because I don’t have a few things I’d like to say regarding Ashlie, but because Lucy’s still tense. I hate this side of her. I much prefer her quirks and smartass comments to this.

“I think I lost a potential friend today,” she states quietly. “Your girlfriend doesn’t like me.”

“She’s not my girlfriend,” I tell her.

Her voice is small as she comments, “Right.”

“Who told you she was?”

I assume, by the look on her face, she doesn’t want to sell him out, but I know it was Corbin.

“There’s no reason she should hate me,” she tells me, refusing to answer my question. “I’m likeable.”

I give her that, explaining, “Ashlie can be difficult to manage.”

“Like others I know,” she quips. She pauses after she says it, and I’m unsure if I’m supposed to comment or not. When I don’t, she looks at me. “Do you ever laugh?”

“Laugh?”

“Yes. Do you ever?”

“Sometimes.”

“I’ve never seen you do it.”