Page 5 of Willows and Waterlilies

“Did you know?” he asks with a now serious, almost pissed-off expression.

“Know what?” I counter with my hands placed on my hips, ready to go to war if I have to. In the peripheries of my vision, I notice Nate close his eyes and shake his head; this isn’t good, is it?

“That your boyfriend has a wife?”

“Ah, shit!” Nate mutters to himself, all comedy dropped. He was also there after Blake had dumped me because one woman wasn’t enough for him.

“I take it from the look on your face, you didn’t,” Mr Earle Grey says, helping me out by not making me verbally answer him. “Then, I’m truly sorry to be the bearer of such bad news.”

“Excuse me,” I just about manage to mumble as I shove the tainted flowers on top of the reception desk and begin marching toward the elevator. There’s a bathroom on my floor just begging for me to go and break down inside of it. I’m not risking an early showing of my crumbling in front of this suave man who is now eyeing me with severe pity.

“Ellie!” Nate shouts but I’m already pressing the button to get the hell out of here.

Elijah

Well, that went as well as could be expected. Knowing she was in the dark has me feeling sorry for her, and perhaps a complete ass for doing this in front of an audience. Said audience is still eyeing me with suspicion. I have a feeling he’s waiting for some sort of explanation as to why I would do such a thing.

“Do you know each other?” he asks, pointing his finger between me and the now departed elevator.

“Not by name,” I reply, “but we often see each other at the coffee shop before work…in passing. I knew she was seeing someone, but I didn’t for one minute believe this would be the same girl.”

“Yeah, that still feels a little weird to me,” he says with accusation in his voice, “just playing the good Samaritan?”

“My apologies, I felt like I had to help,” I try to explain, “my father had many girlfriends before he died and it all but destroyed my mother.”

“Oh, I see,” Nate says as he nods sadly, “I’m sorry.”

“Listen, I feel awful,” I admit, “I hope I don’t sound too forward, but could you pass my card onto Ellie? Perhaps I could take her for a drink to make up for it.”

“I like your style,” Nate says as he glances at my card, “but she might be feeling a little…vulnerableright now? She is my cousin after all.”

“No, of course, I sincerely meant as a friend. She’s under no obligation to call me, but perhaps I can reassure her that this is for the best, given what marrying a cheater did to my mother. Ellie is always lovely in the mornings, and she shouldn’t take it personally.”

“Yeah, try telling her that,” Nate scoffs, “she seems to attract assholes like this Jonathan. However, seeing as you know each other, I’ll pass on your card; give you the benefit of the doubt.”

“Thank you, and please pass on my apologies to Ellie,” I tell him while we shake hands.

“Yeah, but if this goes anywhere and you hurt her too,” he says with a charming, albeit threatening smile, “not only will I kick your ass, I’ll make sure Lucius Hastings knows about it too. He’s family, of sorts.”

“Duly noted,” I reply.

As I finally begin walking back out into the warm sunshine, I take out my phone to call my sister. We call one another on most days, even if it’s just to exchange a few words. We’re a little chalk and cheese; she fell into my mother’s role, whereas I always knew I wanted to be a career man who would live and breathe his work.

“Brother,” she answers with a perky voice.

“Kelly,” I reply with my usual casual tone, “you sound cheerful.”

“I just got a huge bunch of roses from my gorgeous hubby,” she trills, and I feel my heart sink inside my chest.

“Yeah, about that, Kelly,” I begin, “where is Jonathan now?”

“He’s at work, why?”

“Sit down, Kelly, I’ve got some bad news.”

Chapter 3

Ellie

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