Chapter 21

Spending the day with Piper was the best idea. Thank God I wore my flats because we walked for hours. Now my car is filed with bunch of knickknacks for my house. At such moments I do feel a bit of regret because of the fact I moved to the country. It is something that I needed to do, I’m safer there less of a chance of running into somebody that knows Mason. The second thing is I’m a workaholic, most of my time is spent inside working all day. Beauty and all the amenities of the city are wasted on me at least in Willow Creek the nature is actually in my house. I’m compelled to take care of the garden and in the same time I can work on the terrace.

For once I like being “the baggage”, let somebody else have the itinerary, be in charge of where we go an what we do. Piper is a natural caretaker so when John picked us up sometime that afternoon and Piper informed me, we are invited to the County Club for a drink I was more than happy to join her. She apologized but she just had to drop by and say hello or “otherwise it would have been rude” – as she put it. It was fine for me so we joined Drake and his friends.

Moment I was seated next to Timothy lightbulb exploded somewhere in my mind. Piper is playing matchmaker again, showing me that there is world beyond Liam.

Timothy is a handsome young man, very good looking in a what I would describe as classical country club style. Confident, charming with a grand aura of a person who has a firm purpose in life. You know – the opposite of me. Maybe I really need a strong man by my side to help steer me through life.

I shuddered as soon as this thought formed in my head. Yea, just like Mason! No thank you. Never again.

The group was nothing like the preconceived picture I formed in my mind. The picture skewed most probably long time ago by my mother. There were no grand divas discussing their latest mind-blowing expensive shopping neither did the men seclude themselves in the cigar room. Just people having a break from kids and work, enjoying a drink in a beautiful garden. Being the outsider gave me the chance to absorb the group dynamic from the outskirts. Timothy was obviously Drake’s protégé, well spiritual one at least because sweet Timothy is a doctor - pediatric surgeon to be more precise. At least he is going to be once all the internship is done.

Anyhow it turns out our Timothy is not only easy on the eyes with his sparkling bright green eyes and dark blond messily chopped locks, but he also seems like a rely nice guy. As first impressions go, he is in the top ten percent on the totally likeable scale. No weird bone in his body – at least on first scan. Why didn’t I meet this guy just three days ago? Why the hell Piper thought Liam would be better choice? Nice Timothy and I could have had few nice dates, squeezed in between his impossibly occupied calendar and my obsession with getting my company off the ground. Had some nice casual sex before we are both pulled away by the relentless force called our life. We would still be friends, promising we’ll grab a coffee sometimes but as time would progress that would happen less and less.

The group invites us to join them for a dinner and we decline them on the account of our reservation at the hip new sushi restaurant.

Almost an hour later I’m standing on the terrace in Piper’s house refreshed by the shower. I’m wearing my black leather pants and a sleeveless, white silk blouse paired with black high heel pumps. White blazer is draped around the back of one of the chairs. It is still hot but the air-conditioning in some of these restaurants can be intensive. Hearing clack of Piper’s heels against the marble floor makes me turn around.

“You look amazing!” I tell her as she approaches also giving myself a mental pat on the back for taking two dinner outfits.

Piper would gladly lend me some clothes but we are differently built. Piper is tall and willowy, her appearance of somebody quiet and melancholic in total contrast with her sparkly and outgoing personality. While I’m shorter and curvy. She wears tailored clothes, customized to her body so borrowing something of hers would be very hard. True to that she was wearing a fitted mid length nude dress with a three-quarter sleeve. Her long blond hair was tied in a ponytail adorned with a silk scarf matching the palette of colors she was wearing. It is luck that I decided to take my black pencil dress as a backup for this dinner so that I have something to wear tomorrow for the meeting with Liam. She smiles and takes one long look at me.

“Now I regret not accepting the dinner offer in the club. Timothy would have appreciated this look.” She teases.

“You are playing a dangerous game.” I respond.

“This is only market research, so that you know what you actually want.” She winks at me.

We collect our bags and leave.

***

John drove us back downtown. The car stopping in front of a modern looking building. All straight rectangular shapes differently arranged to fit in neatly. Mixture of textures varying from brick, glass, metal beams and stonework.

We enter and are seated at a two-person table on the first-floor terrace. The place is packed brimming with life. The interior is also very geometrical. There are three rows of tables on the terrace running in parallel with the longer side of the rectangle. Multi-person tables in the middle row, smaller four-person tables on one side and two-person tables on the opposite side. Heaps of stone and natural wood dominate the area accented by a wall of green. Living bamboo plants bringing a pop of color and life into the space.

Our table is first in the row and I sit turning my back to the rest of the room. We order a mix of signature sushi roles of the restaurant, some Miso soup, and Junmai Ginjo Sake. While we wait for our order the conversation veers back to Liam. Piper already got the main points of what happened between us and I confessed how I’m torn between wanting more from him and not being sure if that is possible.

“What do you think about Timothy?” She asks me.

“He is a really nice catch for anybody with some sense in their head.” I respond sighing.

“He is single, not damaged by previous girlfriends and has a great future in front of him.” Piper states the obvious. Although I didn’t know the girlfriend part.

“And gorgeous.” I add.

“Buuut you are not interested.”

“I cannot process two guys in less than 24 hours.” I explain.

“Fair enough. Don’t get lost in your head, overthinking everything. Have some fun.”

I smirk at her and my gaze falls to the woman entering the terrace. Our eyes connect and I recognize her – Adele!

Her hair is now a different color and style but it’s her. I automatically switch to my cold expressionless face trying to hide the disgust of running into her. The woman who is the main reason I left Liam’s company three years ago and the woman Liam chose to have a relationship with for years now. She smirks her usual condescending smile and walks in our direction.

“It’s been years, Madison.” She mentions reaching our table.

“Hi Adele, yes. How have you been?” I ask and not really wait for the answer to continue, “Adele this is Piper Holden, my friend”.

“Hi Adele,” Piper responds and informs me, “we know each other.”

“I’ve been good always getting ahead, and you?” Adele continues.

“I’m ok, also working on lot of things…” I respond without going into any detail.

“You managed to create a living from your hobby if I remember correctly, that is so nice to hear. Real business was never your strongest side.” False compassion on her face makes me want to punch her. Silence hangs in the air as once again I don’t respond to the provocation. This isn’t the first degrading thing she told me.

She is the first one to speak. “Nice running into you, I have to go my date is waiting.”

“Always a pleasure Adele, have a nice dinner.” I respond and she gives a nod to Piper before she continues walking further into the room behind my back.

“That was warm.” Piper half whispers.

“I worked for her and she treated me badly.” I explain not really knowing what kind of relationship Piper has with Adele.

“You don’t have to be nice; I know she is a bitch.” Piper tells me.

Yes, she is a bitch but a bitch which was pictured with Liam on more than few occasions. Adele is gorgeous, cover page material. Perhaps this is his type of woman, perhaps he is just as ruthless as she is. Just exploiting people around, him for any gain he currently needs. Am I so naïve that I don’t see that?

“I can almost see little cogs spinning in your head.” Piper pulls me out of my thoughts.

“I just can’t wrap my head around the fact she is with Liam, “I admit it.

“Please consider the term WITH broadly in Liam’s case, because believe me Liam is not WITH anybody.” Piper responds.

The server comes to bring our sushi and sake. He places the sushi in front of us, pours the sake and greets us with a quiet itadakimasu. We respond in the same way. Piper gets hold of her chopsticks and I grab the sake cup.

“How do you know he is not with anybody?” I ask Piper.

“Because that is like his superpower,” she blurts.

My raised eyebrow convinces Piper she needs to explain mor than that.

“Everybody knows that about him, he goes out on few dates, but he never lets anybody in his personal life. Diner, date, sex and a swift goodbye before any attachments are made.” She continues.

“And I told you I was only looking for quick sex…” I finish.

“I didn’t know you two had a past.”

“We don’t have a past. I worked in his company, period.”

“But you like him all this time and now you want more than just a physical relationship…” She adds.

“I had a great time with him, yes. Do I want more of that – hell yes. Do I want more than that – I really don’t know.” I tell her honestly. “He is with Adele for years. How does that fit in what you just told me?”

“Again, he is not WITH her. Yes, he sometimes takes her to public functions and were intimate for sure, but he also uses her as a shield against other woman.”

“That is disgusting.” I scrunch my face not really believing Piper that Liam could be such an ass.

“I’m already saying too much and Drake is going to kill me because Liam is extremely protective of his private life. He doesn’t do it consciously, but she is usually always nearby, so that when he needs a woman, he can always go to her. And there have been rumors that Adele makes sure to discreetly gets rid of the competition.”

“What do you mean gets rid of?” I lean across the table.

“Nothing capital crime, but girls have been dismissed, moved to other cities…”

My jaw must have been wide open because she grabs her sake cup as well. “What are we drinking to?”

“I don’t know. To all the bitches of the world as they always get what they want, no matter what.”

“I don’t support the word you just said, but let’s drink!” Piper salutes me with the small cup as we both take a drink. The cup barely touched her lip when she starts choking a coughing.

“Are you ok?” I ask her and notice she is looking behind my back.

“Good evening, ladies!” I hear a familiar deep voice before I even had a chance to turn around.

Liam!

My throat clenches as Adele reaches our table with Liam right on her heals. Pain shoots from my chest into my head like an arrow. It throbs there preventing me to take full control of my emotions as I look at him.

His face was the usual expressionless smirk I knew well from work, completely different person than the one I saw yesterday. For a second, I was appalled by the fact he is on a date – not even 24 hours separation what we had and this moment.

Not being able to bear his gaze I look away, trying to bring my emotions in check.

“Good evening!” luckily Piper manages to catch air and respond because I’m still speechless.

“Having a nice dinner?” he continues in that flat polite tone.

“Yes, thank you.” I respond looking back at him, finally my emotions in check.

“You should try some of Red Dragon Roll.” Adele chirps in repositioning herself and sneaking her hand around Liam’s. Staking her claim and dominion.

“Don’t let us interrupt your dinner,” he continues stepping back removing himself of her grip, “have a nice evening.”

Liam shortly nods at me and then at Piper and points in the direction of the exit to Adele. She also gives us a clipped nod, turns and walks away.