Tangled Hearts: Chapter Two

Chapter Two: September 301

“He did what!” Arlene stared at me in shock for approximately five seconds before she burst into laughter. “I can not believe he tried to kiss you! This is too much!” Wiping pretend tears of mirth from her eyes, she coyly looked at me. “Were you disappointed?”2

I threw my pillow at her, and she gave an undignified shriek. “I don’t understand though. He said he loves me. Then why in the world will he encourage my marriage with his brother?” I sighed and flopped back into the bed. I had slept over at Arlene’s house last night. It was now a few hours after dawn, and after Arlene had finished complaining about her headache, she demanded my story. I was briefly pondering over last night before I remembered Richard Herman. Steering the conversation away from my kiss, I asked curiously about him. 3

“Oh. The guy I danced with last night?” She looked at me questioningly, “I thought he looked familiar. CEO of NTC. Surprising. I guess you really can’t judge a book by its cover after all. Did you meet him?” Her eyes widened as I briefly went over the events from last night. “He’s Victor’s friend? It seems like your boyfriend have friends in high places.” She winked and I rolled my eyes.4

Rubbing her eyes, Arlene gave a loud yawn before heading toward the bathroom. I changed my clothes and quickly ran my fingers through my hair in a half-hearted attempt to make myself presentable. I could already hear the shower going. I slipped on my shoes before I headed down the dining room. Having been in Arlene’s house since high school, I was familiar with the place. A maid rushed by clutching to a large vase. Giving me a smile, she told me that breakfast was ready.5

I walked down the spiraling staircase, marveling at the extravagance of Arlene’s house, which was more a mansion than anything else. Lavished with authentic mahogany wood furnishing and crystal chandelier above gleaming marble tiles, the mansion somehow remained warm and inviting. I headed toward the kitchen, drawn by the smell of Granny’s homemade pancakes. I was surprised to more maids than usual rushing around cleaning the six feet windows, dusting the hundreds of decorations, and remodeling the sprawling half an acre lawn. I noticed that even the head housekeeper, Lisa Calloway, was hastily giving directions to a pair of maids. 6

“What’s going on Lisa?” I asked after the two women hurried off. Lisa gave me an exhausted smile as she gave a loud sigh. She took a handkerchief from her pocket and began to wipe her face. 7

“Oh, Rachel! Sorry for all the commotion but we’re all trying to get ready for Mr. Granger’s arrival.” She gave me a worried look. “Is Miss Granger presentable? I was supposed to tell her of Mr. Granger’s visit yesterday, but since she was unconscious, I thought I’ll tell her today. Then Mr. Granger called this morning and told me that instead of arriving next week, he’ll be here tonight! Tonight! After twenty years of servitude, you’ll think that he’ll give a better warning to an old maid like me! Does he have any idea what we have to get done to prepare for his arrival?! The head chief has just told me that dinner will have to be delayed, and the flowers—the flowers! Oh dear!” Lisa scrambled upstairs, calling for Elizabeth.8

I realized by now that my mouth was slightly agape, and I quickly closed it. I have forgotten how excited Lisa can get. It is hard to image that she was already nearing her sixties by her behavior. My eyebrows furrowed in worry though. If Mr. Granger was to be arriving tonight, then I doubt Arlene would be excited with the prospect of a nice family dinner. Although I had no personal grudge against Waylon Granger, in fact, we were actually on friendly terms, but I disliked the distance he favored between him and his daughter. Ever since Jennifer Granger, Arlene’s mother, had remarried, Mr. Granger began to find more excuse to distance himself from his daughter. 9

I looked up at the oil painting of Jennifer, still hanging above the mantel piece. I guessed that even now, Mr. Granger was still in love with his ex-wife. Arlene’s close similarities to her mother was exquisitely captured by the artist’s brush stoke. The cascading blond locks tumbling down elegantly to frame the heart-shaped face with its soft blue eyes and full rosy lips was an image that had grace the modeling industry for the last twenty years. I was not surprised that Mr. Granger was rarely home. He could not look at his daughter without comparing her face to his deceased wife. 10

“Rachel? What are you doing standing there? Didn’t Granny already made breakfast?” Arlene’s voice broke my train of thoughts. I watched as she determinedly avoids glancing at the portrait of her mother as she headed down the hallways. I followed silently. 11

“Food is on the table. Now, what I know you two love your pancakes with strawberry syrup, so that’s already warmed and ready in the pitcher.” Granny, an elderly woman who took care of Arlene’s upbringing, had always loved favorably upon me. With short white hair and a pair of spectacle sitting at the bridge of her nose, she looked perfect in her role as a caretaker. Her large red apron with a pink heart engulfing a teddy bear looked out of place in the orderly arranged dining room. 12

“So what are your plans for today?” Arlene helped herself to a large bite of her pancake. Chunks of strawberries clanged to the edge of her fork. Granny brought over the Seattle Times, knowing Arlene enjoyed reading the news during the day. 13

“It’s almost nine so I better get to work. Sierra should arrive at ten, so I want to make sure everything will be in order. The special delivery I made for the holidays should be arriving by noon, but since the weather is surprisingly nice, I doubt I’ll get many customers today. Are you doing that photo shoot today? I heard Vogue wanted you for their cover page. Congratulation.” I gulped down my glass of orange juice. 14

“Yeah, thanks. But that’s won’t be until two o’clock, so I guess I’m free for a while. Do you want me to drop your dress off at your place? The maid already got it dry cleaned.” She finished eating the last bite of her breakfast and grabbed the newspaper. 15

“Yeah, that’ll be great. Oh, and if you see Alexis, tell him that I’ll be home a bit late tonight. But I doubt he’ll be home tonight. There’s a ceremony in LA this evening so I guess I won’t see him until next week. You still have my spare keys right?” Arlene gave a nod and flipped the page. I wiped my mouth and stood up. “I’ll call you later tonight.” I gave Granny a smile as she began to clear the table. 16

“I’ll drive you then.” Arlene turned to the last page and gave a sudden shriek. “Oh my God! Rachel! It’s him! Richard Herman!” She stabbed at the enlarged picture sharply, and sure enough, it was the famous CEO that graced the Business page. I had to applaud the photographer though, whoever took the picture somehow managed to capture warmth in his cold eyes. He was also smiling, and I found myself wondering if it was the atmosphere that caused me to misjudge his character last night. 17

“Richard Herman, the current CEO of Net Technology Corporation (NTC), will be attending the annual Enterprise Globe ceremony that will be held at LA this evening. The promising thirty-one year old bachelor seems to be the likely candidate to win the EG award in recognition of his impressive release of seventy-two microchip robots that will be made available for the toy industry by Christmas.” Arlene looked up from her reading, her eyes widened with astonishment. “What the hell?! I can’t believe I danced with him last night! I can’t believe I didn’t get his number!” She tossed the paper onto the table in disgust, “What a perfect waste of opportunity.” 18

“So he’s smart, handsome, and rich.” I laughed, “He seems too perfect. Oh well, he was still a complete *bunny* to me.” I frowned as I remembered something. I picked up the newspaper. “LA. This evening. That’s the ceremony Alexis is attending!” I wondered why he did not mention more about it. Now that I think about it, Alexis seemed to be more reserved than usual. I gazed out at the beautiful garden that was currently having its flowers clipped by gardeners. Was this really the end of our marriage? 19

“Well? Let’s get going. I’ve been dying to drive that new Lamborghini!” She hurried off, tossing a wave to Granny. I smiled apologetically for her behaviors, but Granny just smiled affectionately. 20

“Rachel. Tell her, will you? And if she chooses not to come home tonight, tell her to call me first. I hate to have food go to waste.” Granny walked out of the room. 21

“Thanks for the ride.” Although I could have done without it—Arlene’s driving was questionable at best. I was certain I left finger marks from the way I was holding on in fear as she raced pass a yellow light. I opened the door, but then I paused, thinking of a way to best tell Arlene about her father’s visit. I shifted my purse to my other shoulder and brush my hair from my face. Leaning across the open window, I waited for her full attention.22

“What?” Arlene looked at me with her fingers tapping impatiently at the steering wheel, perplexed by my behavior. 23

“Your dad is returning home tonight.” I looked at her worryingly, uncertain about her reaction. “You can always stay over if you like.” 24

“No thanks.” She smiled tightly, “I’m a big girl now; I can take care of myself.” She pulled her car into gear. “Don’t worry about me.” She said it calmly, but as I watched her drive away, I could not help but be worried. 25

I gave a mental sigh, and walked over to my shop. Heaven’s Kiss, was a confectionary shop that I opened after my parents’ death in order to help finance my education and my grandfather’s medical care. It was really Arlene’s idea, but the appeal of a sweet shop soon overrode my own objection. I had grown attached to the 300 square foot building, and even after my marriage, I continued the business. Despite Alexis’s wealth, I did not want to take advantage of him. If nothing else, I took after my parents their stubbornness and sense of pride. 26

Entering the building, I made sure all the shipping materials had arrived safely through the night. Balancing my checkbook quickly, I set aside the billing statement for later. Tucking away the envelopes, I made sure everything looked presentable before I turned on the “open” sign. I was spraying the pot of lilies stationed in the center of the room, when the brass bell hanging from the door jingled. I looked up at the clock. It was ten. 27

“Good morning, Mrs. Donnelly.” Sierra Wilson walked in, removing her white jacket. “It sure is warm today.” Smiling at me, her dark brown eyes, magnified by elongated eyelashes sparkled with mischief. She lazily ran her fingers through her short, uneven, black hair tucked behind ears decorated by large hoop earrings. Standing at a mere five feet two, her long fingers stretched for the coat hanger. Grabbing the name tag tucked behind the glass counter, she pinned it on the required black blouse just as the bell chimed again. 28

“Welcome to Heaven’s Kiss! How may I help you?” I walked behind the cashier, and motioned for Sierra to grab the menus from the small storage room hidden behind the private restroom. 29

“Yeah, I’m looking for a chocolate gift box. Are there any particular ones you will recommend?” Gazing around the small room with a skeptical look, the young man turned his attention toward me. He appeared to be a college student, and from attire (and the husky logo), I presumed he was currently attending University of Washington. He had on silver pen tucked behind his coffee colored hair. He tilted his head as if to silently judge me, and I felt a minute sense of irritation at the aura of arrogance rolling off of him effortlessly. 30

“We have a vast selection. Do you prefer import or domestic?” Sierra flashed him a brilliant smile.31

He gave a double take at the appearance of Sierra, but he quickly recovered and putting on a suave look, he walked toward her. “Why, if it isn’t Sierra!” He opened his arms as if expecting her to leap into them, but after a few second of silence from Sierra, he nonchalantly tucked his hands into his pockets. “I didn’t know you work here.”32

“Trust me Jason,” Sierra gave him one of her charming smiles that said everything yet nothing at the same time, “there are many things you don’t know about me. Now, about the chocolate, I think you are looking for Venchi. You prefer Italian right?”33

“Yeah, but I’m actually looking for French chocolate today. It’s my mother’s birthday today.” At a closer glance, I realized his eyes were hazel and from the way they were slightly flickering sideways, I figured he was lying. But why? 34

“Pralus is very popular. Will you like me to gift wrap it for you?” Turning away from Jason, she reached for a basket. 35

“Yes, that will be nice.” He watched her as she began arranging the basket and lingered for a few seconds after paying his fees. As he reached for the door, he turned around suddenly but just then the phone rang. By the time Sierra had hung up the phone, he had already left. 36

For the rest of the day, Sierra and I went though our daily routine. She answered phone calls and assisted with the customers while I took care of inventory and bills which I was able to complete by late afternoon. By 2:30, Sierra would leave to prepare for her evening classes and I would manage the store by myself. Usually Arlene would stop by and accompany me, but since she has the photo shoot today, I was alone. It was during the evening rush hour before I have an unexpected customer. 37

“Excuse me.” A hesitant voice interrupted my reading. 38

I had grabbed a copy of today’s news during lunch break and was reading for myself about the Enterprise Globe ceremony. The man looked to be in his late twenty and from his tailored black suit he seemed to be a chauffer and sure enough, I noticed a limousine parked outside my shop. 39

“My boss requested a box of fine Belgium chocolate, and I was hoping you could assist me.” I felt my cheeks blushed as he smiled at me shyly. Running a hand through his short dark locks, his mouth carved upward teasingly and he briefly dart his black eyes toward the newspaper before resting on my left hand. I fought down my blush as I nervously hid my ring-less hand behind the counter. Turning away from me, he took off his glasses and wiped them along his sleeves before putting them back on. 40

“It seems my eyes didn’t deceive me, Ms.?” Leaning against the glass counter, he pointed to a box of Godiva. “Will you wrap that up for me?”41

“No problem, will this be in cash or credit? Oh and it’s Donnelly. Rachel Donnelly.” I accepted his credit card, glancing sideways at his tan hands. “Do you play the piano by any chance Mr.?”42

He didn’t say anything for a second, but when he took his card back, he said, “I used to.” His voice was quieter than before and I noticed the faraway look in his eyes and chose not to comment. As he took his purchase, he gave me a charming smile. “Mathew Hunter, and please, call me Mathew. I look forward to seeing you again Ms. Donnelly.” 43

“Wait!” I struggled with myself as he looked at me perplexedly. I gave an apologetic smile, “It’s actually Mrs. Donnelly.”44

His eyes widened with surprise for a second before he gave a soft chuckle. “Well, good-night then Rachel.”45

I looked down at my ring-less hand after the door closed. I had never worn my wedding ring except for during the wedding ceremony itself. As I began closing the store, I remembered that I would be alone tonight, since Alexis was in California. I was considering calling Arlene when I heard the door open again.46

“I’m sorry, but—” 47

“Rachel?” 48

I was startled by the appearance Victor. My tongue was tied as I stared uncertainly at him, and I turned uncomfortably away from him. Unable to help it, I stole a glance at him. There were dark circles underneath his eyes and his shirt looked slept in. I grabbed my bag and quickly fished out the keys. I stepped past him and held open the door. 49

“I’m closing the store, unless you want to stay here for the evening…” I gave him a quick smile and relaxed as he grinned back. 50

“Where’s Arlene? I thought she’ll be with you tonight.” As a reflex, he took my bags from me, a gesture that I have grown accustomed to throughout our years together. He pulled my hair back as I struggled with the lock. I shot him an annoyed look, but he only faked innocence. It was late, but from the occasional cars passing by us, I noticed a deeper emotion in his dark eyes that I had never really pay attention to. Stuck by this sudden knowledge, I was unprepared for the second step. Giving a loud yelp, I felt myself crumbled forward. 51

“Rachel!” Victor’s callous hands urgently pulled me back, saving me from falling. Pushed into his chest, I heard the pounding of his frantic heart, and I was made aware that our current position was much like last night’s. Yet, before I could properly step back, he hesitantly pushed me away. 52

“Do I still have to hold your hand?” He mouth quirked into a grin and I returned his smile. It seemed that yesterday’s affair have already become a thing of the past. 53

“I told you Victor. It’s not me who asks for your hand, but you who can’t bear to let go.” 54

“Touché.” 55