One Life Stand – Chapter 30

“I normally don’t care for strangers touching me, but his hands are magic.” Lucy let out a long sigh.

“Thank you,” the masseuse said. “Have you ever had a massage before? Your muscles are so tight.”

“No, never.”

“I think it’d be in your best interest to come in once in a while. With muscles like this, you must have a lot of pent-up stress.”

“I’m a worrywart; everything stresses me out.”

“I’ll do my best to make sure you can relax while you’re here.”

“Thank you.” 

This really is relaxing. Ella’s eyes started to droop, and before long, she passed out.

Her mom glanced over at her and smiled. “Sleep tight…”

“Do you want to play games? There’s a casino here,” Ella said after they came out from their massage.

“How about lunch first? I’m hungry. By the way, where’s Leon?” Lucy asked.

“Sorry, I had something to take care of.” Leon popped up behind them, and they both jumped.

“Geez.” She held her hand over her racing heart. “You’re as quiet as a cat.”

“Oops, sorry. I’ll make it up to you with lunch. I know just the place.”

Leon led them to a cafe with loads of sweets with a few savoury meals available. “Order anything you want, even if we have to get a to-go box. I have a call to make.” Leon sighed, looking at a text from Zeke.

“I’ll order you something, too,” Ella said.

“Thanks.” He wiggled his phone around. “I’ll try to make it fast.” He headed out of the cafe.

“He sure is busy, isn’t he?” Lucy sighed. She couldn’t help but think that he’d end up leaving Ella alone too often because of work. It’d be how it was when Ella was growing up.

“I know that look, and don’t worry; he makes time for me.”

“You wouldn’t be lonely with me around,” a male voice came from beside them.

Ella froze, goosebumps trailing up her arms. It can’t be…

Sebastian sat down in Leon’s chair and smiled at her. “Hello again, Ella; this must be fate.”

“It’s not fate,” she snapped at him. “You know I work here, so it stands to reason you can find me around somewhere. Where’s Alice?” I thought she was keeping an eye on him.

“I got tired of her following me around so much, so gave her the slip.”

“You… I remember you…” Ella’s mother narrowed her eyes. “How dare you even show your face in front of my daughter, you rotten pig?”

He leaned away from her, wide-eyed and speechless.

Go, mom!

“Come on, it was in the past and not a big deal—”

“Not a big deal? My daughter loved you, and you spit on her love by cheating on her; how is that not a big deal?”

A hand gripped the back of Sebastian’s seat. “Excuse me, I think you’re sitting in my seat.” Leon did his best to hold back his anger.

Sebastian looked back at him, then at Ella’s mother, before standing. “Now’s not a good time, I suppose. I’ll see you soon,” he said to Ella before taking off.

“I hope not,” Ella grumbled.

“I swear, I can’t leave you alone for even a few minutes without that cockroach showing up.” Leon sat down, glaring at Sebastian’s receding figure. “I wish I could get rid of him. Too bad a restraining order isn’t good enough.”

“It still couldn’t hurt to have one…” Her mother watched Sebastian leave the same way Leon did.

“I know he’s not the most influential, but he can cause a lot of damage because of how determined he is. So it might be in our best interest to avoid getting involved with him,” Ella warned.

“I would love to avoid him, but he’s after you.” Leon gently pushed a strand of hair behind her ear. “So I won’t back down if something happens.”

“T-thank you…”

“You know, I still wasn’t sure about you two, but I think he truly loves you.” Lucy sighed. “Official stamp of approval.” She winked at him.

“My protection stretches to you as well, should you ever need it.” He picked up her hand and kissed the back of it. “My future mother-in-law.”

“I-I should be fine, but thank you nonetheless.”

“Y-your order.” The waitress wasn’t sure if she should interrupt but brought their plates over, anyway.

“Thank you,” Leon said, and they each dug in.

“So, what do you two want to do now? We have a variety of sports activities available,” Leon said.

“I’m not the most athletic… not anymore.” Lucy sighed.

Leon raised an eyebrow.

“When I was in high school, I was on the volleyball team.”

“Cool. We have volleyball courts, but if you don’t want to play any sports, we can find something else to do. There are a few beaches near here and an amusement park.”

“I don’t think I’d want to go to an amusement park. A beach isn’t so bad; it’s been a long time.”

“But you can go to the beach anytime. How about the casino we have here?” Ella suggested. She had been there only when she checked out the entire resort for reference, but hadn’t had the chance to play.

“You know I don’t like to gamble money away…”

“It’s Leon’s money, which if we lose, will go back to his company, so you shouldn’t worry too much. This is a chance to have some fun without worrying.”

“When you put it that way, it doesn’t sound so bad.”

“I insist you spend my money.” Leon laughed. “Our money,” he corrected himself.

“A phrase that would make most men shudder.”

“I’m not most men.” He winked at her.

“Do you like to throw your money around or something?”

“Generally, no, but I want to spend it on Ella, so please spend it. Outside of the company, investments, and boring stuff, I don’t actually spend a lot of it.” He sighed. “I’m too busy to.”

“Sounds like you’re the one who needs a break. Are you going to join us in the casino?”

“I can, but I can’t promise I won’t be pulled away for more work.”

“What are you always working on?”

“A multitude of things, really. Working with other companies, opening another branch, my mother keeps calling me… and so on.” He sighed.

“Opening another branch? I thought your father was basically eating your company with his?” Ella asked.

“He wants to when I officially take over his company, but I want to see what I can do on my own until then.”

“And didn’t this place just open?”

“And it’s been doing spectacularly! Which is why I’ve been looking for a new location to make another one. Now, enough of this business talk; let’s go have fun.”

They left the cafe and Leon headed to the casino below, escorting Ella and her mother on both sides of him.

Chatter, music, and the sound of slot machines filled the air as they entered the casino.

“This place is busier than I expected.” Lucy looked around with curious, wide eyes.

“I’ll grab us some chips and coins. You two decide what you want to try out.” Leon excused himself.

“Would it be bad if I just want to use the slot machines? I’ve actually always dreamed of seeing the seven-seven-seven show up…” Lucy asked her.

“If that’s what you want to do, then go ahead.” Ella looked around. I don’t know how to play poker or any of the card games. What would be easy to at least tryout? Roulette? Maybe I’ll just try everything once? But if I win, I’ll be tempted to try again…

“Lost in thought again? I hope you’re not thinking of rushing off?” Leon popped up beside her.

“What? No…” Where’d my mom go?

“She’s over at the slots already,” Leon answered her unspoken question.

“Maybe I should just play slots with her.”

“I know you two want to hang out, but you’re both grown women; you can play different games if you want to. And with everyone having cell phones, it’s easy enough to find people, even with a crowd like this.”

“I guess.” She bobbed her head around, biting her lip.

“I’ll teach you any game you want.”

“You know how to play them all?” What in the world has he been up to?

“Yes,” he chuckled. Another habit of his from college, and he always came out ahead.

---

Continued in chapter 31.

One Life Stand – Chapter 29

“This place is even bigger than I imagined. What hotel has stores in it?” Lucy asked as she walked together with Ella and Leon through their mall.

“More than you’d think,” Leon said. “But generally, they’re big hotels that have the extra space for it. Now, how about you two do more than window shopping?” He pulled out his credit card. “All of it is on me; you can buy as much as you want.”

“I’m not much of a spender…”

“I insist! I will be hurt and heartbroken if you leave here without spending money, because then it seems like I’ll need to make some changes to my shops. I want people to want what we’re selling, and if we can’t sell them even when it’s all-expenses-paid, then we’ve definitely failed.”

Her eyes widened, and she stopped walking. “But j-just because I don’t want to buy anything, doesn’t mean other people don’t.”

“It’s not a good sign, to say the least.” He waved the card around.

“He’s not going to give up until we’ve spent a large sum of money, you know?” Ella said.

“You should at least get a wedding dress.”

“Wait, what?”

“Why is that surprising? We’re engaged! And while you could shop with the girls and find one, I figured you’d prefer to be with your mother for this.”

“Won’t your mom complain?”

“She’s going to have control over the wedding itself with whatever planner she hires, but this, this is one hundred percent you. Of course, it’s not all I’m hoping you’ll buy, but it is a start.”

“Should you be here if we’re dress shopping, though?”

“Don’t worry; I’ll wait outside the shop.”

“I don’t want to leave you alone,” Ella said.

“That’s sweet, but I’ll be fine.” He leaned in close to Ella. “I also got permission from the other girls for this first.”

He even thinks about them? How sweet can he be?

“They said to have fun with your mother.”

“Come on, mom; I’d love to shop for a wedding dress with you.” Ella linked arms with her.

“You didn’t seem to want to previously… so I thought it might be better for you to look with your friends.” She tried to pull away, but Ella wouldn’t let her.

“Things are different this time. I’m more mature, and more… certain.” There’s not much of a chance to run, anyway.

“I will admit you two seem a mix of nerves and happy.” Her mom looked at them.

Leon held his card up to Ella. “Let’s go, mom.” She took the credit card and thanked him.

“Anything for you, my love.” Leon winked at her.

“You’re going to have to be careful if he’s always such a flirt,” her mom whispered.

Leon held his hand over his heart. “I promise to keep the real flirting for Ella, and otherwise, it’s only harmless flirting to ease a situation and nothing more.”

“I suppose it’s the best we can ask for.”

Ella dragged her mom away to the wedding dress store nearby as Leon waited outside texting Zeke.

“These all look so gorgeous; how do we decide?” Lucy held her hands on her cheeks as she looked at the slew of dresses to choose from in every style she could imagine. They even had ones that weren’t white.

“Well… I don’t care for strapless ones, so that should trim it down a bit,” Ella said, not wanting to chance slipping out at all.

“And you want to keep to white, right?”

“Yup.”

They took their time picking a few dresses out before Ella tried any of them on. While all the dresses were beautiful, she wasn’t satisfied with a bunch of them, and got to find out more about her preferences.

“Nothing ‘super’ poofy or with a long train. How about this little bit of lace at the top here?” Ella pointed to the top of the chest part. “I think it looks pretty and elegant.”

“Agreed. How much are these, anyway?”

“Mom, don’t ask. I mean it.”

“That much?”

“It means I don’t want to know, because it’ll ruin it. Leon will pay for it, and he’s not taking out a loan or ripping apart his savings to do it, so that’s good enough, right?” It’s the only way I can get over it, too…

She sighed. “I suppose so… Rich people do things differently, don’t they?”

“Some definitely do.”

“Who doesn’t look at prices?”

“Mom… He might pay attention to that kind of thing otherwise, but it seems anything I want, he’ll just get it for me, regardless. Especially in this case; it’s our wedding.”

“I guess that makes sense, but I’d still prefer if you didn’t go crazy on it.”

“I’m not planning anything other than this, and I would assume who my bridesmaids are, so it’s not on me.” She shrugged.

“Did planning previous ones ruin it for you?”

Ouch… Ella glared at her. “More like his mother wants control of it all.”

“You’re going to have to be careful about them; they might want complete control of your life.”

“That won’t happen.” I know Leon wants to change how things work in his family. “Anyway, I’ll try on the next one.”

After trying on a dozen dresses, she found one that made her struggle to stop admiring it. It was a layered dress with straps and a sweetheart neckline.

“I guess you found the right one,” Lucy said, watching her as she stared into the mirror.

“Hmm?” Ella turned to her in a bit of a daze.

“When you look at it like that, it’s definitely the one.”

She thought for a moment and nodded. “I think you’re right.”

“Of course, I am; I’d know that look anywhere.” She smiled at her daughter and then held onto her shoulders. “That fantastical look means you love the dress, honey. Were you imagining wearing it as you said your vows to Leon?”

“Ha ha, no; I’m not sure I had any thoughts when I looked at it. I was just stunned, I guess.”

“It doesn’t look like it needs any altering, or at least not much, so let’s buy it and meet back up with Leon. He’s been out there a while, so I feel a bit sorry for him,” her mom said.

Ella and her mom came out of the shop to find Leon sitting on a bench with a red bag from a nearby store.

“How’d it go?” He stood, smiling, as he picked the bag up.

“It was a success,” Ella said.

“She looked gorgeous in it,” her mom said.

“Of course she does; she’s always gorgeous.” He winked at Ella.

“Ahem… Anyway…” Ella blushed as she averted her gaze. “Looks like you did some shopping, too.”

“Yes, I did.” He pulled out a small velvet box from the bag. “I didn’t know if people these days still did the whole something new, blue, and borrowed, so I got these just in case.” He opened it to reveal sapphire drop earrings.

“Wow…” Both the ladies leaned in close to look at them.

“Those are so pretty, and both new and blue.” Ella reached out. “Can I touch it?”

“Of course you can; it’s yours. Oh, and in case you two wanted to match something on the big day, I got you a pair, too.” Leon held another velvet box out to Ella’s mother.

She teared up instantly. “Matching with Ella?” She covered her face with her hands. “That’s so sweet. I’d love to do something like that.”

“Aw, mom.” Ella hugged her.

“I knew you two were close, but getting to see you two together like this… it’s like you’re best friends.” Leon smiled as he watched them.

Her mom stroked her hair. “It’s because it’s always been the two of us, so we are friends and family. I always had to rely on her way too much, and I know she missed out on being a child sometimes…”

“Mom.” Ella snuggled up closer to her. “I didn’t miss out. I only tried to help and carry the extra load you couldn’t.”

“But I was the adult; I shouldn’t have put so much weight on your shoulders.”

“Just because you’re an adult doesn’t mean you don’t need help.”

“But being a kid means you shouldn’t have the burden.”

“Did I end up opening something up I shouldn’t have?” Leon asked, not sure how to process how their conversation was continuing.

“Oh, no, no.” Her mom reached up and patted his head. “You’ve been so sweet, and we just get trapped thinking about the past sometimes. So many things I wish I did differently.”

“I was happy, mom.” Ella pouted, wishing she would listen to her. “And I’m happy now.” She glanced at Leon.

Leon held his hand over his heart. “And I’ll do my best to keep you happy. Now, how about we keep shopping? And I insist you two spend some money here; I’ll be sad if there’s nothing else here that catches your eye.”

“Onetime opportunity?” Ella nudged her mom’s elbow.

“I wouldn’t say one time… I won’t mind if you go on shopping sprees as long as it makes you happy,” Leon thought out loud, and then noticed Ella’s glare. “Sorry, I’m not big on lying or hiding things; had to say it.”

“I’m liking him more and more,” her mother whispered.

Me too…

Eventually, Leon ended up carrying a slew of bags filled with clothes, accessories, and trinkets.

“You don’t have to carry all the bags, you know?” Ella tried to take one from him, and he held it away from her.

“Yes, I do. It is my duty to carry these for you, and I am determined to do so.”

“He’s so stubborn…”

Lucy chuckled. “He’ll have to be to deal with you.”

“Mom! What are you insinuating?”

She laughed more. “Well, you need someone persistent to a point of being stubborn, alongside being kind and understanding. Leon seems to be all those things. And while looks aren’t what we’re supposed to base things on, he’s definitely a catch there…”

“Thank you.” Leon smiled and held his chin up high. “I’m glad I’ve made a good impression.”

“I don’t think you should praise him anymore; you’ll give him a big head,” Ella warned her.

“Okay, okay. How about we finish with shopping for the day? Leon’s holding quite a bit, and I can’t imagine it’s light.”

“I’m fine,” Leon said. “Keep going if you want.”

“My feet are tired, and I could use some rest. Let’s go back.”

“Wait, that sounds like a perfect time for a massage! Time to test out other things,” Leon suggested.

---

Continued in chapter 30.

One Life Stand – Chapter 28

“I thought you and your mom were close?” Leon asked as he watched Ella pace around their kitchen.

“We are…” she mumbled, nibbling on her nails. “But you and all of this is a far stretch from anyone in the past.”

“You seem more nervous than when you met my parents.”

“She might look at the building and want to turn around.”

“Why? What’s wrong with my hotel?”

“It’s a luxury hotel.”

“She knows I’m rich, right? None of this is pushing it—”

Ella sighed. “That doesn’t matter; she hates to waste money.”

“And the hotel is a waste?”

“To some people it is.”

“I see…” Leon scratched the back of his head. “I guess we’ll just have to make sure she has too much fun and is too busy, or too relaxed, to even think about how much this place would cost. I mean, we kept a top suite for her… Although, maybe she would’ve been more comfortable on a lower floor…”

“But I thought you’d want her to see the view,” Ella said.

“You’re right; I did said that, and it’s a magnificent view. I think you’re worrying too much. Unlike my parents, your mom will probably be more interested in making sure I’m right for you and a decent human being.”

“Are you sure they didn’t worry about that?”

“All they care about is that I’m getting married as per the conditions, before I can even think about taking over my father’s company. They didn’t care who I choose, but I definitely do.” Leon watched her pace around for a while longer. “Are you sure we shouldn’t have just gone to get her personally? I know we sent a driver, but—”

Ring, ring, ring. Ella’s phone went off. “Hey, mom, is everything okay?” she answered in a rush.

“No, honey, nothing’s wrong. I wanted to let you know I’m here, just outside the hotel. It’s… a bit daunting.”

“Just come in, mom. If you don’t, Leon will personally escort you up to your room.”

Leon caught enough of her conversation to guess what was going on. He nodded in approval.

“I don’t think he would do that…” Her mom sighed.

“You don’t know Leon. He’s already heading for the front door.”

Leon held his finger up, flicking it forward, as he headed to the door.

“Oh no; he doesn’t need to come down here.”

“Too late; he’s out the door.” Does he know what she looks like? “Do you want me to come, too? He can be a bit overwhelming for some people.”

“I’m a grown adult, honey; I’ll be fine. If he’s coming, I should hang up… I’ll see you soon.”

“Um, he’s tall with blue eyes and dark hair—”

“I know; I looked him up.”

Click.

“Since when does my mom use the internet much? And she hung up first?” Ella stared at the phone for a moment before slipping it into her pocket. “Gosh, I should’ve gone with him.” She continued her pacing around the kitchen. “Wait, wait, wait… I didn’t set out any cookies!” Ella grabbed a plate, popped open a container of the ones she made yesterday, and filled up a plate to sit on the island. “Cookies always help…” She picked one up and nibbled on it.

“Miss Luise,” Leon called out to a woman in the lobby who matched the picture Zeke had shown him. “I’m Leon Hunt.” He approached her and took her hand, kissing the back of it. “It’s a pleasure to meet you.” She looked even more like an older version of Ella than she did in the picture.

“I-it’s nice to meet you too,” she said and pulled her hand away, a faint blush on her cheeks. “And call me Lucy.”

“I see where Ella got her good looks from.”

“Oh, you… You flatter me.”

“I’m serious about it. Now.” He took her luggage and held his arm out to her. “How about we go see your daughter and then I’ll take your bag to your room on the floor right below mine?”

“W-wouldn’t that be a super expensive room? I can’t afford that.”

“Afford? I’m not charging you; you’re my guest. All services are included, by the way, so I hope you’ll check a few of them out during your stay.”

“Ah… Well… We’ll see, I suppose.” She took his arm, and he led her to the elevator, passing by Alice on the way.

Alice’s jaw hung open when she saw Ella’s mother. She turned to Sebastian and forced him to face the other way.

“Hey, what are you doing? Crazy lady,” he grumbled as Alice shoved him towards a different section of the hotel. “If you just say which way, I can go on my own.”

The door to the elevator closed.

“What’s taking so long?” Ella munched on another cookie as she stared at the door.

The front door opened, and she nearly dropped her cookie. Leon and her mom walked in.

“Mom!” Ella shoved the rest of the cookie in her mouth and approached them. She leaned in for a hug and her mom leaned back, pointing at her face as she held back a laugh. “What?”

Leon chuckled. “You’ve got a crumb.” He pointed at his own face, trying to show her.

Ella wiped at the opposite side and missed it.

“Not there, here.” Leon got in close and kissed her cheek, stealing the crumb.

“D-did you just…” Ella’s jaw hung open. “In front of my mom?” she hissed. Her cheeks turned red.

Her mom laughed, and she shook her head. Leon had talked about Ella during the elevator ride up and couldn’t help but faun over her and call her cute. “Colour me surprised; you really did get her to blush quite quickly,” Lucy said.

“Wait, what? You planned this?”

“There’s no way I could plan for the cookie crumb on your face; that’s all you.”

“But…” Ella pointed between them. “Ugh, whatever.”

“Come here.” Her mom gave her a hug, stroking her hair. “It’s so good to see you again; I’ve missed you.”

“I’ve missed you too, mom.”

“How sweet!” Leon held his hand over his heart wondering, when the last time he got a hug from his mother was; too long ago to remember. He thought about asking for a hug but figured it was better off he didn’t.

Ella glanced over at him and couldn’t help but notice the sad glint in his eyes. Before she had a chance to think it over, she wrapped her arms around him for a big hug.

“Oh!” He immediately returned the favour.

He’s been through a lot with those parents.

Lucy giggled. “You two look sweet together.”

Oh, right! My mom! Ella pulled away, blushing. “Um…”

“What are you embarrassed about? I’ve seen you give a boy more than a hug before.”

“Mom!”

“What? He knows you’ve had boyfriends before; fiancés before.”

“Oh my gosh; how much did you two talk on the way here?” No wonder it took a while.

Lucy’s eyes landed on her hand. “Oh my, that’s huge and… unique.” She looked at Ella’s engagement ring.

“It’s a family heirloom,” Leon explained. “It’s definitely unique.”

Because I can’t remove it.

“But I have something better for her actual wedding ring to replace it.”

“Wait, you don’t expect her to wear the engagement ring with it?” her mother asked.

“No; I think that ring would be a bit of a hindrance, and she can put it away… or wear it if she really wants.” Leon scratched his head, thinking about how Ella couldn’t take the ring off on her own. “Either way, I have a ring I specifically picked out for her.”

When did he do that? She glanced up at him.

“I see. So…” Lucy looked around the place. “If you two live here in this big place, why did you get me a separate suite? I’m sure there’s a second bedroom here, or I can use the couch.”

“There’s no way I’m letting you use the couch, and there’re two bedrooms, but…” Leon looked to Ella for help.

“We’re in separate bedrooms…”

“Odd for an engaged couple, don’t you think?”

“He has wonky hours sometimes with overseas calls, so I thought it’d be best if I had a separate room I could use,” Ella explained.

“Okay then.” She nodded. “But I’m only here for a short time, and I think it would be a waste and lonely to have my own suite, so… can I use your room?” Lucy asked her. “It shouldn’t be a problem for you two to share a room while I’m here, right?”

She’s probing for issues, isn’t she? “Yes, of course,” Ella agreed.

Leon did his best not to react to it as he gripped Ella’s shoulder. “I’m sorry I didn’t think of that,” Leon said. “I suppose it would be better for you to be with us here, so you can spend more time with us.”

“Yes.” Her mother nodded.

“I’ll move this into her room, then.” Leon picked up her luggage he left at the door and pointed at Ella’s room.

When Leon was a bit away, her mother leaned in. “So, what’s wrong, Ella?”

“Nothing’s wrong,” Ella pouted and gave her another hug. “I just missed you.”

“I’ve missed you too, but this… Leon seems great and all, but you two seem awkward.”

“Meeting his to-be mother-in-law must be nerve-wracking.”

“And yet he was charming and didn’t seem the least bit nervous all the way up here.”

She’s too sharp sometimes.

“Are you rushing into this marriage for some reason?” she asked. “Are you pregnant?”

“What? No, I’m not pregnant. Geez…”

“What? It’s a perfectly reasonable explanation for everything.”

Maybe I should tell her about the past. “I actually met him a long time ago…”

Leon came back over just as she started. “She saved me when I was a kid.” Leon kissed her on the cheek.

“I don’t know if you remember me mentioning him—”

“Oh my gosh… That boy! What are the chances?” She covered her mouth, trying not to laugh. “I thought you looked young for my Ella, but to think the gap is that big…”

Ella’s expression fell. “Don’t tell me you’re going to make me feel too old for him, too.”

“No, no; it’s reasonable still, but surprising for you.”

“Is it?”

“As far as I know, every boyfriend you’ve had was at least your age or older.”

Never paid attention to it.

“Guess I’m the first younger man.” Leon smiled as he bumped into Ella playfully.

“And I hope I’m not opening a can of worms, but he knows about all your previous engagements, right?”

“Yes, mom,” Ella sighed. “He knows all about it.” And then some.

“How long have you two been dating? Ella didn’t mention you before.”

Leon took a deep breath. “Um… Not all that long, but I promise I love her and always will.”

“I suppose it isn’t always about the length of time, but there is this thing they call the ‘honeymoon phase’ which can last for even over a year…”

“I don’t think it’s a phase when I’ve loved her since the day we first met.” Leon looked away, a slight hint of pink on his cheeks.

“Oh! Well, ice cream boy, I suppose I’ll have to trust you on that. Ella, on the other hand, I’m still worried about.”

Me too. 

“Ahem,” Ella cleared her throat. “How about we move on from this conversation and go check out the hotel and all its facilities like we planned to?”

“Okay, where to?”

---

Continued in chapter 29.

One Life Stand – Chapter 27

“I’m not even looking for a long-term relationship right now, and even I’m jealous,” Alice said as she dragged Ella around the hotel to help customers. “He’s like a literal knight in shining armour, galloping in to save the day.”

“Galloping in? He didn’t have a horse.” Ella rolled her eyes.

“No, but you said he ran in, and I actually saw him run by in the lobby. He looked so terrified and determined. I want someone to come to save me like that.” She sighed with her hand over her heart.

“Save you from what?”

“Loneliness?”

“Don’t you have a date with Zeke coming up again?”

“Maybe.”

“Wait… Are you serious about him?”

“Nope.”

“You said that a bit too fast.” Ella eyed her.

“Quit yapping and help me fix this room. Grab that end.” She pointed at the other end of the sheet.

“You seem to work in these rooms a lot; are they not getting you to personally help with guests?”

“I’ll have you know, I’ve helped plenty of guests since we started here, but when I end up switching someone’s room for a specific view or whatever, Jenny asks me to fix the previous room up. In fact, this morning I had to give someone a full overview of the town and make arrangements for them for the next two weeks!”

“Working hard, then?”

“Of course! This is my floor, and it’s always full of people looking for help.”

“You know, if we need more staff, I can get Leon to hire more people. He actually offered to hire Charlie and Kyra.”

“The four of us can be together again? But this isn’t as close to their houses… I don’t know if they’d come.”

“It does pay better.”

“True.”

Ring, ring. Alice answered her phone. “We’ll be right there.” She hung up. “And you thought I didn’t work as an actual concierge. Let’s go.” Alice hooked her arm through Ella’s and dragged her away.

“You weren’t kidding about them being demanding in this place…” Ella sighed. She had watched Alice deal with a customer for the last hour. They even roped her into helping them exercise at their gym.

“It’s nothing we haven’t done before.” Alice nudged her elbow. “We’re experienced at this; that’s why they brought us in. Although, this place has way more amenities than our old hotel did. More work, but also more interesting. You haven’t had to do much concierge work since coming here, have you?” Alice wiggled her eyebrows.

“Nope; I’m more like a housekeeper.”

“More like a housewife.” Alice laughed.

Ella gave her a light shove as they walked down the hall. Alice stumbled into someone. “Sorry!” They both apologized.

He turned around and smirked. “Oh look, twice in one day,” Sebastian said.

“You…” Alice growled at him.

Ella gripped Alice’s shoulder. “Calm down…”

“Actually, I was looking for someone to help me, so this is perfect.”

“You want me to check you out early and get you a taxi out?” Alice asked. Her head tilted to the side as she smiled, tight-lipped.

“Aren’t you a bundle of fun? No, of course, I don’t want to check out. I just got here today, and I’ll be here all week. That said, I’d like a personal concierge.” He looked over her shoulder at Ella.

Ella shivered and looked away from him, her grip on Alice tightening.

“She’s already taken, but I can help you out,” Alice said.

“But I’d prefer—”

“She is a full-time personal concierge of someone, so she can’t be someone else’s personal concierge.”

“Tch… Fine; you’ll have to do.”

“Alice… Don’t,” Ella whispered. “He’s dangerous.”

Alice glanced back at her with a dark glint in her eyes. “Well, so am I.”

“Don’t do anything stupid.”

“What fun is that?” Alice rolled her eyes. “Now, what do you need?” she asked, turning back to Sebastian.

“Quite a few things,” he replied. He glanced back at Ella before letting Alice lead him away, chatting his ear off.

“Ha… I need to get out of here.” Figuring nobody would bother to complain to her, she headed out of the building for a walk.

I haven’t spent much time in this area yet… It’d be best for a concierge to know all the best places around, but I don’t feel like dealing with people right now. She sighed, looking at all the shops lining both sides of the street.

Ella kept walking until she happened upon a small, empty park. Parks had always felt like a safe place for her to sit and think while enjoying the nearby nature. She sat on one of the swings and looked up at the trees above her.

A cool breeze blew past, and she closed her eyes as she took in a deep breath.

A lot had happened recently, including many changes, but that wasn’t necessarily a bad thing.

“Ella? It’s really you?”

A familiar voice pulled her out of her thoughts.

She slowly lowered her head until he came into view. “Nathan…” She swallowed and gripped the metal chains of the swing tighter.

“I can’t believe it’s you. It both feels like it’s been a while and not long at the same time.” He approached her and pointed at the swing next to hers. “Do you mind?”

“N-no…”

“Thanks.” He sat down and looked up at the sky. “So, how have you been?”

Ella held her hands in her lap, covering the ring on her finger. “Fine, I guess.”

“You don’t sound fine.”

“Just a lot of blasts from the past recently… I’m sorry about everything, by the way.”

“I guess I am part of your past already.” Nathan sighed. “You don’t have to apologize again, but I have to know: have you found what you’re looking for, yet?”

“What?” She finally looked at him.

“Someone who gives you the feeling you’re looking for.”

“I’m not sure.”

“I see…” He nodded and glanced at her hands. “I know I probably don’t have a shot after the talk we had, but I miss you so much. I always feel like you’ll come walking back through my door one day, and get disappointed when you don’t.”

“I’m sorry…”

“Stop apologizing. I’m not trying to make you feel bad, just letting you know the extent of my feelings… and honestly, wondering if you’ve missed me at all.”

“Of course, I have. With so much going on these days, I can’t help but remember how comfortable things were with you. So yes, I’ve missed you, but I’m not looking to get back together or anything.”

“Ha… Trust me, I know. You made it quite clear we didn’t have a future together, though I can’t help but wonder how it would’ve looked.”

Ella thought about it for a moment. “Probably like a normal married couple, if I didn’t have the habit of running away. I’ve been trying to work on that, but running into Sebastian has made it hard.”

Nathan’s eyes widened. They hadn’t talked about him extensively, but he knew enough to know Sebastian being around meant trouble. “A-are you okay? He didn’t hurt you or anything, did he?”

“Thankfully, he didn’t have a chance to, since I have some awesome friends and…” Leon.

“I was afraid to hear of it, but you have a new man in your life, don’t you?”

“Yes…”

“So let me ask again, does he give you that feeling we were missing?”

I’d rather he not know about it, but… it’s too late, I guess. “I think so… It hasn’t been that long, so it’s hard to tell.”

Nathan nodded. “The early spark you’re hoping will last?”

“Somewhat, but it’s a bit different. I don’t know how to describe it.”

“Well, I hope things work out with him, if he can give you that kind of expression.”

“What expression?” She touched her face and pouted.

“One I don’t know you’ve ever made when you thought of me…” He sighed and rubbed his forehead. As much as he loved her, and didn’t want to admit it, he always felt the gap in her feelings for him. “If he can make you so content, and yet have this look of longing in your eyes, he must be special. It’s probably worth it to stick this one out.”

“What about you? How have you been? Have you…” she trailed off, not sure she even had the right to ask.

“No, I’m not seeing anyone yet, if that’s what you were going to ask. And I’m still… recovering from my loss.” He stole another glance at her. “But eventually, I’ll be okay. I don’t know how long it’ll take, but someday I’ll wake up and life won’t hurt so much anymore.”

It’s probably useless to apologize again… She leaned over and kissed him on the cheek. “Thank you for being a great boyfriend, and I wish you the best in the future. I know you’ll make some woman super happy.”

He touched his cheek where her kiss lingered, and swallowed hard. “Thank you.”

“By the way, how did you notice me here?”

He pointed at the cafe across the street. “I was going to grab a coffee when I spotted you heading into the park.”

“You could tell it was me from that far away?”

“I think I could spot you in any crowd. I wasn’t going to come over, but it felt like something might be wrong if you’re in a park in the middle of the day.”

“I just wanted some time to think and to stay away from Sebastian.”

“You should get a restraining order.”

“As if those are helpful…” she sighed. “Only if he’s caught doing something bad will they do anything about it.”

“I suppose you’re right. But can I at least suggest you avoid being alone if you’re that afraid of him? By the way, I don’t know if you’ve deleted my number or anything, but call me if you need to. I’ll come running if you need my help… as your friend. We can be friends, right?”

“Are you sure you want to be? I wouldn’t even blame you if you hated me, considering how I dealt with things.”

“Hate you? Never… I love you, Ella, and you can’t truly hate someone you love. You can get angry and annoyed, and may think you hate them, but if you love them, you can’t hate them.”

Ella’s heart wrenched, and she felt tears welling up. “T-thank you…”

His hand plopped down on her head, and he stroked her hair. “It’s okay, Ella. We may not end up being close friends, but we are still friends. Anyway…” He looked at his watch. “I have to go. Don’t stay here too long. I’ll see you around sometime.”

“Bye…” Ella watched him walk away.

How many women would’ve killed to have someone great like him? I must really seem insane.

Ring, ring, ring. Ella’s phone went off. “Hello?” she answered without looking.

“Hey, where are you?” Leon asked.

“Nearby park, why? Do you need me to do something?”

“Alice told me about the run-in, and I came home early, but you weren’t here, so I got worried. Should I come to pick you up?”

“I’m only a few minutes away by foot, so no. I’m fine, Leon, just thinking.”

“I’ll be right there.”

Click.

“Be right there?” Ella frowned as she stared at her phone for a moment. “Why would he come here? Ah, whatever.” She sighed and stared up at the sky again.

A few minutes later, Leon came jogging into the park.

“What’s the rush?” Ella asked.

“A… well…” He scratched the back of his head and sat down on the swing beside her. “I finished work, so I wanted to spend time with you.”

“How’d you finish early? I thought all hot-shots like you had to work extra long hours all the time.”

“No, not all the time, but we do get interrupted with work when we’re supposed to be off.” He looked around the park and up at the rusted metal of the creaking swing. “No one’s here, but there’s a school not too far. The feel of nature here is nice, but it looks like it needs some restoration. More of a Zeke job, but can I ask you to look into having this place fixed up?”

“Um, sure.”

“You look skeptical, but I try to have things like this restored when I find out they haven’t been taken care of.” Especially if she planned on visiting the park, he’d prefer it be in good shape.

“Is this a form of charity?”

“It’s my own money going into it for the betterment of society, so I guess it is.” Leon shrugged. “So, how about we head home?” He stood in front of her and offered his hand.

She nodded and took his hand. He laced his fingers through hers as they walked back home.

---

Continued in chapter 28.

One Life Stand – Chapter 26

Ella received the information from Leon while he was out and set up a driver for her mother before calling her again.

“Most often you’ve called me in years.” Her mother chuckled.

“Yes, well… I wanted to make sure you knew about the driver coming to pick you up. I don’t want them showing up, and you’ve left already or whatever.” Ella sighed as she looked at the information for the driver. Knowing her mother was weary of people, she made sure to tell her his name and send a picture of him, so she knew what he looked like. “Mom, what would you think about moving more into the city, closer to me?”

“You know I’d love to be closer to you, but it’s always so crowded in the city. Besides, it costs way too much for me. My life is in this little suburban town; my job is here.”

“Even if you get a free house?”

“Free house? What in the world are you talking about?”

“Leon said we could get you a place closer to here—”

“I can’t accept something so grand.”

“You should, though; you deserve it. You always turn down gifts and whatnot, making it sound like you don’t deserve them, but you do. You’ve worked so hard your whole life; you deserve to rest and do what you want.”

“There are a lot of people who are in similar situations to me…”

“Does that make you any less deserving? Just because someone else has it worse or whatever, doesn’t mean you have to feel bad about accepting things being given to you.”

She was silent for a while. “I’ll think about it.”

“Okay, well, I should be getting back to work. I’ll see you soon. Love you.”

“I love you too, honey.”

They both hung up. Ella sighed and leaned back in her chair.

I really wish she wasn’t so down on herself. I was happy growing up, and that’s something many people can’t say, but I can because of her.

Her phone rang. It was Jenny.

“Hello,” Ella answered.

“Um, if you’re not too busy right now, can I get your help? One of the guests went a bit psychotic, and one of our staff members had a total breakdown. I know you’re busy helping Mr. Hunt, but if there was ever an emergency to call on one of our experienced staff members, it’s now.”

“I understand. I’ll head down right away.”

“Thank you.”

Ella took the elevator down to the first floor and headed into the employee area. There, Jenny was talking to a few people, still trying to diffuse the situation, while a fellow employee was crying in the back.

“Hey.” Ella sat down beside them on the floor in the employee room. “Whatever happened, it’ll pass.”

“No, it won’t! They’re going to fire me! I need this job.” She sobbed. “I… can’t believe… he blamed me for everything. He even… threw wine at me! My uniform is ruined…”

“We have extras; don’t worry about that. But, whatever you did, they were out of line. You didn’t deserve this kind of treatment.”

“But… I did mess up… I can’t believe how angry he got…”

“Do you mind if I ask what happened?”

“A domino of things! I got blamed for their room not being ready when they weren’t supposed to be there for another five hours. And then after that argument, they went to their room and complained it was facing the wrong direction. Then it was the food. I didn’t cook it, but I apparently did something wrong with it. And then I knocked over a vase in the room by accident, and they cut their foot when they stomped towards me in anger—”

“Ella, help, please,” Jenny popped her head into the room and begged her. “I think he’s going to start a fight.”

“Then call security to take him away. Our staff is more important than the customers, especially when the customer is the one acting like a brat.”

“Ella!”

“Go… I’ll be okay.” The other staff member wiped her tears away. “But be careful; I don’t trust this man.”

“Okay.” Ella stood and adjusted her clothes. “I’ll try to smooth things over.” She exited to where Jenny was, and when she saw who the man was, she froze.

He spotted her, and his eyes widened. “Ella? So this is where you work?” Sebastian eyed her uniform.

“Um…”

“You know him?” Jenny whispered to her.

“Sorta…”

“Sorta? Come on, Ella—”

“I need to use one of the private rooms,” Ella cut Sebastian off as she turned to Jenny.

“Um, sure thing.” Jenny pointed down the hall. “Use meeting room two; it’s empty right now. Should I send someone else to go with you?”

“No…” Ella leaned close to Jenny. “But please call Leon and tell him I need him; ex-number-one is here.”

“O-okay…” Jenny had his number for business purposes, but practically never used it. She gripped her phone, waiting for Ella to walk away before doing anything. “Stay near the door,” she whispered to the male concierge nearby. “I don’t trust him.”

Ella walked down the hall, gripping her hands in front of her to stop them from shaking. Sebastian followed behind her. His eyes trailed down her and he smirked.

“So, you really work here?” he asked.

“Of course; do you think this uniform is for show?” She opened the door to the room and motioned with her hand for him to enter.

“Fancy place. Do they pay nice?” he asked as he passed by her.

“Not sure what that matters to you.”

“Well, I’m wondering if you’re living a decent life or not.”

“Stop pretending to care. Why were you making such a fuss earlier? You know the staff are people with feelings, right? And it’s not like anything they did was on purpose.”

Sebastian smirked and leaned on the table behind him. “You think I should forgive her when she can’t even do her job properly?”

“You showed up early; don’t forget to take some blame.”

“They should be ready way before the customer gets here when they have a reservation.”

“Wouldn’t that depend on how long before? And who cares what direction your room is facing?”

“I asked specifically—”

“I swear, you’re just out to be a jerk. Come on, the food? She didn’t cook it; don’t take your anger out on her.”

Sebastian’s eyebrow twitched. “You’ve changed a bit, and it hasn’t even been long since I saw you.”

Because I know I have to be strong in front of you. “People change.”

“I like the fire.” He smirked. “I mean, I already liked you before, but this Ella…” He licked his lips. “She seems even more fun.”

“That may be so, but I’m also taken. I’m off limits, so don’t even think about it.”

“Too late; already thinking about it.”

Ella held back the urge to roll her eyes. “Look, we’re sorry about any inconveniences you may have encountered, and we can offer you one night, free of charge, so long as you don’t make a big deal about this.”

“You’re right, a bad review of this place could get that woman fired, couldn’t it? So, how about you go on a date with me, and I’ll forget any of this happened?”

“No deal. As I’ve said, I’m not on the market.” Ella crossed her arms and hardened her expression.

“That look may work on others, but I know you better than that, Ella; you’re soft on the inside.” He sauntered up to her and backed her into the wall. “Come on, we both know you only took me to a private room because you wanted time alone with me.”

“No; I just didn’t want our past being spread around.” She glared up at him. “We’ve been done for a long time, Sebastian,” she spat his name out. “With no chance of it happening again.”

His cheek twitched. “Do you think you’re too good for me now?” he growled.

Don’t provoke him, Ella!

“I have been for a long time. I didn’t deserve to be treated like a possession and betrayed because I didn’t give you what you wanted.”

He leaned in close to her. “I’m a guy; get over it. And of course, I treated you that way; you were mine. You’ll be mine again soon.”

“In your dreams.” She glared at him and dug her nails into her arms as she refused to back down.

Leon, please show up soon.

He smirked and gripped her chin. “You’ve been in my dreams this whole time, Ella. It’s been telling me it’s you. You may have run away before, but I won’t let you get away this time.”

She shuddered and swatted his hand away. “Don’t touch me.”

The door wriggled open, and Leon came in huffing. “You.” He pointed at Sebastian. “What are you even doing here?” he growled.

“I needed a hotel close by for some business I have in town. Sure, I could have commuted, but it’s so much more convenient this way,” Sebastian answered him. “Ended up with a good surprise after the mess, though.” He turned back to Ella. “I’m glad our run-in wasn’t a onetime deal. I look forward to seeing you again during my stay.” He turned back to Leon. “I am still allowed to be here, right? Pretty sure I could make it look bad if you threw me out.”

“If you do anything to my Ella, then I’m not going to care about reputation, and I’ll be coming after you.”

“Ha,” he chuckled. “I’ll see you later.” He winked at Ella and left, giving Leon a shove as he went.

“Are you okay?” Leon ignored him and went up to Ella to check her over. He patted her shoulders and looked into her eyes. “Ella? Did he…?”

She leapt at him, into his chest, as her whole body shook. “H-he didn’t get a chance to do anything. I’m so glad you showed up…”

He wrapped his arms around her. “Of course, I came. I can’t believe you brought him here to talk alone, though.”

“Who knows what kind of scene he might’ve tried to make if I didn’t?”

“But it’s dangerous to be alone with him.”

“I can’t keep running every time I’m afraid.” She gripped his shirt.

“This isn’t about running away from a problem; this is about putting yourself in danger.”

“That’s why I told her to contact you.”

“But what if I couldn’t get here in time? We don’t know what he might’ve tried to do, even with someone not far outside…” Leon sighed and hugged her tighter. “I am glad you called for me. I’m even happier and relieved you’re alright.”

It was in his touch every time. She hadn’t given it much thought before, but he cared for her. Truly, deeply, cared for her. She couldn’t deny that his feelings were true, or that he made her feel safe. She could rely on him.

This feeling… it’s what I’ve always been searching for. She hugged him tighter, relaxing into his embrace.

“Ella?”

“Oh, sorry.” She tried to pull away, but he kept her close.

“There’s nothing to apologize for, but I wanted to make sure it’s okay to have him here. I can have him banished from my hotel, and all hotels linked with my family, if you want.”

“No.” She shook her head. “Thank you, but I don’t think we need to go that far. He’ll likely want to cause trouble and get me to serve him somehow, but I don’t want to have to resort to anything that could hurt the company.”

“I don’t think he could manage to do that, but okay.” He let out a deep sigh. “I think you need the rest of the day off… and so do I.”

“On that note…” They finally pulled away from each other, but he kept a hand on her waist. “Did I pull you out of a meeting?” she asked.

“Uh…”

“I hope I didn’t cause too much trouble.”

“It’ll be fine; don’t worry about it. Zeke was left to handle things.”

As if on cue, Leon’s phone went off.

Ring, ring, ring.

“Aren’t you going to answer it?” Ella asked.

Leon groaned and looked at his phone. “Yes, Zeke,” he answered it. His face contorted.

“If you have to go, you can go. I’m okay now,” Ella assured him.

He held the phone away from his head. “You may be, but I’m not,” he whispered to her. “I’m worried he’ll come back and try something.”

“I’ll be fine.”

“Alice… We should bring her here and make sure you don’t stray from her side, at least for today.”

“If we’re having someone guard me and work, I’d say Charlie would be the best option… Not that I’m complaining about Alice.”

“Charlie doesn’t work here though… You know, if your other friends want to work here as well, I’m sure we have some positions open for them.”

“Isn’t that an abuse of power?” Then again, he probably did that to get me here, too…

“At least it’s for something good.”

“True, but I don’t think our old company would want to lose two more of their experienced staff in such a short time.”

“Does seem a bit mean, but you can leave the offer open for them.”

“I’m getting favourable treatment at work…” Ella mumbled. Kinda both like it and feel bad at the same time.

“Of course you are; you’re the boss’s wife-to-be. Heck, after we’re married, and I’m forced to take over my father’s company, which owns mine anyway, you can run this one if you want.”

“I’m not sure I’m cut out for that.”

“There’s time to learn and change your mind.” He shrugged. “That’s still way in the future, anyway.”

“Really? I thought they’d be trying to push it onto you as soon as we’re married.”

“Na, they’ll give me a few years to prove it’s working, and then push it onto me.” He smirked and lightly brushed her bangs aside. “I should go before Zeke starts spamming me with calls.” He kissed her forehead. “Stick with Alice and call me if anything else happens. I’ll see you later.”

“Bye.” Ella touched her forehead and smiled, his warmth still lingering.

---

Continued in chapter 27.

One Life Stand – Chapter 25

Ella finished making a chicken burger and fries for each of them and sat down to wait. She looked at the time on her phone, checking to make sure he didn’t send a text about lunch.

“What’s taking so long?” she mumbled, her stomach gnawing at her. Tired of waiting, she picked up one of the fries with ketchup and nibbled on it.

Despite eating as slowly as she could manage, she finished her fries, and Leon still hadn’t shown up.

“What’s going on? He said he was going to be home for lunch, right?” Ella stared at her phone, debating on contacting him since he was already more than an hour late. “I should be working right now… but I can’t help but worry.” She dialled his number, but only got a busy signal.

Should I finish my meal and get back to work? But what if something happened, and they call the suite instead of me? Arg! She texted him, just in case.

She paced around the kitchen as she waited, checking her phone every few minutes.

The door burst open, and Leon came through, huffing. “I’m so… sorry… I’m late… Meeting… went long… because they were late…” He leaned over, resting his hands on his knees as he panted.

“You’re okay…” she sighed, nearly dropping her phone.

“You were worried?”

“Don’t you know how to pick up the bloody phone?!” she snapped at him.

He flinched back and then held his hands up. “I’m sorry. I tried to call earlier, but I got a busy signal.”

“That’s what texts are for…”

“You’re right; I should’ve sent a text.”

“Should’ve answered my text.”

“You texted me?” He looked at his phone and paled. “I had the sound off, so I didn’t hear it. I’m so sorry, Ella.” He stumbled over and pulled her in for a tight hug. “I’ll try to be more careful from now on.” He couldn’t help but smile, since she had actually worried about him, but he hid his expression by keeping her in the hug.

“As long as you’ve learned your lesson…” She hugged him back. I can’t believe I worried that much. I can only imagine how much Nathan worried when I ran out… Who knows how badly he thinks of me after what I’ve done to him?

“Ella?” Leon held onto her shoulders as he looked into her eyes. “Are you okay?”

“Yup… Just glad you’re okay. Um, I should get to work—”

“Sit and finish your lunch, please. Don’t make me eat alone; defeats the purpose of coming home for lunch.”

“You come home so you could eat with me?”

“Of course! Why else would I come home to eat? I know the food here is great, but it’s not going to make me rush home from the other side of the city…” he trailed off, realizing he admitted more than he wanted to.

Her eyes widened. “Why would you do that? Downtown is so busy at lunch; I can only imagine how long it would take to rush back here…”

Leon tried to hide his smile, biting his cheek. “I always wanted to come home for lunch and have someone waiting there for me. Not that I want you to wait, but that you’re here for me; someone to go home to.”

From how his parents are, I’m going to guess he never had that as a kid.

Ella nodded. “I think I get what you mean. Seriously though, call or text if you’re going to be late… and do it before you leave the building. I don’t want you getting into a car accident because you were doing something stupid, like talking on the phone or texting while you’re driving.”

“Zeke was driving me around, but I understand your point.”

If Zeke was driving him around, didn’t he have time to call?

“Um… Did I say something wrong? I feel like I did…”

“Nope, it’s nothing…”

Leon put his hands on her shoulders again. “If I messed up, then I messed up, but I may not always know what I did, so please tell me. Talk to me, Ella.”

Ugh… fine! “If Zeke was driving you around, shouldn’t you have had time to contact me?”

“After I called and got a busy signal, I ended up on another business call, which ate up most of my time. I should’ve gotten back to you afterwards, so I’m sorry.”

“You’re so busy…” She sighed. “Doesn’t that burn you out?”

“Yes, and it used to get me so tired I’d waste my weekends away sleeping, but things are different now. Seeing you, and knowing you’re here for me, recharges me.” He smiled at her.

“Dripping sweetness…” she mumbled.

“Do you forgive me?”

“You make it hard not to.”

“Thank you.” He gave her a quick peck on the lips and sat down to eat. “Looks delicious.” He dug in right away. “Mmm… Yup, tastes as good as it looks. Aren’t you going to eat?” He nudged his head towards her chicken burger, still sitting on her plate.

She sat down with a huff and started to eat.

“So, how was work this morning?” Leon asked her.

“Shouldn’t I ask you that?”

“Mine was chaotic, and yours?” He kept fishing for the details he wanted.

Ella rolled her eyes. “Yes, I called my mom. She agreed to come here, though I must warn you, she’s not too enthusiastic about me being engaged again because of my past.”

“It’s good she agreed. Can she come this weekend?”

“Yes.”

“Do you want to pick her up, or would you like me to send a car?”

“I… She can take a taxi, or rather a bus.”

“We’ll send a car to pick her up.” Leon finished eating. “Less stress that way.”

“I’ll set it up…”

“Is something wrong?”

“Nope.” Ella wiped the corners of her mouth to make sure her face was clean and picked up her empty plate.

“What is it?” He followed her over with his own empty plate.

“She doesn’t like taxis and whatnot because she sees it as a waste of money. I mean, it’s not like we didn’t have any money, but she’s a single mother, which can be quite hard, so she always tried to keep her expenses low.” Ella washed their dishes as Leon leaned against the counter.

“I see… But we’re sending the driver; she’s not spending anything. By the way, if she needs money or anything, we can help her with it. Heck, we can buy her a new place wherever she wants.”

“We?”

Leon shrugged. “We’re going to be married; my money is your money, remember?”

I guess that means I’ll be rich… I should be excited about that, but I never even think about it.

“I doubt she’d accept anything extravagant from us.” Ella sighed, thinking about how many times her mother turned down help from her over the years.

“Don’t worry; I know how to get her to accept it. You make sure she has no other choice. We’ll have to get a place in her name though…”

“I don’t think she’d want to move from her current house; a lot of memories there.”

“But wouldn’t she want to move closer to you if she could?”

“I guess…”

Leon looked at the time. “I wish I could stay longer, but I have to go if I want to get to my next meeting in time.”

“Oh, okay.”

“I’ll send you the list of services I regularly use, so you can set up the normal driver. I’ll see you later.”

Ella turned off the water, finishing with the dishes, and turned. “Okay—”

Leon cut her off with another quick peck on the lips. “Have a good afternoon,” he said, smiling as he took off.

I have a feeling he’s always going to catch me off guard…

---

Continued in chapter 26.

One Life Stand – Chapter 24

It took a long while for Leon to fall asleep; he spent most of his time watching Ella sleep. When he woke up, she wasn’t there anymore. He shot up out of bed, wondering if she left early again.

He left her bedroom and heard the sound of pans being moved around. He made his way over to the kitchen and leaned on the doorway as he watched Ella making pancakes.

With a stake of pancakes, she turned around to put it on the table, and jumped. She hadn’t expected to see Leon there and nearly dropped the plate.

“Oops.” He reached out instantly to help her. “I didn’t mean to scare you; I like watching you cook.”

“I didn’t hear you at all… Um, did I wake you up?” She set the plate on the table and turned back to make more.

“I don’t think so.” He sat down in his spot at the table. “These look and smell delicious.” He sniffed the pancakes, and a sweet vanilla scent took over.

“Hopefully, they taste as good as they smell then.” She laughed.

Ah, why do I still feel so awkward? We didn’t even do anything last night… and we’ve done much more before… Maybe I’m feeling guilty? Guilty for giving him the cold shoulder? Guilty for being resistant to trying? He wants to try, which I assume means he’s not afraid of getting hurt, right? Can’t say the same for me though, despite being the one who hurts others in the first place.

“Ella?” Leon called out to her again from right behind her. “I’m no expert, but pancakes burn fast, right?”

“What? Oh!” She flipped over her pancakes in the pan. They were a bit dark, but not burnt yet. “Thanks…”

“Lost in thought, again? I hope you weren’t thinking anything bad.”

“Just… contemplative…” She sat in her seat with her own plate of pancakes, though a bit overdone.

“I’ve been thinking as well.”

She froze, with her fork stabbed into her pancakes, bracing herself.

“I want to meet your mother. You’ve met my parents, so I think it’s time I meet your mom.”

“She lives outside the city, so it’s a bit of a drive to get there…”

Leon let out the breath he was holding in, glad she didn’t say she didn’t want him to meet her. “That’s fine. I like driving and maybe we can even make a weekend stay of it or something. Even if she doesn’t have space, we can get a room at the closest hotel. I’m sure she’d be happy to see you.”

“Right… my mom…”

“What’s wrong?”

“It’s just been a while since I went back home, that’s all.”

“Why? Did you two fight or something?”

“You could say that.”

“About what?”

“About her staying single the whole time after my father left. She said it was for me, but I gave her my blessing, so I told her it was just her fear. She got upset, then I got upset… and we kinda stopped talking. I mean, we still see each other for birthdays and Christmas, but… we haven’t talked much despite how close we’ve always been. I’m not sure what she’ll think about being engaged to you after the previous ones… not that she knew about Nathan proposing.”

“I see… but she’ll know eventually either way, right?”

“I guess you’re right.”

“Time to reconcile?”

“I suppose so. I’ll call her later about it.”

“Okay, thank you. I’m looking forward to meeting her.”

“Really? I was terrified of meeting your parents.”

“Of course, because she’s the reason I got to meet you.”

“Ha… Do you really mean all this stuff you say?” Ella asked.

“What do you mean?”

“You’re always so sweet and whatnot that it feels… unreal. I mean, it’s not like I haven’t had people be sweet to me, but you seem like you’re like that all the time. Is this just the ‘honeymoon’ phase or something?”

“Um… That’s just me.” Leon shrugged. “Or at least me when I’m with you. I can’t seem to help it; I always want to be sweet to you… Well, maybe not quite always.” He smirked. “If you catch my drift.”

“What are you… Oh…” Ella blushed and stuffed her face full of pancakes.

Leon couldn’t help but laugh, since she looked like a chipmunk with her cheeks full.

When she finally swallowed, she summoned up some courage to ask more questions. “How did you manage to keep hoping to meet me again?”

“It wasn’t hard for me, because I believed it would happen one day. I just knew it. Like it felt… fated to come to be. Either that, or I wished so hard it’d be cruel for you not to show up again.”

“It was barely in time though, wasn’t it?”

He shrugged, thinking about it. “More than a year left until they’d force someone on me… or maybe I would’ve broken the company and kept waiting. Hard to say, but I’d rather not go into those what-ifs. You’re here now, even if it took longer than I would’ve liked… And it’s time for work.” He glanced at his watch. “How are you feeling, by the way? No hangover?”

“Hangover?”

“From drinking too much last night?” He narrowed his eyes.

“Nope!” Crap, I forgot about that… I didn’t drink nearly enough for that, anyway.

“Good… Now, the first thing for your work today is to call your mom and make sure we can get some time soon to meet her. As early as Friday, if we can.”

“That’s part of my job?”

“I’m not going to ask Zeke to call your mother, so yes.”

“On that note, do you really need a personal concierge when you have a personal assistant?”

“He deals more with the business stuff; you deal with my personal life.”

“But then I have to double-check things with him… Wouldn’t it be easier if he had control of both?”

“Are you trying to get out of being my personal concierge?”

“Well…”

“I figured it’s a good job for you, since sometimes we’ll get to spend more time together. Besides, it pays more than being a regular concierge.” Not that she really needed the money with him around.

“You haven’t used me too much, though. You haven’t visited any of the facilities on-site or—”

“You make a good point. I should spend a day testing out the rest of the place.” Leon hummed as he thought. “I know I said for us to visit your mom, but is there a chance she’d like to come here? There’s quite a bit to enjoy; it might be a nice little vacation for her.”

“I guess she might.”

“Good, get on that.” He pulled on his jacket and headed for the front door, then stopped. “You can keep doing the odd jobs I give you and either stop for the day or help out otherwise, like normal, or you can join me anytime. I know Zeke might complain, but you’re free to stay beside me and learn the business if you want.”

I don’t think I’d be any good with that…

“I’ll stick with this.”

“Okay then. The option stays open for you. One more thing.”

“What?” Ella had cleared the table and was about to do the dishes when she looked back at him. “Oh!” Her eyes widened as he gave her a quick peck on the lips.

“Have a good morning. I’ll talk to you soon. I’m off.” He gave her a quick wave and left, smiling because he loved her surprised expression.

Feels like he’s getting bolder, but I guess that isn’t a bad thing. She lightly touched her lips, smiling.

After doing her normal cleanup around the suite, Ella sat down at the kitchen table with her phone, staring at her mother’s phone number.

I don’t think there’s any way of getting out of this. It’s just mom; suck it up and call her, Ella.

She dialled the number and waited through a few rings, tempted to hang up the whole time.

“Hello,” her mom answered. “Ella?”

“Um…”

“Is something wrong? Are you okay? Did something—”

“I’m okay,” Ella said, cutting off her mom’s worried ramblings. “Um… I don’t even know how to ask this…”

“You can ask me anything, honey; you should know that.”

“But we haven’t talked all that much in a while.”

“I’m your mother; I’ll always listen to what you have to say.”

“Well, actually…” Ella fiddled with the pen sitting on the table. “I got a promotion and I’m working at a new hotel.”

“That’s great!”

“And…” Ella wiped the sweat off her forehead. “I’m engaged.”

Her mother was silent for a moment. “Again?”

“Y-yup.”

“Honey… do you think this is a good idea? With what’s happened before, you might be better off—”

“Mom! I’m already engaged, and I will marry him, but he wants to meet you first.” Surprising how easily that came out.

“I see… I understand, but I still think—”

“He wants to invite you here to the hotel to enjoy a short vacation. All expenses paid.”

“He works at your hotel?”

“He owns the hotel.”

“Oh…”

Ella gritted her teeth, the silence deafening. “Look, I know we disagree on a lot of things, but… it’d mean so much to me if you’d come to meet your future son-in-law.”

“I…” She sighed. “Okay, I’d love to come to meet him.”

“Thank you. Now, can you come for the weekend coming up?”

“I have no plans, so it should be fine.”

“Only pack what you need, and we can get you anything else right here. This place is great that way, along with all the stores right nearby.”

“You’re not wasting money, are you?”

“No, of course not.” Leon may spend however he like,s though… and to him, it probably isn’t a waste.

“If you say so… Okay, I’ll be ready for this weekend.”

“Alright then; I’ll see you soon.”

“Wait, don’t hang up yet! Are… are you doing okay? Eating properly?”

“I’m fine, mom. How about you?”

“I’m fine; the same as always.”

I wish I knew how to talk to her…

“That’s good…” Ella sighed.

“I miss you.”

“I miss you too, mom. I guess it’s a good thing Leon wanted to invite you over.”

“You can invite me over anytime, you know? You can also come home anytime you want. You don’t need an invitation; just show up.”

“I’ll… keep that in mind. I have to go now; more work to do. I’ll see you soon. Love you, mom.”

“I love you too, sweetie. Take care.” “You too.” Ella hung up first and melted back into her chair, all the tension releasing. Ugh… this shouldn’t have been hard… Ella looked at the time. It was almost lunch, and Leon had put it on the schedule that he’d be home for lunch, so she started working on it.

---

Continued in chapter 25.

One Life Stand – Chapter 23

Leon arrived at Charlie’s house and gazed up at the dark sky before knocking on the door.

Kyra opened the door. “Even avoided ringing the doorbell, so you wouldn’t wake anyone? Come in.” Kyra led him into the living room. “There’s your sleeping beauty.”

“Should we be getting Alice home?”

“She can stay there; she’ll be fine.”

“What about you? Do you need a ride?”

“Me? Oh, my, that’s sweet of you, but I can call my husband for a ride.”

“You have children, right?”

“Yes… who should be in bed right now.”

“Still, it’s best not to leave them home alone.”

“It’s a bit out of the way…”

“Don’t worry about it. I insist on you letting me drive you home.” He smiled at her, and her heart skipped a beat.

“Oh dear… you are quite charming. Did you know that?”

“I aim to be.” He was confident he could charm most people.

“Fine, you can drive me home.” Kyra found herself unable to stop smiling.

“She looks so cute when she’s asleep… Then again, she’s always cute,” Leon mumbled as he stared at Ella softly. Careful not to wake her – though she wasn’t actually asleep – Leon cradled her in his arms and headed to his car. Kyra held the door to the house open, to make sure she didn’t hit her head, and helped him lay her down in the backseat.

Kyra sighed as she sat in the front passenger seat. “It’s so cushy… and warm.” She giggled as she buckled up. She lightly slid her hand across the door. “Must be super-high-end or something.”

“I suppose so,” Leon chuckled. “Where to?”

Kyra gave him her address, and they drove off.

“So…” Leon glanced back at Ella in the backseat. “Is she feeling any better?”

“I’m not sure. We talked a lot and drank a lot, but she has her own issues to work through.”

“I’d like to help her with that if I can.”

“She told us about how you two actually met.”

“Oh?”

“I think it’s sweet, and now this makes more sense. You’re still being a bit pushy with wanting to marry her, but at least I understand it now.”

Leon gripped the stirring wheel tighter, a faint blush forming on his cheeks.

“I’m sorry if you didn’t want us to know about that—”

“I understand how close you all are, so I expected it,” Leon said. “It’s just embarrassing. My younger self was so weak.”

“Everyone is weak when they’re young, and everyone has times when they’re weak otherwise, so don’t worry about it.”

“Ella’s right about you; you’re the wise, mature one of the group.”

Kyra nodded. “I have to be that with them and at home.” She sighed. “Such is my life.”

“Must be tiring.”

“It can be, but I love it. They rely on me, and I like that feeling.”

“I have a feeling they always will.”

“I imagine so, but Ella will probably be relying on me less soon, with you in the picture.” She watched the light posts as they sped by them. “You’re going to have to have a lot of patience and tenancy to be with her.”

“I have that in abundance, trust me.” The fifteen-year gap since he saw her felt long as it was passing, but short when he looked back at it.

“I guess you’d have to have a lot of patience to hold back for so long in the first place. Or at least, I’m assuming it is, but some people have no issue going without…”

“Ha…” He swallowed hard, not really wanting to talk about it. “Sometimes it was, but I’m crazy enough about her to keep waiting and hoping we’d be reunited.”

“But wouldn’t you only be in love with the version of her from your memories? How about now? Now that you’ve come together again, and you’ve gotten to know her better, are you still crazy in love?”

“Yes.” Leon had a soft smile and gaze as he kept his eyes on the road. “And yes, I know how crazy this all is, but it’s a dream come true for me. I know she has her reservations about me, and I can’t blame her, but I’m not going anywhere, and I plan to be the best man I can be for her.”

“Damn… Ella’s a lucky girl.”

“Thank you.”

“Just stating facts.”

“No, I mean thank you for talking to me like this, and for being there for her. If you ever need anything, don’t be afraid to ask.”

“Might not want to be so open with favours like that; there are people who’ll take advantage of you.”

Leon pulled up in front of her house and leaned closer to her, staring into her eyes. “But you’re not one of them, are you?”

Kyra froze for a moment, entranced by him. “No… I suppose I’m not. Thanks for the ride. Get home safe.” She rushed out of his car, shaking her head and fanning herself as she tried to calm down.

Ugh, it’s hard to keep pretending to be asleep while they talk like this the whole way! Ella peeked at Kyra out the window and shut her eyes again as she adjusted her position slightly. And why was Kyra getting flustered?!

Leon looked back at her again. “Still asleep? I’ll try to make it a smooth ride home.” He drove off.

Ella couldn’t help but notice how he was still as sweet as he was as a kid. Some things don’t change.

On the way home, Ella actually passed out, and when she was starting to come to, she could feel strong arms carrying her. She leaned into him more, snuggling close as she breathed in his comforting, familiar, citrusy scent.

“Did I wake you? I’m sorry, but you’ll be safe in your own bed soon,” Leon said as he carried her through their penthouse suite after kicking his shoes off at the door. He pushed her door open with his foot and laid her down on her bed. He took her shoes off and kissed her forehead. “Sleep well, my Ella.”

Give him a chance, hmm?

Her hand shot out and grabbed his. “Stay…” she mumbled.

“Um… Do you know what you’re asking?”

She nodded, her eyes open a slit. “Just stay near… nothing more…”

I wonder if he can manage that; we’ve been a bit naughty any time we’re in bed together.

“If that’s what you want.”

Ella nodded again and let go of his hand.

Leon took his jacket off and laid down beside her, his hands behind his head as he stared at the ceiling. “I hope you’re feeling better now,” he whispered, not sure if she was awake enough to hear him anymore.

“Mmm…” She rolled onto her side and cuddled up to him, her hand resting on his chest and head on his shoulder.

Leon wrapped an arm around her, feeling comfortable. He stayed awake, though overly aware of her presence. “How am I supposed to sleep like this without doing anything?” He sighed and closed his eyes, wondering if she was trying to test him somehow.

Ella smiled a bit as she cuddled closer to him, leaving no space between them. I probably shouldn’t tease him too much after he’s been so sweet.

He looked down at her. “Are you awake?”

Don’t answer him! She had to remind herself as she kept her eyes shut.

Leon sighed. “I’ve been hoping to talk to you since that night, but you’ve been avoiding me. For reference, I like eating breakfast with you in the morning; it’s like we’re already married, and it’s nice to have someone to eat with at home. Oh well, we will talk later, but for now, let’s try to sleep.”

---

Continued in chapter 24.

One Life Stand – Chapter 22

Ella rushed to unbuckle her seatbelt and nearly rolled out of the car, hurling.

“We haven’t even started drinking yet,” Charlie complained as she rubbed Ella’s back.

Kinda glad I didn’t eat much today… Ella wiped her mouth with a tissue. “Isn’t this your house?” Ella looked over at the two-storey, double-garage house with a garden near the front door. She had come over a few times, but Charlie always wanted to go somewhere that wasn’t her place, so they rarely went there. “Why are we here?”

“So we can drink and not worry. Besides, I also have a freezer full of ice cream.”

“Look, I’m not really in the mood—”

“Don’t give me any of that.” Charlie pushed Ella towards her house. “We want to know what happened, and we’ll do whatever we must to get you talking, even if that means getting you piss drunk.”

“Oh my gosh, I’ve already told myself I wouldn’t be doing that anymore. I’m too old for it, anyway.”

“But you’re more open when you’re drunk.”

“But if we’re all drinking, then you guys probably won’t remember what I say.”

“Kyra is going to be here, and you know even if she drinks too much – which she never does – she still wouldn’t be drunk. That mama is immune, I say!”

“She can hold her liquor, can’t she?”

“Indeed.” Charlie dragged Ella into the living room, where Alice and Kyra were already waiting.

“Aren’t you busy making supper at this time normally?” Ella asked Kyra.

“My eldest has agreed to make supper for me and told me to enjoy my night,” Kyra explained. “I am a bit worried, but they are the most responsible of them, and my husband will be home soon enough, anyway. Now, how about you sit down and we get to drinking?” Kyra patted the seat on the couch between her and Alice.

“I don’t think this is a good idea.” Ella tried to back away, but Charlie gave her a push forward, and Kyra caught her, sitting her down with her hand on her shoulder. “I’m not in the mood to drink…”

Charlie vanished into the next room for a moment and came back, rolling in a cart full of bottles. “Time for our own mixtures,” she cheered and pulled out a mixer. “So, what should we start with?”

Ella sighed, leaning back on the couch as she stayed silent.

“How about we make it fun?” Alice pulled out a pair of dice. “Going across for the numbers, we’ll just roll to see what to mix.”

“I imagine getting some wonky mixes… Let’s do it!”

Kyra gave Ella’s shoulder a squeeze. “Sometimes it’s good to have some silly fun like this with your friends.”

“Isn’t that what got me into the mess with Leon?” Ella wiggled her left ring finger around.

“Don’t you like him now, though?”

“What?” Ella frowned.

“Between what I’ve seen and what I’ve heard from the others, you are way more comfortable around him than your past boyfriends.”

“Am I?”

“I mean, I admit I thought Nathan would work out… but you two seemed a bit off. You seemed better with Leon until Alice ran her mouth… then things changed again, so—”

“Your turn!” Alice handed Ella the dice, making a face as she drank her drink.

Ella stared at the dice as her friends chanted ‘throw’ all around her. “I’m not doing this.” She went to put the dice down, and Alice knocked her hand.

“Oops, looks like you get one and six.”

“Isn’t that a seven?”

“Not when we’re lucky to even get one throw of the dice from you.”

“I didn’t actually—”

“Too bad!” Charlie set the drink down. “Drink up, missy.”

“You know they’re not going to back down,” Kyra whispered to her. “At least indulge them a little; they’re worried… and so am I.”

Ella chugged down her drink. “Ah…” It had an unusual mix of flavours and burned going down.

“Uh… you didn’t look at what it was, did you? That was a strong one.” Charlie cringed.

“Ugh… what was in that?”

“Next!” Alice handed the dice to Kyra to continue it. She ended up rolling the same number twice, and they fought over having two shots of the same thing or three different things in one, by splitting the number.

How can I feel buzzed off one drink? What the hell did she give me? Ella leaned her head on Kyra’s shoulder, and Kyra stroked her head.

“There, there, girl. We’re all here for you. Now, can you tell us what happened?” Kyra asked.

“Alice was right…”

Kyra and Charlie both looked at Alice, who was frowning, trying to remember what she’d said.

“I ruined Bruce’s life. I hurt him so much… I wasted his time… If it wasn’t for me, he could’ve been married with kids and had an easier ride getting promotions.”

“Sounds like that jerk is blaming you for his misgivings.” Charlie slammed a bottle down after chugging a chunk of it. “What an ass!”

“Watch your mouth,” Kyra warned her, too used to saying it to her husband around the kids or her eldest kid.

“Sorry, ma’am.” Charlie made a zipping motion across her lips. “I’ll try to contain myself while you’re here.”

“Thank you.”

Guess I really can’t handle much alcohol, anymore…

“Alice and Bruce are both right… What kind of scum dates people for years and throws them away as soon as marriage comes into the picture? A severely damaged person, that’s who.” Ella sighed.

“The first one wasn’t your fault; he was a cheater,” Kyra said. Among other things.

“But what about Justin? What about Bruce? What about Nathan? I’ve run away every time, and they’re good men…”

“At least you didn’t agree to marry Nathan and then run away,” Alice said. “Ow!” she yelped as Charlie punched her in the arm.

“You’re not helping.” Charlie slung back another drink.

“What?” Alice pouted. “I was trying to help.”

“The lot of you are drunk already, aren’t you?” Kyra sighed. “Such lightweights. Look, Ella.” Kyra wrapped her hand around Ella’s. “We can all admit you’ve had issues in the past, but there’s no saying what would’ve happened if you stuck with any of them, and playing the what-if game will only make everything worse. You don’t know what might’ve happened, and there’s no way to know. For all you know, you could’ve been miserable. Could you have gone about it a different way, yes? But you didn’t, so how about thinking about the future instead of the past, or rather the present? Think about Leon. He’s your future—”

“What if I mess him up, too? He’s so young and innocent… I could destroy him…”

“If you don’t want to destroy him, then stop running away!” Kyra snapped at her. “He’s stronger than you think, and you’ll never truly be able to outrun your problems!”

Ella flinched back, her eyes wide as she stared at Kyra.

“Give him a chance. I think he deserves that much.”

“And if I don’t actually love him?”

Kyra exchanged a look with her drunken friends. “Why are you deciding that before you give him a chance? But I’m also certain he’ll chase you even if you run away. And I don’t mean in the crazy Sebastian way, but in a way that you’ll know he’s waiting for you with open arms.”

“How are you so sure about him?” Ella’s words slurred. “I’m not sure… even after him telling me we met when we were younger.”

They all froze and turned to her. “What?” they asked in unison.

Ella gave them a brief summary of what happened when she was fifteen.

Alice squealed. “Oh my gosh, this just got way sweeter!”

“For once, I agree with her.” Charlie chugged on another bottle of unknown alcohol. “How can you not fall for that story? And why haven’t we heard about this incident before?”

“It didn’t come to mind…” Ella shrugged. It hasn’t been long since I found out.

“Ugh! I feel so bad for him now! He’s been pining after you since he was an elementary school kid, and you haven’t thought of him at all.”

“I probably did when I was fifteen… because I was worried about him, but life moves on.”

“But this is totally fated!” Alice cheered. “You saved him. Now it’s his turn to save you!” She threw her hands into the air and fell back on the couch, unconscious.

“And she’s out!” Charlie laughed. “And girl, your life is complicated, but I don’t think it needs to be. How about you learn to relax and go with the flow? This Leon fellow seems like a keeper.” She chugged on another bottle and sighed, closing her eyes.

“And they’re both out.” Kyra looked at Ella. “It’s hard having such an active, anxious mind, isn’t it?”

Ella nodded.

“You understand that Bruce shouldn’t have taken his pain and anger out on you, right?”

“I deserved it…”

“Ella…” Kyra combed her fingers through Ella’s hair. “You hurt him, yes, but that doesn’t mean you’re to blame for everything that’s happened to him since then. He stayed stuck in the past. You haven’t even talked to him in years, so it’s not like he’s being reminded all the time. It says more about him than you that he’s like that.”

“You don’t get it? I did break him!”

“You obviously didn’t want to live your life with him, so you had to end it eventually.”

Ella went silent.

“Same with the others. I think you need to be a bit kinder to yourself and realize the real reasons you didn’t want to marry the other ones. Was it really because of your father? Because of Sebastian? I think there’s a reason for each one, and I think it wouldn’t have worked out, anyway.”

“How do I get this out of my head? How do I stop running away? How do I stop hurting people? I don’t want to hurt Leon.” Ella teared up.

“The only way to stop running is to summon your courage to face the situation head-on.”

“How…?”

“Confront your past issues.”

“Are you telling me to confront all of them?” That’s terrifying.

“I’m not sure I want you anywhere near Sebastian, so maybe a letter to him and then burn it. For the second one…”

“Well, Justin actually has a wife and kids now, and even happily asked to meet for coffee…”

“Not sure you have to worry about him, then; he moved on and seems fine. Bruce made you cry and left you like this, so I’m not sure he deserves an apology or anything.”

“I did apologize already…”

“Then that leaves Nathan.”

“Nathan… I ended up talking to him, but it didn’t feel like anything got resolved.” He’s still such a sweetie, and I think I hurt him the most. But if our talk last time didn’t leave it feeling resolved, what will? Maybe I just need to know he’s doing okay now.

“He’s probably the only one you have to deal with before you can truly move on with Leon.” Technically, Sebastian was the bigger issue.

“How do I not mess up with Leon?”

Kyra shrugged. “Trust him. Talk to him. Be open. It’s all I can suggest, really.”

“Kyra, you’re always so amazing.” Ella hugged her tightly. Hopefully, I can manage to follow your advice.

Ella’s phone rang, and she sat there staring at Leon’s name as it continued to ring.

“You’re not going to answer?” Kyra asked.

“I’ve… kinda been avoiding him.”

“And we just agreed you’d try to talk to him openly, right?”

“But… I’m drunk right now.”

“That should make it easier.”

“‘Should’ being the keyword here.”

“Have some courage.” Kyra snatched her phone and answered it.

“Ella? Thank goodness you’ve finally answered. I know the girls were going to talk to you or something today, but I haven’t heard from you, and you’re not back… and it’s pretty late,” Leon rambled on.

“Aren’t you just sweet?” Kyra said.

“Um… Is Ella there?”

“She’s right here…” Kyra looked at Ella, who was waving her hands frantically, not wanting to answer her phone. “Unfortunately, she drank too much and fell asleep. All of them did.” Kyra sighed. “Lightweights, the lot of them.”

Leon chuckled. “Okay, as long as everything’s alright.”

“Maybe you should come and pick her up. I’m sure she’d be more comfortable in her own bed than on the couch.”

“Ah, okay…”

“I’ll text you the address.”

“Thank you. I’ll be there soon.” They both hung up.

Ella stared at her with her mouth agape. “How… how could you?”

Kyra smiled at her. “This is what you get for not answering your phone. Now, let’s grab blankets for these two.”

---

Continued in chapter 23.

One Life Stand – Chapter 21

Back at home, Leon dismissed Zeke for the day and rode the elevator to the top floor with Ella. He walked her into their suite, sat her down on the couch, and made some passionflower tea for her.

“I don’t know if it’s any good, but tea is supposed to help.” Leon set the cup in front of her on the coffee table and sat down beside her.

“Thanks…”

“Are you ready to talk about it?”

“…”

“Do I need to call the girls over for you to talk to them instead? I mean, I’d rather you rely on me more, but I can understand wanting to talk to them.”

“I… just want to go to bed,” Ella mumbled. “I’m tired…”

Leon scratched the back of his head as he tried to figure out what he could do. “Okay.” He nodded. “Finish your tea first, please. And if you happen to change your mind at any point, even in the middle of the night, come and talk to me. I don’t care if I’m asleep or whatever, just talk to me if you want to…”

Ella nodded and picked up the cup of tea. “Thanks…” Slowly sipping on her tea, it took her a while to finish.

Leon stayed beside her the entire time, but he made sure not to stare at her and make her uncomfortable. Instead, he focused on remembering the features of the man who was there, hoping to research him later.

When Ella stood, Leon snapped out of his thoughts.

“Goodnight…” she mumbled and handed him his jacket back before heading to her room.

“How long until you actually open up to me?” Leon sighed. He remembered his parents always had a list of the attendees along with pictures of them, so he called his father. “Dad… I need a favour. Yes, yes, I know I left the party early. Don’t worry; we’ll work on that later. Ugh, fine, you give me the information, and I’ll let you invite whoever.”

It didn’t take long for him to receive an email with all the information he requested. “He’s so going to turn this into a big spectacle now… I doubt she’ll want a wedding this big, but I’m sorry.” Leon sat down in his room with his laptop and looked through the profiles of their guests. “This is him… Bruce Bently… What a douche,” he grumbled as he read through the profile. Then it clicked; he remembered it from when he checked into Ella’s background before. “No way… it really is another one of them? Why’d we run into him?”

In disbelief, he called Alice.

“Hello?” Alice answered, worried something happened again.

“What can you tell me about Bruce Bently?”

“Bruce…? Oh! Him… Why are you asking about him? Ella hasn’t talked to that lug nut in years. Good riddance, if you ask me, but I can’t say Ella didn’t have her hand in how it ended.”

“He was at my parent’s party today, and I found him alone with her, and she… wasn’t in a good state.”

Alice gasped. “Are you saying what I think you’re saying? Did he—”

“No, I’m not saying he attacked her physically or anything, but she was quite upset about something, and she’s refusing to talk to me.”

“I see…”

“Any ideas?”

“Bruce had a mouth on him last I knew, so it could be anything.”

“Who are you talking to?”

Leon heard a familiar voice in the background. “Was that… Zeke?”

“Maybe…” Alice cursed under her breath.

“What’s he doing there?”

“Um…” She held the phone away from her head. “I think we’ve been had.”

“I can still hear you, you know?”

“Oops… Um… Does it matter if he’s here? It’s his personal time, right?”

“I suppose so… Anyway, can you and the girls talk to her? I’ll keep trying, of course, but based on tonight, my prospects aren’t good.”

“Yeah, it’s hard to get her to talk sometimes… Maybe I’ll invite her to a girls-night-out.”

“Uh… Sure, but try not to drink too much.”

“I guarantee we will.”

Leon rubbed the bridge of his nose. “Maybe you should drink here then; I can order anything you want.”

“While that sounds great, I think it’s best if she’s out of the house. Hey, what are you doing? Give back my phone.”

“Do you mind not calling her so late at night? I’m the jealous type and don’t have much spare time for fun,” Zeke said, having stolen Alice’s phone.

“Be careful, Zeke.”

“I’m not going to hurt her.”

“She’s not the one I’m worried about. Zeke, she’s… how should I put this?”

“Tread carefully…”

“She’s not exactly a one-guy kinda woman. Or more like, she doesn’t like to get attached.”

“I know that already; your worries are unfounded.”

“But I know how you get. You tend to go all in, and despite your roughness, you wear your heart on your sleeve in relationships.”

“Butt out; I can handle this.” Zeke hung up on him.

“I hope you can.” He sighed. “I should’ve called Kyra; she’s the reliable one.” He looked at the time and thought better of it. He didn’t want to disturb her this late, especially when she’s generally wiped out at the end of the day from dealing with work and her kids.

“Whatever,” he grumbled, loosening his tie. “We’ll deal with it tomorrow.” He flopped back on his bed, not bothering to get changed.

Leon sluggishly got ready for work the next morning. He approached Ella’s door, wanting to check on her.

Knock, knock. “Ella? How are you feeling today? You can take the day off from work if you want.” When she didn’t answer, he knocked again and then opened the door. She wasn’t there.

In the kitchen, he found his breakfast sitting there and a note.

Went to work. Have a good day.

“That… tells me nothing.” He sat down to eat his breakfast of an omelette and bread all on his own. He stared at Ella’s spot at the table, his heart wrenching as he remembered how she looked when he went back to his room the previous night. “I never should’ve left her alone there…”

Ella asked Jenny to have a day working alone away from everyone, and while she was concerned, she agreed and let Ella work on some empty rooms and a few other tasks for her. Even during lunch, she made sure she was away from everyone and not answering her phone.

Maybe I should just vanish into oblivion… At least then, I won’t be able to hurt anyone else. The girls will be alright without me. Leon… Crap… He needs me now unless his parents change their wonky stipulations, and he can move on to marry someone else. They wouldn’t really implode their company over that, right?

…

There’s no way to know how crazy they are… Ha… Even if I left, there’s a chance I’d harm a ton of people. There’s no winning, is there?

Ella set up her last room for the day while her mind wandered down a dark path.

“Well, you look like crap.”

Ella recognized the voice instantly. “Charlie, what are you doing here?”

“I heard about the trouble, and had some spare time, so I thought I’d pop in. But damn, did you sleep at all? No wonder you’re not dealing with customers today; you’d probably scare them away.”

Ella touched her face, pouting.

“Anyway, your workday is over, so it’s time to kidnap you.” Charlie linked her arm through Ella’s.

“I’m not really in the mood for a night out with the girls now… or shopping… or anything like that…”

“Since when did ‘kidnap’ mean you’re being given a choice? You’re coming with me whether you want to or not.”

“Ah!” Ella lurched forward as Charlie dragged her away.

Dammit; I always forget how strong she is.

Charlie walked her out of the building and forced her into her car. Ella clung to the seatbelt, knowing full well it wasn’t going to be a pleasant ride.

Ella yelped as soon as Charlie took off. “W-where are you taking me?”

“Don’t worry; it’s not a bar like last time… or that host club I took you to that one time either.”

“Yeah… that place was a bit seedy.”

“What? No, it wasn’t! You just weren’t comfortable with a few attractive men giving you attention.”

“They’re strangers…”

“That’s part of what you should be able to enjoy! Anyway, it doesn’t matter; we’re not going there after you freaked out last time.”

“Should you even go there? You’re married.”

“So? My husband is away a lot, and I want attention, but at least they don’t cross the line. They’re mostly there to flirt with you and make you spend more money.”

“Wow, wow, wow. Slow down!” Ella cringed and closed her eyes as they skidded to a stop at the light.

“What are you worried about? I stopped in time.”

“If you have to hit the brake that hard, you were going too fast!” Maybe I won’t have to worry about harming anyone else because I won’t make it past this trip!

“Na, it wasn’t that bad.”

“Does your husband know you drive this bad?”

Charlie was silent for a moment. “He always does the driving when we go out.”

“I’m guessing he knows then. I seriously don’t know how you’ve managed to not get a single traffic ticket so far.”

“Obviously, it’s because I’m a good driver.”

“If you think that, you’re delusional.”

“Oh, be quiet, like a good little captive.”

Ella looked out the window to the side, afraid to keep her eyes forward or to close them. Her eyes widened. “No way…” she mumbled. Nathan was on the sidewalk next to them. Ella ducked down.

“What are you doing?”

“Go, go, go!”

“I thought you didn’t like my speeding?”

“The light changed!” she yelped.

Nathan looked over, hearing her voice, right as Charlie sped off.

“Ella?” She could almost hear his voice.

“Oh yeah!” Charlie cheered. “No more holding back.”

“What? No, no, no. Ah!” Ella screamed, shaking as she clutched her head. “Hold back, hold back!”

The car came to a stop, and Charlie turned off the engine. “We’re here.”

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Continued in chapter 22.