Can't Let You Go

Chapter 37

"What are you waiting for? Go now." He shoos Carter away.

I stand up and step aside so that my legs won't be in the aisle between the sofa where we sit and the coffee table in front of us. I've left plenty of room, but Carter's shoulder bumps into me as he passes. I think I've stepped on his toes, metaphorically.

"Will," Uncle Robert says after Carter leaves, "I want you to get all the documents pertaining to this project and study them. Then learn what you can about the people involved on their end."

I stand up to leave so I can carry out the directive.

"I made the decision to bring you into this. Don't screw it up."

"Right."

It's difficult to concentrate on my research while feeling caught between a rock and a hard place. Tally needs to succeed in winning this project, but it's not like I want my family's business to lose.

The day was stressful and I'm exhausted, otherwise I wouldn't go back to my apartment. Before finding that Emily had let herself in, her ghost was already hiding in every corner and I already felt a little uneasy here. Changing the interior hadn't made as much of a difference as I'd hoped. Straightening my sagging shoulders, I search real estate listings and flag a few that have the structural features that I love the most about this place. Black steel, heavy wooden beams, whitewashed brick walls, and a lofted second floor. After requesting a couple of viewings, I get ready for bed and start my "Insomnia Cure" playlist as I do every night which puts me right to sleep.

Waking up refreshed always helps me face difficulties in the day ahead, though I still don't have an answer to my work dilemma. Opening the door to leave, I'm met with a surprise visitor holding a fragrant cup of coffee out to me.

"You didn't have to change the door code." Emily pouts.

"Obviously I did, otherwise you wouldn't know I had changed it." Once again in a dark mood, I turn away from her to take the stairs instead of the elevator so I won't be stuck standing still with her. "What do you want, Emily?"

"I came to apologize for barging into your apartment to relive our fond memories without you."

"Well as you saw, the place is quite different from the last time you were there. Not much to trigger memories."

"I know it's different. I picked most of that out myself."

Halting with feet on two different steps, I growl. "What do you mean? You picked it out? Why would you, of all people, be involved in redecorating my home?"

"It's what I do, interior design. Well, that plus modelling and being an influencer on Snap'd."

I resume descending the stairs at a faster pace.

"You think I'd believe my mother hired you to redecorate my house?"

"She didn't hire me. We happened to run into each other at the store and I helped her while we chatted. You know she's always liked me and supported my career aspirations."

Any questions I have for my mother about getting chummy with my ex will hold until later. Whatever Emily is up to is creating more immediate troubles. On this third meeting, I finally give Emily a thorough looking at, which she takes as an invite to step down to the stair immediately above me.

"Remember the day she first met me? She had walked into your bedroom and saw me naked in your bed." She laughs and wraps her arms around one of mine.

Quickly, I pull away from her. "That was not the first time something like that happened. It was one of the reasons I moved out of my family's house to begin with. No privacy."

"Ah, yes. You always did like your privacy. You hated it when I snooped around in all your stuff."

"I think everyone feels the same way."

"I'm not like that. You can ask me anything and I'll answer you."

"I'm not curious about your life."

"Really? I'm curious about yours. Your mother said you were moving back to the city. Where have you been?"

There's no way I'm telling her.

"I've been in California. Los Angeles. I picked UCLA and had a sudden chance to go to the summer program. I wrote you a letter and left you all my contact information, but you never reached out to me."

Such a big lie makes it really difficult to remain silent, but since she probably said it to get a rise out of me, I dismiss the comment.

"I was surprised to see you at the fundraiser the other day. You used to hate it when your mother made you go to those things. You went to that one when she wasn't even there."

"People change. Mature. It's good to go to charity events."

"And you had a date with you. Honey Cohen. How did the two of you end up together?"

"Not that it's any of your business, but she was not my date. We both happened to be there."

"How do you know her?"

I go back to the silent option.

"Did she tell you about me?"

"Are you afraid of what she has to say?"

"I'm afraid of her lies. I should warn you, she has always been two-faced."

"Well then I guess you'll be happy to know she didn't say much other than you had been friends in high school, but had a falling out after graduation and hadn't been in touch since. Although by that time, I'd already heard her comment that your date broke up with her for you back then."

"That's something between them. It had nothing to do with me. I couldn't help Ashton's feelings for me. We didn't become a couple until years later. I didn't date anyone while I was waiting for you."

Bringing up the fundraiser reminds me there is something I would like an answer to. "Why didn't you say that you knew me?"

"Because Honey introduced you as 'Liam' and I didn't want to upset Ashton in front of all those people. He knows how much pain I was in over 'Will' when I first moved to LA."

"So, you told him afterward?"

"Actually, no. I don't think he'll be able to handle us being friends if he knows who you are."

"We're not friends."

"But we can be. I really miss you, Will. I always have. Ashton can never really take your place."

"I stopped missing you a long time ago."

"That's not what I saw in your eyes yesterday when I surprised you in your apartment."

"When I caught you breaking into my apartment so you could snoop around. Even though you just admitted you know I hate it when my privacy is violated."

"I didn't break in. I had the door code. I think it says something that you never changed it, but I am sorry for going in without asking you first. Seeing you again, out of the blue, made me miss you more than I had in a while. I wanted to reminisce and I was curious about what your life is like now."

"Our current lives are none of each other's business." I open the door to the lobby. "I changed the door code, I accepted your apology. Let's just stay the strangers that your husband thinks we are."

"Fiance, I'm not married yet."

"It's all the same to me. Goodbye Emily. I hope you have a beautiful wedding and a wonderful life with a man who has already devoted at least six years to you." Safely away from her inside a cab, I'm struck by the idea of making a phone call.

"Hello?"

"Hi, I'd like to make an appointment with you."