“Promise me, David,” she said, he leaned in close to hear her quiet voice. “Go and get her back. She loves you, and you love her. I always know these things.”
David took a deep breath and nodded.
“I promise.”
It was a mixture of emotions swirling in his chest. Horrendous grief at saying goodbye to his grandmother, who had just proven that she always had his best interest at heart. And the bubble of hope that he could explain everything to Emily and persuade her to come back to him.
Chapter Twenty-Five
Three Months Later
Emily missed David. She wanted to hate him, and for three months, she resisted the temptation to call him. She spent most of the time hidden from the public eye, waiting for the media storm to die down, and hadn’t even gone into work, but worked from home securing the businesses finances.
The truth was, she was not innocent in this situation. They both had their own agendas. The fact that David’s family had set her up was what made her feel so nauseous. And David went along with it. He claimed he didn’t know. He left messages for her every day and begged for her forgiveness.
She wanted to. If only she could ignore his family and start over with David, run away to their own island and start a new life. She ached to be with him. Now, so much time had passed, she wasn’t sure how. But one thing was certain, she needed to make things right.
Emily stood outside an apartment building in the rain holding a black umbrella and buzzed the number written down on a piece of paper in her hand.
“Who is it?” the voice crackled out of the speaker.
“Emily Stewart,” she shouted over the noise of the rain.
Silence.
“I’m not angry with you. In fact, I came here to apologize.”
No one answered, but the buzz told Emily she was being granted entry. Emily pulled her umbrella down and shook the rain from it as she walked through the front door. Climbing the steps, she thought about what she was going to say. After a few days of self-pity, consuming far too much ice cream, and watching endless hours of Friends, the sadness came in ebbs and flows. She wondered who tipped off the press. Surely, none of David’s staff would have sold him out, and the only other person who knew what was really happening was in this building.
She stopped in front of door 111 and knocked. The door opened to reveal a slight woman standing with her arms crossed, and with her a scrawny ginger-haired male, who looked barely eighteen.
He must be the boyfriend.
“I know it was you, Jaqueline,” Emily said softly. Jaqueline glanced at the young man next to her and shifted uncomfortably.
“I’m not going to apologize, if that’s what you’re after.” Emily was again surprised at the strength in her “meek” assistant. Jaqueline had more backbone than she’d ever given her credit for.
“No, I want to thank you,” Emily replied. Her words sent Jaqueline’s eyebrows flying up to the roof.
“Thank me?”
“If you didn’t do what you did, I would never have found out about––”
“––about what?”
Emily bit her lip. It was probably best not to divulge any information, not to someone who had a record of selling gossip to the highest bidder.
“You helped me to realize that I owe you an apology. I haven’t treated you very well,” Emily said carefully. Jaqueline lowered her defensive stance and unfolded her arms. Emily took that as a bid to continue.
“I said you could start taking on clients, then I told you to move to LA with me.”
“And you told her to break up with me,” the ginger-male retorted, his nostrils flared as he spoke. Emily inclined her head at him.
“I’m sorry for that as well.” She turned back to Jaqueline, who lifted a hand up to stop her.
“Not only that, you left Julian in charge. Do you know how awful he is to work with? The sexist comments… the leering. He makes all of us feel uncomfortable in the office. You had to have known.”
Emily stared at her open-mouthed for a moment. In all the years she had worked with Julian, he had always been professional with her.
“Honestly, I should have realized, but I just thought Julian was acting like Julian. Why didn’t you––”
“––tell you?” Jaqueline added, she scoffed. “You don’t listen. Not to anyone. Do you know I’m going to miss my brother’s wedding because Julian threatened to fire me if I took the time off? Oh, and he hired me, by the way, but not as the consultant, but as his assistant!”
Emily swallowed. How could all of this happen in her company––the business she built up from the very beginning––and she had no idea about any of it?
“I’m so sorry. I will speak to Julian.”
Jaqueline closed her mouth and folded her arms again. Apparently lost for words, but still irritated.
“I’m going to make this right, I promise.”
“And what about LA?”
Emily shook her head. “No more LA. Looks like New York needs me more,” she said heavily. Jaqueline stared at her, apparently searching for any sign of a joke.
“Do you want to come in?” Jaqueline asked tentatively. Emily shook her head.
“No, I have some loose ends to tie up. But I hope you will accept these as a token of my appreciation for all you do.” She held out a brown paper bag. Jaqueline peered inside the bag and grinned at her.
“You seem to wear them a lot, and I wanted to find a way to show you I’m being sincere, when I say I’m sorry.” She took a nervous breath and studied Jaqueline’s look of surprise. “I’ve been invited to Estelle Magazine’s annual charity event, and to prove I mean what I say. I’ll be wearing my own pair underneath my gown.”
Emily pulled out a pair of pink Crocs from her purse. Jaqueline stifled a laugh and her cheeks flushed with color.
“Go to your brother’s wedding.” Emily smiled at her. “Let me
