Even After All

Part Forty Three

Chapter Forty Three

Mattie sat next to him as their taxi took them to the Shard, he made everything seem so simple, he could scrunch her concerns up like a leaf of paper into a ball that he could toss into the bin as garbage. And she wanted to believe him, believe all that he said, but she knew that it wasn’t that easy.  As the car stopped he jumped out of the door, then led her out, past the paparazzi hoping to catch a famous face, then into the reception of Britain’s tallest building, make that Europe’s.

With a grin and a lustful look of appreciation, he led her to the elevator. He stood next to her, hands linked, and she had to admit that they looked like a power couple, him impeccable in a suit, slick, well fitting, her in her flowing dress. She didn’t feel classy, she never felt elegant, but as usual with Dylan guiding her, she moved on uncaring of that.

The restaurant on one of the higher floors of The Shard was reserved in its entirety for Michael Painter, but then as they had approached the building, Dylan had assured her that what Painter wanted, Painter got, he was a big player in London these days. The whole place was decorated with white feathers and glass and crystal, huge centrepieces on every surface, crystals dripped from the ceiling, casting a thousand reflections around the room, the whole thing was magical and caused Mattie to gasp from the second they entered the room.

Dylan turned to her, sensing her hesitation, but when he looked back, the look of awe and wonder on her face sent a jolt of heat through him. She had so much experience, so much poise in every situation she landed in, yet something as simple as a room like this could stun her to a standstill.

                “It’s beautiful,” she gasped, “so stunning.”

He grinned, “perfect for you!” He gave her arm a tug, “come on.”

With that he retrieved two glasses of champagne from a passing waiter, and handed her one.

She took it and sipped appreciatively, then followed him into the busy room.

Dylan tucked her hand into his elbow as an elderly couple approached, smiling genially, as he introduced Matilda to them, a well known corporate lawyer and his wife. They chatted for a few moments and it wasn’t until Matilda started to become involved in those conversations that Dylan started to relax. She was intelligent, and she was charismatic, there was no one that she couldn’t converse with, no one she couldn’t win over, but she wasn’t as confident as the woman he had married. He knew that was his fault, he’d caused her self doubt, that negative introspective that was never more than a step away. He wanted her to see that she could deal with tonight, that she could be the woman that she wanted to be, she just had to trust and believe...him as well as herself.

Mattie instantly recognised Michael Painter, though it had been years since she’d seen him he hadn’t really changed, though maybe he was a little more confident and enigmatic, but then success and affluence did that to a man, she’d seen that with her own husband, or rather ex, he too was a different man since making something of himself.

As soon as he spotted Dylan, Michael excused himself from the group he was entertaining and came across, both shaking Dylan’s hand, and clapping him on the back simultaneously in some sort of man hug.

                “Bloody hell Wallace, didn’t think you’d make it now that you’re ensconced across the Atlantic, great to have my oldest mate here.”

Dylan grinned, “wouldn’t miss it for the world!”

As Painter’s eyes turned to Mattie, she watched his perusing glance turn to recognition, and then shock, “what the...? Matilda? What the hell are you doing here? I thought you’d be giving him a wide berth since the...” he cupped his hands to his lips and mock whispered, “divorce!”