Redemption [3]

Rekindling of Lost Love

"Yes, uh when Ella and I broke up due to my own mistakes." I was surprised Carter owned up to his wrong in our relationship so early.

"What mistake did you make with my daughter?" Bart directs his question to Carter and him alone. I squeeze his hand for support.

"I cheated on her sir, and I regretted it ever since. I've made sure to better myself every day since losing her trust so that I could one day prove to her that I am the man she once loved and trusted."

"And have you?"

"Dad!"

"Ella, it's just a simple question." Bart is just messing with Carter now.

"I hope I have sir. I've invested wisely in companies that have high profit and sale turnovers. I've reprioritized my life and what matters most to me. I've become a changed man and it's all because of your daughter."

"Ella does have that way of changing people for the better." Bart takes a sip of his scotch.

"So, uh let's talk business." I change the subject.

"Yes, lets. I've looked at the numbers and I'm pleased no I'm ecstatic with the outcomes. Especially in Italy and London."

"Carter helped with London." Bart looked pleased to hear this.

"Really, in what way?"

"He introduced me to some of his business partners who's clients were interested in high-end reality and I was able to lease out and build an eco-friendly office that is set to open by the end of the summer."

"Amazing, so enough business talk how is your modeling doing?"

"It's been good. Gina has approached me about helping edit my next American Vogue cover."

"That's fantastic Ella." Lily is practically jumping out of her seat.

"It's not official yet but I would love the opportunity. I've always admired the writers in Vogue and to be featured on the cover with a spread to then edit is a lifelong dream of mine."

"I think you should do it. You've always had a knack for writing."

"How was your vow renewal, Mr. and Mrs. Bass?" Carter asks and I'm proud that he remembered.

"Thank you for asking Carter It was amazing. It was just the two of us and it was more perfect and romantic than when we got married."

"I'm so happy for you two." I say to them.

"We wished you could have made it to celebrate with us." Bart says and I knew he was going to.

"I just had too much on my plate to drop it all. Besides, I think you too needed to have this time around more to yourselves. No outside influence."

"What do you two have planned for the rest of the night?" Lily asks us.

"We were going to meet up with some friends for dancing before heading our separate ways tomorrow."

"Dancing, I remember I had to drag your father out for our dance. Do you like to dance Carter."

"I'm not very good."

"He's being modest, he has two left feet." I joke and the whole table laughs at my comment.

"It's true and I wish I could say money could buy me talent but sadly it just buys me overpriced dance lessons that have yet to improve my lack of dancing ability."

"You should take lessons from Val." Lily stops herself as she knows what she just said. "Well, maybe not him exactly since he is Ella's ex but he is a very good teacher."

"That he is, but Val's in L.A. full time now shooting a show." I say reassuring to Lily it's okay that she mentioned him. I have nothing to hide from Carter and if I ever want to move to something more I need to be strong enough to mention past relationships. No matter how they ended they helped make me who I am.

"I think I'll stick to falling flat on my face as Ella dances circles around me." Carter jokes.

"I can agree with you there Carter. In fact, for our dance we had at Ella's cotillion I was so nervous to ask her to dance."

"You were nervous?" This surprised me. Bart never shows these kinds of emotions.

"I was sweating like crazy as I mustered up the courage to ask my own daughter to dance."

"Dad, you never told me this."

"Me either Bart." Lily looked so touched that he would share such personal detail to us.

"I've learned from that night to not waste another moment because I'm scared of how I may look to others. Dancing with you that night Ella was one of the proudest moments I have being your father."

"Really, I never knew this. I knew you were proud but not that you treasured that night so much."

"How couldn't I? It was the night my daughter made her place in the world. You took your first steps to creating your own success and you have been every day since. I couldn't be prouder of the woman you have become than I am now." Hearing Bart confess such emotions for me filled my heart with joy and for the first time in forever I was sad to say my goodbyes to him and Lily. I was thankful that I had Carter for the rest of the night.

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We made our way to the dance floor and the look of pure terror never left Carter's face. He was trying to keep up and I couldn't help but feel love for him as he took himself out of his comfort zone just to do something I love. Wait did I just say I feel love. I look at the man before me as he dances goofy and on the wrong beat. Everything about his horrible dancing was right for me.

"Is there something on my face?" Carter reaches to see if there was but I stop his hand as I rest mine on his cheek. "Ella, what's..." I silence him with a kiss that I never realized I missed so much. This kiss was different from the ones we've shared years ago. This kiss filled my whole body with happiness. Carter wrapped his arms around my waist lifting me up as he swings us around. He places me on the ground as we come up for air. I rest my forehead against his as I get lost in his eyes. "Does this mean that you love me again?"

"I never stopped loving you." We meet for another kiss and I can only hope from here on our time together will only bring us more happiness. I'm not saying Carter and I will be together forever, but us being together is no longer out of reach..

Will they last? What will Nate think when he finds out? Do you think this means the end fo Ella and Nate?