Chapter 28
Leah
I felt so cold walking away from Alex and Joseph from outside. My heart was beating like crazy and I couldn't stop it. I felt like I was going to be sick and all the people dancing and surrounding me wasn't helping. I needed to get out of here, now!
I ran into the toilets to try and pull myself together.
But how could I do that?
Tonight I'd kissed my boss and then ran into the guy that's haunted my dreams for five years.
Tonight hasn't been the best of nights. Even if that kiss before was the best kiss of my life.
I looked up into the mirror and saw how white my face was and my eyes were all bloodshot and teary. Looking at my reflection in the mirror I only noticed then that I was crying.
"Stop begins stupid" I said aloud to myself in the empty toilets. Well what I thought was empty.
"Leah?" a voice asked from one of the toilets making me jump. I turned around to see Kate. "What's wrong?" she asked moving over to me.
I had every intension to pull myself together then and tell her nothing was wrong. But something happened to me right then and I couldn't stop myself from bursting out into tears. She pulled me into a hug as I just stood there crying on her shoulder.
A girl I had only just met but felt so close too.
We stood there like that for I don't know how long when I heard the door open. We both looked around to see Gemma and Lilly walking in laughing until they saw my face and then frowned.
"God, Leah. What's wrong?" Gemma said walking over to me. "What's wrong with her?" she asked Kate who just shrugged her shoulders.
"I'm... I'm f...fine. I'm j...just being sill...silly" I tried to say but felt the lump in the back of my throat getting bigger.
"Hey, it's ok. It's it your family? A guy..." Gemma said rubbing my back
"... or a girl?" Lilly said making me laugh and Gemma giving her a glare.
"No it's not a girl. It's just everything, seeing my family again after so long... and just everything I guess. It's all hard. I just want to leave this place after tomorrow" I said. I didn't lie just didn't tell them everything, about me and Chris.
"No!" all the girls said at once
"I know, Chris told us about your family and what happened. I'm so sorry Leah"
"So you don't believe what they said about me?" I asked wiping my face with the tissue that Kate passed me.
"I don't believe anything that comes out of Jessica mouth or her evil friends, Leah" Lilly said
"Hey I've got a good idea. Me and Lilly were just talking about going to the little town that's about twenty minutes away tomorrow in the morning. I know it's your Granddads birthday but would you like to come with us... and you Kate"
"Yeah that sounds great. I think Granddads busy all morning anyway" I said and Kate just nodded smiling.
"Great I need to get some... things in one of the shops but there are some boutiques in the town. Have you got something to wear tomorrow night?" she asked me and Kate who nodded but I was in deep thought. I did bring a dress but nothing as grand as what everyone else would be wearing.
"I do but it wouldn't hurt to look" I said.
"Great so tomorrow will be a girly day. We should go shopping and then we should all get ready together for tonight. Cocktails, dancing and maybe a little gambling, it will be fun" Lilly said.
That did sound fun. I never really had girly friends before who went shopping together and helped each other get ready. I think it would help me to clear my head and think about what I'm going to do.
"Great ok I'll get Mum to look after the kids and I'll drive us all into town about half nine" Gemma said. We all agreed to meet in the lobby at nine thirty and I was a little excited. I'd calmed down since I talked to the girls. They were great and they made me feel so much better by just being around me laughing and joking.
Kate and I both decided to go back to our rooms to sleep. We were laughing all the way back.
I liked Kate allot, I liked the others as well but I think it was because she wasn't part of this world, like me and that we were near the same age to each other.
I was excited for the morning to come and to go shopping that I could hardly sleep. I think I was so over tired that night that I thanked God that I didn't have any dreams or nightmares. Or if I did I couldn't remember anything.
Before I knew it I was walking down the stairs to meet the girls. I was a little early because I wanted to see if I could catch Granddad this morning to give him the present I've been working on for him.
I walked into his office and saw him looking out the window. I smiled at him as he didn't notice me coming in the room so I cleaned my throat for him to turn around and smile at me.
"Happy Birthday to you, Happy Birthday to you, Happy Birthday to Granddad, and Happy Birthday to you" I sing over to him as he laughed at me.
"Hello darling" he said hugging me.
"Wow! You're looking great for a hundred year old" I said making him laugh. "I'm joking you do look great are you excited for tonight?" I asked.
"You know what I am. Do a bit of gambling, waste away some of your inheritance"' he laughed
"I don't want any money from you old man. Just you" I said hugging him tightly.
"I know sweetie, but you're going to get it anyway" he hugged back. "So what are you planning for today?"
"Well if it's ok with you and Nan. I was invited to go shopping with Gemma in town for the day than I'll see you tonight at the party?"
"Leah you're not a child anymore, you don't need me to be ok with you going with your friends" he said laughing.
"I know it's just, it's your Birthday..." I started to say before he interrupted me.
"I know what you meant" he went back over to his desk and smiled at the present that I left there. "What's this?" he asked taking the blue Birthday Boy wrapping paper in his hands.
"It's nothing exciting honest and don't worry I didn't spend anything on it" I said getting all excited about him opening my present.
I loved giving gifts, I think better than getting them especially when I've spent so much time in making it.
Granddad opened the present to see a brown large envelope and a small photo frame. The picture in the frame was of me and him back when I was only a child but I love that picture, I think I was about eight or nine but it was a close up of me sitting on his lap. Just looking at the picture made me smile.
I looked over at Granddad and saw that he had tears in his eyes and he just stared seriously at the photo. Was he upset? Did he not like it?
"I know the frame isn't anything special but..." I started to say when I saw tears rolling down his cheek. "You don't like it" I said looking down at the floor. I looked up as I heard him take in a large breath.
"This... It's the best present I've ever had Leah. Thank you" he said still looking at the picture in his hands and sitting at his desk. I smiled and walked over to him to show him what was in the brown envelope.
"There's more" I said pulling the sheets out of the envelope. "This is for you too" I said placing the sheets of music on his desk in front of him. The music sheets had the title. 'My old man's song' was written on the top and then my name at the bottom 'by Leah Anderson'. He looked down looking shocked
It was silent for a really long time.
"You did this for me?" he asked.
"Yeah, well actually I composed it five years ago but I never finished it but when I played the other day I had the idea to finish it for your Birthday. I know there's no lyrics, I'm not that good but the music's there, you what to hear it?" I asked him. It was true that I started the song years ago but I never finished it because I left home and music behind when I went to London but playing the other day opened something inside me that I couldn't no longer control.
I forgot how much I loved and missed playing and making music, so the morning before I helped Nan with the ballroom the other day I sat in the same room as I played with him and just played for hours.
The music just spoke to me and I didn't find it hard at all to finish the song that I started years ago. Everything about the song showed how much I loved my Granddad and what he meant to me.
"I would love to" he said.
We were walking back to the room that we were in the first day I arrived with the beautiful white piano and I suddenly felt nervous.
What if he hated it? What if I didn't play it right? But then it hit me that this was my Granddad. He wouldn't care, he loved me and he would love it whatever it sounded like.
I sat on the stool with the music sheets placed on the top, I didn't really need them. I know this song so well but it was good to have them on hand. Granddad sat on one of the chairs on other side of the room and gave me a nod of his head to tell me that he was ready.
I took a large breath in and then started the melody that has been playing on repeat in my head for five years.
My fingers softly touched the piano keys beginning the most important song to my heart.
"This is called 'My old man but forever young to me' but I just shortened it to 'My Old Man'. Right, lets start" I smiled and started to play the music.
I finished the song and then looked up at Granddad sitting on the chair now with tears flowing down his cheeks with a smile on his face. He got up and walked over to me in silence and hugged me. I've had many hugs from my Granddad but this one was different. It felt like he was hugging me goodbye, like it was the last time and he didn't what to let go. Something didn't feel right and I didn't like it. I was just about to ask what was wrong when he pulled be out of his arms and said. "That was beautiful" kissing my cheek. "Thank you" his teary eyes held me silent. All I could do was smile up at him.
"Well this is yours now. Do with it as you will" I said passing the sheets to him as he handled them in his hands. We walked back to his office after that talking about what he had planned for today and saying when we should meet tonight. I told him I would save him a dance and joked about him most likely being the only guy who would want to dance with me. I wasn't really joking but I didn't want him to know that. I knew no one would want to dance with me but I didn't need him feeling sorry for me. Not on his Birthday.
I walked back to the lobby where I saw Kate talking with Jay they look like they were talking seriously about something so I made my way over to them as slowly as possible trying to be silent but then we all heard a couple arguing being down the staircase.
"Gemma! Come back here" Karl shouted coming down the stairs after Gemma who looked seriously pissed at him. Kate and Jay had stopped talking and were now looking over at them like I was.
"What?!" she turned around to say at him.
"You can't just run away every time we argue, don't be childish"' he said. Gemma put her hands on her hips and was shooting daggers at Karl who wasn't having none of it and was shooting daggers straight back.
"Gemma this is stupid I don't even remember what I did or why we're even fighting!" Karl said half laughing
"Well if you don't remember than I'm going to stay angry at you until you do" she said walking down the rest of the stairs.
"I bet you don't even remember why we're fighting, do you?" He said moving closer to his wife smirking at her. They were a weird couple I couldn't work out if this was an actual fight or if they were just joking.
I looked over at Gemma who was blushing. I could tell that he was right and that she didn't know why they were fighting. I suddenly remembered hearing the story about them both when they were children. They used to hate each other and fight all the time but then all sudden they fell in love.
That was romantic. Everyone says that a couple should always have its ups and downs sides and that a couple shout together stay together.
"It doesn't matter why we're fighting the fact is we are..." Gemma turned quickly around to say but stopped as Karl kissed her on the lips passionately as Gemma pulled her arms around him. We were all smiling and I looked around to see that Ben and Paul had walked in and was watching the show as well.
They looked so happy together... until Gemma pulled away and looked at everyone looking at them. She gasped and then lightly slapped her husband around the face and then stormed over to the door.
"You girls ready for some shopping" she said going straight outside asking for her car to be brought round. "Where's Lilly?"
"Coming" Lilly shouted from the staircase half running down.
"Lilly not too fast!" a strong voice came from the top of the stairs. Lilly rolled her eyes and turned to look at Connor looking angrily at her.
"Sorry" she said sarcastically and turning back round to kiss him on the cheek.
"Call me if you need me and don't leave the girls" Connor said. Wow he was protective, I know he was her bodyguard but what was the worst thing that could happen in a tiny town like this.
We all said goodbye to the guys and then jumped in Gemma's car.
"Road trip!" Lilly shouted
"The towns twenty minutes away Lil" Gemma said making us all laugh. This was just what I needed for a bit, no Jess, no Alex, no Mum and Dad and NO Chris! Just the girls having fun!
Chris
I was sitting at the coffee table, which was covered with figures and emails that I brought over from work. As much as I loved my job and the benefits of owning your own company, I hate that I never stop. I never take a step back and have a look at it all. Never took a holiday where I didn't bring my laptop or not having my phone going off every second.
At the office things were mental anyway. Leah ever stopped answering the phones and reading emails for me.
She had really made my life easier. Her organising skills were relentless.
She needed this holiday. To relax and have fun. So did I. But after last night's events I can't relax, I can't chill out and have fun knowing that, that creep is so close to Leah. I couldn't shift it from my mind, the thought of his hands anywhere near Leah made by blood boil.
I couldn't find her last night after everything that happened. I met Ben and the guys near the bar at the end of the night and they told me that she went back to her room with Kate.
I was up for far too long last night drinking with the guys and now my head was killing like the devil. And after tonight, tomorrow morning isn't going to be great either. Today was Rupert's birthday and the main event was tonight.
More dancing, more eating and more drinking.
don't know how much more I can take.
Tonight was a theme night, Maggie had organised the hotel to be turned into a casino for the night and a charity games as well. It was going to be fun but I can't see how I'm going keep Alex and Jess away from Leah without the amount of people there.
Looking over all the papers on the table, papers from mine and Rupert's meeting the other day. Why do I take on too much work? Then I really noticed something. I'm a workaholic. God, its like at one of them AA meetings, I'm Christian Howard and I'm a workaholic. Oh and I'm addicted to my secretary.
Running my fingers through my hair, I made a large sigh.
I've had enough of this. My head was in my hands, I tried to relax and get all the work stress out of me. I was so tired.
"YO" Ben came in shutting the door behind him.
I didn't respond to him and he walked over to me, starting to look at the papers on the desk.
"What are you doing... working?" he asked in a teasing voice. I just looked up at him from between my fingers that were still over my face. "Na, na we're going out" he said chucking the papers back on the table making them all fly away.
"We?"
"You, me and the boys"
The he said the 'boys' he was referring to; Jake, Karl, Connor, Jay, Paul and him. We'd all been friends for so long it was great getting to spend more time with them all again, I just wish I wasn't so stressed about this work and not wanting to kill some stupid 'kid' for hurting Leah.
"... and where did you plan on going" I said pulling all the papers together in one mess.
"Is that a yes or a no" Ben said with his cheeky grin that our mother was always weak towards. He used to do that as a kid when he didn't got something he wanted.
"Find I'll come" I caved.
"Well Gem and the girls are going shopping in the town. We were all going to pop down as well, look around. See what the country has to offer"
"Ok sounds fun, what about the kids?"
"Mums looking after them" he said looking over at the papers on the desk that I'd pilled together. "What's this?" he asked.
"Hmmm, a little project I'm working on with Rupert" I said as Ben was reeding over the work. Ben was always one of them laid back guys that never really took thing seriously but at the end of it all, he was a smart guy, a great businessman.
I didn't want to lie to him, I mean he works with me and he's my brother but I knew that Rupert wanted no one knowing about this until he was ready to tell his family.
"A little project... hmmm? This looks like a lot more than just some little project..." he said as he turned the papers. "Chris... do you own Andersons company?' he asked confused. I took in a breath and thought about what I should say but then I thought we were family. So I told him everything, about Rupert's condition and everything that we did for Leah when he dies. I needed to confide in someone.
So I told him everything.
"I was thinking of appointing you to head of one of the companies as your own project Ben. That way it will be less work for me. What do you say, you'll be up for that?"
"I thought you'd never ask" he said with a smile that slowly turned to a sad face. "Jesus, that's sad, he's a nice guy. And poor Leah what's she going to do when he only closest family member is gone?" He asked looking through the papers again.
"I'll be there" I said when Ben gave me a teasing face. "I mean Anderson as appointed me as Leah's guardian when he's gone" I explained.
"It's she a bit young for that"
"She just been given a fortune, she's going to need help knowing how the business world works and I won't let anything bad happen to her" I said stepping away from the chair over to make some coffee not wanting to talk about it anymore.
"Right! Enough business talk" Ben said jumping up as well. I was glad he let that last bit drop I thought he was going to push at me.
"Right well Gamma said we should meet her down in the town at lunch"
"She very demanding today" I joked.
"Don't! She hit Karl this morning" he said. It was weird I've never met two people so in love but have fights nearly every day.
it was going to be a long day. I wanted to talk to Leah about what happened last night and how she felt but I had a feeling that she was going to try and avoid me again like last night but that didn't end the way I think she planned. I need to see her and talk to her.
Maybe I shouldn't go with Ben and the guys. Maybe I should go and find her.
"You know what Ben, I'm tired and I've got a lot of work here to do..." I started to say just before Ben bit my head off.
"Oh come on mate! You said you would" He said annoyed at me.
"Who's Gemma going with anyway?" I asked
"Hmm, Lilly, that Kate girl and Leah, why?" he said.
Leah was going?! That's great! She wouldn't know that I would be coming to meet them so she can't avoid me if I go meet her.
Perfect!
"Right let's get ready" I said walking back to my room.
I needed to talk to her. I needed to explain to her why I kissed her last night, I need to tell her how I feel but most importantly I need to know how she feels about me.