I walked up the path alone, the purr of Evan's still running car behind me. I was about to walk up the wooden steps when I heard the car switch off and the door opened. I stopped and looked behind me, Evan walked toward me, concern drawn on his face.
"You won't tell anyone about this will you?" he exclaimed, placing his hands on my shoulders. His eyes were dark and his face gaunt with worry.
I shook my head.
"I wish I didn't even know Evan." I replied honestly. "So I don't plan on telling anyone else. Your secret is safe with me."
Evan's hand fell to his side and he nodded. "Thank you."
I shook my head and walked up the steps.
"Not doing it for you Evan. I'm keeping your dirty secret to protect everyone else."
Evan didn't say anything else, I heard his car start as I slipped my key into the lock. I turned it and opened the door. Once I was inside the house I let out a big sigh, today had been a minefield of crazy, I wondered if maybe I'd bitten off more than I could chew. Maybe I didn't need to have a plan. So far being here had caused nothing but issues and now I had to keep a secret that in the long run would affect everyone. I closed the door and leaned up against it, assuming that I was alone. Unfortunately for me less than 30 seconds later I heard Scarlett call for me. I looked up, into the dining room where she sat with Xavier drinking what looked like whiskey.
"Good night?" She asked with a knowing grin on her face.
I held back a frown, I didn't want them asking questions, at least not questions that would point them toward the truth.
"Yeah, he took me a club, it was really nice." I replied. "I'm actually so exhausted, I need to go to bed. Thank you for dinner tonight."
"Anytime." Scarlett smiled.
I walked up the stairs listening to scarlett and Xavier murmur about the next big romance. I rolled my eyes and stopped absorbing their words. Right now, despite the evident heartache my boss had been through, I disliked him with a burning passion.
I fell asleep in my dress and heels, too tired to change out of them, which of course meant I woke in the morning feeling stale and gross. I clambered out of bed and stripped myself off, throwing my clothes into the hamper.
I walked into the ensuite and took a shower, washing the crusty makeup off my face. I dressed into work attire and walked downstairs to the kitchen to make a coffee.
Scarlett walked into the kitchen as I took my first sip.
"We can leave in five minutes." She murmured. "I just need to grab my purse."
I nodded and sat down at the breakfast bar. "I might catch the bus tomorrow." I replied.
"Oh?" She questioned. "I really don't mind taking you in. I have a very severe case of empty nest syndrome and since I've retired... I don't get out much."
I smiled and tilted my head. I hadn't about it like that.
"Okay, only if it's no hassle."
"Alice, you are far too much like Amber. I promise you, there is no hassle."
I smiled and continued to drink my coffee. I'd been told all my life how different Amber and I were. Not by family, but by friends. They always said that aside from my auburn locks, I looked liked my adoptive parents. I was shorter than Amber by a foot, though that didn't say much she was tall with a dancers figure. My hazel eyes were nothing like the blue of hers and my skin was slightly more olive. From a distance you could be forgiven for thinking that Amber and I bared no resemblance.
But up close, when we speak... it becomes painfully clear.
She is the reason I am alive.
"I'm in the room she was aren't I?"
Scarlett smiled and nodded as she walked to the fridge. "You sure are. How'd you guess?"
"Aside from a couple of her paintings adorning the walls in there, I could just tell."
"Well it seemed only right. Shall we go?"
I nodded and finished my coffee off before placing the cup in the dishwasher. Scarlett didn't ask me about Evan as we drove to the office, a fact I was more the grateful for.
As we pulled up outside the Booked Out Building I pulled off my seatbelt and got out of the car as quickly as possible, considering Scarlett was double parked.
"I'll be back at five." She smiled as I leaned down to close the door.
"See you at 5."
I closed the car door and turned on my heel until I was facing the building. I sucked in a deep breath, so deep that it hit the pit of my lungs. I placed my hand below my breasts and let the breath out slowly. I was anxious today, more than yesterday but for a different reason.
I had half a mind to run the other way, catch a cab to LAX and high tail it home. But I didn't. I was drawn in now, a part of the problem. I had a responsibility to help.
I walked towards the building, pausing for a moment as I reached the doormen.
"Morning Ma'am." One exclaimed opening the door for me.
I smiled and nodded. "Morning." and began to walk again.
I walked across the foyer and pressed the button for elevator.
"Fancy meeting you here again." Evan's voice spoke as he stopped alongside me.
"Well I work here." I replied.
"I hear the boss is kind of an ass."
"That's an understatement." I replied. "Yesterday was my first day and I already have a whole novel worth of story."
The elevator doors opened and a couple of people stepped out, Evan and I walked inside and he hit the close door button.
"I'm sorry I've made this all so hard on you. I know you're here to find your path and all I'm doing is propping up hurdles for you to jump over."
I smiled and folded my arms across my chest.
"Hurdles only hurt if you're not ready to take a leap over them. Don't worry about Me Evan Jackson. Worry about yourself."
The doors opened at the top floor, today the elevator had played ball and there had been no mid-incline hiccup. I followed Evan through the office and down the corridor. Greta was already at her desk as we walked in together.
She looked at Evan and then me, and I could almost see the questions in her eyes. She swallowed them back however and stood up, walking around the desk and toward Evan holding an envelope.
"Good morning Mr Jackson, Ace... Er, this was here this morning when I arrived, the mail boy must have delivered it. I didn't think anyone sent letters anymore, but oh well."
Evan stiffened and took the envelope. "Thanks Greta."
He continued walking into his office and closed the door. Greta gazed at me, her eyes tracked down to my feet and back up to my face.
"You arrived together." She mused dryly.
"Coincidence." I assured her, though I could tell by her raised, yet perfectly arched brow she didn't believe me.
"You can get to work on continuing with putting the removed files into the removed list. I trust that after yesterday's debacle it'll be smooth sailing today?"
"Yes." I replied. "On it."
"Mr Jackson and I have a meeting to attend at 11am, we won't be back until after lunch. I'll bring the cleaning cart in before we leave, you can give the place a thorough clean."
"Both offices?" I clarified.
"Yes." She replied as though I was asking a stupid question.
I spent the morning migrating the files and then once Greta and Evan had left I got stuck into the cleaning as requested.
I finally felt at peace in the office, without Greta and Evan here it seemed like there was no real way I could fuck up. Once I'd cleaned the receiving office I walked into Evan's. I started by dusting the book case, noticing a stereo I turned it on and began to sing along to kelly clarkson "Walk Away" as it played on the radio station.
It was something I only ever did on my own. After high school, the stage had terrified me. As the words left my mouth I danced around, feeling, for the first time in a long time, completely free.
When the song ended the stereo turned off. I stopped and turned to the bookcase and almost fell over Evan's chair. He stood there, arms folded with a perplexed look on his face.
"Oh god, please tell me I didn't make another mistake." I groaned. Greta had told me to clean both offices, I'd made sure to right down her instructions word for word as she spoke.
"No, not at all." Evan whispered. "I didn't know you could sing."
I walked out from behind Evan's desk and edged toward the office door. "I can't, I was singing along."
Evan walked toward the door and closed it before I could leave.
"I walked in a minute ago and turned it right down, you were so lost in it you didn't even notice. You can sing... you're amazing."
I shook my head. "Evan, I don't sing."
"You just did." He paused and folded his arms. "A hour ago I thought all hope was lost. You're better than her, you're more captivating, Ace, you might be the key to fixing this whole mess."
No Way. I was not going to do this, I couldn't do this. I placed my hand over the door handle and turned it, but Evan held it closed.
"Ace."
"Evan you told me last night to forget about it, now you want me to save you. No. I can't."