His fooled cheat

Chapter 3

“James? Hi, its Holly. I was wondering if I could cut my vacation short and come in this week?” I call my boss on Monday to let him know I am thinking of returning early.

“Holly, please. Take the break. You know we aren’t paying out vacation days anymore and its better to just take it. Also, it’s a bit slow at the office and really, it would just be a waste of your time.” I know he means well, but I can’t help, but feel rejected.

“You’re sure?”

“Yes! Now, read a book like War and Peace and you’ll be busy enough for the next two weeks.”

He laughs before hanging up. I nearly take the suggestion, but laugh it off. What to do, for two weeks. I could always start sailing or hike the trails at Back Cove.

That’s when I decide to ponder over it in a bubble bath. The apartment I have is on Congress street, which is usually very busy, but somehow, today, it seems quiet. I slip some Gabrielle Aplin into the CD player and get into the tub. The warm water soothes me immediately, relaxing tensed muscles I never knew I had.

As Gabrielle sings about not meaning to have fallen for someone, I close my eyes and all I see is David’s smiling brown eyes. I try very hard to push the image from my mind, but it sticks. I wonder what he does for a living, having never asked anyone. He looks like he works construction, especially with his strong forearms that were on display. I shake my head, still trying to dispel the image.

Even if I considered talking to David again, where do we pick up? Surely not where we left things. We were both so angry. Me at David and Marie; and David at himself. No one else however, was angry at Marie Harper. No, she had trapped my boyfriend because he was too nice to question anyone.

My perfect image of David soon got whittled down to searing anger. No longer in the mood to relax, I finished up my bath and got dressed. Not in the mood to sit with my own thoughts, I headed a few blocks down the road, to Five fifty-five on Congress. Their cauliflower soup was worth the twelve dollars.

While I sit through my dinner for one, I occupy myself with some browsing on ‘what to do in Portland’. Well, kayaking is out; too much effort. Hiking, no. Not when you’re alone. Hold on, Stage Neck Inn Spa packages – that’s it!

I click on the link and decide to select the first available spa treatment, trying to be spontaneous. I make the booking and await confirmation. All this, while sipping on my soup.

The Inn is not too far from where I stay and looks about as peaceful as they come. Its an oceanfront hotel and is used for a lot of weddings, conferences and is usually filled with New Yorkers during summer.

I have booked for four days and suddenly feel a bit giddy about spending the next few days being massaged and having facials while sipping champagne.

It could just be what I need.

“Miss Forbes, welcome to the Stage Neck Inn.” The desk clerk at the hotel welcomes me once I check in.

“Thank you.”

“One of the bell hops will escort you to your room.” The tall blond motions for one of the young men at the front entrance to come over. “Have a pleasant stay.”

I nod and smile, following the lanky young guy to the elevators. I notice the hotel is bustling with lots of business types, “Conference?”

“Yes, ma’am. Some Sports company are having their Strategic breakaway. You won’t get a lot of noise on the fourth floor. Also, you have an ocean view.”

“How do you know?”

“Oh, its on their name tags.”

“No, not about the conference. About my room.”

“Oh, I know, by the key number. You get so used to where rooms are located.”

Suddenly I feel silly, “Oh, OK.”

“We’re also renovating the bar area, you’ll see, but we have another fully functional one in the opposite wing. Again, the noise shouldn’t reach you.”

“Thanks, Luke.” I read his name tag.

“You’re welcome ma’am.”

I tip him and proceed to unpack for the next few days. The room is quaint and done in the traditional old English style with neutral tones and touches of olive and floral. There is a small balcony with French doors and a small patio table, which overlooks the ocean.

I can smell the fresh salty air and inhale deeply, my body immediately relaxing. There is already a small brunch spread out on the table outside, made up of pastries and coffee. I sit down and unwind with a cup of coffee, taking in the view.

My days are pretty busy with treatments and I even booked myself into a whisky tasting on the second day.

“Right, Swedish massage this morning and then manicure straight after.” I say to myself. It feels so weird doing this for myself, but I know I need the down time. In fact, my nail beds are screaming for it!

Making sure I am comfortable, but representable, I slip on my dark denims with some jewel encrusted sandals and a black vest and head down to the spa.

In the lift lobby, I notice a group of the businessmen from the conference chatting animatedly. For some reason, I am drawn to them and can’t stop staring as I walk by. Its one of the voices among the group and soon, I put a face to it. Its Jamie Cleary. He catches my eye and I quickly carry on by them.

“Hey! Holly!” he calls after me as I try my best to move quicker without running.

“I can’t talk, I’m late for an appointment.”

“I just want to apologise, please.”

I stop just before the main lobby and turn to face him, “For kissing me or for not telling me about David?”

“I had no idea how serious you and David had been back then. Also, all I knew was that David had gotten some girl from town pregnant and then found out years later that it wasn’t even his kid.”

“OK. I guess you didn’t have an idea. I’m sorry, I just don’t think we can hang out. Its weird now.” I have no better way of explaining it to him.

“Yeah, I guess it is, but let me try to redeem myself. We had a connection there for a minute, didn’t we?” he places a hand on my forearm and it doesn’t feel comfortable.

I move my arm, to shake his hand off, “Uh, I don’t know if it was because I wanted some connection to David or not and I think I kind of need to sort through all that now.”

“OK, but I’m here until tomorrow night. You have my number.”

I feel bad for him and realise maybe I am being too hard on him. He was after all at college most of the time during our junior and senior years. I could perhaps extract information from him about David.

“OK, if you’re free, I’m doing a whisky tasting in the bar tomorrow at eight p.m. See if they still have space available.” I secretly hope they don’t have space, but knowing how convincing that pretty face of his is, he’ll get into that tasting.

“I’ll meet you here at seven forty-five.” I offer dryly and head to my appointment.

Surely, I have just made a deal with the devil.

The spa is a treat and I am being waited on by staff like I am their only guest. The previous day had been just as glorious, with a half hour Swedish massage and a manicure that has me swearing to do my nails at least once a month.

Today’s treatment is a luxurious pedicure followed by a seaweed facial, infused with seaweed supposedly imported from the Baltic Sea. I can’t say I am too excited about the idea of anything seaweed infused touching my face, but I promised myself I would enjoy this.

Seeing Jamie had slightly altered my mood, but I had slept on it and decided that perhaps I would just use this to my advantage. I felt he knew more than what he was letting on, but would give him the benefit of the doubt for now.

I followed up my spa treatments with a lunch out on the ocean front lawns. Looking around, I noticed not just one, but quite a few couples enjoying the tranquillity of the place. Maybe my second chance was waiting. I tried thinking optimistically.

Maybe it was with David, but maybe talking to David first should be the next step. The salmon I ordered is quickly forgotten as I imagine different scenarios where I speak to him. Most of them end in David telling me to start living and to move on from him. I feel more downtrodden by the end of lunch than what I should.

As much as I try, I can’t seem to feel OK about this meeting with Jamie. On the way down in the elevator, I check my hair and makeup in the mirrored walls. Luckily I am alone and no one is there to witness my foolishness.

“Right, no falling for his charm.” I warn myself, “And no shots!”

I smooth the black bodycon dress down and straighten my posture. Standing in the lobby, I feel slightly awkward. The nude heels I am wearing, has made my dress seem even shorter. Maybe it was a tad too short. I shake my head, trying to get rid of the ridiculous thought of Jamie trying anything stupid out of my mind.

“There you are!” I hear him from behind me.

“Oh, hi.” I say turning around. He looks good in a plain white shirt and skinny black jeans. The man wears a beard well and he knows it as he brushes a cheek against mine in greeting. Somehow, I just can’t relax. My body tenses up this time as he slips a hand onto my lower back, almost like we are about to get caught.

“OK, not the greeting I expected, but I think you’ll come around.” He smiles and like in previous years, it doesn’t reach his eyes.

I only smile politely in response as he leads the way to the bar. He is walking quite fast and I don’t see the need to rush, so I keep at my own pace. As we near the bar, I notice the smell of wood varnish and saw dust. I also notice the tall blond guy at the doors slipping on a shirt over broad shoulders turning to face us, “Sorry, bar’s-“

“David?” I ask, disbelieving at the chance of this being coincidence.

“Holly.” He says it quietly, but it sounds heavy with unspoken words.

Then I see her, all five feet of her, “Daddy! I’m really hungry.” Absolutely confused by what I see, after the story I heard from Ginny and my Mom, which was echoed by Jamie.

“Hey uncle Jamie!” she says and runs to throw her arms around her villainous uncle.

She looks so much like Marie. She is fair with dark hair and big dark eyes. I don’t know how to feel. She looks at me, smiling, “Are you his girlfriend?”

“Uh-“

“Yeah,” I look to David who has just moved closer, his arms folded across his chest, “Are you?”

The look on Jamie’s face is one I want to wipe the floor with! I get my answer about whether a friendship with him is possible within just those few seconds.

“No, I’m not. We’re not even friends.” This makes Jamie spin in my direction.

“And the kiss?”

“Oh my God! Little people present, Jamie!” I scold, craning my neck in Hope’s direction.

Clearly, Jamie Cleary planned this. I notice David’s jeans and boots are covered in dust and quickly realise he must be working here. My face must be really easy to read as he answers my question for me, “Marie dropped Hope off because she had something come up last minute here in the city. I did the bar renovation for the hotel.”

“Always knew David would work with his hands.” Jamie says almost as an insult to David.

I try my very best to pay him no attention. Hope shifts from Jamie to her father, well, David’s side and wraps her arms around his waist, “Dad, could we go and eat now?”

“I have to go.” He smiles apologetically, “Enjoy your date.”

I want to scream that I am not on a date with his brother, but its not the time or place. I just can’t find any words to make him stay and listen to me. As he passes by, I turn to face Jamie, “You knew he would be here.”

“No! Well, I knew he was working here, but I thought he’d be home by now.”

“Maybe you should just leave me alone, Jamie. As in, do not try to contact me again.”

I leave him standing there and head back up to my room. As I pass the lobby I see David and Hope walking hand in hand towards the entrance of the hotel. Even if she isn’t his daughter, fatherhood looks good on him.

Once in my room, I order room service for some tea and cover up with my robe and fluffy slippers. The decision is one I make after pacing the length of my room for about fifteen minutes. I call the one person who is willing to help me speak with David.

I wait for the person on the other end to answer, “Ginny, hello?”

Ginny tells me the full story. It seems David still has a relationship with Hope. She obviously has no idea that David is not her father. I can’t blame anyone for not telling her; she is after all, only a child. Ginny takes the drive out to Portland the next day to meet with me. We discuss the last decade over lunch. She is very remorseful and has worked very hard to get David to trust her again; let alone speak with her.

I remember what it was like, back in school with Marie and her group of friends, carrying on like they ran things. We, David and I, had never paid much attention to the social circles at school. Ginny however, was obsessed with becoming part of Marie’s crowds because of her crush on Cane Ashby, one of Marie’s friends.

Ginny is effortlessly pretty as she sits across from me while she sips on iced tea. She looks more like David now except for the blue eyes. I try very hard not to be upset with her and what she did then, but I still feel annoyed.

“So, after graduation they got married and moved to Marie’s parents’ place?” I ask, not really wanting her to elaborate and thankfully she keeps her explanations concise.

“Yeah, lived there for the next two years. They even paid for David’s college tuition. Hired a nanny to help Marie. Built them a house not too far from ours, but David would always be at Mom and Dad’s. He and Hope are like a tag team.” She smiles when she mentions Hope.

“You’re all close to Hope, huh?”

“You know, for five years, we believed she was David’s. Hell, she even has the same quirks as him!”

My heart breaks a little at hearing this, but I have to salute David for what he is doing.

“He loves that kid so much. Of course, her real Dad has made sure she doesn’t want for a thing. In fact, it turns out he knew about her from the beginning. He just doesn’t want to see her.” Ginny shrugs this off, “But hey, she’s the innocent one in all of this. David too.”

“I know. I feel badly for what he has gone through.”

“Trust me, you have no idea what those five years with that woman was like for him!”

“What do you mean?”

“Well, she decided after a year or so that she didn’t really like him that very much. I don’t know much about their marriage, but I know my brother and he was not happy.”

“So, why not leave sooner?” A stupid question, knowing David.

“Hope. Like I said, he loves that little girl so much. We all do and in fact, I know this might hurt, but we all wished somehow she was his, without Marie being her mom of course.” Ginny laughs cynically. I see the regret on her face and for once I actually sympathise with her. I can’t imagine how mad David must have been with her.

“How long did David stay mad at you?”

She looks up at me and tries to hide her hurt with a smile, “Wow, it felt like forever! In fact, we just started speaking again a few months back. I had spoken to your mom, I admit, purely out of desperation. I wanted my brother back and I knew that maybe, you could have helped.”

I understand Ginny’s frustration, but I hate that I was thought of as a quick-fix for her broken relationship with her brother.

“But we’ve barely spoken and only just last night.”

“Well, I think David’s never really let go. You know, like I told you, he’s come looking for you in Portland. I think you two have a connection and you don’t give up on something like that.”

“I think he is pretty done with me. He thought I was out with Jamie. I met up with Jamie to try to get some more on David, but clearly your older brother has other intentions.” I roll my eyes for effect.

“Ah, Jamie. Yeah, he isn’t in the best of places when it comes to David. He thinks David is a fool for letting Marie go. He’s always had a gripe with David. God knows why, but they’ve never been close.”

I feel like we’ve covered David’s life in my absence and feel slightly exhausted. Ginny looks worn too.

“Ginny, I want you to know that it hurt; you’re role in this, but I can’t be mad at you. Heaven knows what it must have been like with David ignoring you. Besides, it’s kind of you to come out and see me.” I want Ginny to feel like she has done right. Everyone deserves a second chance, as my Mom would say.

“Thank you Holly. Please, I ask this with complete sincerity, don’t break his heart. He may seem tough, but he’s fragile and right now, all he has is Hope. I think he’ll always be a part of her life. You get what I’m saying, right?” I take it as encouragement, not as a warning.

“I know. That’s why I want to be sure and know what I am to get myself into if I decide to reconnect with David.” I can’t be sure of how things would go. David could decide he doesn’t want to pursue anything. Maybe he needed a friend more than anything. We were that before, for most of our lives, friends.

Yes, we’ll become friends again.

I see Ginny off from the lobby and go back to my room. Somehow, the need for my mini-break ceases and I know where I need to spend the rest of my vacation.