All's Fair In Love & Business

Chapter 3

Piper Keller

"He's gone!" Elizabeth yelled up the stairs. Taking a deep breath and standing up straight, I met her at the bottom of the stairs.

"You know, for not caring about Xavier Sterling you sure did your best to avoid him."

I rolled my eyes at her mocking tone.

"Just because I didn't want to see him, doesn't mean I care that you're working with him. Really, Its fine. Plus, I know we could use the commission right before the baby comes."

I congratulate myself on sounding removed and professional.

Flat out ignoring the smirk she gives me as I walk past her. Knowing she holds a bigger grudge against Xavier than I do. Not that I blame her. After he broke my heart, she was the one that had to pick up the pieces. I walked to my office and shut the door, sitting at my desk. I can't help but think about the night my world came crashing down. It was our four-year anniversary. I spent months thinking of the perfect gift for him and hours waiting at the restaurant he was supposed to meet me at.

It was the first time he stood me up without an explanation, and it was the first time I realized he wasn't mine anymore. He belonged to his work. I was a priority at one time, but for six months before I broke up with him he was constantly canceling plans with me.

We went weeks without seeing each other.

As I walked home crying, I called his cell phone repeatedly. I even called his office, but it got me nowhere. In my anger, I broke up with him through his voicemail.

Not my proudest moment.

Just as I was a half block from home, I ran into Xavier's brother, Pasquale. Seeing me in tears, he offered to be a shoulder to cry on at Benny's, a local hangout. When I explained to him that Xavier had forgotten to meet me at the restaurant for our four-year anniversary, he informed me Xavier was out with the Ross's, another prominent family in New York.

I don't know why, but knowing it was dinner with family friends had me seeing red. I never wanted to see him again. I tried drinking away my sorrows. When I had too many to make it home, Pasquale helped get me into my apartment and into bed, even leaving a glass of water and aspirin on the nightstand. The next day I stayed in bed nursing a hangover from hell and that's how Elizabeth found me.

I never heard from Xavier again. Knowing he welcomed our breakup was the hardest thing to work through. He walked away for four years with me, like it was four days. The blow to my ego was so severe that I still haven't recovered.

Following in Elizabeth's footsteps, I became a realtor and invested in her business with Aaron. I own 20% of Wheeler Reality and work behind the scenes in marketing and branding.

Desperately trying to make the business more of a success. I'm responsible for the web design and often help Aaron with day to day things, like meetings and taking calls from potential clients. Together we've cornered the market, catering to the rich and famous. Not too bad for two girls in and out of foster care their whole lives. We've become our own little family, which means we tend to be protective of one another.

Picking up the phone, I listen to the voicemails I've missed. When I have to go through them a third time because I can't concentrate, I give up and hang up the phone in aggravation. He looked well, more mature than he did four years ago. His hair is different, shorter and in the latest style. He contacted Wheeler Reality because we're exclusive and have a sterling reputation, no pun intended, but there's still a part of me that wishes he wanted to see me.

That he was sorry for how things ended with us, but he's Xavier Sterling.

If he ever wanted to find me to apologize, all he had to do was pick up the phone. I huff, Xavier knew what he was doing. I need to stop trying to fool myself into thinking I meant more to him than I did.

Sitting up straight in my chair and squaring my shoulders, I picked up the phone, a new determination to push Xavier Sterling out of my mind for good!