Chapter Fifteen

RICHARD

Two weeks.

Two weeks of weird emotions. Two weeks of insane torture. It was the first time he had such feelings after Daphne. It's been over twenty years. Maybe that was why he was confused.

Confused enough to try to stay away but couldn't stop himself from wanting to see her.

The other unsettling part about everything was that it wasn't just any other person. It was his twenty three year old housekeeper from Salta. A redhead. A girl with no college degree and hadn't been anywhere else except Bellamy.

He'd been really busy so, he had not seen much of her whenever he was home. He even had to go away for a landed property survey for two days.

Now, he sat in his office and listened to Victoria remind him about the fundraiser he would be going to that night. She'd said something about the fundraiser being held for children with rare diseases.

He didn't have the mind for mingling but he had received numerous emails about it, so he couldn't avoid it. Besides, he always made a donation so there was no way he could avoid attending.

"I could send an email and tell them that you can't attend but will make a donation. I could go in your stead." Victoria was just being professional. She didn't mean that last statement. She just read his mood like always and said what she always said.

Like before, he shook his head and shuffled some files, turning their pages to sign. "I'll be present like I always do. Do you know the others that'll be there? New faces perhaps?"

Richard had always loved to be informed about things and people. He doesn't like surprises, so he would make his investigations before going to any social gathering.

It wasn't out of fear of anything, he just liked to be prepared.

Victoria looked down at the iPad, zoomed and adjusted. "There are no new people except for the invitation to the governor and his wife. But..." She drawled for effect.

Richard heard it, so he turned his gaze to her. "But what?" His brows deepened.

"Simone will be there."

Oh. That!

They haven't seen each other since the last time they had that dinner. He hadn't even bothered confronting Victoria about that restaurant. He had decided to let it slide.

Continuing to sign the documents, he passed them back to Victoria and tidied up his desk, placing some other files into his briefcase.

"Then I guess it won't be a boring one then." He halfheartedly said. He wasn't so sure he wanted to see Simone or be in the company of people that had nothing but wide grins that wouldn't leave their faces.

If he was going to make it to that fundraiser, then he better be on his way. First, he needed a shower and a light meal to get him through the night.

He tapped on his phone to check the time, it was already after 6pm and he absently thought about Ava.

He'd missed her yesterday when he got home. Taylor had told him that she had let her go home since he was obviously getting back later than she should be there for.

Pocketing his phone, he swiftly made for the door and let himself out, while Victoria trailed behind him.

"I have a feeling I might come in late tomorrow so I need you to take care of those files first thing in the morning." He instructed and got into the waiting elevator.

He was home in less than twenty minutes, since the road was not busy and they'd luckily missed the traffic lights.

He knew without being told immediately he stepped into the house that Ava was gone. It dawned on him that he had wanted to really see her before he'd made it home.

He wanted to find her looking up at him with clear eyes and a shy smile. It was wrong. All shades of wrong but he just couldn't stop himself.

However those feelings creeped in, he couldn't tell. He just found himself feeling that way.

Taylor was sitting in the sitting room, with her head buried in her laptop. She stopped and turned around, a smile already on her face.

"Welcome dad..." She paused and dropped her laptop on the empty space beside her. "You're home early today."

Stepping closer, he halted few feet away from her. "I need to attend a fundraiser." He said curtly and darted his eyes around the room, as if something would pop out any minute.

Maybe Ava would. Just maybe.

Taylor simply nodded. "Ava's left. I told her to. Do you want me to dish your food?" It was as if she read his mind.

Richard almost didn't hear that. He stared vacantly at Taylor before the words stringed together and made sense to him. "I'll just take a shower and be right out. I'm not hungry."

He was certain he was hungry, but right now he just lost his appetite. Taylor nodded and he excused him himself to his room.

He was totally losing it. He needed to get himself together and focus on something else. Anything at all.

He quickly took a hot shower, changed into another suit and was out of the house in less than an hour. When he came downstairs, he guessed Taylor had retired to her room because she wasn't seated there anymore.

Being a part of that fundraiser was his way of giving back to the society. It was his way of feeling that he was in the position to help people; children.

But today...

Just today, he didn't feel like mingling. He didn't feel like being with other people. He just wanted to lie in bed and wake up to the morning sun.

That was enough.

He sat in his limo and tried not to think about anything. He could at least try and relax.

Henry sped along the windy road to the fundraiser that was held at a different place every year. This time it was somewhere in Felicity, on the other side of town.

He'd almost startled when his iPhone started ringing. Getting it out of his pocket impatiently, he almost grimaced when he saw it was Simone.

Turning down the volume and then putting it on silent, he pocketed it back and sighed as Henry pulled to a stop.

He gave Richard a few moments before climbing out to get his door. He nodded his thanks to Henry and scanned the environment.

Other people were already milling around the entrance. Cars were pulling up. Suits, red dresses, other colours were sashaying their way in.

Briskly, he walked up the short stairs to get inside, smiling and nodding his greetings to familiar faces.

That was the draining part of such events. You get to smile all night and then go home with a splitting headache.

Richard was stopped short in his tracks to find the well lit room almost filled. People swam and filed, shaking hands, chatting, snickering and giggling.

Retrieving his hands from his pockets, he gazed across the room searching for no one in particular. He was about taking a step as he'd seen a business acquaintance with the wife, when a hand caught his elbow and curled around it, stopping him in his tracks.

Without being told, he already knew who it was.

Simone.

Turning around to face her, with a cocky grin on his face. "Simone." There was no surprise in his voice. He didn't have it in him to fake anything.

She didn't return the grin. She seemed rather upset, though her eyes remained stark of any emotions. "I called you." She noted.

Becoming aware of where they are, he ran his tongue over his lips and nodded noncommittally. "I saw it. I knew you would be here."

"Why didn't you answer."

"Does it matter? We're both here now." His voice was calm. Even over the din, he knew Simone heard him.

Simone stared at him for a moment. He took that bit of silence between them to study her.

Just like always, Simone never was one to look less than her money's worth. She was always dressed up in designers. Like now, she wore a dark green satin gown that ran down her length. It was ruched over one shoulder, then had a front slit that was up to her right hip.

Her shoes and clutch purse were silver, including her earrings. She had her hair, bunched up on top and tendrils that moulded her face. There wasn't much make up she had on, but he guessed it was probably because he wasn't peering closely.

"You haven't called since the last time." She said. She wasn't asking, she was staying the fact.

He shook his head and looked away briefly. Then he looked back at the unsmiling actress. "You didn't either."

There! He'd said it.

Her eyes widened slightly. She wasn't expecting that from him. Taking a step back, her fingers uncurled from his elbow.

She started speaking but a couple approached them. Mr. Davis and his wife, Heidi.

So, these couples were Richard's closest acquaintances in the room. He had wanted to go greet them when Simone had stopped him.

"Richard..." David smiled, his hand over his wife's shoulders with wine glasses in their free hands. "Simone."

David was a big time engineer with his own company. He was in his middle fifties and looked it. His wife looked younger but they still played around like teenagers.

Heidi wasn't his first wife. Like Richard, he'd been widowed and had married Heidi a lot of years later, but seeing them together with all the love in the world, always made Richard feel weird.

"David. Heidi. I'm glad you both made it. You didn't make it to last year's." Richard said and looked up at Simone when he felt her hand curling around his elbow. Again.

"You don't need to remind us, Richard. I was heavily pregnant and couldn't make it. David had to stay to care of me." Heidi told them and leaned closer to David's body, smiling lovingly at him and Richard watched wordlessly as they both spoke without words.

He knew they were parents now. He'd even paid them a visit, but he respected the bond between them. That was what he wanted for himself, but couldn't have with Simone.

Definitely not with Simone.

Something caught his eye as they chatted about nothing in particular. He wasn't sure who it was, but he was sure that he'd pick out that hair from any crowd.

He squinted and reared his head up but it just disappeared.

"Who are you looking for?" Simone whispered into his ear, jolting him and he gazed at the pairs of eyes that stared back at him, then he glanced sideways Simone.

He shook his head. "Nobody. I thought I saw someone I know."

"Ahh! The governor is here." David announced and started to move away from Richard. Richard turned and saw the governor just entered with his wife.

"You should get us some wine, Richard." Simone whispered.

Why did she keep whispering?

Giving her a good natured smile and nod, he backed away from her, letting her hand fall from his elbow. He weaved further into the suited and dressed bodies, smiling and nodding his greetings as he went.

He'd even forgotten about the hair that caught his attention earlier, till he saw it up front again. This time, her back was to him and had a tray of wine glasses.

Before he could stop himself...

He clamped his hand on her shoulder and she turned to face him.

Ava.

"Ava!"

Now, it was his time to whisper. His brows furrowed and he squinted at her, seemingly taken aback and subconsciously glad to see her.

Her eyes didn't show signs of surprise. Perhaps, she'd seen him when he entered the hall.

She wasn't surprised but had streaks of fear lurking in her eyes.

"What are you doing here?"

He needed to talk to her, but certainly not in a room filled with people and certainly not with Simone near. Glancing around quickly, he noticed another uniformed waitress like Ava that was advancing towards them.

He took hold of the tray and dumped it on the waitress then dragged Ava farther away from the hall. He noticed side glances but didn't care about it.

He just needed to take her somewhere quiet and get answers.

Wasn't he paying her enough?

He dragged her- not fiercely- down the hallway and into the garden, then stopped shortly by a fountain.

Letting go of her arm, he whirled around to see her and luckily, there was enough light to see.

"What are you doing here, Ava?" He asked again. Impatiently.

She flickered her eyes over his face then let it meet his eyes.

"I'm sorry. I just..." She shook her head as though she couldn't think clearly.

"Ava, you can talk to me."

His voice as clear as crystal.