Un-Break my Heart: Book 2 (The Heart Trilogy) (40 page)

Chapter 51

In New York Mitchell finished another gruelling show and headed for the showers with the other dancers. Once again he was attending the after show party but at this one he would know someone. His Mum had sent him a photograph of Olivia so that he would be sure to recognise her. He groaned inwardly as the warm jets of water started to sooth his aching muscles. Closing his eyes he rubbed shower gel over his chest and wished that it was Charlie’s hands lathering his skin. Normally at these parties he would stay for a drink and then make excuses and head back to his hotel room. A number of attractive girls had made attempts to chat to him but all he could think about and want wa
s
Charlotte.

Stepping out of the shower he looked at his phone and saw the text from Charlie. All it said was one more day and a photograph of her suitcase packed and ready. He pulled on his jeans and t-shirt and finding his fellow dancers he joined the crowd and headed into the backstage party area. A tall slim blond stepped forward and held out her hand.

“Hi Mitchell, I’m Olivia”

“Hi Olivia” Mitch replied, cautiously shaking her hand and noticing the immaculate manicure of her nails
.
Charlotte’s nails were always slightly bitten with nerves and he was always trying to stop her doing it.

“This is Maria, my friend. It was a fantastic show” she gushed. He could feel her eyes taking him in, admiring his lean, muscular body beneath his tight t-shirt.

“Would you like a drink” he asked, politely.

“Sure” Maria said, as she continued to look around the room filled with dancers. The main man had yet to put in an appearance. Mitch grabbed them all a drink, beer for himself and some white wine for the girls.

“My mother wanted to ask if you would like to join us for lunch tomorrow”

“That’s a kind offer but unfortunately I’ll be travelling to the next show first thing in the morning” Mitch said. It was a small lie but the thought of having to fend off the obvious flirtation of a daughter of his mother’s friend was too awful to even think about.

“That’s a shame because I’m sure we would have a lot in common” Olivia continued “I’m a pianist at the performing arts school. Music and dancing go so well together”

Before Mitchell had time to think of a polite rebuff Ne-Yo appeared and all the rest of the privileged fans surged forward. Maria grabbed Olivia’s hand and pulled her too, at the same time locating her CD and a pen. Mitch watched the two of them and wondered if he could escape now. But Olivia pulled her hand away and remained beside him.

“You go Maria, I’m fine here with Mitchell” she drawled. Her American accent grated on him but he smiled anyway. He answered all her questions about the tour and passed on his Mum’s hello to her mother. Maria had started to flirt with another of the male dancers as Mitchell tried to think of a way to finish this conversation.

Suddenly Olivia made her move and wrapped her arms around his waist.

“Mum said you were shy so I think I’d better make it clear that I am all yours tonight” she said.

“Look I’m sorry but I can’t” he said, trying to gently untangle her. She held him tight, her grip surprisingly firm.

“I know you have a girlfriend but how can you be sure that she isn’t doing the same thing to someone else with you away” she murmured. Her one hand trailed down his back to rest on his buttocks.

“I’m sure o
f
Charlotte” he said, his hand reached to pull hers away.

“Well this could just be our little secret, you know a one night stand to ease your loneliness” Olivia purred.

Her body pressed into his was making him respond, even though his mind was resisting.

“No” he said, wrenching out of her grip “When I say no I mean no”

With that the whole room around him seemed to go silent. Sensing that this might cause an unwelcome scene he grabbed her hand and she followed him through the door and into the now empty auditorium.

“You’re a beautiful girl and if I was single then I would, but my girlfriend Charlotte means everything to me so I can’t do what you want me to do”

He watched her face fall as her blue eyes turned to grey steel.

“You’ve made a fatal mistake in rejecting me. Your mother will know about this soon and so will your girlfriend. Believe me when I say I can be a very accomplished liar when I need to be”

He watched Olivia turn on her heels and return to the party. Her threat still hung in the air as he wandered out of the venue and back to the hotel.

Reaching for his phone he saw the screensaver o
f
Charlott
e
staring back at him. Her green eyes filled with burning love and passion, he knew his were the same. He pressed the call button and waited for her to answer before he realised that she would be in college. He left her a voicemail and then slowly entered his room. He was so angry at his mother that he almost phoned her, but what to say? This was the final straw. He was tired of her trying to mess up the one true thing in his life. He knew she was capable after what she had done in the past to Stephanie and his Dad. Whatever her offer was he was going to reject it, after all he was going to be twenty one next week, he could live without her help.

Charlott
e
listened to the heartfelt message from Mitchell as she ate lunch with Shelley. She blushed at all the compliments and she called him back but got his answer phone too. All she left him was the number of hours, minutes and seconds until she would be in his arms again, kissing his lips and feeling his body pressed against hers.

“Do you want to come to the club tonight” Shelley asked, when she caught up wit
h
Charlott
e
on the walk to their next lesson.

“I’ll come for a little while but I’m off to see Mitchell tomorrow morning and have to be at the airport for eight ready for my flight at ten” Charlie replied.

“Cool, we’ll get there early then”

The rest of college passed quickly and back at hom
e
Charlott
e
did one final check of her suitcase before she showered and changed for the club.

She waited until James had left to meet her Mum and then she pulled on her thick coat and headed to the bus stop. She would be back at eleven so she would have enough sleep to look perfect for her arrival i
n
Miami.

I dressed carefully in the morning and pulled on my new underwear ready for James later. The wool dress hugged my slim frame and I hoped it wasn’t too much for a whole day in the office. I watched Charlie and Shelley head off on the bus and then drove to the studio. On the stereo I was listening to my favourite Savage Garden CD and thinking about the evening ahead. Apart from the visit to this club nothing was going to stand in my way of a romantic meal with James and hopefully a late night dip in the tub. Pulling into the car park I noticed that Greg had not arrived yet so I breathed a sigh of relief and headed through the door.

“Morning Stephanie” Naomi said, her beaming smile never failed to rouse the same in me.

“Morning Naomi. How are you today?”

“Well it’s the weekend tomorrow and I have a date tomorrow night”

“Great, who’s the lucky guy?”

“Leon” she blushed “He asked me out yesterday and I said yes ‘cos I think he’s seriously cute”

“He’s a lovely guy” I replied, before heading on down the corridor. I grabbed a coffee and waved at the guys in the studio busy recording jingles. When Greg finally appeared I was hard at work on the staffing rota’s and programme schedules.

He walked past my door, which I always kept open, before he doubled back and let out a whistle.

“You’re looking hot this morning Ms Eden” he said “You really didn’t need to dress so sexily for our club visit later unless you are planning on brokering an even better deal with the young club owner. I believe he is single”

“Oh Greg you are such a flirt” I joked, blushing at his compliment.

“That James is such a lucky guy. I just wish you had a twin sister that I could date” With that comment he disappeared into his office and a few moments later Lesley wandered in for their weekly sales report session. I guess that it was not just sales they were discussing when she emerged at lunchtime, smoothing down her skirt.

At home James showered and then opened up his laptop. He had asked the Hereford Police force to re-open the murder case on Mark Eden and was waiting for an answer. He had forwarded the email and questions from Rob and hoped that would be enough to get them to restart their enquiries. If it was he would tell Stephanie what he had done in the hope that she would approve. Opening the email he read through it quickly and smiled, on Stephanie’s approval they would re-open the case as they believed the questions his friend had asked were too good to ignore. No police force liked unsolved cases on their books, even ones from seventeen years ago.

Making a coffee in the kitchen he headed out into the garden with Jester and wandered down through the remaining apple trees to his parents place.

“Hi son” His Mum said, ushering him in “We’ve almost finished packing for our holiday” she said.

“It’s ok no rush yet I was hoping to speak to you” he said. He outlined the information from the email and then waited.

“Is that all you wanted to tell me” she finished, searching his eyes.

“Well you might get a telephone call tomorrow if everything goes to plan tonight” James replied, smiling. Peter appeared in the doorway

“I can’t find my favourite jumper” he said, turning to his wife in despair.

“I’ve got it here for you” Pam said “James is here to take us to the train station”

“Thanks Son, we’ll be ready in half an hour, if you can get a move on” he said to Pam.

At five Stephanie found Greg waiting in her office doorway. He had removed his tie and opened the top couple of buttons on his shirt.

“Ready” he asked.

“As I’ll ever be” I replied, shutting down my computer and picking up my handbag.

“I’ll drive if you want to leave your car in the compound overnight” he suggested.

“Ok, that’s great I’ll book a taxi from the club to the restaurant” I replied. I slid into the Porsche and admired its white leather interior.

“No need I’ll drop you off at the restaurant” Greg offered, as he fired up the engine and it growled into life.

“Thank you that will be most kind”

Greg took off out of the parking area and made short work of the drive to the club. Pulling up outside I admired the black and silver signs for “Dusk till Dawn” and the clean exterior. A few posters were on the outside detailing events for the next week as I carefully climbed out of the car. I didn’t need Greg to see the lace of my stocking tops. Greg found the side door and rang the bell as we waited.  A young man answered the door and showed us into a plush reception area.

“Zack will be down in five minutes, can I get you a drink” he asked.

“A small white wine would be nice” I replied, settling into the plush velvet of the couch.

“Just a beer thanks” Greg said.

“This is very nice, a far cry from the clubs of my youth” I said.

Before Greg could reply to my comment a smartly dressed guy appeared in the doorway and we both stood up.

“Zachariah King” Greg asked, extending his hand.

“Just call me Zack” he replied, shaking his hand and then turning to me.

“Stephanie Eden, radio station manager” I said, slipping my hand in his. He was only a few years older than Mitchell as I guessed him to be around twenty four or five. Zach held my hand for a few seconds, his eyes flickered over my features and he looked puzzled.

“Have we met before” he asked.

“No I don’t believe so” I replied, as he gestured for us to follow him through the club to his office.

The conversation and deal were easily negotiated as Zack agreed to sponsor the club music sessions on a Friday and Saturday night and have one of our DJ’s do a turn on a monthly basis. It was just after six thirty when we started to head out. On the way I paused to look at all the leaflets he had on display for various different themed nights during the month. Greg stopped and picked one up and turned to Zack.

“Any chance of a VIP to this” he asked, holding up the advert for monthly burlesque nights.

“Just give me a call” Zack replied, handing Greg his business card. I pulled out the same leaflet too and was about to rib Greg about it when I noticed the small picture on the reverse. In the dim club lighting it was hard to tell but as I stepped outside the streetlight confirmed my worst fears.

Folding it up I placed it in my handbag and composed my features. Now was not the time to deal with this and I wasn’t even sure that tonight would be either.