Escaping to Ireland

Liam

One thing was for sure, Vinessa needed to talk.

I doubted if she ever really talked to anyone about losing her mother. I wondered if the topic was ever brought up with Shawn. She was still grieving the loss of her and then had to grief the loss of her friend. For someone so young, she seemed like she had been through enough for one person. Shawn was also grieving, but to put the loss of their friend on her and her alone was hard to listen to. But I had yet to lose anyone close to me. The only person I had lost was a baby made up by a crazy ex-girlfriend of mine. And when I found out that the baby was not real, I did not know what to feel.

I didn't feel relieved; I felt sad. I was expecting a baby.

After serving Vinessa food and telling her, I would pick her up early for work the next day, even though I insisted she should take another day off she argued with me, saying she would go crazy, it was decided I would be there bright and early. Even though she was out of my way and not on my way to work, the extra ten minutes to get her was worth every second.

"You look better today," I told her, trying to make her feel better.

"I feel a little bit better," She said, shutting her door. "I slept; it was a deep slumber."

"Those are the best." I wish I could have said I had a deep slumber, but all I could think about last night was Vinessa's sorrow and her tears. It hurt when she would cry, even if it was only two tears that came out. And when she cried, I couldn't help but think how gorgeous she was still.

"Did you want me to sit in on the meeting today?" Ireland asked a few minutes later. "What?" She asked when I did not respond.

"We are not to work yet. Just give me until work to start talking to me about it." I said to her.

"Easy enough," she said. "So, how were things while I was gone?"

"Vinessa," I paused, looking over at her. "You are asking me about work."

"No... I'm asking how things were while I was gone. What did you do while I was gone?"

"I worked."

"Anything else?" she asked, deliberating looking out the window instead of over at me.

"Is there something you are wondering about?" I was getting a kick out of the blush that crept up on her face.

"No. I guess not." She looked disappointed, and I wondered what she was getting at. I had parked my car in the parking lot when I turned to her, grabbing onto her arm before she could get out.

"You said we would be open with each other. What were you inquiring about?" Her eyes flicked to outside back to me, and I could see she was contemplating what she wanted to do.

She drugged her phone out of her purse and flicked the screen to life; she went into her internet browser and brought up a picture. A picture of Chloe and myself, the title under the image said,

"Are wedding bells back on?"

I laughed, clearly shocked that Vinessa had googled me. "You googled me?"

"Yes. I googled you. It was a twelve-hour plane ride." The article was done over the weekend, even though the picture they had of the two of us was from the weekend after we were newly engaged. The engagement ring I had given Chloe was on her ring finger in the picture. I wondered if Chloe or my mother had anything to do with this picture recirculating. 

"That's an old picture; Chloe is a shade darker than that right now. I did have dinner with her while you were gone. But it was with my family; I did not know she would be there."

"Lucky her," Vinessa said, getting out of the car and walking toward the building.

"Are you jealous?"

She whirled on me. "I am not jealous. I am confused...."

"And what could you possibly be confused by? I am not engaged to her."

"I know that." She paused, frustrated by something. "You know what... It doesn't matter. Because you are my boss. And I am going car shopping tonight."

"Why would you need to do that?" I asked her, knowing it was so I would not have to pick her up anymore. So we had less time together. She was making a brash decision once again when she was upset. 

"I am living in Ireland, and I need a car to get around in. I can't expect you to pick me up every day and drive me home every night. Eventually, you will be going out for drinks with someone, and I'll be stuck here. It is the smart thing to do."

She left me taking the stairs instead of riding the elevator up. She was sitting at her desk facing the elevator upon my arrival. I walked to my office, giving her my best smile as I did. By lunch, she had yet to talk to me again. I had walked out at the end of my lunch break to find her searching used car sites. I had spent about five times on each vehicle I have purchased.

"Do you want help?" I asked her, taking her off guard.

"I have ten minutes left on my lunch break," she said, looking at the time on her dainty wristwatch.

"Vinessa, I don't care about that. Do you want help or not?"

"I think I can handle purchasing a car."

"Do you need me to ride around with you tonight?"

"I already texted Jennifer she is available to take me out tonight. She has a few ins with a few different places."

"Do I need to worry about how much alcohol you will be taking in tonight?" I asked.

Her cheeks flushed.

"I'm normally not like that."

"So you have said multiple times," I said, leaving her desk and getting back to work.

"Mr. Brennan," Vinessa buzzed me through the phone PA almost before closing.

"Yes, Vinessa."

"You have a Miss Chloe Bradshaw here to see you."