A Bittersweet Kind of Love

Chapter 7

July

Things took off fast. I was so used to spending just the weekends at the hotel but I was there a lot more now as the Suites Manager. I had a lot of people working under me though so I didn't have to be there as much as I was but I'd rather be there than my empty home. My divorce was final and I was officially lonely. I talked to Michael less and less. I knew it was too good to be true. I kept beating myself up about falling for him. I thought I was never going to see him again but he called me one day when I was home. It was around 6 p.m. I hadn't talked to him in a few weeks actually so when I heard his voice I was surprised.

"How are you?" he asked me with guilt in his voice.

"Fine." I couldn't even smile.

"I'm sorry I haven't called or responded to your messages. I've been busy."

"You don't have to apologize."

"I do. I know what you're going through with the divorce being final now." I didn't respond. I didn't want to talk about it. I told him a million times that I was fine. "Arielle?"

I rolled my eyes and smiled. I loved when he called me that. No one else did. It was either Kayah, Kay or Ari. He said he just had to be different and it became natural for him to address me by my middle name.

"Arielle?"

"Yes, Michael?" I walked outside to my backyard. It was cloudy and it was lightly raining outside, just sprinkling. It was almost just mist coming down. It felt good.

"Are you home?"

"Yes, but I have to go to the hotel in a little while for something."

"I want to see you."

"Really?" I asked surprised because he's never said that to me. I mean, he's never called me just to say he wanted to see me.

"Yes. When I'm around you I feel relaxed. I feel normal."

"You are normal." I sat down in the wet chair that sat on my patio.

"You want to know the reason I don't want anyone knowing we talk?"

Of course. I've been dying to know. "Mm-hm."

He sighed. "Because you're pure. You don't know anyone I know which is a good thing. You may know them but you keep everything professional...and you go back to your normal life. Something I wish I had at times."

"So, you like talking to me because I'm not famous?" I asked being a wise guy.

He started laughing. "It's hard to explain, my Ariella." Another unique name for me. That one he made up by himself.

"Well, I haven't seen you since my sister's party and I haven't talked to you in weeks."

"I know but I love how when I do talk to you it's like that long break was never there. Like we talked every day. And even though I do feel bad, I love how you don't complain."

"I can't complain. You're just my friend."

"Your best friend," he snickered.

"Yeah, well are you going to meet me at the hotel? Come to my office."

"Can I come to your house?"

Whoa. He had never been to my house. Well not since that night of the car accident but I've moved to a new home and he had never been there. "Sure. But I'm about to leave. I'll leave the spare key in the mailbox."

"I'll be there in like 10 minutes. I'm in the car. I'm going to tell the driver to just take me to your house now."

"Is Bill coming to?"