Begin Again

Chapter Thirteen

"'Cause it's you who somehow is always the first to take care of me at my worst. You are appreciated."

Salomé's P.O.V.

"Like a fool, I just stood back and watched her stride past me, climb up the stairs, then drag her suitcase out to the front door. She turned back to face me, one last time, before scuttling towards me to place a final light peck upon my lips, and, finally, walk out of the door and out of my life."

I waited a moment, whilst he collected his thoughts, and used that time to take a side glance at him. From the side, I noticed his furrowed eyebrows and the scowl on his face. His hunched up position formed creases along his blazer.

"But that was a while ago, so I tend to not try and reminisce." He finished, placing his empty plate back onto his lap.

"You must think about her sometimes though?" I asked, curious but empathetic with his situation. "Have you seen her lately?"

"Work keeps me occupied. That's why I'm always locked up in my office if I don't have a meeting to attend, or hidden away in my study at home. That's probably one advantage of being a CEO," he lightly chuckled. "And to answer your question, and wrap up this topic about me, yes. I've seen her recently. In fact I was supposed to be meeting her today, but I had..."

"... Me to take care of. Once again, I'm sorry about-"

"I was going to say other priorities, Kelly. Please stop apologising."

"I'm sorry, I-"

I stopped, when he gave me a pointed look to prevent me from going against his request. Or order.

"Anyway, enough about me. What about you?"

I frowned as I took in his question. What about me?

"What do you mean?"

"Well, is there anyone in your life? Someone as beautiful and, as I will soon find out when you start working, intelligent as you. What man would resist you?"

I returned his smile with my own, however internally I was leaping for joy. He thought that I was beautiful and intelligent? Not that it matters... But. What did he see that Richard couldn't? I suppose due to seeing the same face for five years makes the novelty of meeting a person wear off. Forget about him, Salomé. I snapped my attention back to the man next to me.

"I appreciate the compliments, but there is no one in my life anymore," I replied cautiously, not wanting to be naive but at the same time wanting to talk to somebody other than my sister. Even if it was my boss.

"Anymore?" He questioned, surprise mixed with subtle curiosity laced in his voice.

"I was married," I sighed, tugging the loose thread of my, now open, cardigan. "For five years. But things changed and I left him. We haven't got a divorce yet because it goes against his religion, so we're just..."

I trailed off, internally searching for the right terminology.

"Separated?" Trevon suggested.

"Yes," I breathed out. I removed my attention from the thread to steal a quick glance at him to see him looking at me intensely. As if he was attempting to read my thoughts. No, no, honey, that's my thing. "For a few months now and I'm pretty good living the single life."

Silence commenced once again.

"Do you miss him?"

Do I miss Richard? This question clouded my thoughts all the time. Isn't that weird? I didn't love him anymore, but he was still in my thoughts as if he even had control of them.