Beauty in Cinders

CHAPTER 17

"Are ... are you saying Derek only befriended me ... to get his father on good terms with my step-dad?" Gina asked, her eyes full of tears.

Freddy wanted to punch himself for having said too much. He couldn't help it, though. Gina was infuriating. He had no idea how Derek had the patience to put up with her. She was too clingy and obviously couldn't take a hint when to stop. On one hand Freddy knew he had screwed up by telling this to Gina and on the other he hoped it would be enough for her to get the picture and leave Derek alone.

"I'm going inside now," he said to her, "Please leave."

Gina turned away as Freddy went into his apartment. She couldn't believe it. Derek had used her. She thought she had met a nice and caring guy, but it only turned out to be part of a plan for his father to climb the corporate ladder. Freddy's words repeated in her mind.

"When his father realized you were only Heath Wades' step-daughter, he asked him to shift his attention to his real daughter, Heather."

Gina stepped out of the building as she quietly cried. She closed her eyes, trying not to think about it all.

"You know what the big difference is? That he actually likes her. So please, just go home."

When Gina opened her eyes, her eyes were filled with rage. Of course Derek would like Heather best. Of course he would end up falling in love with her. Oh, but Gina wasn't going to allow it. If he had used Gina and never really cared for her, Heather wasn't going to end up with Derek's love. Gina was going to make sure that if she couldn't win Derek's love, then it would be a cold day in hell before Heather could ever experience the love he did feel for her.

Café

Heather and Derek sat across from each other inside the local coffee shop. The ride there had been a little awkward as neither of them really knew what to say before they got to their destination. Heather felt like she had a million questions yet she didn't know where to start. Derek wanted to explain everything with so much detail yet he found himself speechless. He wondered why that was when only moments before getting to Heather's house he had imagined being able to talk freely to her about the misunderstanding between them.

"Strange, isn't it?" Heather asked, breaking the silence, "We spoke so easily that night at the party and look at us now."

Derek smirked, "You read my mind. I was just thinking that."

Heather smiled and took a sip from her drink.

"I'm sorry if I made you feel bad," Derek said sheepishly. "I can understand how it could look, us hitting it off that night only for me to run into you again with your own sister."

Heather sighed, "I think what made it worse was how Gina made it seem like you and her were dating. I guess that's what sort of rubbed me the wrong way. I got protective because I thought you were some kind of ... player or something."

Derek laughed – then so did Heather.

"That night was amazing, wasn't it?" he asked.

"It really was," Heather replied with a small smile, "You basically saved me from having a boring night. My friend Katia had just left me to go be with her on again off again sort-of-boyfriend-but-not-really."

"Well, I'm glad I spared you after she abandoned you for her on again off again sort-of...what was it again?"

Heather laughed.

"Seriously, though," Derek said, leaning a little forward and looking in her eyes, "I had a wonderful time with you. It's a shame it had to but cut short."