Heartbeats in Moonlight

Chapter 21

Loretta tidied her hair, and licked her lips that had quirked into a smug smile. Loretta looked delighted and barely stepped out of David's embrace.

That was enough for Ella to remember why she was here. Now, all she had to do is to finish off the review of his house. She would, eventually, tell David her ideas and suggestions. She was sure that her ideas will be sound and feasible. But she will only arrange another meeting after she has figured out how to handle this issue. In any case, this meeting was to generate a quote, and David might not like her ideas and might find another interior designer. Time to pray, her heart suggested. For the moment, just let them talk, said her head. Relax, she ordered herself.

Loretta continue to smile. And Ella continued to fumed in silence.

Ella was ready to run at her, kicking and screaming. But she looked straight at Loretta. "Sorry, again, I didn't mean to interrupt." She lied. Her voice remained professional, her tone polite. Her eyes devoid of emotion.

"Finished already?" David asked, casually removed his arm from the counter and finally moved away from breakfast counter, and Loretta. Well, at least that removed the smile from Loretta's face, thought Ella.

Ella took a breath and pretended that nothing earth-shattering had just transpired. "Not quite." Ella said coolly and walked toward them, "I've finished one wing." Pretending to look completely unflustered she moved past them.

He hesitated a second, frowned when he looked directly at Ella, but then he blinked, as if he was trying to clear away a thought. David braced a hip against the breakfast bar and with a narrowed stare tracked her across the room. Of course he'd heard her approach, that's why he'd moved in on Loretta. Even though he'd been kissing Loretta at the time, he heard Ella stop, knew for certain she had seen them before she entered the room. Yet here she was, cool as a cucumber, totally unfazed by what she'd seen. But then, by all accounts she'd been totally unfazed when she was still a schoolgirl.

"Hello Gabriella." Loretta picked up the long stemmed glass of wine that Ella hadn't noticed, and Loretta took a sip before she said, "David said he's employing you to decorate his place."

Ella hesitated by the door leading to the wing. Well that confirmed things. While she had thought his invitation to decorate his home had been a non-too-subtle ploy for her company, to build on what they had started in the school car park, but actually, he'd simply wanted an interior decorator.

"I didn't know you would be here." The smile was anything but warm, but Ella felt she had to apologise, again, for interrupting. "I'm sorry to intrude."

"Oh don't mind us. We're just celebrating."

Ella didn't bother to ask, what. She didn't want to know.

She also knew if she stayed much longer she was going to do one of two things. Either burst into tears or scream at the pair of them. "Well, I'll let you get back to celebrating" Without any further hesitation she found a reasonable reason to excuse herself, "I just need to see the other wing. If you'll excuse me." She headed through the door and into the other corridor.

David narrowed his eyes as he watched her exit the room. Prissy. But he remembered how hot she had been when she had kissed him ten years ago. How hot she had been when they had kissed recently. He knew exactly how she came by the experience. That buttoned down, conservative suit she wore was nothing but camouflage, just like her innocent conversation had been nothing but misrepresentation.

He picked up his glass of wine and drained it. So he'd been reeled in, by a seventeen year old schoolgirl. He could see through her now. See her for what she was, despite her ultra conventional makeover.