Heartbeats in Moonlight

Chapter 79

David was mad and miserable because Ella only returned to town, three-bloody-weeks later, and she had not replied to his calls. She had ignored all of his messages. She hadn't even acknowledged the fact that she got his messages.

The time between returning to the hotel, and coming back to town was a blur: They all met Nic' security team, went over the situation, and within seconds, they were escorted to a private plane. The first couple of days back at town, there was so much going on. Everyone seemed to focus on Nic's situation, and that provided Ella with enough time to pack and leave. Two days later she left! And Amelia said she didn't know where Ella was. By the end of the first week, David was ready to follow her, but he didn't know where she was. And his investigation did not reveal her whereabouts. By the time David realised that, he knew he had missed his chance. Asking Amelia for Ella's contact details, was useless because Ella was screened her calls. It didn't stop David from leaving messages on Ella's voicemail. And while it made him miserable and mad, it made him more determined and resolute. So he kept badgering Amelia and at the start of the second week, Amelia said Ella would be back in a few days because Mallory was getting married. And Amelia was right. But it wasn't within a few days it was weeks.

Ella looked beautiful, though a touch slimmer, David thought as he watched her from a distance. He ordered another scotch. He figured he must have drunk at least a bottle by now.

Some ten minutes later, he got to his feet and made his way to the deck, hoping to find his sister, to ask her if she'd give him a ride home. Instead he bumped into Ella.

"I thought you'd gone." He slurred.

"I think you're drunk." She corrected.

"I think you're right." He muttered through a lopsided grin. "Where's Peter?"

"Dancing with your sister, I think."

He leaned against the balustrade in an effort to stay upright. "I thought he was with you."

"You thought wrong." She was worried about him, and she had never seen him drunk.

"I think you're beautiful." He grinned.

"Thank you." She rolled her eyes. "But you are tipsy."

"Yep." He sounded so pleased she had to smile. At least he was a happy drunk. "Wanna dance?" He pushed off the balustrade and leaned toward her. She had to push at his shoulders to stop him from toppling over.

"I don't think so." She propped him against the balustrade. "I'm going home." She told him.

"Home?" David asked with a sloshed tone, "You don't live here!" He accused, "You always run away!" Then he sounded petulant, "And you have returned my calls." With a cute, drunk pout he asked, "Why not?"

Ella pretended that David was sober and she answered with sincerity, "David, this is not the right time."

"It never is." He muttered with a sigh. His lips drooped at the corner, and asked, "Why haven't you phoned me?"

Ella was sure this was not the right time for this conversation, but his movements were charming. He was a lovable drunk! "I want you to have time."

"Me?" He tipped his head back. And he shook his head. "You wanted time." Then he nodded, "Me, I was ready." He took another breath, "You said you wanted time."

"I know."

"That was three weeks ago. Is that enough?" He pouted, again his actions were endearing.

"Probably." She sighed.

"Why didn't you phone me? Why didn't you return my calls?" He sounded like a kid who missed Christmas.

Sincerity took precedence, as she read his eyes. "Because I wanted to see if," she gulped, "our thing..."

"Our thing?" In his bemused stated, he wished he hadn't drank so much as he really need to be sober to have this conversation.

She sighed, "What happened, on the ferry, at the hotel..."

He grinned happily remembering the events. "Ah ah, our kisses. They rattled you, didn't they!"

"Not just the kisses. The circumstances."

"The circumstances?"

"Our charade..."

"You thought our kisses were part of the charade?" He growled without thinking, "You aren't stupid!"

She pursed her lips. "I know. I didn't kiss you just for the charade."

"So?"

"So," She sighed in exasperation, "I was not sure if you would have kissed me if we weren't in that settings, that situation."

"What?" He rolled his eyes as he tried to make sense of that statement. He rubbed his face, trying to remove the veil from his eyes, and tried to sober fast. "I don't know what is going on here." He took a breath, hoped the oxygen would be the antidote to his inebriations. "I expected to see you. But you left. Nothing. No message. No notes for me. Nothing. I phoned you. Did you even listen to my messages?"

She nodded.

"Then why didn't you phone back? Bloody hell, Gabriella, simple courtesy. A bit of considerateness. A bit of thoughtfulness."

"I was." She had thought about it. She wanted to give him time, to see if what he felt for her was more than just a transitory feeling, brought to the fore in that circumstance. Back home, he might want to date other women. So she was going to give him four weeks! Just to make sure that she wasn't just a notch on his bedpost. She knew she was in love with him, but she wanted to see if their interaction was an outcome from a difficult, unusual situation.

"It bloody wasn't!"

"I wanted to give you a chance. If your feelings for me, were short-lived."

He all but growled. He knew he was drunk, but that didn't stop him from thinking or feeling. "I told you in my calls." He growled again. "When you are ready, call me! Do you remember that?"

"There are lots of single women at this town. I might be a blip on your radar..."

He was furious. "And you think, after our kisses, I would go off with someone else!" He shook his head at her as if he couldn't believe she had deliberately set him a test. "You have the gall to tell me that you gave me time! Just to date other women! Or were you trying to test me? To see if I would go out with Tom, Dick and Harry or should I say Lise, or Loretta or any single woman at town! Bloody hell, Gabriella, you have no idea! I am so upset by you! I am so frustrated by your behaviour! And I am so bloody angry."

Ella licked her lips. His statements made her feel guilty, and he was right. She had not replied to his calls, just to see if he would go out with some random woman.

The haze of the aftermath of drinking vanished. "You were testing me, right!" He could read the answer in her eyes. He was right: She was testing him. He growled. "Either you trust me or you don't! And stop kissing me as if you meant it!" He spun on his heel, practically fell on his face and he rocked back. Ella grabbed his arm and helped him to balance. "Fuck. Take your hands off me!" He snapped and he jammed his hands into his trouser pockets and tried to look as if he knew what he was doing. "Stop lead me on! I don't need your help. I am going to get Kate!" Saying that almost had him toppling over.

"Kate is dancing." Ella said quietly. She took her time as she considered her options. She could drop David at his home, or could leave him here.

He hesitated, he knew Ella had returned earlier today, and he was not sure how long she would remain here. But despite the fact he was drunk, he could see her thinking about her decisions here. "I'll call a taxi." He said as if he had reached a momentous decision.

Ella watched him prepare to turn. "I'll drop you at your place." Obviously, he was not happy at the moment, and given his statements, he still had feelings for her. Time to talk. "I have my car, and you are not in a position to order a taxi."

"I bloody can."