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Chapter 56. Getting my own car

I woke up and saw Paul's face inches away from mine, which caused me to jump up away from him startled.
"Paul, what on earth are you doing? You scared the shit out of me."
"Sorry, I knocked on the door but you were sleeping like a drunk sailor! I came here to wake you up and obviously I succeeded finally. Next time wake up like a normal person." He says, but I somehow catch up on his awkwardness.
After a bowl of cereal and a quick phone to check up on Stephanie, we were on our way to search for a car.
"Ok, any ideas?" Do you want to buy a new car, or a used one?
"Well, I think it has to be a new one, because I know I would end up with an antique car if we went for a used one and I don't have my father's garage to fix it all the time, as antiques need a lot of maintenance."
"A new one it is." He said smiling and I put my finger in his left dimple.
"God! I love these!" I tell him and I only make his smile grow even bigger.
We went to five different car dealerships and lastly I decided I was too tired to see any other cars.
"Please just pick one for me. I don't like any of them." I complain.
"I have an idea." He says smiling again and I don't have a clue of what he is thinking of, as he wouldn't tell me.
After half an hour drive, he takes me to an official Mini Cooper dealer and I think he indeed hit the jackpot. I fall in love with a red cabrio beauty and after taking her for a spin I sign the papers.
"This is a showroom model Miss. We will deliver your car in a week."
"Can't I just take this one? I don't mind if it's the showroom model, I think I could also get it discounted because of that right?"
"Yes, of course. That is possible."
"Oh, look at you even making a good deal!" He teases.
I turn to Paul and I hug him, feeling excited.
"You are starting to look a lot like Stephanie." He teases me for acting so childishly happy over a car.
We drive separately to his apartment and then he gets in my car now heading towards the airport to pick up Alexander, as his flight is landing soon and I want to surprise him. I want to buy all of us dinner to thank Paul for all his time today and for knowing me too well. You are so predictably British, he said teasing me.
I wait for Alex while Paul went to grab us some coffee and when he appears, I run towards him, kissing him like a maniac as I've missed him so much, but he doesn't respond to the kisses and I pull back looking at him worriedly.
"What's wrong love? Are you tired from your flight or something.
"Or something, let's just go home."
"No, I came with Paul as I want to buy us all dinner. But the reason I want to do this is a surprise, so give me a minute until we get to the car." I smile ignoring his bad mood.
"Welcome home." Paul says handing him a cup of black coffee.
"Thanks. I am so tired. I'll take a cab home and you guys can go to dinner. I'll catch you later." And by that he leaves me standing with the coffee on my hand.
"Alexander!" I yell out.
But he kept walking towards the exit, ignoring me.
"Do you think he minded me coming along?" Paul asks.
"No, surely not. He is not like that. Something is up Paul and it's serious. He looks angry at me and I really can't think of a reason, as we spoke last night and he was all sweet and loving."
"Listen, just take me home and we can have a rain check. I think he wants to talk to you."
"Ok, I'd like that. I'll call you later and let you know what was bugging him. I am sorry but besides a good friend I still think of you as my therapist, so I always feel the need to talk with you about everything."
He hugs me and kisses me on the head telling me he will always be there for me and I know he means it.
After dropping him off, I am on my way home, but I am feeling restless and edgy as I don't know what to expect from Alexander. I take the elevator up all the way to his floor and I knock on the door, as I don't feel comfortable using the spare key he gave me. He opens the door and stands there for a while only looking at me, but he looks disappointed or something.
"What is it Alexander? Is it about work? Did something go wrong?"
"Come in." He commands, making room for me to pass through the door, which he was blocking until now.
"Didn't you go to dinner with Paul?"
"No, you got me worried and Paul suggested I came straight home, obviously realizing I couldn't enjoy myself."
"Claire, is there something you want to tell me?" He asks implying that there is.
"No. Not that I can think of."
And then he picks up an envelope and throws it on my chest, but I fail to grab it and it falls on the floor, exposing its content. A dozen photos of me at the party with Luke are now all over the floor and I pick them up examining them one by one, to estimate how bad this actually looks to him.
"I promise you I can explain this."
"Oh, I was hoping you would."
And I tell him everything about last night, including even the joke about him kissing his mother like that. He seems relieved but I know I am not!
"Where did you get these? Who took them and why do you have them?"
He takes a big breath before he starts talking, making me realize I am not going to like what I will hear.
"I have a bodyguard following you everywhere, since the incident with Michael, just to make sure you are safe."
"Oh and this is about my safety?" I say showing him the photos.
"Well, he thought I would want to see this, so he emailed them to me and I had them printed out, so that we could discuss this. Look, I understand and I believe everything you say as I trust you completely and I knew there would be a perfectly logical explanation to all this, but I was hurt to see your lips touching someone else's lips."
"So you trust me completely?" I am now beyond furious.
"Yes, I do and if you say that guy is only your friend and kissed you under those circumstances, then I believe you and I am completely ok with it."
"What about me Alexander, do you think I am ok of finding out you had someone following me all this time and informing you of my every move?"
"Claire, it's not like I did this to control you, I was only doing this to protect you. If you remember I promised you I'll keep you safe and after what happened I felt that hiring a bodyguard was a good idea. I knew you would never agree to this, so I did it without telling you and I am not going to apologize. You are too precious to me and I won't let anything happen to you ever again!" He excuses.
"Fuck this Alex! You are full of excuses. Michael is not here anymore and he can't come near me ever again, so all you were actually doing is stalking me as I didn't really need any protection. But what really annoys me, is that this wasn't about keeping me safe, it was about stalking me and that disgusts me!" I growl.
"Claire that's not true. I only asked him to watch out for you. It was his own initiative to send me those photos, the only thing I regret is accepting them, but my curiosity got the best of me."
I feel deceived and betrayed as I realize this has been going on behind my back for a month and without replying, I open the door and try to run away from him, as I don't want him to see the tears that were appearing uninvited in my eyes. He forcefully pushes the door back in an attempt to close it trying to prevent me from leaving and that's when I slapped him. I open it again and this time he just watches me leave.
I am in my car on my way to Paul, but I am crying so much that I find it difficult to drive. I reach his apartment and the moment he opens the door I fall into his arms, desperate for comfort.
"Claire, are you ok? That's all I need to know and we can speak whenever you feel ready. Just nod that you are ok."
"I am fine!" I say getting away from his arms while I furiously start telling him what just happened.
"I feel betrayed and I am so angry at him. I can't believe my whole life all this time was for him to view. I feel violated!" I conclude and Paul wraps his arm around me, telling me it'll be ok.
How could it be ok? The man I loved and trusted the most, had betrayed me in a way that reminded me of Michael. I was so furious I couldn't control my tears, as I honestly didn't want to be weak for once. Was this a sign of him not trusting me? Was he more like Michael than what I thought and love was making me blind once more?
"Can I stay here for a while until I figure this out?"
"Do you really need to ask?"
I smile as I know I can always count on him and Stephanie for comfort and support.
"I just bought a bloody car and I am now left without a job and accommodation."
"Don't worry, I can help you with a couple of monthly payments and you can crash here for as long as you like."
"No, you don't have to do all that. I've been saving money as I wanted to be completely independent, but I think I'll just call my mom to send me the money and pay for the whole amount, as I wouldn't feel comfortable if I used up all my savings. She owes me that much for being a terrible mother and money is not an issue for her, so I am not ashamed to ask."
"You can finally start working with me." He says joyfully.
"Yes. I think I am ready to try that." I say confidently.
"You have been for a while now Claire, but you liked being around Alexander all the time, so I didn't say anything about you wasting all that knowledge, when you could help so many people instead of driving Alexander around between his meetings." He says looking angry and disappointed.
"Don't be angry at me. I guess I just got stuck. He was also always telling me I should do something about my career, but I kept postponing it."
"I am not gorgeous. I can't be mad at you, not for even for a second. I love you too much."
"And I love you too."