3

Celeste

I made my way to the stairs with my heart trying to beat its way out of my ribcage.

My palms were slick with sweat. I could just… not go… maybe say I have a headache.

Jet lag.

Grief.

All of it was true.

The idea of sitting at a table with him with Jared after all these years… it made me feel sick.

But I couldn’t, Lisa left me no other choice.

I continued to walk to the dining area the sound of Genevieve’s laughter floated up light and tinkling.

I continue to walk down the grand staircase my hand gripping the banister so tightly my knuckles turned white.

Each step felt like I was walking towards my own execution.

I could hear the soft clink of cutlery from the dining room urging my stomach to form knots.

I kept my head down as I walked into the dining room the huge long table enough to seat twenty people.

Lisa smiled at me as she notice me walking towards where she sat, Genevieve was at the other end and…

I didn’t look.

I couldn’t but I could feel his piercing, heavy gaze that seemed to burn a hole right through me.

I could feel him staring, my skin prickled with the intensity of it as I quickly slid into the empty chair next to Lisa keeping my eyes fixed on the intricate pattern of the tablecloth.

“Hey finally, you made it,” Lisa whispered giving me a reassuring nudge.

I just nodded my throat too tight to speak.

Finally I forced myself to take a breath and look up.

And my eyes fell directly on his.

Jared Harlan.

Time had been kind to him more than kind.

It was like it had decided to make him a masterpiece… the years had carved stronger lines around his eyes and mouth but they only made him look more distinguished more hot.

His dark hair was still thick with just a few strands of silver at the temples that made him look sophisticated.

He was wearing a simple black sweater but it stretched across his broad shoulders in a way that made my mouth go dry.

He was… hotter.

The thought was a stupid traitorous thing in my head but it was true his masculinity was oozing.

The stare sent shiver run through my core, urging me to rub my tights as I bit on my lower lip, that stare was the same one I had spent five years trying to forget.

I quickly looked away my face flaming.

“Celeste dear,” Genevieve’s voice cut through the silence. “How are you settling in? Is the room comfortable?”

I forced myself to look at her. “Yes, thank you It’s… it’s very nice.”

“That’s good,” she said taking a delicate sip of water. “So Lisa tells me you’ve been working. What are your certifications? What field are you in? Perhaps Jared can help you find a position in his company”

I swallowed my food turning to ash in my mouth. “I… I don’t have any certifications. I’m a dropout.”

There was a beat of awkward silence.

Genevieve’s smile tightened just a fraction. “Oh. I’m so sorry, I didn’t realize.”

“It’s fine,” I mumbled, staring at my plate.

“Things got hard after my mum died and my dad… he got sick. I had to work, stuff happened.”

Out of the corner of my eye I saw Jared’s hand the one holding his fork tighten his knuckles were white but he didn’t say anything.

I could still feel his hard gaze on me but I refused to look back.

I started pushing the food around my plate the yummy roast chicken and asparagus suddenly completely unappetizing.

Lisajumped in. “Celeste managed a whole cafe by herself... She’s super smart and doesn’t need a bunch of boring certificates to prove it.”

Genevieve gave a light, airy laugh. “Of course darling. I didn’t mean to imply otherwise. It’s just a competitive world that’s all.” She then turned her attention to Jared. “Jared honey you’ve been very quiet. Is everything okay? You seem distracted.”

I held my breath.

He shifted in his chair.

I heard the deep rumble of his voice but I couldn’t make out the words.

It was just a low quiet murmur.

No!

I can do this, I couldn’t sit here for another second.

The tension was suffocating me.

“Please excuse me,” I said my voice trembling slightly as I stood up. “I’m not feeling very well. It was a lovely dinner. Thank you.”

I didn’t wait for a response I just turned and hurried towards the dining room door desperate to run to my room that I didn’t see the figure stepping into the doorway from the other side.

I crashed right into him.

“Whoa!” a familiar male voice said.

Strong hands shot out and grabbed my waist to steady me, preventing me from falling the touch was electric and horrifyingly familiar.

My hands came up bracing against a solid muscular chest.

My head snapped up.

And my world stopped.

Time froze.

The sounds of the dining room faded away and all I could see was the face in front of me.

Ethan.

His handsome face I had loved for two years the one that had looked at me with disgust the last time I saw it was now inches from mine.

My heart didn’t just drop it plummeted.

What the hell!!!?

What was he doing here? Here, in Jared Harlan’s house? It wasn’t possible.

This had to be a nightmare. A terrible twisted dream.

“Ethan, son ! You’re late,” Genevieve’s voice rang out shattering the frozen moment.

Ethan finally blinked, his hands dropping from my waist like my skin had burned him as I stumbled back a step my legs feeling like jelly.

“Sorry mum,” Ethan said his voice rough as he cleared his throat his eyes still locked on mine filled with a confusion that mirrored my own. “Traffic was a nightmare.”

Mum?

Genevieve was Ethan’s mother.

Reality crashed down on me hard and cruel.

My ex boyfriend is Jared Harlan’s soon to be step son?

My eyes darted from Ethan’s stunned face to Genevieve’s slightly confused one to Lisa’s worried expression, and finally, for a split second to Jared.

He was watching the entire scene his face unreadable, but his eyes… his eyes were burning with a dark,dangerous fire I couldn’t name.

“Well don’t just stand there son,” Genevieve said, her voice sweet again. “Come, sit down. You remember Lisa’s friend Celeste the one she always talked about?”

Ethan finally tore his gaze away from me. “Yeah,” he said his voice low. “Yeah I remember.”

He walked past me without another look taking a seat at the table.

I knew coming here was a big mistake.

I had walked out of one hell and right into another much more complicated one.