Christian Romance: Heaven on Earth... [4 Beautiful Christian Romance Stories] (3 page)

God give me strength and
good judgment. I entrust myself to you and your will. Guide me now,
for I am confused. Should I let myself feel this way? Mother what
do I do?

Elise found herself praying as she
always did when she didn’t know what else to do or couldn’t make a
decision. It always made her feel better, feeling God’s presence
and even her mom’s.

At exactly 8:00 o’clock, her doorbell
rang. Elise took a deep breath and looked at her face. She didn’t
put on much make-up, just some pink lipstick, mascara and eyeliner.
She looked alright.

She went to her door and let Tristan
in.

“Would you like a drink Mr.
Maine?”

“We’re out of the office Miss Coleson,
surely it can be Elise and Tristan now?”

“I suppose… Tristan. Would you stop
ogling me please, it’s very uncomfortable.”

“Pardon me,” Tristan said, closing his
eyes and blushing a bit. “I’ve just never seen you so, well, to be
blunt, so divinely beautiful.”

It was Elise’s turn to blush, “I don’t
very much like being likened to the divine, it’s very
unreasonable.”

“Not if it’s true Elise, I’m sorry, we
should get going then?”

“I never got you that drink though.
Well we should go.”

Tristan helped her into
the car and held the door for her. As she stepped inside he held
her hand and Elise felt herself break out in cold sweat. A shiver
ran down her spine from where he touched her back.
What is happening here? Why does Tristan Maine
make me feel this way?
Elise could only
grit her teeth. She had had suitors but none of them ever reduced
her to pile of nerves. There was something about Tristan that made
her feel vulnerable.
God help me, what am
I to do?

They drove to the event in silence,
but it was not uncomfortable, it felt like a familiar silence she
could bask in. The party was being held at the headquarters of
Milestone Records, in the building aptly named the Sky
Tower.

Tristan pulled up and helped Elise out
of the car and then left the keys to the valet.

When they were at the elevator, there
was silence again.

“Have you been to many of these
parties Elise?” broached Tristan.

“No. I hardly go to parties, unless
they’re for business. You could say I haven’t got much life in my
social life. I’m sure you must love to go to these things
Tristan?”

“Well, I used to. But this is the
first one in more than a year. I’ve decided to change my life. I’m
turning over a new leaf.”

“I wouldn’t know Mr. Maine, I didn’t
know you back then.”

“Formalities again Elise? I’m glad you
didn’t know me back then. I don’t think you’d have liked the person
I was.”

“I’m not sure I very much approve of
everything you are now,” she said with a smile. “But I can commend
your efforts to become a better person.”

Then the doors of the elevator opened
up to a hallway. “We welcome you to the Milestone Party in honor of
Miss Suzanne Saldana, who blessed the world with music and was
blessed with Love,” was written on a big sign in front of the
elevator. There was no one on the hallway and they could hear the
party in full swing behind the doors. Tristan took Elise’s hand and
put it on his arm. Before they opened the doors, they looked into
each other’s eyes and smiled.

“Tristan darling! I haven’t seen you
in forever! Has it really been two years?” said the third blonde
woman who apparently knew Tristan to approach them since they came
in 15 minutes ago. When Tristan alluded to his past as a socialite,
he wasn’t joking or exaggerating. Everyone seemed to know him and
women were just coming from everywhere to have a word. Elise didn’t
know anyone, and it was a bit embarrassing and annoying too, to
have women come up to Tristan then notice her hand on his arm and
look her up and down.

God give me strength and
guidance,
she prayed for the fifth time.
She was lost in this place and she didn’t know what to do or who to
talk to.

“Elise? Elise Coleson?” She heard her
name being called from across the room as Tristan entertained his
acquaintance. Elise turned to look at who it was and found it was
her good friend from college, Daniel Dayfield.

“Danny? This is such a treat! I
thought you were in Europe or something,” she said as Danny, her
confidante and crush at one time, came toward her. They hugged
tightly, she truly missed him. He was still handsome and had the
body of an athlete; he didn’t seem to age a day.

“I got back like half a year ago. I’m
working for Milestone now. I was hoping to get back in touch with
you but no one seemed to have your cell phone. They did say you
were crazy successful with your bake shop though. How’s it
going?”

“Oh, we’re making Suzanne’s cake and
she invited us here. Working for Milestone huh? Wow, I thought you
said you were going to live in France?”

“Yeah well, you know, you miss home
and family after a while it turns out. Really Elise, I’m blown
away, you look so great. You know I called you and called you after
graduation, you never called me back,” he said now, a little sadly,
almost regretfully.

“I know, I’m sorry about that. It was
a dark time for me. I had a one track mind back then, and I knew
you wanted to go away to Europe anyway, so I thought I shouldn’t
complicate things.” The truth was that she had been a bit in love
with Danny, and it was evident Danny liked her too. She had a rule
of not dating while in school and when he found out he had backed
off and respected her wishes. That’s why they were such good
friends. After college though, she had wanted to focus only on her
business and Danny’s calls were something she had decided to
sacrifice for her dream. But now?

“Well, a dance shouldn’t complicate
anything, right?” Danny said, offering her his hand. Elise smiled.
Why not, Tristan seemed busy and Danny was an old
friend.

She took his hand and he led her to
the dance floor.

Tristan had been trying to wave away
the girl in front of him. Amanda? Sandra? The truth was he didn’t
really know this woman, maybe they had met years ago at some party,
but he didn’t REALLY know her. When Tristan finally managed to get
away he turned to look for Elise but she wasn’t anywhere near him.
He looked around the room until a swirl of purple caught his eye.
Tristan’s face turned red the moment he realized what was
happening. Elise was dancing with some guy, admittedly a dashing
looking guy, and she was laughing. Elise, the cold, calculated
woman he knew, who first smiled at him only a few minutes ago in
the elevator, was laughing and dancing with a stranger. Tristan
could feel the blood rushing to his head. He had to calm
down.

When the dance was finally over,
Tristan took measured steps toward Elise and her dance partner.
They were still talking animatedly and it enraged him, though he
knew he had no reason to be so angry.

“Hello, Elise, would you care to
introduce me to your new friend?” he said with a tight smile at the
stranger.

“Oh, I’m sorry, he’s hardly a new
friend Tristan, we went to college together, Tristan this is Daniel
Dayfield, and Danny this is Tristan Maine, a baker at our
shop.”

A baker? Tristan was getting riled up
now.

“Don’t be modest Elise, I’m her date,”
Tristan said as he gave Daniel Dayfield a firm handshake and a
tight lipped smile.

“Hey, I’m sorry I didn’t realize.
Wait, haven’t I seen you before?” Danny said, squinting his eyes at
Tristan. Tristan felt panic rise up in his throat.

“No, I’m sure you’re mistaken. Elise I
see Suzanne over there. She might want to have word.”

With that, he led Elise away and they
walked briskly.

“You’re acting very strange Tristan.
Please slow down. What’s the matter with you?” Elise said, pulling
away from him then.

“Nothing, I was just surprised that
you were gone and dancing with someone else so quickly.”

“He was an old friend, and you were
busy yourself weren’t you?”

“I… I’m sorry I was so abrupt, I
shouldn’t have done that. There’s Suzanne now, shall
we?”

Elise was getting goose bumps, but she
was hiding them well. She knew Tristan had felt jealous and she
couldn’t help but feel shivery all over. She hadn’t even corrected
him when he told Danny it was a date.

They had met with Suzanne and Jonathan
and 5 other prospective customers and now, they were at the terrace
enjoying some wine and quiet.

“Your aunt tells me you’ve never
dated. I honestly find it hard to believe.”

“Well, believe it. I never felt I
needed to or that it was the right time. I don’t have any
regrets.”

“That must be a gift, to live with no
regrets. I have so many I feel like most of my life is
regret.”

“Why is that?”

“I lived my life like it was just
that, just my life. There were no consequences, no pain, no
responsibility. I was just a stray sheep. I’m glad I found God, and
I found guidance too. I decided to change, and I haven’t looked
back, but the regrets are still there. I try not to think about it
but they’re there.”

“I lived my life for the future,
that’s why I have no regrets, but I do wish I had lived for the
moment more, just got on a random bus and go around and meet new
people.”

“You can still do that. Get on a plane
and fly somewhere, talk to strangers about life just to get a slice
of their life, I can’t take back what I did.”

“But you can change and repent, and
mean it. There’s always forgiveness if you sincerely look for it.”
Elise turned to see Tristan staring at her intently.

“I admire you Elise. You are strong
and brave, and kind too. You built up your life and worked to get
everything you have. I’ve never worked for anything.”

“You worked at the continental didn’t
you? And you work for us, although you are messy and tardy
sometimes, you can fix that too.”

“Yeah, I guess I can.”

“Tristan… Tristan… Tristan Millard
isn’t it? I was at a hotel opening for your father,” someone said
from behind them. Tristan froze at the sight of a chubby gentleman
who approached them.

“Tristan, surely you remember me, I’m
John Vaineville, I was your father’s associate for the Hotel
Adriatic in Spain. How is old Denver Milliard by the
way?”

Tristan could taste the bile in his
tongue. He turned to look at Elise, who was looking at him
searchingly, and he could only look on as she turned on her heels
and left.

Milliard? He was Tristan Milliard, son
of Denver Milliard? This means he didn’t just work in Hotel
Continental, their family OWNED Hotel Continental, along with 10
other 5-star hotels around the world. She didn’t understand. What
was he doing working as a baker at a local shop when he could be
anywhere in the world doing whatever he wanted?

The truth was that Elise was not angry
with Tristan, but with herself, it was her fault. She felt like a
fool, nearly falling for some playboy millionaire. Her parents had
taught her better.

Elise shook her head, shaking the
thoughts away. She had gone through the weekend as usual, going to
mass and saying nothing to Aunt Jem, who was also conspicuously
quiet then. Elise didn’t want to think about it. She had nothing
more to say and she did not expect Tristan Maine or Milliard or
whatever he called himself, to come back to work and that would be
that.

As usual, she opened up at 7:00 am,
and walked through the whole place. She almost didn’t go by
Tristan’s work area, but the business woman in her said it was her
responsibly. She was surprised to see his station immaculate. There
wasn’t a single speck of flour out of place. Then she saw the
simple pink box with the white ribbon sitting on his chair. She
looked it over and found a card that said ‘Elise’ on it. She opened
it and found a cupcake with ‘4give me’ written on it in icing.
Elise couldn’t help but smile. Tristan must have baked this as an
apology before he left. Elise could hardly suppress the tinge of
pain she felt. She might never see him again and there was so much
they had to say, or so it felt like it to her.

Elise brought the cupcake to her
office and took a bite. It was delicious, Tristan really did have a
gift. Before she realized it, there was a tear falling down her
face.

“I would have expected that someone
eating something so delicious would be smiling not crying.” It was
Aunt Jem. Elise didn’t even notice her come in.

“Just some regrets Aunt, nothing
terminal. This is really good.”

“Tristan was a really good baker. I’m
sorry for what happened dear. I never thought you’d find out this
way.”

Elise’s eyes widened. “You knew? You
knew he was a Milliard and you didn’t tell me?”

“I know his mother, we were friends
when we were younger. She wanted help, she told me that her son and
her husband didn’t get along and that Tristan wanted to find work
and maybe stand on his own without her husband knowing what was
happening, she wanted to help her son find a better path than the
one he’s been taking without his father taking over everything. I
volunteered our little shop. Denver Milliard probably hasn’t even
heard of it. So I hired him. I tried to talk him out of going to
that party at Milestone, someone was sure to recognize him, but he
insisted, and I thought, what was the harm?” Aunt Jem looked
apologetically at Elise. “I had no desire to make you feel like a
fool.”