Private Emotions – Promises (The Private Emotions Trilogy) (13 page)

“Um, Ethan, that was a fun day, but I think it’s about time to get back to reality. I have finally decided that I want to go out on my own, whether it is at that space you mentioned or not remains to be seen.”

“It’s not going to be easy but once we determine that you like the space then we can move on and get things rolling. I have a few contacts and I know Sophie has some really good contacts in the fashion industry overseas. I am sure with our help and your hard work you will be able to realize your dream. All you have to do is give me the word and I’ll reach out to the appropriate people that can help you on this journey.”

“I would love that but I really want to do most of the work on my own, although I would never say no to a little help. After all, that’s what friends are for, right?”

“I think we both know by now that we are more than just friends and I really can’t see my life without you in it, Em.”

“That is bold statement, Mr. Sterling, and I’m not sure how to respond to that other than to tell you, I don’t know what I would do without you in my life either.”

The weekend went fairly quickly and soon I was stepping into the space near his gallery. I couldn’t believe my eyes. It wasn’t the biggest space in the world but it was well put together and I automatically thought of myself behind the counter doing business. If that wasn’t a sign, then I didn’t know what was. I didn’t want to show my excitement as a potential tenant so I continued to peruse the place with an avid eye.

I whispered to Ethan, “I really want this space and if you can haggle a deal for me, I’ll tell you what I can and can’t afford.” He listened to me, nodded his head and then went over to the landlord. The conversation between them lasted over ten minutes and there was a lot of arm flailing before a deal was made on my behalf.

“He said that because he owns the same building where I have my gallery, he is willing to forgo the first month’s rent and even lower the monthly installments to this number.” He handed me a piece of paper and I looked at it and realized that he had done the impossible. I could certainly afford the price that he was offering. We signed on the dotted line, but there was still a lot more work to do before any grand opening was going to take place. Walls had to be painted and fixtures put in place, but everything else was included in the rent. Now that I had committed to taking the place I could start using my evenings and weekends to get it ready for my big launch. The sooner I got things sorted, the sooner I could resign from my present job.

Once the landlord left the building, I couldn’t contain my excitement anymore and I jumped into Ethan’s arms as a sign of appreciation for what he had done for me. It was obvious that I would not have gotten that sort of deal on my own, so for him to step up like that was like having my very own knight in shining armor coming to my rescue. It was the first big step that would lead me to breaking ground on my very own venture.

Chapter Seven
Silent Nights

“What, are you serious? That doesn’t give me a lot of time to prepare so I’m going to have to work overtime just to get things done.”

“I know, Emily. We weren’t even supposed to be in it but they contacted me at the last minute to say that they had an opening. They thought that I would like to be a part of the big fashion-fest that is taking place this weekend. It’s supposed to be the biggest event this city has ever seen so I could not possibly say no.”

“I know, I’ve been reading about it all week and watching all the news broadcasts that are hyping the event. I certainly understand that if we have the chance to be a part of it, then we should make an effort to do so. I just wish we had more time to showcase the shop.”

“Think of it this way, if we put on a good show, it will also showcase your talent to the rest of the fashion community.” I was thinking the same thing myself but I wasn’t about to admit that to her, especially now that I planned on opening my own boutique. To hear her talk about my talent in that way made me realize that she saw me as a real asset to the business, instead of just an employee doing hard work. “I’ll even lend a hand but you know that I’m not very hands-on, so I hope this shows just how important this fashion-fest is to me, or should I say to us.”

“Okay, but I don’t want to be working all night long. I will come in early in the morning and stay for as long as I can. There’s no way I would be any good to you if I am too exhausted to see straight.”

“Understood. Just let me know what you need and I’ll be happy to help.” After her little pep talk, she returned to her office and made the necessary phone calls to get the supplies that I needed to make this a success.

“We are standing with Ethan Sterling, accomplished author, about to launch his next book entitled, ‘Capturing Her Heart’. Not only that, but he also has an art gallery that will be opening in a few weeks. That seems like a lot to have on your plate, Mr. Sterling. Can you give us a sneak peek as to what we will see in your gallery?” The television in the shop was on and it looked like Ethan was having an interview with one of the local stations.

“Well, I won’t give too much away, only to say that my gallery will showcase various forms of sensual art such as paintings, photos and sculptures. Some of the art will be my own and the rest will be from other artists around the globe. I will be giving special consideration to local talent, so I encourage any budding artist who is interested in displaying their work to the local community to consider visiting me. As a side note, I would like to wish everyone who will be participating in the fashion-fest this weekend the best of luck. It will be truly a one-of-a-kind experience. As far as my book goes, that will also be launched the same day as my gallery opening and I will be signing copies right there in the gallery.”

“Well, you’re definitely burning the candle at both ends but we all look forward to the launch of the book and gallery. This is Diana Marx reporting for EGKM news, back to you at the studio, Harry.” I watched him on the television and I could see the confidence in his speech and body language. Ethan was a star in the making and he had the personality to draw a crowd into his space.

I received a text message from him saying that he would like to have dinner at his place this evening. All I had to do was bring myself and my appetite. We agreed to meet at around 8 PM, as that would be the earliest that I could get away from the shop. The fashion-fest had almost doubled the work load that I had to complete.

I arrived at his place around 8:30 PM. “Looks like you know how to sweet talk the public.”

“Oh, you saw my little interview on TV this afternoon, did you?” I was sitting at the table drinking a glass of red wine while he was behind the counter preparing dinner and talking to me at the same time. “I hope I didn’t come off too condescending.”

“Not at all, you were the same charming and sophisticated man that you’ve always been and I would say that the launch of both your ventures will be met with grand reviews.”

“You’re a little charmer yourself, Emily.” I was only stroking his ego but it was obvious that he didn’t need that kind of stroking. I could see the frustration and hectic pace of the schedule weighing down on him but he wasn’t one to complain. Maybe I could distract him with a little conversation and a soothing massage after dinner. We were both under a lot of stress but it didn’t mean we couldn’t relax and enjoy the evening. Just being here with Ethan was enough for me. For the first time in my life I could genuinely say that I was in love, deeply in love.

He brought dinner to the table and I could smell the aroma of the filet mignon with the special spice that he wouldn’t reveal, even to me. The pieces of meat melted in my mouth and were the most delectable morsels of beef that ever crossed over my palate.

“So, do you think that the local community will welcome you with open arms and the local artists will want to showcase their stuff in your gallery?”

“Honestly, I really don’t know but I have already been approached by a couple of young up-and-comers. They seemed really interested in my proposal so I have a second meeting with them tomorrow at 7 AM. We are going to have to make this an early night, Em, because I still have a lot to prepare for the presentation. I want to show them that I can give them the exposure they need to become household names, not only in this city but in other cities as well.”

“That sounds like a great idea but are you sure you could do that so early after your gallery is launched?”

“I’m going to talk to my contacts and see if anyone would be interested, and even if they are not, then I’m sure that I can find someone who would be more than pleased to be a part of this.”

“Look, we both know how talented you are and I’m sure that someone would be more than happy to go into another venture with you. You are what most would say, ‘money in the bank’, so I wouldn’t worry too much about this. Everything will work out just the way you want.”

“I know you’re right, it’s just my way to always think two steps ahead and sometimes I overthink things. It’s nice to have you here to talk to, Em, because I do value your opinion. I’ve never known how good it could feel to have someone to come home to and share what I’m thinking.”

“I’ve always been a good listener but it’s being here with you that makes my life special and exciting.”

“Why don’t we get some popcorn, go into the living room and enjoy an old movie on TV?” He was saying all the things I loved and he knew me practically better than I knew myself. He probably got the old movie idea from the night we had those amazing triple chocolate brownies. Just thinking about it right now made me wish I had something with me, or maybe he had something in his fridge.

“Popcorn sounds great but we haven’t had desert yet. What’s on offer?”

He got this look on his face and then disappeared into the kitchen for a few moments. He returned with his hands behind his back and revealed a divine chocolate mousse. “You didn’t think that I would let the evening go by without offering you desert, did you? I was just curious to see how long it would take before you fussed over not having your chocolate fix.”

I was beaming like a school girl as we took the dessert into the living room. “I know it’s a cliché but maybe they are right about the heart being linked to the stomach.”

As he watched the movie his eyes began to get heavy. Things did not look promising for us to have an intimate night. I thought it best to leave so that we could both get some well-deserved sleep. I told him that I would see him tomorrow, kissed him goodnight and made my exit.

I suppose it was probably better that way considering that I was under a lot of stress at work. I really needed to feel him close to me again but it seemed that he did not share the same sentiment. It was unlike him to not want to be with me in that way and I could not understand what had gone wrong. I knew he had a lot going on but he always had a lot going on. I no longer felt insecure about Ethan but I was starting to feel concerned about his lack of enthusiasm.

As I lay in my bed, I felt a cold loneliness come over me and realized that I missed his body next to mine. Every time that we were together, he made me feel like the happiest woman in the world. I felt disappointed about being left alone this evening. Even if we weren’t going to consume each other, I saw no reason why I couldn’t have stayed and curled up in his manly arms.

I woke up the following morning and instinctively reached out for him but of course he wasn’t there. I felt the loneliness creeping in again and longed for the feeling we shared that evening when we made love on the picnic blanket. How was it possible that he continued to affect me in such a way? I guess I had grown accustomed to having him around me and now sleeping alone in my own bed did not feel as comforting as it once did. Perhaps I wasn’t being fair to him and maybe he was just tired from all the work he was doing for his double launch. I would be seeing him again this evening so hopefully things would be different.