Chapter 14 - The Emptiness of Ardith House
|
A week later, the rhythm of ordinary life had attempted to reclaim its territory, but the world felt fundamentally altered.
Holly stood behind the service station at Ardith House on a Friday evening, polishing water glasses with a clean white cloth.
The dining room was packed with the usual weekend crowd—laughter, clinking wine glasses, and the warm hum of jazz drifting from the hidden speakers.
Yet table eleven remained empty, reserved under an anonymous name that the manager refused to disclose to anyone on staff.
Delia walked up beside her, leaning against the wooden station with a tray of empty martini glasses and an insufferable smirk on her face.
“You've been checking the front entrance every three minutes for two hours,” Delia whispered, nudging Holly’s hip playfully.
“I am not checking the entrance,” Holly lied, keeping her eyes fixed firmly on the glass in her hands.
“I’m monitoring customer flow.”
“Right,” Delia scoffed with a grin.
“And that massive bouquet of white gardenias sitting in the employee breakroom with no card just magically appeared from the florist fairy?”
Holly felt her cheeks flush a brilliant shade of crimson.
Every morning since the arrest at the estate, a new arrangement of rare, fragrant flowers had arrived at her tiny apartment, along with gourmet groceries and a brand-new leather jacket to replace her worn winter coat.
Yet Brennan himself had not visited.
He had called every evening, his voice deep, protective, and respectful, ensuring she felt safe and asking if her apartment locks had been properly reinforced.
But he had maintained a careful, agonizing distance, as if he were terrified of using his wealth and gratitude to pressure her into something she didn't want.
He was treating her like an honorable creditor who had to be paid back, rather than a woman he desired.
And that polite, respectful distance was tearing Holly’s heart into shreds.
“He thinks he owes me,” Holly said softly, setting the polished glass onto the shelf with a faint clink.
“He thinks everything he feels is just leftover gratitude for saving Liam’s dog.”
“I don’t want to be someone’s heroic debt, Delia.”
“I want to be loved for who I am when there are no guns, no dead brothers, and no freezing alleys to rescue each other from.”
Delia’s teasing smile faded into an expression of genuine, sisterly affection.
“Holly, look at me,” Delia said, placing both hands on Holly’s shoulders.
“A billionaire who doesn't like public attention sat at table eleven every single Friday for six months just hoping to catch a glimpse of you carrying bread baskets.”
Holly froze, her eyes widening in disbelief.
“What did you say?”
“You thought he started coming here for the sea bass?” Delia laughed, shaking her head at her friend's stubborn blindness.
“He saw you walking Atlas past the city park six months ago, Holly.”
“He knew who you were long before the digital archives at the vet clinic were scanned.”
“He was terrified that if he approached you as a Vance, you would run away from the danger that followed him.”
Holly’s heart hammered against her ribs as she looked toward the empty terrace where the winter rain was beginning to patter against the glass.
May you like
“He didn’t arrange that blind date to trap you,” Delia whispered gently.
“He arranged it because he finally ran out of excuses to live without you.”
