Billionairess's Dilemma: Reclaiming His Heart

13: A Window

Polly

"And if you have more questions, you can always call the hotline number here. They can direct you to someone who can answer right away or send you where you need to leave a message. If someone is in need of emergency counseling, there's an option for that also and it will immediately send you to an available therapist." I hand over the information and give the young girl and her mother a smile. The mom looks exhausted and a little overwhelmed. "Perhaps you'd like to meet one on one with a counselor right now to help you navigate all the beginning steps involved with a new transplant." Her entire body seems to sag with relief when I offer that.

"Thank you." She whispers.

I nod with a smile. I walk them over to Mrs. Deena at the front desk and tell her we need an intake counselor. She nods knowingly and picks up her phone. I squeeze the mother's arm. "It will be alright. The people here are excellent at what they do."

"You've been wonderful Polly. Thank you again." I give her daughter a smile and make my way back over to the table I work from. It's only been a week and a half since the lady shark squad took me to lunch and showed me the true heart of how I wronged Kevin. I originally volunteered to be here two afternoons a week but find myself coming each day when I can.

I've seen Kevin twice in that time frame. He will meet my eyes but that's it. I haven't dared go near him again. Seeing him and being ignored both equally hurt, like a knife through my heart each time. His girlfriend has been with him each time which is another reason I won't get close. I don't want to make things awkward between them. Though it hurts to see him with her beside him. She's come to the friends and family sessions a few times on her own. Mia was her name, but I've steered clear of her too. I still can't figure out where I've seen her before.

I will finish out the mailers for the charity hockey game and then go home. As I turn, I stop dead in my tracks. Kevin sits at my table looking around. He's staring out the window right now giving me a minute to study his side profile. He was always good looking but now he's absolutely gorgeous. He grew taller while gone, probably topping at six-two or three now. He filled out muscle wise and he looks confident with the way he carries himself. He's wearing a bright blue athletic shirt and jeans and I don't miss the way two other women are staring at him. Like always, he's immune to it. He never seemed to notice all the cheerleaders and pretty girls in high school that would check him out or try to flirt with him. I watch him, realizing just how much I missed him. How much I took him for granted. I was the lucky one to have him. As I feel the tears beginning to form, he turns his head to stare right into my eyes.

I force my feet to move toward him. I get to the table and he pulls the chair out that sits closest to him. He gestures toward it with his hand.

"Hi Polly." He says softly and I clear my throat wanting to cry because he called me Polly and not Miss Barnes.

"Hi Kevin. You called me Polly.”

"You're volunteering here a lot." Ignoring my unspoken question, he stares at me blankly while I'm just grateful his tone isn't so cold. It's not his usual warm happy one but I'll take anything at this point.

"I came the other day to meet Mel and felt drawn here. It's....it's been eye opening being here and helping some of the people who come through. Makes you grateful for the kind of support systems we grew up with. At least most of yours. I...I failed you." I glance down at my lap.

He doesn't speak for a while. "You were young Polly. We both were. Mel says you've been attending the family and friends sessions."

"Yes. I've learned a lot. Mel is amazing. He has such a passion for helping."

His eyes soften at that. "Mel is one of a kind. He deserves so much more than he's been given."

"Your girlfriend has been at a few of those sessions. She seems very nice." I say politely.

His face hardens immediately and I wish I could backtrack. "I don't want to talk about Mia. I came to show you something. I think we should go elsewhere though. This isn't something others should witness."

“Is something wrong?” I ask as he stands and picks up a white folder I didn’t notice until now.

“Possibly. Can you come with me for a few minutes?”

“Of course.” He leads me down the hall opening one of the small family meeting rooms. Once again he pulls out a chair for me and waits until I sit before taking the chair beside me. He turns to face me before doing anything else. “Polly I need to know if you are thinking of taking Archer Thornton back before I show you this.”

I am already scowling and shaking my head.

“Not even if my life depended on it. After what he did to you, he’ll be lucky if I don’t let Uncle Goose cut his balls off with a spoon like he very eloquently threatened him the other night.”

Kevin’s mouth twitches. “Not the first time he’s done that. Him and spoons as weapons….” He shakes his head slightly with his voice returning to that blank tone. “These might bother you still.” He pulls some photos out and lays them on the table in a neat pile.

The top one is a photo of a girl with black hair and eyes of a strange color green. “Recognize her?”

I shake my head staring hard at her. He lays a yearbook photo next to it. “Delilah Pembroke…wait this is her now?!” She was a blonde haired, light blue eyed girl in high school. One of the most popular in the whole school being a head cheerleader and in every social club imaginable.

“Yes. And this is also her now.” He sounds cold again. He fans out three photos of her with a guy, kissing him in the first two. But the last one, they are smiling at each other. Archer kissing her with a lot of passion it appears.

“Cheating bastard as well as manipulative asshole. When were these taken?”

“Three weeks before your engagement party give or take a few days. In Seattle.” He stares at the last photo.

“You took these didn’t you? Would you have given them to me if I hadn’t ended things?” My voice holds no judgment.

“I did. I was at a wedding. I had no idea that was Delilah. Brought them to the shark squad for help finding her.” He pauses, restacking the photos in a neat pile. “Yes I would have ensured you saw them. Probably not personally though. Do you remember much about her?”

“She started speaking to me about the time asshole showed up. Little comments about you actually. Mentioning that you kept interfering in my love life.” I sit back shaking my head. “She must have already been helping him. They acted like they despised each other. Would trade barbs anytime they ran into the other. Probably all a scheme of his. Why though?”

“Delilah’s family has been going broke for a while. Her father lost everything in a bad investment scheme when she was fifteen. You are a billionairess Polly even before you build your own career. That tends to attract those desperate.”

I meet his eyes. For a minute, he sounded like protective Sir Kevin again. “I meant why is he doing this. It’s obvious he didn’t actually care for me. His grandfather has money. It’s all too well planned and executed for a sixteen and seventeen year old. Did you know her?”

“Had a class with her. She asked me out a few times. I always said no or ignored her.” He files the pictures back in the folder.

“You ignored every single one of them. I always wondered about that. You had the interest of half the girls in our school. Can I get copies of those pictures? I want to throw them in his face.” He looks extremely uncomfortable for a millisecond and then it’s gone.

“No. Uncle Ellis wants him to have no clue we know about Delilah. They think his background is shady and are looking into him too. Try to keep all I told you today to yourself.”

I lean back worried now. “I will. This goes much deeper doesn’t it?”

“I think so. Like you said, this is too intricate and perfectly executed for high schoolers. But you know the sharks won’t rest until they figure it out.” Now he does sound like the old Kevin. “I have to leave. Be careful Polly.”

At the door he pauses with his hand on the handle. “I called you Polly because it was unfair of me to act like I barely know you. I was punishing you for something you weren’t aware of fully and you were sixteen.”

I can feel how much that cost him to let me back in that much. “Kevin wait. I hurt you. I own that. Me, not Archer. I broke your trust first. No excuses there. One day when you are ready, I want to apologize and prove I mean that. I leave when up to you. I know you’ve closed the door on our old friendship. But maybe there’s a window somewhere that you might be willing to open to a new one.”

He doesn’t turn around. After what seems like forever, he gives one short nod and leaves.