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Thank heavens she had Dane to help her through this time. What would she have done if he hadn’t stepped in when he did?
Then there was Jack’s funeral Dane attended with Olivia for support. Jesse was stone cold towards her now—she was glad to have Dane by her side, comforting her, especially since he’d been there to see the whole messy wedding scene unfold. She couldn’t believe how accepting the Belmonts were of her. How blessed Olivia felt at a difficult time like this in her life. Everybody needed good friends and good family around them. Now Olivia knew what people meant when they said your family could consist of people other than those to whom you were related. Dane didn’t share Olivia’s DNA but he cared about her and would do anything for her as if she was his own.
Chapter 12
The next morning, before Olivia made her way into work from the Belmont Palace, she took Dane up on his offer to sit and meditate for a while on the deck chairs overlooking the beach.
She had no choice but to try to psych herself up a bit before going into work after such a long break. She took out her notepad and acted on her inspiration, writing down a few lines to a new poem she had in her head. She always found writing poetry to be relaxing though she kept her hobby to herself. The air was crisp and refreshing. The crash of the waves, soothing. There was nothing like being so close to nature. Her nerves were much calmer for one thing. What a salve to her jangled nerves before heading into the hustle and bustle of the city.
No wonder Dane seemed so relaxed at work. He got to live like this. Even though he’d recently moved back home. It was sure nice to have amenities like this to wake up to every morning.
“That’s odd,” she said to herself, looking around her. For some reason she had the feeling of being watched.
Don’t be crazy, Olivia. You’re on private grounds, remember? She looked up at the Belmont Palace over on the hill overlooking the lake.
Was someone spying on her from inside?
She drew in a deep breath and ignored the feeling. She had to learn to let go and relax as Dane told her. From now on this was going to be her morning ritual. She sat up and straightened her back a la yoga posture and drew in a deep breath again.
Inhale love and calm, exhale worries. Inhale inner strength and well-being, exhale doubt.
You can do this, Olivia.
Go into work as if nothing happened over the holidays. Focus on helping your clients. You can do this. Ignore your gossipy co-workers. A few ladies loved to do their morning office cooler routine but she was not going to go anywhere near that crowd.
She was supposed to have been on her honeymoon and with her new husband. Some of her co-workers had all brought her lovely wedding gifts, which she’d ended up donating. Some attended the wedding that never was at the Belmont so they knew what went down that day, but others had holiday plans and couldn’t make it. What would she say to them?
God, the last thing she would want would be the look of pity on the faces of her co-workers. She didn’t need anyone’s pity.
“It’s only a couple days a week, Olivia. You’re part-time, remember? You can do this!” she coached herself.
* * *
“Oh, God, Olivia, I’m so sorry about what happened to you,” Chatney, her drama queen co-worker told Olivia at her desk, holding a cup of Starbucks coffee in her hand and a file in the other. “How awful.” She wore a catastrophic look on her face as if the world just ended.
Oh, God. The last thing she wanted was anyone’s pity.
Chatney was always the exaggerating type who overreacted to everything—even though what happened to Olivia was terrible, it was almost a month ago and Olivia had been off work and wanted to get back to her part-time duties … quietly and inconspicuously. Chatney would always have this Oh. My. Gawd!!! behavior whenever anything out of the ordinary happened. It sure didn’t make Olivia feel any better.
“It’s okay, Chatney. Really.”
“How can you be so calm about it?” Chatney interrogated Olivia, her voice elevated. “He left you, then he died all in the same day!” As if Olivia needed to be reminded of what happened. Chatney took a sip of her steaming coffee, as if waiting for more juicy details.
“He didn’t die the same day, Chatney. We broke off the night before,” Olivia corrected, her voice trailing off. “He died…the day of…”
“It’s okay, girl,” Vanessa, her other co-worker, interrupted and came to the rescue. “You don’t have to explain a thing. Chatney, don’t you have work to do?” Vanessa turned to Chatney who then shrugged.
“Sorry, I just had to see how you’re doing, Olivia. Catch up with you later,” Chatney said.
Hopefully not.
Good thing Olivia got some rest and relaxation on the beach before coming into work this morning.
“Sorry you had to deal with that,” Vanessa said.
“It’s okay. Everyone’s just concerned. I get it. But I really want to focus on work today.”
“You sure you’re okay?”
“Very okay?” Sort of. “I’m just going to get through this mountain of emails and get caught up. Boy, a whole lot can happen when you’re off work for a few weeks.”
“Tell me about it,” Vanessa agreed, sitting down at the desk near Olivia. The intake office had an open concept with cubicles and low walls so that everyone could pretty much see each other.
“Thanks for the save,” Olivia said.
“Hey, what are friends for? And hey, I don’t mean to pry, but are you sure you’re okay? I hear they’re putting you up in a guest room at the palace. Is that true?”
“Well,” Olivia said, feeling heat climb to her cheeks. “Sort of.” She picked up her cup of green tea to take a sip.
“Hey, well you deserve that. That Dane guy is real cute. I’m sorry, I saw a picture…seems like a fairy tale.” Vanessa raised her brow.
“Well, it’s nothing like that,” Olivia said, hoping Vanessa couldn’t see the embarrassment on her face. She must be blushing ten shades of rouge. “We’re just acquaintances. Dane was there when the whole thing happened. I’m looking for a new apartment.” As soon as I get paid. The last thing this social worker wanted was handouts—even from a hot and sexy man like Dane.
Heat rushed to Olivia’s loins just thinking about that mind-bending and delicious kiss with Dane. God, the whole world must have seen that kiss by now. She was hoping she would have only had fifteen seconds…never mind minutes, of fame and everyone would have moved on by now to real celebrities caught on camera. News happened so fast on the Internet. Today’s news was tomorrow’s forgotten archive material. Yet, nothing could make Olivia forget the way Dane’s soft, magical lips felt on hers the way he kissed her so tenderly that night.
Oh, God!
Would she ever taste his sweet lips again? This was insane. She was living in his palace and yet, nothing was going on between them. Sure, it had been a while since Jack had broken up with her, but she was really feeling steamy inside for Dane. There was a connection. She enjoyed walking on the beach with him, talking about their passions and their goals. She felt so alive around her. She loved the way he made her feel. Yet to outsiders, they would assume she was getting it on with him every night. The truth was, she really hoped he would have made a move on her. But she was beginning to give up on that.
Focus, Olivia. Focus on work.
She went through her list of clients to see for the next two weeks and lined up her appointments, making phone calls and arranging for nursing care when required for established clients. But every time the phone went on the hook, her mind raced on Dane hot-and-delicious Romano. Or was that Dane Belmont? She was going to go insane if she couldn’t be with Dane, yet a part of her knew it would be wrong. Just all wrong in so many ways. He wasn’t into long-term relationships, even though his father had encouraged him to be in one as his last wish. And Olivia was terrified of any future relationship with him ending.
But her body was screaming out to be touched again by Dane. Wouldn’t one night with him be okay? She could handle that, couldn’t she?
On her lunch break Olivia quickly scoured the Internet for available and affordable one-bedroom apartments. She wrote down a few websites then logged off. The new policy at work was no Web browsing for more than five minutes while on break.
She had a plan. Olivia would ask to use the computer in Dane’s office at the estate later or tomorrow, so she could spend her time looking.
The two-bedroom she and Jack had put a deposit down for was already gone, and besides, she couldn’t afford that building on one salary. And a part time salary at that.
“Olivia,” Chatney came walking over to her desk with a large beautiful arrangement of flowers. “Oh, my Gawd! These are for you.”
All heads turned her direction. Olivia sank into her seat.
“I don’t think so, Chatney.” Who on earth would be sending her flowers at work?
“Yes, they are,” Chatney assured. “I just took these from reception. It says here…”
“Thank you,” Olivia said, taking the flowers from Chatney and looking at the card before Chatney had a chance to open it. She read the card and her jaw fell open.
