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"I'm in love with you."
The words in my throat died naturally as I stared at my friend of over Twenty-five years.
"Elaine…"
"I thought you should know. I've tried to be good friends over the years, and I know our parents tried to pair us together over the years, but this isn't them talking."
She was correct; our parents tried to pair us together until I held my ground and snapped at my parents that it would never work out. They'd seen that I was serious and sent another 'heiress' my way, although I also turned that one down. It had all been just before I met Gigi.
"I wanted to tell you a long time ago, but you were with Gigi. And I thought you were happy. I wanted you to be."
"Elaine –"
"Let me finish." She snapped and then softened her face when I said nothing. She continued;
"I wanted you to be happy and didn't want to come between you two, but you are no longer together. I think we can make it work if we try. You don't have to love me now, but you can learn to."
I wanted to tell her I wasn't sure that was how love worked, but I refrained from doing so.
"I like somebody else," I said to her, not to be mean, but to dissuade her from any future hope she might have about the both of us. Even if I wasn't already falling for Vanessa, I still would not have dated her; she was like a younger sister to me. All my friends were like siblings to me.
"What?"
"I like somebody else, Elaine," I repeated.
"Is it that nurse? You know you don't have any future with her. Your parents would never accept her." She said, in her usual spiteful voice that I recognized. She always let her anger get the best of her, and it made her mean.
"I don't need my parent's blessing to marry the woman I want to, Elaine."
"So, you are going to marry her?"
"I never said that."
In my head, I could see myself with Vanessa long-term. Although I doubted Vanessa herself saw the same.
"So, I've tried to show you, my love, for over two decades, and you can't make yourself love me, and then this nobody walks in for what? Two-three months? And then suddenly, she's your soulmate?" Elaine snaps. I could see she was on the verge of tears, and I almost felt bad for her, except she'd just insulted Vanessa.
"I'll let that slide because you are my friend Elaine. Don't ever speak about her that way again." My voice was cold and hard, and as she looked into my eyes, she recognized I was not kidding around.
"You know what, Christian? Fuck you!" She snapped at me before finally walking out of the room.
When I walked out of the house again, my friends were already settled into the vehicle, ready to pull away.
We said our goodbyes, and I watched as Roger drove away, and they passed the gate.
Alba gave me a small smile before she walked back inside, and Vanessa, who had been standing a few miles away with Beanie playing around her legs, glanced at me.
We stared at each other for a few moments before an idea came into my head.
I climbed the stairs as best as possible without looking awkward, and then I took her hands in mine, pulling her to follow me.
"Come on; I want to show you something," I said to her, and she followed, as well as Beanie.
I walked her through the hallways, living room, and backroom before finally leading her into my workshop.
The last time she walked in here had been the week she'd begun working for me. I'd been an asshole to her then, and she had not returned ever since.
Her eyes roam around the room in awe and admiration.
