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  “Sounds good,” Alice said as she slipped onto the stool at the breakfast counter.

  Parker finished dinner off, then brought two plates over to where Alice was sitting and set them down before he slipped onto the stool next to her.

  “Would you like some wine?” Parker asked as he lifted the bottle he had left open on the counter. As he did, Alice's eyes fixed on his hand.

  “What happened your hand?” She asked as she looked at him with concern.

  Parker stared at it for a moment and considered what to say, but before he could respond, she continued.

  “Was it you that smashed the glass in the elevator,” she said as she watched him closely.

  “It’s nothing,” he said as he quickly poured the wine, then turned his attention back to his food.

  “It’s not nothing,” she sighed as she continued to watch him. “It needs to be cleaned properly. You’ll be lucky if it’s not already infected.”

  “I said it’s fine,” he snapped and instantly regretted his tone. He looked up at her and smiled. “I’m sorry.”

  “How about we eat dinner,” Alice suggested. “Then we can clean it up.”

  “Okay,” Parker agreed, staring at her for a moment.

  “What?” She asked.

  “It’s just,” Parker sighed. “I have acted like an asshole since the first day I met you. Why would you even care whether or not I’m hurt.”

  “I’d help anyone that was hurt,” Alice replied with a sigh, then turned back to her food before she added. “Besides, you might be an asshole, but I think there is a good man inside you. So I am helping him.”

  Parker didn’t know how to respond to that. He just stared at her, completely stunned by her comment.

  “Thank you,” he finally said, not knowing what else to say, before he too turned back to his dinner.

  Chapter 10

  Alice

  Alice woke early on Monday morning, and for the first time since this whole thing had begun, she felt a little happier. Things with Parker seemed a little better since the dinner on Saturday night.

  After dinner, Parker got the first aid kit, and Alice cleaned his hand carefully, ensuring there was no glass left in the cuts. Once she was sure it was clean, she patched up his hand with band aids.

  As a thank you, Parker pulled out a tub of his favourite ice-cream from the fridge and two spoons from the drawer, then suggested they watch a movie together. He even let Alice choose which movie to watch.

  Deciding that a romantic movie probably wasn’t the best way to go, she chose a comedy instead to keep the mood light.

  Alice was surprised how much she actually enjoyed her evening with Parker. She had thought it would have been uncomfortable, but it was the complete opposite. She discovered that beneath the arrogant, cocky attitude, Parker had a kind, sweet side.

  They talked about going to dinner with his family in the coming week, which led to him talking about his childhood, and about his sister, Nicole.

  Alice was surprised by how much he loved the girl. It was clear that she was someone very special to him. Nicole was fourteen. She had been a surprise baby for his parents, but one that couldn’t have been more wanted.

  Parker was fifteen when Nicole arrived, and after spending his life believing he would remain an only child, he was thrilled at the thought of having a little sister.

  Parker explained that his parents had tried for years for another baby, but had come to terms with the fact that it wasn’t meant to be. Then, just before his mother turned forty-four, she became unwell. At first, they thought it was nothing serious, just some kind of virus, but as it continued, they thought she might have been starting the menopause.

  It turned out she was three months pregnant.

  Alice couldn’t help but smile as she listened to Parker talk. She realised that as much as he was angry with his parents for interfering in his life, he loved them deeply.

  It was a side to Parker that Alice liked.

  When Parker looked down at his watch, he realised it was almost 1 a.m..

  “I can’t believe it’s so late,” Parker said as they both stood up at the same time, and almost collided. Parker grabbed Alice and steadied her as she regained her balance.

  When she looked up into his eyes, he gave her a look that confused her.

  “I had a nice time,” Parker said as he looked down into her eyes.

  “Me too,” she replied with a nervous smile.

  He stared at her for a moment longer, then smiled again before he released her from his grasp.

  “Good night, Alice,” he whispered before he took a step backward.

  “Good night,” she replied as she slowly turned and headed for the door, then down the hallway to her bedroom.

  The following day, Parker had spent most of it working in his office in the penthouse, leaving Alice to wander around the apartment alone. A little after seven, Parker emerged from his office and suggested that they order some Chinese takeout. Alice agreed, and once more they spent a pleasant evening together.

  Alice smiled as she thought about their weekend. She pushed her bedclothes back, and made her way to the bathroom, feeling happy and looking forward to the day ahead.

  Thirty minutes later, she left her room and walked along the corridor as the smell of fresh coffee filled her nose. When she reached the kitchen, she stopped dead in her tracks, surprised to see a middle-aged woman standing at the kitchen counter preparing food.

  “Good morning,” the woman said as she looked up from what she was doing and smiled at Alice. “You must be Alice.”

  “Yes,” Alice replied, having no idea who this lady was.

  “I’m Maria,” the woman said as if she was reading Alice’s thoughts. “I guess Mr. O’Neill forgot to mention I would be here.”

  “Yes, he did,” Alice replied, still unsure what this woman was actually doing here.

  “I’m Mr. O’Neill’s housekeeper,” Maria explained to Alice. “At least I am Monday through Friday. I come early, and I’m usually gone before midday. I clean and I prepare his meals.”

  “I see,” Alice said as she walked further into the room. “So you knew I would be here?”

  “Mr. O’Neill informed me last week,” Maria smiled. “Don’t worry, I know what’s going on, but your secret is safe with me. Now, what would you like for breakfast?”

  “Just some coffee, thanks,” Alice said as she finally moved further into the kitchen. Alice felt a little thrown by this woman. She knew about their arrangement but Parker had never mentioned it to her. “Where’s Parker?”

  “You just missed him,” Maria replied without looking at her.

  Alice slid onto the stool in front of the counter and watched the lady as she moved about the kitchen. She couldn’t help but wonder what she thought of the whole situation? She couldn’t help but wonder what she thought of her? Alice’s mind was racing with so many questions.

  “You must think I’m not a very good person,” Alice said finally unable to hold her thoughts back anymore. “I mean, for agreeing to do something like this.”

  “I don’t really think anything,” Maria replied and gave Alice a smile as she set a cup of coffee down in front of her.

  Alice looked at her for a moment and smiled.

  “I think I’m a good person,” Alice said as she looked down into her coffee, suddenly feeling the need to explain herself. “At least, I try to be. I wish that I didn’t have to do this, but sometimes life turns out nothing like you expect it to.”

  “That’s true,” Maria replied. “And sometimes life gives us opportunities to end up where we are meant to be, even if we don’t always see it.”

  “Maybe,” Alice sighed as she thought about her response. “But I don’t think this is one of those times.”

  “Oh?” Maria asked and looked at Alice.

  “You and I both know I don’t belong in this world,” Alice replied as she set her coffee back down. “I mean, look at me. I’m not someo
ne that Parker could ever want, and I’m okay with that because I would never want him either. This is a means to an end and I’ll just be happy when it’s time to pack my things and I get to go back to my real life.”

  “Mr. O’Neill,” Maria said suddenly and her expression changed as she looked behind Alice, towards the entrance to the kitchen. “I thought you’d left.”

  Alice froze, as she wondered just how much of what she had said, Parker had heard. She turned and looked at him, and from the look on his face, she was pretty sure he’d heard everything.

  “I forgot to tell Alice about an appointment I made for her with a personal shopper,” Parker said, his eyes fixed on Alice but his expression was unreadable. He walked to the counter and put a card down on the smooth surface. “I thought that you would need some evening dresses for some events I have coming up. The woman at the store has been instructed to pick out some suitable items along with some other things. Feel free to buy whatever you need. You need to look the part, even if it is a hardship to be here.”

  “Parker…” Alice said, knowing she needed to try to explain herself.

  “I have an appointment,” he cut her off, then without saying another word, he vanished back down the hallway.

  Alice sat for a moment, but didn’t say a word. She wished she could just close her eyes and disappear.

  “Don’t worry,” Maria said as she softly touched Alice’s arm. “His bark is worse than his bite.”

  Alice just smiled, before she stood up and picked up the card from the counter top.

  “I should go and get ready,” Alice said before she too made her way down the hallway, back to her room.

  Once there, she flopped back on the bed and released a deep, frustrated breath.

  “FUCK!” She cried. What the hell should she do now?

  Alice spent two hours with the personal shopper, and was feeling more than a little uncomfortable about the price of the clothes the girl had set aside for her. She assured Alice that she was simply following the instructions she had been given by Parker.

  Not only was she fitted with several of the most stunning evening gowns Alice had ever seen, but there was a whole collection of clothes for “daily life”, as the personal shopper put it. Parker had arranged for her to have an entire new wardrobe, complete with lingerie, shoes and handbags.

  As Alice stood there in the store, she suddenly felt very drab and unsophisticated in the clothes she was wearing and clearly Parker had felt the same way. Why else would he have insisted on her getting an entire new wardrobe?

  After she had finished with the personal shopper, Alice then stopped by the nursing home to see her grandmother. When she arrived, she was pleased to see her grandmother out in the garden in the summer sun.

  “Alice!” Sophia exclaimed, surprised to see her granddaughter standing there. “What are you doing here?”

  “Sam didn’t need me this afternoon,” Alice said, hating the fact that she was lying to her grandmother, but she knew there was no way Sophia would agree with what she was doing. “So I thought I would drop by and see my favourite person. It’s nice to see you out enjoying this beautiful day.”

  “Annie said it would do me some good to get some fresh air,” Sophia sighed as she looked up at her granddaughter.

  “What is it, Gram?” Alice asked as she kneeled down in front of her.

  “They have me on more meds,” Sophia whispered. “And every time I open my eyes, one of them is there, watching me. It’s like they are waiting for me to go towards the light.”

  “I’m sure they are not waiting for you to go towards the light,” Alice said as she leaned forward and kissed her grandmother’s forehead. “Maybe they just think you are as charming as I do, and they like hanging out with you.”

  “Now I know you are BSing me,” Sophia laughed.

  Alice sat down on the seat next to her grandmother, and they talked about nothing that really mattered, but it was exactly what Alice needed.

  By the time she got back to the apartment, she felt happier. Yes, she was still dreading facing Parker, but she decided to make him a dinner, just as he had for her on the Friday night.

  She had stopped at the grocery store on the way home and bought whatever ingredients she needed to make her chicken and wild mushroom risotto.

  When she got to the kitchen, she noticed two dinners that were left in the fridge. She figured that Maria had left it there for her and Parker. Alice thought for a moment. She didn’t want to just throw them away, but she really wanted to make an effort for Parker, to show him that she was sorry for her comments earlier.

  Once the dinner was on, she hurried down to her bedroom and quickly changed her clothes before she went back to the kitchen and set two places on the breakfast counter for her and Parker.

  By six o’clock, everything was ready. All she needed now was Parker to come home and not be in one of his moods. The last thing she wanted was another argument.

  By seven o’clock, there was still no sign of Parker, and the chicken risotto was now dried mush. Alice sighed as she sat patiently on the kitchen stool, but in her heart, she knew that the evening was not going to go as she’d planned. She wished she could go back to that morning, and unsay the things she had said. It was clear now, Parker was upset, and that’s why he hadn’t come home.

  At eight o’clock, Alice finally decided to give up on dinner. She sighed as she stood up and reached for the plates. She was just about to throw the food out when the sound of the apartment door opening stopped her in her tracks.

  A few moments later, Parker appeared at the entrance to the kitchen and Alice knew the moment she saw him, he had been drinking.

  “Honey I’m home,” he said with a chuckle as he made his way across the kitchen to get a bottle of water from the fridge.

  “So I see,” Alice replied as she cautiously set one of the plates on the counter top and began to scrape the other one into the waste disposal.

  “You’re not mad at me, are you?” He asked as he opened the bottle of water, then took a long sip. “Did I ruin your cozy little evening”?

  “I made dinner,” Alice replied without looking at him. “That’s all; there was no cozy evening.”

  Parker didn’t reply for a moment, and Alice could feel his eyes burning into her. She reached for the second plate, but Parker quickly took hold of her hand. Alice froze before she turned her head and looked up at him.

  “I’m sorry I missed dinner,” he whispered as he looked down into her eyes.

  “It’s fine,” Alice replied with a nervous smile. She had no idea how to react to his behaviour.

  “No, it’s not,” Parker breathed out. Alice could feel her heart hammer in her chest.

  “Parker, about this morning,” Alice began as she tried to think of the right words.

  “PARKIE!” A girl’s voice suddenly called out from the hallway.

  Alice instantly pulled her hand free from Parker’s as she stared at him in disbelief.

  “Alice, this is not what you think,” he said quickly, but before he could say another word, a busty blonde, barely wearing clothes, appeared at the entrance to the kitchen, and she smiled the minute she saw Parker.

  “PARKIE!” She squealed excitedly before she hurried towards him, threw her arms around his neck and slammed her lips against his. Alice just stood there and watched, feeling completely mortified.

  “Ginger!” Parker exclaimed as he finally managed to pry himself away from the girl. He quickly glanced at Alice before he returned his focus to the blonde. “What are you doing here?”

  “I thought I’d surprise you,” she said as she continued to press herself against him. “And the front door was open…”

  “Now is not a good time, Ginger,” he said, cutting her off, as once more he pushed her away from him.

  “Please, don’t let me stop you,” Alice butted in angrily before she quickly headed for the door.

  “You’re more than welcome to join us, Sweetie,”
Ginger called after her. “Two is company; three’s a party.”

  Alice didn’t reply. Instead, she rushed down the hallway, grabbing her bag from the hall table before she headed for the door.

  “Alice, wait!” Parker called after her, but she just pulled opened the door, then hurried towards the elevator and quickly pressed the button. “Alice, please. This is not what you think.”

  “You don’t want to know what I think,” Alice said as she pressed the call button again. Her chest was tight, and her throat was closing, but she refused to cry in front of Parker. She was done with him and all his crap.

  “I didn’t bring her here,” Parker said as he took hold of Alice's arm and spun her around to face him, but as he did, Alice swung out and smacked him in the mouth.

  “DON’T YOU EVER TOUCH ME AGAIN!” She cried as her tears broke free. “You make me sick. You can go back to your bimbo; she deserves you.”

  “Alice, if you would just let me explain to you…Parker pleaded as he wiped the trickle of blood from his lip.

  “NO!” She shouted as the elevator doors opened and she quickly stepped inside. “I never want to see you again.”

  Parker just stared at her as the doors finally closed. Alice buried her face in her hands and sobbed. She had no clue what she was going to do now, but she was done with Parker O’Neill.

  Chapter 11

  Parker

  Parker groaned as he rolled over in the bed. His head felt like a grenade had exploded and scrambled his brains. He reached up and scrubbed his face with his hands, and he winced when he touched his lip.

  In an instant, everything that had happened the night before came crashing back, and he instantly sat up in bed. He remembered her face the night before as she stepped onto the elevator. She was crying. Parker didn’t know why he was so bothered by this fact, but he was. He jumped out of his bed, hurried towards the door, and down the hallway. He needed to talk to Alice. He needed to tell her that nothing happened between him and Ginger; that he had no idea that she was going to just turn up like that.