Forbidden Love
“I brought snacks,” I said in a loud voice, returning with pastries, coffees, and cakes for Olivia and the rest of the team working around the clock to get the houses finished.
As if on cue, everyone stopped what they were doing and swarmed toward me.
“Oh, you fucking gem,” Olivia said, taking the brown paper bag from my hands and distributing the sweets around.
“Coffees too,” I said, placing the carrier down so everyone could help themselves to the much-needed stimulant.
“How did it go?” she asked, looking at Jer, who placed a box down in the loading area.
“All done,” I said. “Got the throws and cushions, and the vignettes for the entranceway are sorted.”
“And all within the budget?”
“Well, I may have gone over slightly, but you should see what I have planned.”
“You haven’t disappointed me yet.” She opened the containers and pulled out a melted ham and cheese croissant. When she took a bite, her face morphed into one of pure ecstasy.
“Oh, hell yes,” she said. “Everyone out, no eating on the wood floors.”
The rest of the team went outside into the backyard. A few of them had been staring at me, and personally, I just wanted to get on with the job, not become more tabloid gossip for the contractors.
“Do you mind if we go out front?”
She looked up from me to the two women in particular who had been gossiping. “Good idea.”
I sat on the steps leading to the front door, and Olivia sat down next to me. “You okay?”
“Yes, fine.” She looked at me. Olivia had suspected we were an item as soon as she had seen Barrett and me together, but I hadn’t confirmed it since the tabloids hit, nor had she brought it up.
“Okay, maybe that’s a lie.” I took a sip of my coffee. “I’ve always been in the public eye, but this is different. The gossip and stares have upped to another level of creepy, if I’m honest.”
“Honey, they're just jealous, is all. Barrett is a catch, and, of course, you are too. Put the two of you together, and it’s like Kate and Will. But I’m guessing you're both not that proper behind closed doors.” She wiped the flakes of pastry off her mouth and split into a grin.
“Olivia!” I elbowed her.
If you only knew.
“Look, I’m not used to what you obviously get, but I know one thing. Don't let it come between you and Barrett. I've known him for a very long time, and I’ve never, ever seen him this happy before.”
“Really?”
She gripped my wrist. “Truly.”
“We love each other, Olivia,” I admitted, knowing she was more a friend than a boss.
“Well, no shit. I could tell that the moment I saw the two of you together.”
I laughed. “Were we that obvious?”
“To me because I know him so well, yes, absolutely.”
“Do you know much about his sister, Evelyn?”
“Only that she lives in Boston. She has some kind of permanent leg injury. Barrett tries to get there when he can, but he hasn’t been in a while, come to think of it.”
“Hasn’t he told you this?”
“Yes, no, I knew that.”
“Do you know about his parents?” I asked, trying not to sound too much like a creeper but wanting to know what Barrett had told her.
“Only that they died in a car accident when he was a kid. It's tragic, really.”
“Yes, I couldn’t imagine that, growing up with just my brother and without my folks. It would certainly harden you up very quickly, having to fend for yourself.”
“Hey, look on the bright side, he found you, and you, him. Let the other stuff float away like the shit-eating dust gossiper it is, and enjoy it. It’s a very rare thing indeed.”
Something banged and crashed inside, and I instantly jerked to get up.
“Fuck! What is it now?” Olivia said, placing a hand on my shoulder and pushing me back down. “Finish your coffee. You haven’t stopped working, Lourde. I’ve got this.”
“Thanks, Olivia. Hey, what are you doing Saturday next week?”
“Probably drinking a bottle of red and watching Notting Hill. Why?”
“Oh, I love that movie. How about you come to the annual Diamond Charity Ball? I’d love you to meet my friends, Grace and Pepper. I think you’d love them.”
“Sounds fancy.”
“It is, very.”
“Well, all right then.” She winked.
“Well, all right then,’’ I echoed.