Bittersweet Love

Chapter Three: An Unexpected Visitor

Evelynn

“Thank you. I really appreciate this and you can get the paperwork drawn up as soon as possible?” I asked our family lawyer as I was talking to her on the phone. I was sitting at mom’s desk in the office going over some final plans for a business dinner she was planning, a business dinner I was going to attend either way even if I didn’t want to.

Either as a guest or as a worker. f**k my life.

Because it had to be at the agency Evan works at and he demanded that I come with him for the night. I was required.

It’s been a couple of days since I talked to mom and things are going in motion and this was the next step, drawing up the divorce papers. I came to this conclusion that night when I with mom when she gave me the information for Grandma’s house. He sent me a message saying that he was staying late at work and to not wait up.

He said nothing about breaking the date with Aless so he could spend time with her and for that, I wanted to knee him in the balls.

I went to mom’s afterwards to tell her that daddy wasn’t coming to play. She just shrugged and went about her time with dad. The look on his face was pure pissed-off-ness. He looked like he was about to explode and that’s when I turned to mom and said I needed a divorce lawyer, the sooner the better.

“Evelynn, of course. I’ll have the papers sent to your mom’s office by the end of the week if not sooner and his copies will be served to him that day. Are you sure you want to serve him at the office?”

“I don’t really have another choice.” I muttered, clicking through menu and going over the appetizers and entrée courses, “He isn’t home most of the time, traveling for work. The only place I know he will be is the office, other than that I don’t know where he is. He stopped telling me, just giving me general locations.”

“It’s going to be rough on him.” She muttered making me roll my eyes.

“I honestly don’t really care. Maybe if he kept his d**k in his pants and just talked to me he would have to be embarrassed in front of his coworkers but yet, he will only be embarrassed if it’s not done in his office like instructed.” I don’t want to embarrass him which is why whoever serves the papers were told to make sure he’s in the office. I might be a b***h right now, but I’m not evil or heartless.

Not yet anyways but I’m getting there.

I furrowed my brow looking at one of the appetizer courses, Chicken Satay. I pulled open the email to the caterer asking to have this switched for something else because I know someone there is allergic, deathly, to peanuts. The last thing I need is for anyone to go to the hospital because of something we approved. I shook my head, annoyed with the fact that I knew that fact about him.

Why did I even know about that? Damn it, why am I even thinking about Zander?

My head started to hurt thinking about it so I popped some more pills to help dial down the pain. Hopefully once this is all over these headaches will go away.

“That’s actually kind of you to have him be served when he’s in the office.” She said as I heard ruffling of papers in the background, “Honestly if it were me I would have embarrassed the s**t out of him.” She laughed.

“Well, I do have a heart plus it’s no one business what the papers say. The only way they’ll know is if he freaks out which is a fifty-fifty chance at this point.” I groaned as I saw the options for the dressings for the salad. Who the hell approved this menu? Two options, Italian and ranch. Nope, not on my watch.

“You’re right. But I’m going to let you go. I have a meeting in five. I’ll touch base with you in a few days oh and Evelynn?”

“Yeah?”

“I’m sorry it’s come to this.” And she was sincere about it. She’s a good friend of my parents and has known me since I was little. She was the one that actually introduced mom and dad. She’s like an aunt to me and was there throughout my entire relationship with Evan.

“I’m sorry it didn’t happen sooner.” I sighed, “Thanks Marsh.” I hung the phone up and went back to the computer finalizing the changes for the menu, instantly getting an email confirmation for the changes.

The next part mom wanted me to do was pick the favors for the guests at this banquet. As I was going through different options to order and I had to do it by today so they were ready by Friday so we can set it up for the banquet on Saturday, the bell at the door rang.

“Evie!” I heard June yell as she walked through the lobby heading to the office. Ever since I came back to work last week with mom, she has been nothing but supportive. I went to her house that night after talking to mom and breaking the news to Aless about her father, knowing that Evan wasn’t coming home and told her everything. Her reaction was priceless.

“So, you’re telling me that your grandmother was loaded and she left you her house that grandpa built and two hundred and fifty thousand dollars?” she asked as she took a shot from the bottle of tequila she was drinking from, “And you’re able to move in whenever? Does Evan know?”

“Nope and he won’t know about it and it’s all mine. Thank goodness for the prenup they forced me to sign.” I shook my head as she handed me the bottle, “Not tonight, I do want to get home at some point. He’s supposed to be home tonight, late might I add, again.”

“Why are you even trying?”

“He is my husband and as much as I want this to end, I want to talk to him first. I want to know why.”

She took another shot and set the bottle of Patron down on the table, “Does he even know you know?”

“No. He thinks I’m clueless but I think it’s time to tell him that I know. There is no way I can keep living like this and…” my phone went off with a message from him.

Evan: Heading out of town in a couple of hours to Vancouver to talk to a junior hockey player.

Me: When will you be home?

Evan: I don’t know.

Me: Are you going with anyone?

Evan: Prescott.

Me: Try not to kill each other please.

Evan: When are you going to stop caring about him? f**k.

Me: What are you even talking about? He’s not the one I care about. When are you going to let it go. It was college and nothing even happened!

Evan: Whatever. I’m not doing this over the phone. I’ll see you in a few days.

I let out a sigh as I pursed my lips, rereading what he sent me. It didn’t make sense. I never mentioned him throughout the seven years we’ve been together, only when he brought him up. Yeah, I’ve ran into him a few times throughout the years but we’ve barely talked after the car accident. I hate that they hate each other when we could have been friends…

“Let me guess. He’s either working late at the office or a surprise last minute out of town trip?” June mumbled as she handed me the bottle of tequila.

“f**k it.” I said as I took a shot after shot, feeling the burn down my throat, “Vancouver with Zander.”

“Zander? What the hell? They hate each other why would they be going together? Why would Zander’s dad make them go together especially if he knows they can’t stand each other.”

“Wait, his dad knows? How?”

"Um…I’m not sure. Zander told me and Travis about it one day I think.”

“Oh, okay. Maybe this kid is a big deal and they need two agents?” I sighed, “I don’t know.”

“Hmm…I don’t know. That’s fishy.” She mumbled as she took out her phone.

“What are you doing?”

“Messaging Zander.” She mumbled.

“What? No! Stop it!” I said as I grabbed her phone which she snagged back from me, “I didn’t even know you two were still talking?”

“We don’t really, not since the accident but he’s friends with Travis.” She shrugged, “and he said Zander has been acting weird, more pissed off than normal.” She mumbled as she kept texting, only to hear a beep and have her furrow her brow, “Well, isn’t this something.” She said as she showed me the message.

Me: Don’t kill him while in Vancouver.

Pressy: What the f**k are you talking about? I’m not going to Couver.

Me: Either you are lying to me or you don’t know you’re traveling.

Pressy: You always aggravate me. If you must know, Patricia is going, not me. Get the right person next time.

Me: Grump ass.

Pressy: Only to you now, if you don’t mine I have a date with this bottle.

“Okay, first off, I didn’t know you two talked like that and how long has this been going on? And two, Patricia, his wife, works with him? Have you met her?”

She shook her head, “No. They just got married a couple years ago but it’s been bad. The wedding was small and pretty much a secret. She never came around when they were hanging out or anything, it’s so weird. He and Travis hang and talk all the time but it’s like...she’s not there, or real. His temper has gotten worse and Travis is worried about him. And we’ve always been like this, I just didn’t tell you…”

“Why?”

“Because…he asked me not to…”

Okay, so maybe my reaction was more surprising because once I found out they have all been close over the past seven years, I kind of felt betrayed. Not because they were friends but because of our past and everything that happened in college.

Zander and I were friends throughout the first few years of college, reuniting with him during football practice our freshmen year when I went to visit dad. He became my best friend again and we were inseparable to the point where I started to have feelings for him, so I kept my distance because I didn’t want to ruin our friendship. He was there for me through so much but things went downhill fast because of his ex-girlfriend and even worse after the fight between him and Evan.

When things started to get more serious between Evan and I, Zander kept his distance but he always told me that if he ever did anything to hurt me to tell him and he would take care of it, family or not, it doesn’t matter. I guess the guys on the team really do think of themselves as brothers.

Then I woke up in the hospital and it seemed like everything changed.

“How can I help you?” I asked snidely as she pushed forward a drink from Starbucks towards me. I c****d an eyebrow at her, “You’re bribing me or have bad news to break.”

“Can’t I just treat my bestie to a refreshing peppermint mocha latte? Why does there have to be an underlying reason to get you a treat?” she was pretending to be offended but I knew better.

“You never buy me anything unless you want something.” I glared, “So, tell me what you want or the bad news you have while I drink this delicious liquid gold.” I said as I snatched it from the desk.

“So…I know Zander got married a couple years ago in a very private wedding ceremony to Patricia and I know she works with him at the agency. So…I did a little digging.” She mumbled as she pulled out her phone.

The whole relationship with Zander and Patricia was still weird to me. I did my FBI stalking on them and found nothing. It was like their relationship never existed. The only thing I found was an article announcing their wedding but no pictures.

Billionaire Heir Marries to merge company

No wonder why he kept his distance when we were in college from most girls. I knew he was wealthy and in line to inherit the Prescott fortune, but billionaire? It makes me wonder who else knew...I knew he kept it a secret.

But that doesn’t excuse his behavior and it never will.

Anyways, I even went on the company website to see if I could find her and there is nothing about Patricia Prescott, but yet, she worked there.

“I told you to drop it.” I sighed, running my hand through my tangled mess of hair before throwing it up in a messy bun, “Evan went to Vancouver with Zander’s wife. I’m sure nothing happened. She can’t be like that, cheating on him. I mean…who would?”

“Evie…” She sighed, “I know how you were when you two were friends…”

“Don’t go there.” I grumbled, “It’s Zander. Plus, the girl Evan was with is Trish.”

“What makes you think she didn’t? You know, cheat?”

“Look at him. Who would?” I said pointing to the picture on her phone of his social media. A small pain came forward in my heart when I said that and looked at his brooding picture.

“Look at you!” she pointed out. I was taken back and looked down at how I was dressed. My hair was a tangled mess as I sat at the desk with my legs crossed wearing leggings and a baggy college hoodie, no make up, nothing that would be presentable if a client were to walk in. Good think nothing was planned and the lobby was closed for today, “You’re hot.”

I rolled my eyes, “Shut up. I’m a mess.”

“And even as a mess, you’re completely doable. If you want proof, I’ll ask Travis.” She grinned making me roll my eyes, “Hell, if I wasn’t into c**k so much I would totally do you right now over the desk.”

“Shut up.” I laughed and she laughed with me but the room soon fell silent.

I haven’t felt the need to make myself look like me. Doing the bare minimum is all I care about because who do I have to impress? Mom is the face talking to the clients while I sweettalk vendors and caterers into getting what we need. It’s not like I have anyone to go home to, to try to impress.

The house will be ready to move into this weekend which I plan on doing. Dad and Travis have been working around the clock to update it for me and Aless and I couldn’t be more thankful for them.

After the banquet Saturday is when I plan on dropping the ball that I know everything. Really thinking about it is just putting a bad taste in my mouth and I wanted to get it over with. If I could do it earlier I would, but he hasn’t been home. His Vancouver trip turned into a trip to California, then Florida, and then New York. He’s been gone for a week, only calling at night to tell Aless goodnight and even that lasted thirty seconds at most.

I wanted to bring it up on the phone with him, but he was always so short with me.

Doesn’t matter. This is more of a face to face conversation anyways.

“Even as a mess, you’re still beautiful.” She whispered grabbing my hand, “And today, we are going shopping for a dress for this banquet.”

“I don’t even want to go.” I mumbled, “Can I just please, skip it and just stay home?”

“But you are, because of this…” she slid her phone to me and I looked at the picture.

Agent: Patricia Natalia Andrews

I pursed my lips as I started to see red. It was her. The woman my husband has been sleeping with and she’s this “Trish”, the same person who’s married to Zander. How did I not know this? I’m so confused, “How did you even find that? I searched and searched and couldn’t find anything on her. She’s not listed under the current agents or anything.”

“I have my ways; besides, she just recently joined the same agency as them. This is from an older one she used to work at right after her and Zander got married.”

“But…you think I would have seen her at the functions and stuff at the agency. I mean, married to Zander…”

“You’ve avoided the functions that they throw to stay home with Aless.” She started to say, “So you’ve never met her in person. Every time Travis and Zander hung out, she was never there so I never met her. Evan, as far as we know, has never said her full name when we found out he was cheating and she uses a nickname.”

“But…they were literally right in front of us…”

“People can be good at hiding things from others when needed.” She sighed, “I just…I know you’re going to the banquet this weekend; I wanted you to prepare yourself when you see her and remind you to not hurt her. Stay away from sharp objects. Wear flats, not heels.” She pointed at me.

“One time.” I groaned, “I hurt someone one time with my heels and you won’t let me forget it.”

“And the time you ‘accidentally’ hurt Kurt with the knife in home economics our senior year after you caught him with his hand up Sandy’s skirt. Yeah, you have a tendency to be violent when angry.”

I rolled my eyes, “I won’t do anything.”

“And to just make sure, I will be messaging you and keeping tabs to make sure.”

“Fair enough. Are you going to tell Zander?”

“I will or rather, you should.” She said, “I think it would be better coming from you.” And the front bell chimed, letting us know someone came into the building. The closed sign was on the door so I was confused as who it could be.

“What the hell?” I mumbled.

“You’re closed.” She stated the obvious as I rolled my eyes.

“Duh. So I don’t know who it could be.”

“Well, maybe it’s your mom.”

“She would have made herself known, trust me. It’s not her. Same with dad. He’s waiting at the school to get Aless and meeting me at grandma’s house to make sure we like the remodel he’s done. Evan is still in New York for another two days and Travis is at work.”

“Oh speaking of Travis, I need you to do me a favor.” She grinned.

“Already on it babe.” I winked as I brought out my sketch book and showed her the ideas I had for her. Her eyes widened as she grinned, looking at each one, flipping through the pages. I got up from the desk and walked behind her, forgetting about the person in the lobby as I pointed to the one she was looking at, “I designed this one for you to wear under the dress. The thin lace will cover just enough and it will be well hidden and when he strips the dress off you, it will tease him just a bit and then he will drop dead at the sight of you.”

“I especially love the connectors between the garter belt and the bottom of the top. I love it.”

“Two garter belts. One for him and one for the garter ceremony thing they do.”

“You haven’t changed. Still as talented as ever.” I heard behind me and I froze. I closed my eyes as I bit my lips, remembering the deep timber of his voice bringing back memories from when we were friends and hung out almost every day. I hadn’t spoken to him in almost six years and it was like memories flushing back to me and my head started to hurt again, damn it.

This is wrong. I need to stop. He’s married and so am I, granted, to cheating skanks and assholes but still married none the less.

“What are you doing here?” I asked without turning around.

“I was told to come here and finalize some things for this weekend.” And I could sense him shrugging behind me.

I stood up straight and slowly turned to meet the green eyed Adonis that stood in front of me. He was wearing black dress pants with a deep red button down shirt with the sleeves rolled up to his elbows, exposing his thick, muscular forearms covered in glorious ink. His hands were tucked in his pockets as he looked down at me. He had a slight stubble on his face, telling me he hasn’t shaved in a day or two but it made him look more attractive, especially with his deep dark brown hair that was short, but shaggy enough to grip if needed.

What the hell am I doing?

My eyes shot back to the tattoo on his right arm. I couldn’t take my eyes off of it as I looked at the tattoo of a lake surrounded by flowers, roses, with a beautiful tree and a little bird perched up on it. It felt…familiar. He noticed me looking at his tattoo and pulled his arms up to roll down his sleeves down, covering it up while clearing his throat.

“Evelynn.”

“Zander.”

“It’s been a while.”

“Try six years.” I whispered as I looked up at him, “How can I help you?”

“Like I said, I’m here to finalize some things for this weekend. Joel was going to meet your mom but she had an appointment to meet with someone regarding another event and Joel surprised his wife with a trip to London and won’t be back until Saturday morning.”

“Pressy!” June pipped up, jumping to her feet, ignoring the slight tension between the two of us. She came over and hugged him as he wrapped one arm around her shoulder, “I haven’t seen you in forever. Travis hogs you.”

He shrugged, “I guess.”

“Still a man of few words.” I mumbled.

“Those words were taken from me a long time ago.” I glared a bit at him while I quickly turned and sat at the desk, rubbing my temples to help ease the headache that was getting worse.

“Take a seat and let’s go over a couple of things.”

He shook his head, “I trust your judgement. You were always good at what you do.”

“How do you know?”

He shrugged, “Experience.” That was confusing. What the hell does that mean, “I was expecting your mom but when I found out it was you, I came here to say one thing…”

“And what’s that?” I asked crossing my arms as I leaned back in the chair.

“I need you to tell your husband to stay away from my wife.” June and I both froze as we looked at each other, “I know what’s going on. I have plans in motion already but…”

“So do I.” I said in the most monotone voice, “I can’t even say anything to him because he hasn’t been home all week but soon this will no longer be my problem.” I shrugged, “How about you tell your wife to stay away from him.”

“You act like you don’t care that they’re sleeping together.” He said as he raised his eyebrow at me.

I shrugged, “At this point, I don’t. Things have been…complicated for a long time and I’m at a point in my life where I’m ready to let it go and end it for good.”

“You too, huh.” He snickered, “I guess we’re both at that point.”

“I guess we are but yet, here you are telling me to tell Evan to stay away from Patricia, or Trish as she likes to be called.”

“I only said that because I know you two have been together for a long time and have your daughter.” He said as he licked his bottom lip. His green eyes bore into me, sending jolts throughout my body but yet, there was a sadness to them. The tension was thick as June just stood there, looking between the both of us not saying a word. I bet she would love some popcorn right now.

“Even so, Zander, maybe you should have come to me with a different approach to this conversation, especially since you clearly are at the same level I am regarding our spouses. Is there anything I can help you with though, regarding anything really.”

“Nope.” And he turned around and started for the door and paused before he left the office, “And maybe I’ll take your advice and approach our next conversation a bit differently, after all, I am okay with taking other’s advice. Maybe you can take a lesson from that.”

“And what is that supposed to mean?” I asked as I stood up, my hands flat on the desk. June looked back and forth between us as we spoke, watching like we were headline news, entertainment.

He just shook his head and laughed, “Maybe one day you’ll figure it all out. Until next time. I’ll see you Saturday.” He started to walk away and we got up to follow. He paused at the door with his hand on the handle, “Oh and by the way, you’re still as beautiful as I remember.” And with that being his last word, he left, the ringing from the bell letting us know he was gone.

I sat back down and let out a breath, “What the hell…”

“Um…you two clearly have some tension. I don’t know if it’s because his wife and your husband are sleeping together or if it’s the lingering s****l tension from college but damn it got hot in here.” She waved her hand by her face.

“There is no s****l tension. He’s hated me for years.”

“There is a fine line between love and hate Evie…and I don’t think he’s ever hated you.”