A Twist of Fate (11 page)

While I knew Edwin was only trying to be funny, it only
upset me more.  That was the very reason why Cam and I couldn't be together.  My
brain shut down and I broke down from the pain in my heart.  I fell to my knees
in the stairwell, and tears spilled down my face.

Edwin raced up the stairs and looped his arms around me, to
keep me from falling.  I closed my eyes and hung my head low, unable to lift it
back up.  Any reserves that I had been running on were depleted and I was even
having difficulty breathing.  Edwin lifted me into his arms and heroically
carried me to my bedroom.  He lowered me to my bed, but didn't let me go.

I gasped for air and it finally reached my scorching lungs. 
As my breathing steadied I opened my eyes and found Edwin staring back at me.

"You'll be okay," he said, contradicting his own facial
expressions.

"Eventually," I whispered, feeling completely
spent.  I closed my eyes again, glad that Edwin never let me go.

He leaned against the headboard and gathered me into his
strong arms, hushing me after a long stretch of hitched breaths.

"If you ask me, you're crying for the wrong reasons."

I lifted my head and narrowed my red eyes at him.  "I
didn't ask you."

Edwin smirked.  "I'm going to tell you anyway." 
He paused, until he had my attention.  "If you want to cry, then it should
be for wasting your time with Cam in the first place."

I covered my head with my arms and rolled out of Edwin's
grip.  "You don't think I already came up with that one myself?"  I
stared at the wall and the tears started to settle down, the fog slowly lifting
from my head, but not budging from my heart.

Edwin didn't say a word, but neither did he move. 
Why must
he hang around for this?

I rolled to face him and squinted my tear-ridden eyes. 
"Please tell me why you're being so nice to me."

Edwin smiled.  "I can't be mean to you, Abs.  Especially
not when you're like this."

"Like what: a royal disaster?  Go on, you can say
it."

His mouth widened, and it was the beginning of a warm,
handsome smile.  "I won't say that, but I will tell you something you
taught me last year.  Sometimes following your own heart means breaking someone
else's."

My eyes trailed to the ceiling, but my brain wasn't working. 
"Are you going to tell me what that's supposed to mean?"

Edwin chuckled.  "I just mean that what's best for you
now, doesn’t seem to be best for Cam.  Neither of you like it, but that’s not
to say that you won’t admit later that it was for the best."

"Lately I feel like I'm waiting for something that'll
never happen."

Edwin cupped my chin, sending a frisson of awareness through
my frazzled senses.  "You did what you had to do.  You stayed true to
yourself."  He pulled his hand away and sighed, but it didn't stop him
from talking.  “If he truly wants you, nothing will keep him away."

"I wasn't thinking only about Cam," I whispered,
and fluttered my lashes shut to hide from his thoughtful gaze.

Edwin spoke softly now and gently pressed his hand over my
heart.  "Then maybe you should stop thinking so much and start following what’s
in here."

I held my eyes firmly shut, and I didn't know what was
happening when Edwin gently lifted my chin, until his soft, careful lips
brushed across mine.

My eyes popped open, from confusion and shock.  I squinted
at Edwin to assess his angle and found that all humour had left his expression.

“I know.  I’m a bad person,” Edwin admitted.  “It's wrong to
take advantage of you like that."

Heat crept up my cheeks and I turned away, my lips still
tingling from his soft touch.  There was a light knock at the door and Edwin
rolled of the bed to answer it, leaving me wondering why there were a whole
crew of butterflies mingling in my stomach.

Edwin left the room, just as our impatient guest started
pounding on our front door.  "Apparently they don't know how to use a
doorbell," Edwin called back to me, as he shuffled down the stairs.  The
doorbell sounded, as if summoned by him.  Repeatedly.

As Edwin leapt off of the last stair, the person jiggled the
door knob.  "I'm coming," Edwin hollered.

Curious to see who it was, I quickly got up from my bed.  I
felt a little dizzy, but I stumbled out of my room before steadying myself on
the hall railing.

Edwin peered out the sidelight briefly and looked back to me
with apprehension.  "Go back to your room," he ordered, softly.  His
face was so stern, that I dared not disobey him, and he waited for me to
disappear before opening the door.

My curiosity getting the best of me, I stood at the edge of
the wall, just out of his line of sight.  Edwin opened the door, but said
nothing.  I peered around the corner to check who it was.  All I saw was Edwin
disappear outside into the cold, closing the door behind him.

Someone had clearly wanted to come in, so why did Edwin step
out?  Was he expecting someone?  
A girl? 
A shot of jealously rushed
through my veins.

Then I realized who else it could be. 
No.  It couldn't
be.  Could it?
  When I heard his voice, my stomach flipped with excitement
and worry.  I could hear light banter, just outside the door, and things seemed
to be heating up.  Knees weak, I snuck down the stairs in an attempt to eavesdrop. 
I crept behind the door and leaned against the wall.

"What do you really want?" Edwin asked, with annoyance
evident in his query.

"That’s none of your business,” Cam snapped.  “This is between
me and Abby."

"Well, she's in bed.  Leave her alone.  She'll call you
if she wants to."

"I have to talk to her.  Now.  We didn't leave things
right."

I could sense the pain in his words.  He didn't even sugar
coat them for Edwin.  Sadness bloomed in my belly and tears regrouped in my
eyes.

"Cool story, bro.  Where's the part where you back the
fuck off?"

I covered my mouth to silence my gasp.

"That's it."  Cam lost his patience and forced his
way past Edwin, who had been protecting the door like a royal guard.  But Cam
had taken him by surprise and managed to get one foot into the foyer. 
“Abigail,” he shouted, not knowing I was only a matter of steps away from him.

I held my breath and pressed myself flat against the wall,
now only an arms-length away from the door.  Only a millisecond passed before
Edwin propelled himself back in the power position, territorially defending his
castle.  They bumped chests and then Edwin forcefully removed Cameron from the
house.  Neither of them seemed to notice me.

Edwin shoved Cameron away from the door and he stumbled into
my front yard.  "Give her some time, Cam.  You did this to her.  At least
give her that."

I nearly choked on Edwin's words as they burned into my
memory.  The door clicked shut and, outside, Edwin continued to lay it on
thick.  It hurt to hear the man I loved getting hounded for loving me, but I
wasn’t ready to do anything about it.  He didn’t want me anymore.

I dashed up the stairs and down the hall to Edwin's room, as
far away from the situation as possible.  I had to get away.  I heard the front
door reopen and then abruptly slam shut.  The dead bolt turned over and after a
minute or two of quiet shuffling through the house, I heard Edwin start up the
stairs.

Just now realizing the consequences of my retreat to his
room, my mind started to flounder.  I was lying on Edwin's bed, propped up by my
elbow, waiting for his return.  What if he got the wrong idea?

Edwin paused at my bedroom.  The door creaked open. 
"Abby?"

"In here," I called.

He stepped toward his room and hesitated in the doorway. 
"Damn, I'm good," he said, praising himself.  "I’ve already got
you right I where I wanted you."  His smile was big and lighthearted, but
my eyes were wide and alarmed.

Edwin chuckled and casually approached the bed.  "Relax. 
I'm only teasing.  You really need to lighten up."  He plopped right
beside me, as if he'd already forgotten about what had just transpired between
him and Cameron.

I relieved my dry eyes with a blink.  "What did he want?"

"Who?"

"Don't play dumb, Eddie.  I heard him.  What did he
say?"

"You should know.  You were standing right there."

"Tell me," I threatened, but it was an empty one.

"I told you I would take care of it and I did.  Cam's
gone.  Period.  So, where were we when we were so rudely interrupted?"  He
stroked a playful hand down the length of my arm.

I shivered and yanked my arm away.  "Eddie!"

Edwin was being fun and frisky.  "What?  We were all
good until he showed up."

Ignoring his boyish stunts, I flopped back onto his bed with
a sigh.  “Thank you for getting rid of him for me.  I'm not ready to face him
yet."

Edwin slid up next to me and leaned in close again.

"Cut it out!" I ordered, pushing his shoulders
back.

He barely budged, so I backed myself against his headboard
to get some breathing room.  I was feeling lonely and sad and confused, and was
finding it difficult to resist his positive energy.  I pressed my eyes tightly
shut, hoping he would back off, but sensing again that he had moved closer.

My heart started to race.  It was beating loudly in my ears,
making it difficult for me to be rational. 
What did he see in me anyway? 
"I'm
damaged goods," I whispered, knowing exactly what Edwin was thinking.

Ignoring my warnings, Edwin tucked his hand in my hair and
kissed me again.  He sandwiched me against the headboard, his hand cupping my
head, making me feel wanted.  I didn't kiss him back, but I didn't stop him
either.  He lingered near my lips, his breath warm on my lips.

"Sorry.  I couldn’t help myself," he growled, then
gave a more friendly peck to the corner of my mouth.  “You look really kissable
tonight, tear stains and all."  He brushed his thumb over my cheek and
leaned in for another kiss.

I rolled away from him and curled into a ball with my eyes clenched
shut.  "You know I can't do this, Eddie.  I'm in love with Cam."

He pushed off of the bed, his anger mounting immediately.  "I
thought you broke it off with him.  The way he was talking, it was like you
told him to go screw himself.  I thought for sure it was over between
you."

"It is.  But feelings don't just go away like that.”  I
snapped my fingers to make a point.

“Fine.  I can respect that.”

It was late and I was tired.  I sighed, and it turned into
an overdramatic yawn.  I stretched my arms over my head, then laid back, snuggling
in.  I didn’t want to be alone.  “Can I sleep with you tonight?" I asked,
without thinking any more on the subject.

Edwin raised his eyebrows playfully and smiled a wicked
smile.  "Absolutely!"

I scowled at him.  "Don't push your luck.  I'm tired
and I want to go to bed.  I'd rather not be alone right now.  But if you’re
going to be like that…"

Without another word, Edwin peeled off his long sleeved
shirt and tossed it on the floor.  He walked toward the door, every muscle in
his wide back flexing as he reached for the light switch.  When he flicked it,
the room plummeted into darkness.  Lightening flickered as Edwin dropped his
pants to the floor, exposing a stunning body in fitted briefs.

The room was dark, but my eyes adjusted quickly.  Tearing my
eyes from him, I slipped under the covers and tucked them up under my chin.  A
cold rush of air on my backside told me that Edwin had joined me.  I curled up
in a ball and let out a sniffle.

Edwin wasn't shy about snuggling up behind me and, in a weak
moment, I accepted his hand.  I tucked our intertwined fingers under my chin
and closed my eyes, wiggling my bottom to get closer, so I could soak up all his
body heat.  I didn't think I would actually be able to sleep, but I was
surprised how much Edwin had softened my misery.

I focused on the rise and fall of Edwin’s chest,
concentrated on the differences between our breathing patterns, his soft and
steady, mine irregular and raspy.  Anything had to be better than remembering
how Cam had brushed me off earlier.  But even with my fingers linked with
Edwin's, my loneliness seemed to swallow me whole, leaving Cameron at the front
of my mind.

Edwin must have sensed it and abruptly replaced that concern
with another.  "You know I still love you, Abs," he whispered. 
"That will never change as long as I live."

I loosened my grip on his hand and he squeezed my fingers
tight, so I couldn't detach from him.

"That said, I understand how you feel,” he admitted.  “I
know what it's like to have a piece of your heart that you can never get back. 
I'll respect your feelings, but know this: He'll never love you the way I
do."

"I DON’T KNOW WHY you torture
yourself with these sad songs," Aliah said, immediately exchanging my I-pod
for a local radio station.  She found an upbeat song, turned up the volume and
started to bop her head, while I drove us to work.

"I'm fine," I said, wishing it were true.  I
thought I’d be better by now.

"Yeah, you look fine," she said, sarcastically. 
"You need to get out more."

I rolled my eyes.  "Yeah, cuz that will really help
with my sleep deprivation."

"Maybe not, but maybe if you got laid you wouldn't be
so uptight."

Irritated, I glared at Aliah.  "It's been all of two
weeks, Aliah.  Give me a break!"

"Actually, it's been three.  Three weeks, three years? 
It's all the same.  Life goes on."

"You think you're my shrink now?" I asked, with a
smirk.

"I wish.  Then I could charge you for my advice."

Not long after hanging up my winter jacket, I had to pull it
back out, along with my scarf and mittens.  After Taylor went home sick, I was
left to pick up the slack.  As I armed myself for the frigid weather, Edwin stepped
out of the copier room.  His grin was contagious.

It was such a relief that Edwin didn't turn my life into a
bigger mess than it already was.  Ever since the night I had slept in his bed,
he hadn't brought up his confession and neither had I.  In fact, all of my
friends were stepping up and making it difficult for me to sink deeper into the
hole I wanted to hide in.

The walk past Cameron's office was getting easier every day,
but I still fretted each time I had to.  His support system didn’t seem to be as
strong as mine and I hated to see how he struggled to get through each day.  It
was clear to anyone who cared that he was miserable.

Deciding I could use the fresh air, even though it was
absolutely freezing outside, I started my short walk down the salt-covered
sidewalk with the leather mailbag slung over my shoulder.  The streets were
bustling with mid-day traffic and I hurried to get the mail into the big red box
before the postal workers emptied it for the day.

After scooping our mail out of the oversized box, I readjusted
my gloves and set off again.  The streetlight flashed yellow, but I was too
impatient to wait.  I hurried across the street and a car zoomed in front of
me, nearly running over my toes.  The car maneuvered in between two parked cars
across the street, pulling into a no parking zone.

I continued to the curb and turned for the clear stretch of
sidewalk, as the driver in the irritating car honked their horn.  I flashed a
glance at the car, but I didn't know who the hell it was.  The horn honked
again and again, and I started to think the driver was deliberately trying to
piss me off.

"Hooonnnnnnkk!"

I stopped in my tracks and stared at the ignoramus, as the
driver's blackened window eased down.  A woman called out to me and leaned toward
the window, but my eyes were too watery from the wind to see who it was.  I
squinted at the young lady who was now waving frantically for me to come see
her.

"Abbbbbbbyy!" she called.  "Get your ass over
here!"

It finally clicked.  I hadn't seen my cousin, Calyfa, in
months.  Or had it been years?  She had kind of fallen of the map for a while,
which was not at all unusual for her.  I started to think maybe she had run off
with some young, rich stud to live in a tropical paradise.

I ran to the passenger door and hopped inside the car, escaping
from the elements.

"Stunned, or what?" she asked me, her smile
bursting from her perfect little face.  She looked so cute, her long, fair hair
tucked in a stylish cap.  "Bet you didn't expect to see me."  She
flung her arms over my shoulders and pulled me in for a hug.

I pulled away and checked out her new look.  I was always so
envious of her beautiful, almond-shaped blue eyes and natural beauty.  And now,
rather than looking like the girl next door, with her pin straight, blonde hair
and long, angled bangs, she looked edgy and stylish.

"I didn't even know it was you.  You look great.  And where'd
you get this car from?"

"My new man," she said, unable to hide her smirk. 
"He bought it for me.  The bastard was just charged with fraud.  He’d
better make that go away before I do."

"Cally, you crack me up."  It was like our
relationship hadn’t skipped a beat and I loved it.

"What?  He said it's not true, but I'm not getting
involved with that shit.  He knows it too.  If he wants me to stick around, then
he’d better fix it and fast.  He's not going to drag me down with him."

I laughed and she stared at me, waiting for my all wise
opinion, like the good old times.  "Don't look at me.  I'm not getting
involved," I said, smirking.

"Don’t you want to give me some legal advice?"

"I've got some advice for you," I answered, with a
sarcastic giggle.

"Screw you!" she snapped back.  All the money in
the world couldn’t get that girl to drop her potty mouth.

"So, where have you been?" I asked, stoked to hear
about her life.

"I'm living in Toronto again.  Just moved back to
my
condo.  You know, the one I got as part of my settlement when I left Jase?" 
She smirked.  "Poor bastard, should have signed a cohab agreement."

"You're such a whore," I teased.

"Shut up!  I put up with him for two years.  I earned
it."

I laughed at her blunt honestly.  It was refreshing. 
Listening to her life made my mine seem boring in comparison.  The drama in hers
was on a different scale altogether.

"What are you up to these days?” she asked.  “You and
Edwin still banging?"

I cleared my throat.  "No.  I found a new guy.  He’s a
lawyer at my firm.  Cameron is his name."  Realization flooded me. 
"Well, we were dating, up until a few weeks ago."  I folded my leg
under my butt and Cally noticed my discomfort.

"What happened?"

"I really don't want to get into it now, but it’s
definitely over between us."  I paused and looked out the window at the
fresh dusting of snow being blown around in gusts.  "I should probably get
back to work," I said, avoiding her calculating gaze.

She nudged on my leg.  "Before you go.  Gabe owns a
house in Haledon and I’m going to be there over the March break.  Why don't you
come out?  There's a guest house and everything.  You can even bring some
friends, if you want.”

“I don’t know.”  I really didn’t feel up to taking a
vacation.

“Come on.  It sounds like you could use a break.  If not
now, you could definitely use one by then."

"I suppose."  I smiled at her and she knew it was
a done deal.

Within days of telling Aliah about my plans, she had invited
herself along, and Hunter too.  Rumours started flying when Hunter decided to
ask Edwin to tag along. 
What happened to this being my vacation?

Weeks later, when I least expected it, Cameron stalked up
next to me in the lunch room.  I didn't look at him, but I could sense he was
staring, and he wasn't making it a secret.

“Is it true?" he asked, without waiting for my
attention.

After refilling my water bottle, I turned to face him. 
"Is what true?"

"You're taking a vacation with Edwin?"

"I didn’t invite him.  Besides, Hunter and Aliah will
be there.”  I wasn't crazy about the idea either, but what did he care?

"Sure sounds like a couple’s thing to me," Cam
replied.  "It didn't take him long to replace me."

I sighed and stared at the ceiling.  "Cam, we're not
having this conversation right now.  Why do you even care?  We're over.  You
made that pretty clear.  Just let me live my life."  I hated being so
short with him, but he left me no other option.

"That's actually what I came to talk to you about. 
It's official, I'm leaving the firm.  I signed a lease for the building I was
telling you about downtown and it’s nearly ready."

“Good for you,” I said, saddened that Cameron was actually
leaving my life.

"The paint is dry and I've already started to move some
furniture in.  It's looking pretty damn good.  Contemporary.  You'd like
it."

I continued to ignore how he related every statement to me.

“Yep.  I've already given notice to Owen and he said he'd
give me some leeway, considering the circumstances.  March 31 is my last day,
then I'm out of here."

I choked on my own saliva and coughed like crazy.  At least
I had a temporary excuse for the tears.  Cameron smoothed his hand over my back
as though he cared.  Knowing he didn’t, I fumbled through my purse and found
the box I had been carrying with me ever since the day I took his ring off my
finger.

"I should give you this," I said, holding the box
out to him, my hand trembling.  It was so symbolic of the end.

He pushed my hand away.  "You keep it.  I bought it for
you."

I sighed, near tears, my voice but a whisper.  "I
didn't keep the promise.  I don't deserve it.  Maybe you can get your money
back."

I knew it was worth a small fortune and I couldn’t rob
Pheobe of that money.  I placed the velvet box on the counter next to him.  He
stared at it for a minute, then cracked the box open.  He picked up the ring
and held it between his thumb and index finger.  He smiled, but there was no
amusement there.

"I thought it was in the bag."  He chuckled, again
without humour.  "I was a fool."

I lowered my gaze to the floor, unable to watch the sour
events unfolding between us.  A tear snuck from my eye, and I quickly wiped it
away before he noticed.  Cam returned the ring to its box and snapped it shut.

"You definitely have to come check out my new
space," he said, trying to leave our conversation on a more positive note.

I smiled and nodded my head in agreement, knowing I would
never follow through with it.

"My offer still stands too, if you ever change your
mind."

"I won't."  I could never work with Cam again.  It
still hurt just to think about him, and being with him now, having a casual
conversation, felt so foreign to me.

He nodded, showing his disappointment.  "It won't be
the same without you."  He took me by surprise and scooped my hand into
his.  My heart rate immediately went through the roof.  He slowly lifted my
hand to his lips and brushed a soft kiss on the back of my hand, just like he
had when we first met.  "I will always love you, Abby."

He squeezed my hand, but it didn’t stop the violent tremor from
shaking through me.  I swallowed back my tears as Owen walked into the room.  Reluctantly,
Cameron dropped my hand, then briskly left me.

Owen didn't come near me.  He only asked if I was okay.  I
was too choked up to answer, so I just gave a questionable nod.  He left it at
that.

***

OWEN MUST HAVE HAD Wesley Carver’s
number on speed dial, because he had wasted no time finding Cam’s replacement. 
He even had the gall to invite him to start weeks before Cam was done, making Cam
have to clear out some of his stuff early to share his office.  I realized
someone had to be hired in Cam’s place, but I didn't think it would happen quite
so fast.  And Wesley Carver?  Could Owen have chosen anyone more problematic?

On Wesley's first day in the office, instead of Owen doing
the usual introductions, he made Cam pick up his duties.  After making the
usual rounds, Cam and Wesley showed up outside my door.  Cam knocked on the
wall to get my attention.

"I suppose you two already met," Cam said,
recalling our first run in at the staff Christmas party.

Wesley chuckled.  "She definitely met my ass.  Can't
blame her for grabbing it.  It's a nice ass."

This man had no shame.  Too bad he was also funny.

"Hi," I said, nodding.  I couldn't help but smirk,
covering my mouth to try and hide it, but that just encouraged him to wink at
me.

Cam wasn’t amused in the slightest.  “You're going to leave
this one alone," he stated. 
And yes, it was definitely a threat.

"Are you going to be here to stop me?" Wes argued,
confident with his aggression.

"I don't want any trouble," I pleaded, hoping it
would be enough to diffuse the situation.

Both men watched me for a timeless moment and it bothered me
how striking their similarities were.  Their dark-blonde hair was a near match,
both being short, wild and unruly.  I concentrated on Cam's eyes, the crystal
blue softly intense.  Wesley’s eyes were blue too, but his were dark and mischievous. 
The most challenging feature to compare was their plump lower lips, both of
them hanging that sexy thing out there like it was a chew toy.

I glanced away from them, as Wesley turned to Cameron. 
"Are we done here, boss?"  He sure knew how to press Cam's buttons.

"I know I am," Cam answered, turning away and
stomping off to his office.

Wesley continued to linger outside my doorway.  I spun
around on my chair.

"Can I help you?" I snapped.

"Now that depends.  Are you single now?"  He
raised his hands to defend himself before I even opened my mouth.  "I just
want to clear up the conflicting signals you're sending me."

"Are you kidding me?  You're seriously starting with me
already?"

"You're a pretty girl.  I'm a single man.  Do you
really blame me?  I'm just testing the waters.  Don't want to step on anyone's
toes," he said, gently pinning my ballet flat beneath his large, shiny
shoe.

"You want me to be clear?  I'm not emotionally
available right now.  As you might have noticed, my last relationship is a
little fresh."  Fresh didn't even begin to explain how much it still hurt
to think about it.

"Alright, you're not ready to see other men.  Yet.  I
heard you've been done with him for months now, I just assumed you were
free."

I couldn't help but compare him once again to Cameron.  Any
woman with two eyes would have done the same.  But there was one difference
between them that would never add up.