Chapter Forty-Nine

Chapter Forty-Nine
I plop a nice, ripe cherry tomato in my mouth and happily munch away feeling lighter than I have in weeks. I’m almost finished making lunch when I hear my phone buzz. I look over at the screen and see a text from Irina.

~ We’re downstairs. ~

I let out a squeal of excitement and run to the elevator doors, pushing the call button rapidly. The elevator finally arrives, and I jump in and head downstairs, tapping my foot impatiently as I watch the numbers tick down. The doors finally open and as I look out into the lobby, I see my two favourite girls standing at the front desk.

“You made it!” I scream, racing out of the elevator.

Irina and Áine let out cheers of delight, meeting me halfway as the three of us collide. I wrap my arms around them both, pulling them into tight hugs feeling overjoyed to be reunited with my two best friends in the whole wide world.

“We’ve missed you so much,” Áine snivels.

“Do you have any idea how boring that lounge is without you?” Irina adds, “Not to mention Karen is driving everyone utterly insane.”

I smile at the two of them feeling the tears springing to my eyes, “I’ve missed you guys too, so much.”

“You’re looking so much better,” Áine praises looking happy and relieved as she affectionately plays with a strand of my hair.

“Almost looking like a healthy human being again. I can hide what’s left if I style my hair correctly.” I take their hands in mine and lead them to the elevator, calling for it again.

“I half expected to show up and find you emaciated or something,” remarks Irina.

“It was rough at first, but Julian has been a big help and has been taking good care of me,” I assure her. She just snorts, her face clear with disapproval.

Áine gives Irina a scowl, “You promised.”

“What did I say?” Irina asks innocently.

“Am I missing something?” I ask in confusion, stepping into the elevator with them. I shield the keypad with my body and type in the code for the penthouse. I trust these women with my life, but it’s not my place to be handing out access codes to someone else’s home. The least I can do is respect Julian’s space after all he’s done for me.

“Áine made me promise not to bad mouth his royal assness while in his own home, and I haven’t,” she says, sticking her tongue at Áine.

I sigh, “I know you still hate Julian…”

“The way you said that makes it sound like you don’t,” interjects Irina with a stunned look on her face. “If you’re about to tell us you’re back together…”

“We would be very understanding and supportive,” Áine adds with a reassuring smile on her face.

“We would be no such thing,” Irina contradicts.

I rub my temples suddenly feeling a headache coming on. Maybe inviting them over to Julian’s for lunch wasn’t a good idea.

“I am not back together with Julian,” I inform them.

“Thank Christ for that,” Irina responds, clutching her chest in relief.

The elevator doors open, and I step out with them into Julian’s penthouse, “Well, this is my current home sweet home,” I announce, gesturing around the place.

Whatever jabs Irina had planned are quickly forgotten as she stares open-mouthed at the impressive size of Julian’s penthouse. I still find myself doing that sometimes.

“Wow…” Áine breathes out, looking gobsmacked. “So this is what it looks like to live like a celebrity.”

“If he’s looking for any more roommates, hook me up,” Irina mutters.

I roll my eyes, “You just called him ‘his royal assness’,” I remind her.

“Hey, with a place like this, I can tolerate an ass or two. Now it makes sense.”

“Let’s just be clear on a few things. I’m not back together with Julian and I didn’t suddenly develop amnesia. I already know what happened, I lived it, so I don’t need you constantly reminding me. Julian has given me a home, a place to feel safe, security and has done everything in his power to look after me and asked for nothing in return.”

“It’s the least he can do,” Irina murmurs, crossing her arms, earning a swift whack to the arm from Áine.

“Would you stop?!” I snap at her. “Enough! You don’t have to like him but seeing as how he has been there for me when I needed someone, you can at least show him some respect. If not for him then for me. I don’t need you to act like my guard dog, Irina,” I say in frustration.

She sighs, her arms going lax as she looks at me guiltily, “I’m just worried about you. What he did to you was fucked up and I just don’t want to see you get hurt again, especially not after everything you’ve been through.”

“I get that, but honestly I just don’t care anymore.”

Áine looks at me in surprise, “You don’t? So…you’ve forgiven him?”

“Yeah, I have actually. I haven’t forgotten and the memory still hurts but after this whole stalker bullshit and being attacked and thinking I was going to be raped or killed and what happened to Ily…” I suck in a deep breath as that memory hits me once again. It’s easier to move past my attack than it is to move past what was done to her. I push the memory down and carry on with what I was saying. “It just pales in comparison. It doesn’t absolve him, but I have bigger issues, and I don’t need to hold onto more pain. I don’t want to. I’m choosing to let it go for my own sake. I was prepared to ice Julian out and hate him forever, but he has been a fucking rock for me. Whatever our past and our differences, it doesn’t matter. He has been here every step of the way when I needed him and refused to abandon me when I pushed him away. Thanks to him I’m starting to feel like my old self again and it feels really goddamn nice,” I sigh in relief. “I understand if you don’t approve but I won’t apologise for doing what’s best for my mental health right now and holding onto what happened between me and someone I’d only been on a handful of dates with, just isn’t worth it.”

“Why are you always the mature one?” Irina whines with a reluctant smile, walking over and pulling me into a hug.

I hug her back, swaying us together gently. “Someone has to be or who knows how much hot water you’d have gotten into by now.”

“Does this mean we can have a tour now?” Áine says excitedly.

I chuckle and nod at her, wrapping an arm around her, “Allow me to give you the grand tour.”

“Is Julian out?” Áine asks as I show them around the first floor.

“No, he’s upstairs having a Zoom meeting with his agent in his office, so let’s not disturb him. Anyway, I don’t want to talk about me or Julian, I want to hear about you guys! Tell me everything,” I urge them, weaving my arms through theirs as I show them the terrace.

“Well, I have exciting news,” Irina announces.

“Go on,” I encourage her.

“Remember a while ago I told you that music producer was in the club?”

“Matthew Ellis?”

“Michael Ellis, but close enough. Anyway, turns out someone had mentioned me to him, so he’d actually started coming to see me perform and…pause for dramatic effect.”

“And what?! The suspense is killing me,” I say with a hopeful smile.

“He’s going to sign me with his record label!” she cries out.

I squeal in excitement, jumping for joy alongside Áine, the three of us acting like giddy teens once again and my God does it feel good. I’ve missed this! This is my normal. Gabbing with the girls and being able to celebrate their successes. Not being the mope bringing drama into their lives.

“This is what you’ve always wanted! Oh, Irina, I’m so, so happy for you,” I say sincerely.

“Thank you,” she smiles, squeezing my hand. “Honestly, as determined as I was, I had a lot of days where I didn’t think this would happen, and it if weren’t for the two of you making sure I never gave up, I might not be here.”

Áine shakes her head, “I don’t believe that. You’re far too tenacious. There was no way you were ever going to give up on your dream. You’d rather cut off a limb than give up.”

I nod in agreement. Irina is cutthroat as hell, not just in how protective she is of her friends but just life in general. If she had to push someone down a flight of stairs or throw rhinestones onto a stage to get someone else out of the way so she could succeed, she’d probably do it. Thankfully, it never came to that. All I’m saying is, if police ever came to say she’d been arrested for something like that, I would have to feign shock.

“That’s a good point. Afterall, I don’t need my arms or legs to sing. I can afford to lose those,” she agrees. Áine and I both chuckle at that morbid thought.

“But I understand the sentiment. After all, If it weren’t seeing the way the two of you always push through the hardships you go through, I wouldn’t be able to say I’m officially going back to art school next year,” Áine proudly announces.

“Ofiget'!” Irina exclaims with wide eyes.

“La creta!” I cry at the same time, a bright smile splitting across my face. “You got in?!

Áine smiles brightly, nodding at us, her eyes twinkling as her cute cherub cheeks turn bright red. “I found out a couple weeks ago. I got in and start next year. I wanted to tell you both when we were together, but I also didn’t want to be flaunting my good news with everything you’ve been going through,” she says compassionately.

I wave her off. “That is ridiculous. You guys are practically my sisters. It makes me happy to see you both so happy and honestly, it’s nice to hear so much good news for a change. I think this calls for champagne with lunch!”

“Now we’re talking. Lani’s right, we should celebrate,” cheers Irina, joining in.

“All of this shit has taught me to appreciate the good in my life and celebrate the wins when I can, and these are amazing wins. Both of your dreams are coming true, and I couldn’t be happier,” I say, smiling proudly at them.

“Yeah, well, record label or not I’m still willing to move in here if Gospodin

Easton has the space.”

“I somehow don’t see that happening.” Áine and I share an eyeroll which makes us giggle.

“Can we finish the tour and then have lunch?” Áine asks excitedly.

“Sure,” I say brightly as I quickly lead them back inside and take them upstairs to see my room. I won’t be showing them Julian’s bedroom or office, that just seems unnecessary and invasive.