Moments In Time: The Complete Novella Collection (6 page)

Melisa had offered to go apartment hunting
with me. The search lasted a week, but we eventually found a
two-bedroom fifteen minutes from work with a spacious closet, a
balcony, and granite kitchen countertops.

Once I’d signed the lease, we went shopping
for furniture and other items to make my new apartment feel like
home. We bought pastel-colored curtains, throw pillows, bedding,
vases, and lamps. I also bought Melisa some new clothes. Nothing
was more fulfilling than sharing my blessings with someone I cared
about.

Over lunch at a seafood restaurant, I asked
Melisa to move in with me, since I had an extra room. But she
declined my offer. She was resigned to her life at Oasis like I
used to be.

“You encouraged me to move on, Melisa. Now
I’m asking you to do the same.”

Melisa shook her head. “I don’t want to be a
burden.”

I squeezed her hand. “You can never be a
burden to me. We’re friends, I want to help you.”

“It’s your life. I don’t want to stand in
your way.”

I sprinkled salt on my hake. “You’re a hard
nut to crack.”

“I’m the kind of nut you’ll never crack.”
She shrugged. “I like living at Oasis.”

Funny, I recalled her telling everyone at
Oasis about the nice house with a picket fence and a porch swing
she and her husband used to own.

My guess was life on the outside terrified
her. It had let her down before. She was afraid of gaining
happiness only to have it snatched away again.

“Well, if you ever need anything... food, a
place to stay, come to me, okay?”

“I promise.” Melisa finished her food and
ordered more to take away.

At least I’d made her day. That was enough
for now.

We left the restaurant and hugged on the
sidewalk.

“I’ll see you next Saturday. I’m on lunch
duty,” I said.

“I don’t understand why you don’t sit back
and enjoy your new life. Why do you even return? Haven’t you done
enough?”

“I come back because as good as I have it
now, Oasis was my home for a long time. I can’t forget about
it.”

“Lilliana wants to see you,” Amanda said as
soon as I returned from lunch with Melisa.

“Did she say why?” The last time I saw
Lilliana was over two months ago, when she came to congratulate me
in person on my promotion.

“How should I know? I’m just delivering a
message.” She teetered away on six-inch heels.

Since the last time I overheard them
gossiping about me, she’d never warmed to me. Neither did my other
colleagues, apart from Julie, the trainee. Having being named the
face of a jewelry line had only exacerbated the tension at work. In
truth, I didn’t blame them. Maybe in their shoes I’d feel the
same.

I climbed the stairs to Sam’s office, with
my colleagues’ sharp stares pricking my back.

Could Lilliana be disappointed with my last
photo shoot? It hadn’t gone smoothly; I’d had a terrible migraine
that refused to go away and the camera flash certainly hadn’t
helped.

Lilliana rose from her office chair when I
entered the office. As usual, she looked stylish. Today, she wore
an elegant, black-and-beige two-piece suit with black stilettos.
“Afternoon, Carlene.” She walked over to the brown leather couch
and sat cross-legged. “Come sit with me.” She patted the seat next
to her.

I hesitated and looked at Sam, trying to
read his expression.

“Go on,” Sam urged. He lowered himself into
one of the padded chairs at Lilliana’s desk. “She won’t bite.”

“Of course not.” I flashed him a smile and
did as Lilliana had asked. Her perfume enveloped me and transported
me back to the day we’d first met. How things had changed since
then.

Lilliana twisted her body to face me, her
knees touching mine. “No need to look nervous. I want to ask you a
favor.”

What favor could I offer a woman who had it
all?

“As the face of the Diamond Dream line,
would you like to attend the launch party?”

My eyes widened and I merely stared,
tongue-tied.

She laughed. “You
are
the star of the
line. Say yes.”

My first fancy party. Someone thought I was
good enough to dine among the rich and the famous. I smiled
broadly. “Yes, I’d love to come. Thank you for the invitation.”

“Perfect.” Lilliana patted my knee and
winked at Sam.

Sam nodded, and from a hook behind the door,
he removed a black garment bag, which he placed in my arms.

“What’s this?” I looked at each of them in
turn.

“Something for you to wear to the party. I
hope you like it.”

Unable to believe my luck, I unzipped a
portion of the bag to reveal a black bust encrusted with tiny
crystals. Tears sprang to my eyes. It was stunning. I unzipped
further and ran my palm along the soft, canary-yellow chiffon of
the skirt. I gazed up at Lilliana. “I don’t know what to say.”

“A simple ‘thank you’ will do.”

“Thank you so much.” I cradled the dress in
my arms, the crystals grazing my fingers. “It’s beautiful.”

“Just like you.” Lilliana laid a hand on my
knee. “Meeting you that night, Carlene, was the best thing that
could ever have happened to Stalford.”

“That means a lot.”

“It’s the truth.” She rose to her feet. “I
have to go to a fundraising event. I’ll see you at the launch party
in two weeks.”

Sam walked Lilliana out, and they left me
hugging the dress, as if trying to become one with it. Tears
squeezed out of the corners of my eyes, and I blinked quickly. If
only Chris were here to see what I’d become. He always believed I’d
go on to do great things.

I smoothed down my dress and walked through
the doors of the Lux Hotel. I only used to admire it from the
outside. I never thought I’d step inside. At least not as a
guest.

At least two hundred guests, all elegantly
dressed, filled the spacious ballroom. They weaved their way around
candlelit dinner tables, lowered themselves onto damask-covered
chairs, lifted champagne flutes from silver trays carried by
waiters in black and white, or tasted finger foods from an
overflowing buffet table with a sparkling champagne fountain on one
side.

The crystal chandeliers hanging from the
high ceiling twinkled in time with those on the bodice of my dress.
I felt like a princess. A very nervous one. I’d already spotted a
TV show host, five Hollywood actors, an athlete, and a woman with
her own cooking show.

I tightened my grip around the new
crystal-encrusted purse I’d bought to go with the dress, and with
my other hand I picked up a smoked salmon canapé from a passing
waiter’s tray. I wouldn’t be able to get anything down; I just
needed something to occupy both my hands so no one could see them
shaking.

Walking past a marble staircase, I searched
for a secluded part of the room. No chance. What if someone came
and talked to me? What conversation could I possibly have with any
of the glamorous, successful people around me?

I gave up the search and remained where I
was, at one end of the buffet table. Soft classical music washed
over me and calmed my nerves.

Soon, a familiar female voice filled the
room, and everyone turned to the stage.

Lilliana, clad in a striking magenta,
floor-length gown, her hair piled up on top of her head in a glossy
braided bun, stood in front of a microphone, a champagne glass in
her hand.

“Ladies and gentleman, thank you for being
here tonight. Allow me to say a few words. It’s a special evening
as we celebrate the launch of our new line, Diamond Dreams.”

The room erupted in a deafening
applause.

Lilliana paused until silence descended.
“Before you return to your food and drink, I’d like to thank
someone special, the woman who has given the line a face. Without
further ado, please raise your glasses to Carlene Adams.”

I choked back the rest of the canapé, which
I’d decided to eat.

Lilliana scanned the faces around her until
she spotted me. She waved a hand in my direction.

The guests clapped again, and a woman next
to me gave me a brief pat on the back.

My eyes met Lilliana’s from across the room,
and panic closed my throat.
Please don’t ask me to come up and
say something.

Drops of sweat formed on my upper lip as
people stared at me, awaiting my response. I was not used to being
the center of attention. Behind the camera was fine, but on a
stage? What if I made a fool of myself and disappointed Lilliana
and Sam?

Left with no other option, I smiled and
raised my glass.

Lilliana nodded at me, but didn’t ask me to
come up.

I breathed out when the attention turned
back to her.

She talked a while about Stalford and the
line, and thanked a few other people, including Sam and her
husband, a bald but distinguished man I was seeing for the first
time.

“I promised I would only say a few words, so
I’m done. Please enjoy the food, drink, and music. Don’t forget to
have a look at the jewelry.”

At that moment, a curtain that lined the
length of the wall behind her slid to the floor, as if in slow
motion, to reveal a massive glass display of jewelry. On both sides
of the display hung blown-up photographs of me wearing some of the
pieces. My hair shone, my eyes sparkled, my skin was flawless.

My hands flew to my mouth, and I stifled a
gasp. Joy, excitement, happiness—all wrapped up in one firecracker
of emotion. If only I could take a closer look. This was a dream
come true. I was a model. Lilliana had even mentioned we’d soon
start shooting a TV advert.

Funny how life turned out. I’d thought my
happiness had died with Chris, but I was wrong.

I sipped my champagne, enjoying the tingle
on my tongue. But before I even had a chance to swallow, people
surrounded me, congratulating me for a job well done, telling me
how great I looked. I felt as if I had fallen asleep and stumbled
into someone else’s dream.

As the evening wore on, I relaxed and even
enjoyed the attention.

After mingling, eating, and drinking, I
needed a moment to myself. I picked up another glass of champagne
and made my way through the throngs of people.

The sliding doors opened onto a lush lawn,
which led to a beautiful lake. Wooden benches with lit lanterns at
each end dotted the lawn. I walked up to the nearest one, wiped the
surface with a napkin, and sat, placing my glass next to me. The
air smelled of roses and freshly cut grass, and it invigorated me
as I admired the reflection of the moon on the water.

“Nice evening, isn’t it?” A voice asked from
behind me.

I turned to look even though I already knew
who it was.

“Hi.” Nick lowered himself next to me on the
bench. “I was looking for you.”

I blinked, just in case I was imagining
things. I wasn’t. Nick sat next to me, wearing a plain black suit
and white shirt. No tie, even though most men present tonight wore
one.

“Hi?” I said skeptically. Why hadn’t it
occurred to me that he’d attend the function? He was, after all,
one of Stalford’s most valued customers. But why was he now acting
like we knew each other?

“I’m sorry to disturb your moment alone. I
wanted to give you something.” He reached into his pocket. “This is
for you.” He handed me a pink Stalford jewelry box.

Out of instinct, I looked to see if Sam or
Lilliana were around. They probably wouldn’t approve of a customer
handing their employee a jewelry box. But I couldn’t resist. Nick
was no ordinary customer. Not to me. I wrapped my fingers around
the box. “What is it?”

“Something I thought you might like.”

Lips pursed, I tugged at one end of the
slim, white ribbon and lifted the cover off the box. My jaw
dropped. “Nick... No, I can’t take this.” My eyes filled with
tears, as I gazed at the bracelet I had so longed for. The bracelet
with the tiny silver diamond key pendant. How did he even know?

“Of course you can take it. It’s an apology.
For my behavior when I came to Stalford last time. Pretending I
didn’t know you.”

“You don’t owe me an apology. We barely know
each other, anyway.”

“Thing is, I feel as if we do.” he paused.
“I shouldn’t have kissed you that day. It was inappropriate. I
guess, when I came to Stalford, I was distant because I didn’t want
Elizabeth finding out about us. She’s the jealous type.”

I swallowed the lump in my throat. To me,
that kiss had been everything. “Why did you do it? Cheat on her?
You shouldn’t have done that.”

“We were broken up at the time. Still, it
shouldn’t have happened.” He paused. “Please take the
bracelet.”

“N-Nick. I can’t take this.” I closed the
box again and handed it back to him. “It’s too expensive.”

He didn’t take the box. “You love the
bracelet. I saw you admiring it at the store. When I saw it in the
display tonight, I had to get it for you, before someone else
bought it.” He didn’t reach for the box.

I looked away to hide my embarrassment. He
had watched me?

“There’s nothing wrong with admiring
something you love. Or owning it. In fact, if you wish for
something hard enough, it might just come to you.”

Those words reached into the depths of my
soul and switched on the light. It was him I wanted more than
anything. Maybe he was right; if I wished long and hard for him to
be mine, it could happen someday. For now, he was giving me
something precious, something to remind me of him. I could hang on
to it until my dream came true. If it ever did. “Thank you,
Nick.”

“You’re welcome. Enjoy it.” He winked.

“I will.” For a moment we gazed into each
other’s eyes. We exchanged no words, and yet volumes passed between
us.

“You look beautiful, by the way.
Congratulations on being the face of the line. They couldn’t have
picked a more beautiful woman. Enjoy the party. You deserve
it.”