Edible Arrangements (The Hollens Book 6)

Chapter 38: Pouring Hearts

Kyle's POV

"Mr. Livingston, there's a mail here for you," the receptionist said and she handed me an envelope. I tore it open and noticed a ticket and a note inside. I saw the words congratulations, free dinner and restaurant and that was all I needed to be on the way.

What I didn't expect was I'd be dining with Zenobia.

The meals were served and we started eating in complete silence. Every now and again, I would steal short glances at her. She looked just as her darling self and her perfume was taunting.

She wore a silk red dress with a long V cut down the middle, revealing the golden body chain accessory she had on. She sat like the queen she was and always had been.

"You know, I can have another table if you wish for me to leave," I spoke.

She stopped eating and glanced around the restaurant. I assumed she was looking for an empty table.

"You don't have to do that. We're already here and already started eating," she answered.

"Okay," I answered short and continued eating.

It was troubling how much I wanted to speak to her yet I couldn't say anything. I rehearsed countless conversations to myself in the mirror and in my mind as to what I wanted to say to her, but now that she was sitting across from me, it was crickets.

"Dinner was lovely," she said as the waitress came to gather our plates.

"Indeed."

"May I interest you in desserts?" the waitress asked.

"I'll have a scoop of cookies and cream ice-cream, please," Zenobia answered.

"I'll have a slice of cheese cake," I said as well.

The waitress left to fulfill our orders.

"What happened to us?" Zenobia asked.

"Huh?"

"What happened, I mean, I know it's a stupid question because I was there and I was present, but everyday, I think about it. I think about you everyday and I just can't believe how I managed to ruin something and someone so wonderful."

"You didn't ruin me, Zenobia. You ruined our relationship because you don't know how to listen. You don't know how to accept advice and you think everything should be your way or.. no way."

"Kyle, I'm sorry. I'm sorry for everything I've done, everything I've said to hurt you, I'm sorry."

"Don't be."

"Why shouldn't I, I practically forced your hand to resigned as my bodyguard."

"Zenobia. I don't want to talk about it. That's in the past. We're both different people and we're on different paths now."

"Does that mean we'll never be able to.
fix this?" she asked, tears forming in her eyes as she looked at me. Her voice broke at the last two words to her questions and as much as I wanted to reach her and pull her into my arms, I stayed in my seat.

"I have no more intentions of going back and forth with you. I loved you. I thought we could have had something great between us but you have issues you need to work through."

"I'm a Hollen."

"That's no excuse for being stubborn."

"You've met my family, especially my dad. We're..."

I held up my hand, stopping her speech. "Zen, you're a beautiful woman and I hope you find what you're looking for one day. It's just not me. I can't seem to make you happy."

"You do make me happy."

"Do I?"

"You made me happy and made me feel safe," she said and she looked upwards so her tears wouldn't spill. She blinks rapidly, took a tissue and jab at her eyes. She heaved a sigh, managed to regain her composure and looked at me with a smile.

"I'm glad to hear I made you feel safe. I was doing my job."

"Why are being so cold to me, I mean, I know that you've moved on but why are you acting like we had nothing going on between us, did you even liked me?"

"No. I loved you. I was falling in love with you and that was something that never happened before. But you didn't want that!"

"Kyle, I loved you too. I still do. You have no idea how hard this is and has been for me."

"You knew exactly what you had, you just never thought you would have lost it so you took it for granted. You don't know how to love and that's one of your issues. Your status has you swell headed."

"Kyle, I never thought I was better than you in any way though."

"Oh really, Zenobia, really?"

She looked shell-shocked.

"I was working as your bodyguard while I was your man. There were debates on who should pay the bill after dinners, and.."

"Kyle..."

"Like I said, we're different people on different paths. You don't know what it's like being in my shoes, having to work and prove myself..."

"Stop right there. I can't help it if I come from money. My grandfather worked mornings, noons and nights to make Hollen Tower a success when his own parents wanted to see him crumble. He shared his wealth with his children and grandchild and gave us HT as our birthright to carry it on if we so wish to.

You think I didn't have to work to prove my worth to my father, huh?  You think he wasn't hard on me, huh?  Do you know how much meetings he shut down on me, how much he ridiculed my ideas if he thought they weren't good enough?

He didn't hand me everything, I earned it! I worked my ass off for my home and the majority of the money in my bank account.

People watch from the outside and thinks everything is handed to us. If that was the case, I wouldn't even be working. My father wouldn't be, uncle, cousins. We'd all be sitting on our asses, just spending money without a care in the world but we work!"

"Zen... I..." I didn't know what to say. I was one of those people looking in from the outside too. After seeing the flare in her eyes and hearing the savage passion in her speech, I was silently judging her wrongly.

~

After desserts, we left the restaurant.

"Allow me to walk you to your car, it's the least I can do," I offered.

I walked her to her car and was somewhat disturbed when I noticed she didn't have any form of security with her.

"Zenobia, you would hire someone to.."

"No," she answered sharply.

"I don't have to tell you how dangerous it is out here, especially for women."

"You're concerned?"

"I am."

"Then you shouldn't have quit!" She got into her car, slammed the door shut and drove away.

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A/N

Yikes 😂