Burning Heart // CL16

Sixty Two

Alessia's POV

"Seriously though... how was London - tell me about it?" Charles urges as we sit down with our pizzas that night - both of us too lazy to cook and Ruby was busy messing around with Dylan on the floor as we sat on the sofa, a random romcom playing in the background. Charles had only looked more exhausted as the day had gone on until I forced him to go sleep when Ruby did as well, meaning that he was now seeming more rested but a little tiredness was evident from the way his eyes were bleary as he looked at the pizza in front of him.

"Ah it was good... I did really just miss Ruby though. I knew how much I struggled with one evening out with Kiraz but I'd thought because I knew she was here with you that I wouldn't be as fussed. I knew she was going to be in safe hands but... god it's so difficult!" I gush, unable to help myself because it was true. I did love London and I had a great time with work and with friends but it was a very different beast to what I could have ever anticipated. "The phone calls and FaceTimes, they made it better but also worse. It was so strange..."

"I know what you mean," Charles says with a smile and as I think we'll let our normal silence take over, he starts again. "But what did you get up to? Who did you see?" He presses and when I look back at him, I see that he's sat on the sofa, fully looking towards me and the movie that he wanted to put on is very much just there for noise and not at all intended for us to watch. I can see he is waiting for me to answer and while I kind of want to run... I also don't?

"Er - so I touched down, immediately met with Kiraz who came with me to check out two locations for the cafe with Christian. They were both good but we chose one close to where Kiraz lives... she pushed me for that one saying she wanted free coffee close by and who am I to deny Kiraz free coffee?" I joke and watch him chuckle as his attention is unwavering and he continues to eat his pizza and waits for me to continue. "So yeah - then the new CFO, a guy called James joined us for dinner at the sushi place," I pause, trying to use my hands to make him remember and watch as he nods happily along to the story - hanging on to my every word in a way that was making me feel a little uneasy but almost as excited as he was.

What was he doing to me? It had been two days without him and now I come back, the slightest bit of attention and I'm back to feeling as confused as when I left? So much for hoping for a change.

"CFO?" Charles asks, waiting for an explanation and I realise that I need to explain.

"Chief Financial Officer," I explain and he nods. "So yeah, that was good - dinner, Kiraz and I had a couple of extra drinks just the two of us and then I crashed at hers. Then the next day I met with James in the morning to go over a couple of things before I had the afternoon off so Kiraz and I went shopping and met with some friends, chilling at the flat with them in the afternoon before going out at night. There's been a couple of dumb stories about it being a double date posted online but I've already gotten in touch with my lawyers to set that straight," I tell him simply with a chuckle at the bizarre story that Kiraz had shown me was circulating following our night last night.

"So not a date?" Charles interjects eagerly, surprising me as I pause before confirming. "So Lucien is just a friend?"

"Lucien?" I ask quietly, looking at him expectantly as I stare back at him, painfully aware that I'd never said the name of the people we were out with and yet he seemed to know. While I scrutinise him I'm relieved that he at least has the decency to be sheepish as he looks down at the pizza slice that was in his hand as though it was the most interesting thing in the world. "Charles..."

"It's nothing - I just saw an article..." Charles says embarrassedly and I nod slowly waiting for more. I wanted to be amused at his embarrassment as he so often is with mine but instead I was left scared. My nerves were jittery as I looked at him - not liking where this was going as Charles fiddled with the sleeves of his grey sweatshirt nervously. "Are you sure he doesn't think it was a date?"