Bittersweet Redemption

Chapter Three

Chapter Three

Elizabeth

The shop was so quiet, and for once I was actually happy about it. It was later than I normally stayed in the store, but tonight was different. As I sat in my little, quaint office working on a few sketches, I couldn't help but let my mind wonder back to Charlotte. I couldn't lie, there were a few times during the remainder of the day that I thought about calling her telling her that I couldn't work with her. Something stopped me, every time.

I knew the moment I told Charlotte I wouldn't work for her, that all of the so called 'growing up' I had done over the past four years would all go down the drain. I wouldn't let that happen-I would not roll over and give him that satisfaction.

No, I was going to do this.

And I made a promise to myself that it would be the best damn work I'd ever do.

"Hey, are you doing okay?" Sarah yanked me from my thoughts quickly as she walked around my desk and practically fell into the chair across from me.

A small smile played on my lips, "I have no idea why wouldn't be."

Sarah rolled her eyes, "Don't you dare play coy, Elizabeth Daniels. You know exactly what I'm talking about."

Ah, damn Sarah and her intuition. She always did know when something was bothering me. "I'm fine, just trying to figure out how to handle things." I replied, shortly.

"For some reason, I don't think I believe you." She took a deep breath and moved to the edge of her seat. "It's okay, you know, not being okay...You know that...Right?"

I forced a small laugh and shook my head, "I know it is and I promise you, I'm okay. Or, I will be. It's not that Austin is engaged. I think we both saw how good of a girl Charlotte Whitaker is. I think it's mostly my pride. And the fact that she's so gorgeous it's sickening."

Sarah laughed, "That girl has nothing on you, but that's beside the point Elizabeth. You are a good woman, too. Besides, I don't want to over step my boundaries, but I think you've held yourself back a lot because of him. You can let yourself move forward now. I mean, I've never once seen you go out on a date. Seriously, when was the last time you even got laid?"

She had a point. The first two years, I'd sat around believing that he would come back and when I finally realized it was never going to happen, I had other things on my mind. I didn't have time for dates. There was simply no room in my life for men, period. "It's not that he'd held me back, I've been busy."

"That was a legit question, girl." Sarah said, seriously.

Laughing the question off, I shook my head. I could feel my cheeks heating up, "It doesn't matter!" I replied.

At that moment, Sarah's lips formed an "O" and she fell back in her chair looking shocked. "Oh my god..." She murmured, quietly. "You haven't been laid since him, have you? Holy shit, four years? Please tell me I'm wrong."

The heat and embarrassment took over all of my body quickly. Was it that obvious? "I've told you multiple times that I don't have time for men in my life right now."

"That's not even right, Elizabeth. I don't have time for plenty of things in my life, but I make time for them because I need them. And let me just say, that is something you need. At least twice a week. Sometimes even three. God, no wonder you're so...wound up, all the damn time."

I couldn't help but laugh. I couldn't deny the statement almost insulted me. I had my reasons for what I'd done with my life thus far. Not only did I not have the time for sex, but I'd also learned over the years that I thrived best in the situations that I could control.