Burning Touch

Chapter 33

Izzy's departure was delayed as they had an unscheduled performance at the last minute. She and the rest of the team left early on Saturday morning. When they touched down at Leicester, she was beat. She arrived at her apartment an hour later and used the last of her strength to go in and climb up to her room. She dropped her things next to her bed and plopped face down on her bed and it took barely any time before she was sound asleep.

Her phone rang a couple of times early that afternoon and her alarm rang sometime late in the afternoon as she had set a reminder two hours before the AFTech's launch party but she didn't hear it.

Andre stood in front of the mirror as he fixed his tie and for the umpteenth time that afternoon, he glanced at his phone. Belle had said she was getting in today but he hadn't heard anything from her. He had called early in the afternoon but she hadn't picked up. He would have gone to check on her at the apartment but he had to get to the company early.
His phone rang and he quickly reached for it and was disappointed at the caller ID.

"Yea?" He answered.

"Don't sound so disappointed." Fred said.

"That obvious?"

"Dude, she said she was going to come. Have a little faith in her."

"Lately, I haven't had much of that."

Fred was silent.
"I'm here, get your ass down here quickly. Can't be the only one faking a charming smile."

"I'll leave as soon as I can knot this tie."

"Ugh, just leave the damned thing. It's too formal and we have to show these people that we aren't uptight and snotty."

"Right," Andre said as he pulled the tie from around his collar. "I'm on my way."

"Better be."

Andre hung up, walked out of his, and grabbed his keys on this way out. He was there in fifteen minutes.

When Izzy woke up, she was groggy, her phone was ringing and she quickly reached for it. When she saw it was the reminder she had set for the AFTech launch party, she was wide awake. She jumped out of bed and quickly went into the shower, taking her clothes off.
Over half an hour later, she fixed her lipstick and picked up her bag as she made her way down the stairs. Her phone rang as soon as she was seated in her car.

"Jen?" Izzy said as she picked up.

"Where the heck have you been?"

Izzy frowned.
"At home."

"Didn't get the messages?"

Izzy frowned.
"I fell asleep when I got back and haven't had time to check my phone since I woke up. Why? What's wrong?"

"Everything, with you not being here."

"Where?"

"Laurieann invited everyone to this thing she put together. You have to get here ASAP."

"I can't. I have this thing I..."

"Nothing is more important than this. Get here now!"

"But I already promised..."

"Iz, if your career is important to you, you'll get here now. There are a lot of big influencers at this shindig. You can get signed by anyone and your career will skyrocket."

Izzy stared ahead, sighing.

Andre would understand... Right?

"Alright. I'm on my way." She said.

"Great," Jen said. "Check your messages, the address is there."

"Alright." Izzy said before they hung up and made her way to this thing.

Andre checked his phone again and Fred elbowed him.
"Not again." Fred said.

"You said she was going to come."

"No, I said you should have a little faith if she said she was going to come."

Andre frowned.
"Which translates to don't worry, she'll come."

Fred looked at him and frowned.
"I don't know where you studied English as a child but it translates to have faith in her but..." Fred looked away "Maybe something important came up."

"What could be important, I told her this meant a lot to me, to us."

Fred shrugged.
"You'll have to take it up with her."

Andre sighed.

"Ladies and gentlemen..." The hired host spoke as everyone in the building turned to look at her. "Welcome to the launch of the first AFTech branch in the UK." Every applauded. "Everyone here tonight is either a new member of the company or you have someone you're here to support tonight." Andre clenched his jaw. "We are here tonight to ..."

Andre's phone rang and he checked the caller ID as did Fred. Andre looked up at him.

"Take it." Fred said.

Andre nodded and walked to somewhere quiet as he answered the call.
"Hey."

"Hey." Izzy said.

"I haven't heard anything from you in the last two days. Are you back?"

"Yea, I got back this morning. I was on my way to you but something came up."

Andre frowned.
"Is everything alright?"

"Yea, everything is great actually."

Andre frowned at the noise in the background.
"Are you at a party?"

"I am. That's what I called to tell you." Izzy said. "I thought I could stay here for a while and make it to you but I don't think I can."

"Belle, you know how important tonight is for me and you promised you'd be here."

"I did but Laurieann put together this after-party with a lot of big influencers which would help my career."

Andre was quiet.

"Andre?"

"Yea?"

"I'm sorry I can't make it. This is a once in a lifetime opportunity for me. I need to be here."

Andre nodded even though she couldn't see him.
"I understand, your career is more important." Pause "I have to get back. Goodluck Isabelle."

"You too." Izzy frowned at the finality in his voice but figured it was because she couldn't make it. "I'll see you..." The line was dead before she could finish.

She frowned at the phone.

"Iz!" Jen called.

"Coming." Izzy said and went to her.

Andre was fuming but he knew he had to get it under control. He had seen this coming but not so soon and especially not tonight.

He understood her career was important, his too was but he made time for other things and other people in his life. Isabelle was completely focused on her career and he knew she was career-driven but she was ruining what they had.

Yea, had.

"Thank you all for coming tonight..." Andre heard Fred's voice coming from the gathering and he went back in with a cool, calm, and collected attitude. He wouldn't let his mood ruin tonight for him.

After tonight, he knew what he had to do. He wasn't going to hang back and let things get worse.

He was going back to Seattle.

****************************************************

Hey guys,

Here's an update before I get sidetracked again with college stuff. The semester is coming to an end and I need to prepare for finals. So, my updates might be less frequent than they have been or not at all.

I apologize in advance and I hope you liked this Chapter.

J.L. ♥️