Next time, I’m going to linger over them. Give them a full examination.
I exit the elevator and make my way over to the small coffee shop that’s tucked near the front entrance of the hotel. The line isn’t too terribly long and I make my order before going to the pickup counter where I wait for my drink while checking my phone.
“Charlotte?”
I glance up when I hear my name, frowning at the man standing in front of me. He’s tall. Dark haired and dark eyed, reminding me of Lucian Morelli. But it’s not Lucian.
Not even close.
Realization dawns and I’m frozen as all the memories come rushing back.
The man smiles. “Don’t tell me you forgot who I am.”
His accent is stronger than I remember. There’s more gray at his temples, though it just makes him look more distinguished. His handsome face is achingly familiar, and my heart squeezes the longer I stare at him.
Until the anger washes over me, a reminder of how much this man hurt me.
“I haven’t forgot,” I bite out, every muscle in my body coiling tightly. I’m in fight-or-flight mode. I want to run.
I want to hit him.
I want to scream.
“I can’t believe I’ve run into you after all this time.” He shakes his head, a faint smile on his lips, as if this is such a fun coincidence. God, I despise him. “How are you?”
“Fine.”
“Why are you at this hotel? I thought you lived in New York.”
“I do.”
“Charlotte.” His voice softens, as does his expression. “Come on. Talk to me. You’re not still—mad, are you?”
“That you started a relationship with me when you had a girlfriend the entire time we were together? No. I’m not mad. Not at all.” The barista calls my name and I go to the counter to pick up my drink, offering a cheery thank-you to her before I turn to face the man who has haunted my dreams for far too long with a scowl. “Your timing is impeccable.”
“Why do you say that?”
“I’m getting married. Today.”
His gaze drops to my hand, no doubt spotting the giant diamond on my finger. “I heard about that.”
What in the world? “How? I haven’t spoken to you in over a year, Seamus. Yet you heard about me getting married? How can I believe anything that comes out of your mouth? All you ever did was lie to me. Our entire relationship was based on a lie. You’re not worth my time. I’ve got more important things to take care of today.”
“Come on, Charlotte. Was I that easy to forget? I don’t think so.” He grabs my arm, pulling me to him, his voice low. “You returned to the States and hid away in your family’s apartment, never to be seen or heard from again.”
“That’s not true.”
“Oh right. Let’s not forget your debutante ball, where you looked downright feral the entire evening, snarling at anyone who came too close,” he says.
How would he know that? A few society pages mentioned that very fact, but he was in Paris while I was here. Or maybe he returned to Ireland. I have no clue what happened to him after I left.
Why would he care what I was doing?
He lied to me. He loved someone else.
Not me.
“You missed me,” he says with a smug smile. “That’s why you hid away from the world.”