Chapter 24 - Revelations.

She was doing everything humanly possible to get the thought of Nicholas out of her mind.
After they had talked at the bar, she had left awkwardly, worried that her urges for him might push her to do what she didn't want to do. He had made a good point and she had even taken what he said into consideration but she knew it was going to be hard getting Alexander to call off the wedding.
What could she possibly do or say that would lead to him reacting in such a harsh manner?

"Why is your head in the clouds again? what could you possibly be thinking about?"

Malory asked as she sat close to Cara while the rest of her entourage gathered around the attendants.

They were having their last dress fitting and they were making final touches to the dress. Cara had only come along out of obligation and Malory talking to her about how they needed to plan her bachelorette party.

She was tired and she had work to do.

"Rehearsal dinner."

She lied as she sighed. It was one of the things that was on her mind but she didn't care for it that much. The invites had already been sent out and the rehearsal dinner would be in a few weeks.

"Oh! Have you thought about what you want to wear yet?"

"Do you want to pick a dress or buy one?"

Malory asked and Cara shrugged. She didn't think dress shopping for her rehearsal dinner was that important.

"I'll check my closet if I have anything rehearsal dinner appropriate."

"Are you sure you're okay?"

Malory asked again and Cara shrugged as she laughed nervously.

"What could possibly be wrong with me?"

She asked and Malory raised her eyebrows. She hoped that one day Cara would trust her enough to tell her whatever it was that was bothering her.

"So, we were thinking of a destination bachelorette party. It's so chic these days."

Stephanie said and Cara raised her eyebrow. she had a mischevious glint in her eyes and Cara was pretty sure that she wasn't going to like whatever she came with.

"Well, I've never been to Ibiza. and since I'm eighteen now I think that's it's the perfect time to go."

Stephanie added as she started snowing all of them pictures of Ibiza from her iPhone.

"I was thinking Vegas. I mean, you can never go wrong with Vegas."

Jean replied and Cara shrugged. She wasn't really interested but a getaway seemed like it would be a lot of fun.

"Great idea guys. Really, but I'm not sure we should go over the top."

'I mean, its only a bachelorette party."

Cara added and the girls gasped.

"That's exactly why it should be over the top!"

"It's literally the last time you'll get to party like a single woman!"

Stephanie said and Cara turned to Malory to see her reaction.

Malory seemed to agree with them. 

"She does have a good point though."

Cara caved in.

"Don't worry guys. I'll think about it. I'm sure we'll be able to come up with something fun."

They went back to talking about other things and their expectations for the bachelorette party. If she was going to have one she had to prepare a list of people who would attend, Cara thought as she groaned.

Maybe the bachelorette party would be a great way to cool off, she thought as she nodded.

"Oh! I didn't remember to ask you. How were things at the resort."

Cara shrugged.

"Oh I told you, they were pretty good."

Malory nodded.

"I know. You mentioned that, but Nicholas was there too, did anything interesting happen?"

Malory asked and Cara's heart skipped a beat. Why was Malory suddenly asking her about that?

Was she suspicious about something?

"I don't know. What do you think happened."

she replied defensively and Malory was taken aback for a second. The mild shock in her face was enough to tell Cara that she had spoken in a weird tone.

"We didn't really get to see. There were so many activities and I'm sure he found a girl to occupy him in his free time and all."

She replied as she chuckled slowly.

Jean who had been eavesdropping on their conversation the whole time walked up to Malory and Cara.

"Wait, Nicholas was with you in New Jersey?"

Cara plastered a fake smile and nodded.

Oh boy!

She thought.

"Yes. It was a business convention."

Jean raised her eyebrows.

"Did he bring someone with him?"

Cara rolled her eyes.

"Like I said it was a business convention Jean, it wasn't exactly a couples retreat or anything remotely close to that."

"Oh! Okay."

"I was just wondering."

She said in a small voice and Cara shrugged.

"Even if he did bring someone, I don't think It's my business to tell."

"Yea. You're right."

She muttered as she walked away.

Nicholas had gone to New Jersey and with the way he had been acting towards her Jean was sure that he didn't go alone, he must have gone with someone.

She just had to find out who he was with.

When he had called her the day before, she had contemplated calling him back, but after the humiliation she had suffered at his place she decided not to.

It didn't mean she didn't like him less, she still wanted him badly.

But he was hiding something. she could tell.

And what she could gather, Nicholas very rarely hid his relationships, if he was hiding one, Jean suspected that there might be a reason for that.


"You know, in all my years of knowing you, I have never seen you turn down a girl like that."

Freddie, Nick's friend and one of his drinking companion said.

Nicholas laughed.

He had just finished closing a major deal and he decided to celebrate it with a couple of his friends and business partner at the bar. One of the girls at the bar had hit on him and he had respectfully declined her offer, much to the chagrin of everyone at the entire table.

"I'm just not in the mood."

He replied and they all mumbled.

"Well what's wrong man?'

"You've not been in the mood for quite a long time now and it's getting very suspicious."

Tariq another one of his friends and drinking buddy said as he called the waiter.

He ordered a round of shots for them.

Nicholas knew it was already getting obvious, but he just couldn't help himself, it was becoming an unconscious act for him to turn down all the offers that he had gotten.

"Or is there someone you're not telling us about?"

Freddie asked suspiciously and Nicholas shook his head wearily, he wasn't going to be the butt of their jokes for the night.

"Guys! Guys! I just closed one of my biggest deals and you're more worried about my love life?"

He asked and they started mumbling.

"Nicholas?"

A soft familiar voice interrupted them and he turned and saw Jean standing in front of their table in a sexy black dress with cut outs and bold red lipstick.

"Hi."

Nick said and she smiled at him.

"I wasn't expecting to see you here, can we talk for a second?"

She asked and he sighed.

"Okay."

"I'll be right back."

He muttered to the guys at the table till he followed Jean to the secluded and less noisy part of the bar.

Nicholas had never run into her in a bar before, he had a strange feeling that their meeting was not accidental.

"You look good."

He complimented her and she lowered her eyes and blushed.

"Thank you! I had no idea, that I'd meet you here. I was talking with the girls and they told me you went to New Jersey for some convention at a really cool resort."

"How was it?"

She added and Nick shrugged.

He wondered if Cara had told her and more importantly he wondered why it mattered to her.

"It was good."

"Listen, I have to get back to my table."

He sad as he pointed in the direction of his table.

"I'd really like to know why you called me out here."

Jean nodded.

'Yea. Sorry if it seems like I'm wasting your time."

"Are you seeing someone?"

She asked out of the blues and he sighed.

'Jean... we've talked about this."

Jean nodded.

"I know. I'm sorry but it's not that easy to get over you. I just really need to know."

"I need some sort of closure."

"No, I'm not seeing anyone. But you're right. There is someone."

He said and he walked away. Jean sighed.

She looked around and spotted friend Elle whom she came with dancing towards her.

Elle was her on and off friend who accompanied her to bars and clubs. They weren't that close but they did have quite a few hobbies in common.

"Ooooh!"

"Is that the guy?!!"

She exclaimed.

Jean nodded.

"I see why you don't want to let him go. Guy's a hunk!"

"I did see him yesterday though."

Jean turned to Elle.

"Really?"

Elle nodded.

"Are you sure?"

She asked again.

Elle nodded.

"Yes, I saw him at that really nice hotel where I hooked up with that French guy I was telling you about."

"But I saw him with a girl. They were talking and it looked pretty intense."

"Elle are you sure of what you're saying?!"

Elle rolled her eyes.

"Come on! Why would I lie?"

"I'm telling you the truth."

Jean nodded.

"Okay. I believe you."

"This girl, can you describe her?"

Elle nodded.

"Oh yes! She was stunning."

"She's petite, kind of average height. Quite pale if you ask me. Pretty long dark brown hair. I think she had nice high cheekbones from afar. I couldn't tell what colour her eyes were though but she was super pretty."

Jean rolled her eyes. That could be any random lady on the street. Brunettes were nor exactly uncommon to see.

"Anything else? Anything specific?"

Elle shrugged then nodded.

"Yea! She had these gorgeous ankle boots, the kind I've always wanted."

Ankle boots?

There was one person who came to mind when she thought about ankle boots and strangely, that person also fit Elle's description.

"Wait. You said ankle boots, were they nude?"

Elle nodded.

"Yea! Yea. They were!"

Jean paused to digest what she was hearing.

She slowly brought out her phone and went to Cara's Instagram page.

She scrolled through till she found a picture with her face boldly in it and showed Elle.

"Is it this girl?"

She asked and Elle nodded.

"Yes. She's the one I saw."