*Shelby*The Express Air building was completely empty by the time I got there. It felt almost eerie to hear the sound of my own footsteps on the marble tile, echoing off the high ceilings. I pushed the button for the elevator, and the doors automatically opened, as if it was waiting there just for me. The lights were still on when I got out of the elevator on the top floor, and I could see Michael sitting alone in his office, staring across the empty room at nothing. Bruce being attacked had clearly upset him deeply.Michael took a slow sip of the whiskey in his hand as I walked through the glass doors that separated him from the rest of the office space.“Hey, Michael. Are you doing okay? Have you had any news about Bruce?” I asked.Michael flinched a little as I spoke; he had been so lost in thought that he did not see me come in. “Shelby? I’m so sorry I didn’t hear the elevator. I’m just trying to put the pieces together in my head. I don’t know ho
*Shelby***Two Months Later**“Honey, I’m home,” I called as I shifted sideways through the townhouse doors, my arms loaded with shopping bags.“I’m in the kitchen,” Michael called back to me, and I could hear him chuckling to himself at my endearment.I’d finally finished my last term paper that very morning and went shopping to celebrate. I’d been living at the townhouse as much as physically possible, only going back to Cambridge when absolutely necessary. For the last week, the house with Michael was where I’d called home. I walked into the kitchen where he was finishing up some last-minute work on his laptop. I unloaded the shopping bags off of my arms and onto the open countertop. Michael smiled, and with a small shake of his head, he clicked the top of his laptop closed.“What’s all this?” Michael asked.“It’s some stuff for our vacation. I needed a few more things for the warm weather,” I said, leaning in to kiss him. We were getting re
*Shelby*“The admissions department took into consideration your interest in criminal law. Based on this interest, we would also like to offer you an internship at Preston Associates, a firm that has been working with NYU for over a decade.”I couldn’t believe this. They offered me my dream job, plus an opportunity to get my degree at the same time. “Shelby, that’s exactly what you wanted. You’re accepting it, right?”My fingers were squeezing my phone so tightly that it almost flew out of my hand. “They need to know right away because the position gets filled up quickly. The email doesn’t specify a date, but I guess right away means as soon as possible.”There wasn’t much to think about, really. Harvard didn’t feel like the place where I was meant to be, and NYU was exactly the opposite. They’d added the dessert to what already was the main course of my plans. I stared at my phone for a while, my heart warm with joy. So much of my life right now w
*Shelby*“You’re right, it’s taking a little too long,” he said, quickly standing and walking away from the bed. “Let me go check on something. I’ll be right back.”I watched him leave with a mischievous grin on his face, which told me that he was keeping something to himself. But it didn’t seem to be anything I should worry about. I planned on staying in the stateroom to not spoil whatever he might be planning, but after a few minutes, I got antsy. So I went out to the deck, where something was definitely going on.The servers were going back and forth, setting out table and dining ware. Some of them greeted me when they passed, and a few exchanged quick glances. An event of some sort was definitely being set up, and perhaps they’d been told to keep it quiet or out of sight.I smelled the food before I saw it. The servers paraded several trays of seafood in front of me, setting them down on the table. This whole thing was beginning to look more like a feast t
*Shelby*“Would you like to sneak off back to our room?” Michael whispered in my ear.The other couples were slowly breaking off from the rest of the party and finding their way to their own rooms. I was exhausted and so ready to be alone with Michael again. I nodded and grabbed his hand. He led me down different hallways that were so familiar from our first trip. This time I wouldn’t be staying in my own room. Instead, I’d be sharing the entire top floor of the yacht with Michael in our very own master suite.Michael opened the doors to the extravagant suite, but we bypassed the room and went straight out onto the private upper deck. I leaned against the railing letting the wind whip my hair softly around the nape of my neck as I watched us sail silently across the water. “We’ll be sailing right along the Florida coast tonight,” Michael said, handing me a glass of wine.“I nearly forgot what it feels like to stand up here, so high above the ocean. It’s
*Michael*“I need you to tell me the truth,” Shelby said, staring at me through the mirror in front of her.“Of course, I’ll always tell you the truth,” I said, walking toward her.Shelby looked sick, and her knuckles were turning white as she gripped the edges of the sink. I went to put my hand on her back, but she flinched ever so slightly, so I pulled my hand back and let it drop to my side. “Was that man who was murdered back in New York City, just after Bruce was attacked, was that Blaine?” Shelby said, seeming to have a hard time getting the words out.I heaved a large sigh, knowing that telling the truth about what I’d done would most likely end in a huge fight with Shelby. It may even change the way that she felt about our relationship.“Why are you asking me if that was Blaine?” I asked. “What’re you really asking me, Shelby? Are you asking if it was Blaine, or are you asking if I had something to do with it?”“I guess I’m asking if you did
*Shelby*We made port just as the sun was rising. I’d barely noticed that the yacht had stopped moving until I looked out of the large windows of our stateroom. I quickly realized that one side of the ship's view was all land.“Where are we? I asked Michael, who was just returning to our room with a tray full of breakfast.“We’re in the Florida Keys on a little island with an amazing private resort,” he said with a smile.I rushed out onto the deck to get a better look at the view. The white sandy beaches spread out for miles and were dotted with private bungalows with thatched roofs. It looked just like a tiny island paradise.“I reserved everyone their own private bungalow, and the resort is all-inclusive. There’s a spa, a nightclub, and so many different restaurants. I thought it’d be a great way to spend a few days before we sail for my beach house in the Bahamas. This way, we get to create some new memories along with reliving some of our old,” Michael sai
*Shelby*The next morning, I laid by the pool with my two best friends. We were all nursing a hangover and were taking the morning slow, so we could hopefully enjoy the rest of the day without being nauseous.“So, where’d you say Michael had to go so late last night?” Aubrey asked.“The head of his security team, who was attacked a few months ago, was finally released from the hospital. Michael wanted to be there for him. He’ll be back tonight, though,” I explained.“Bruce is going home?” Lin asked, and I nodded my head. “That’s so good to hear. I’ve been so worried about him. I obviously don’t know him as well as you and Michael, but he was always so nice to me. I’m glad that his recovery is going well.”“Me too. Things haven’t seemed right without Bruce around,” I said, pulling my sunglasses down over my eyes.“Have you two seen this?” Aubrey asked, passing me a magazine with the pages rolled back, open to an article with two very familiar people under t