Natalia looks down at her plate trying to avoid eye contact with Preston. She'd been on pins and needles since she'd opened the door and found him standing there smiling like he'd just won the world. It was all she could do to keep from slapping him in his smug face.
"So how are you Talia you look great." He says smiling down at her. Natalia smiles back at him trying to hide the nervousness she'd suddenly felt.
"I'm great couldn't be happier." She says her voice sounding forced to her ears as she tried to control her anger and excitement. Preston smiles his devilish know it all smile that she remembered so well and learned to hate and tried her hardest not to react to.
"So whats up with you? What you've been up to?" She says looking behind him wondering what happened to Erin and Chase and wishing they'd hurry up wherever they were. Preston smiles remembering the last last time they'd seen each other and wishing now he could take it all back. He could still see the anger in her eyes and the pain and the forced tone in her voice. He'd missed her more than she could know more than he had admitted to himself at the time and still hadn't till this moment.
"I'm doing great Now that I've seen you." He says smiling that smile that had always melted her heart. She looks up at him lost in the spell it always cast on her. The tension jumping between them like a downed live wire. She stares up at him her anger fading slightly as memories of happier times came stealing their way back into her thoughts.
"Talia I've been wanting to tell you this for a long time..." He starts as Chase interrupts as he and Erin come up behind him smiling and laughing as they walk breaking the tension between them.
"Hey beautiful!" Chase says with a laugh wrapping his arms around her and pulling her into a bear like hug.
"Chase!" She squeals hugging him back.
"How are you Love? It's so good to see you." He says kissing her cheek before releasing her. Giving her a brief second before Erin reaches in.
"Hey girlfriend!" She squeals hugging Natalia close and rocking her in her arms before releasing her.
"Being a cop agrees with you!" She laughs looping her her arm in Natalia's as the two walk into the living room Chase and Preston trailing behind them.
"A great job and a great guy will do that to you." She laughs giving Preston a side glance as she guides them all into the living room.
"So where's the lady of the manor?" Chase laughs looking around then placing the bottle of wine he'd bought on the coffee table.
"She lives in that big house you passed on the way in." Francessca says with a laugh coming into the room. She walks to each one hugging and kissing them before inviting them all to have a seat.
"So how did your meeting go?" Francessca says looking from Chase to Preston expectantly.
"We closed on our contract with Slater-Cortlandt. Your Mom called us about an hour ago. We just have to go in tomorrow and sign the paperwork!" Chase says with pride looking over to Preston who nods in approval.
"That is fantastic guys I'm really happy for you." Francessca says hugging both of them.
"Thanks sunshine!" He says as he releases her.
"Okay, " He says clapping his hands together. "So where's Jamie I thought he was going to be here?" He says looking around the room. Francessca smiles as she passes him the corkscrew.
"He had an emergency at the clinic but he should be here any minute." Erin reaches for the glass that Chase poured for her as she speaks.
" I want to know where the real man of the house is?" Francessca laughs as she sips her glass then sets it down on the table.
"He was kidnapped by his grandparents for the evening." She says with a laugh as she reaches for the glass Preston passed to her.
"Aww I was looking forward to seeing him" Erin says sticking out her lower lip in disappointment" Francessca smiles.
"Come on I'm sure he's still up and bouncing off the walls. My grandmother made cannolis today and I'm positive she shared the cream with him even though I told her not too." She says with a laugh. "We still have to wait for Jamie and Brot so come on we can take a walk across the courtyard." She says rising and walking toward the door as Jamie comes in.
"Hey babe I'm here sorry I'm late." He says coming through the door giving her a quick kiss on the cheek then turns and greets the others in the room.
"Hey everyone sorry I'm late. If you guys can excuse me I need to take a quick shower and I'll be right down. Hey hon you want me to check on Logan while I'm up there?" Francessca smiles and winks a Erin.
"That's okay we were just on our way to do that. You just hurry up." She says with a giggle as the others follow behind her. Natalia lags behind feeling as if she needed a break.
"I'm going to hang back here and keep an eye on dinner you all go ahead." She says walking back into the kitchen as the others exist. She opens the oven then inspects the contents, closes the door and turns the temperature down. She reaches for her phone checking Brot's last message. He finally finished his last call and was on his way back to the station. Good, she thought. Now Preston would see she really had moved on and her life had changed for the better.
So, why at this moment didn't that fact bring her the comfort it should. Why was her mind suddenly steeped in memories and emotions from the past? Maybe what she needed to do was to concentrate on the present and her future and leave the past where it belonged.
"So what's going on?" Natalia turns around startled by Preston's voice as he comes into the kitchen.
"I thought you went over to see the baby?" She asks trying to keep her nervousness from her voice. Preston smiles as he moves closer forcing Natalia to take a step back.
"So are we ever going to talk about what happened between us?" Natalia turns back towards the stove lifting a lid from one of the pots trying to ignore the the feelings he stirred up in her and focusing on her anger.
"There's nothing for us to talk about. You've moved on with your life and so have I." She shrugs trying to look and sound casual and calm as her mind rages. Preston sighs heavily and shakes his head in disbelief.
"After everything that's happened between us you don't think we have anything to talk about?" Natalia laughs and shakes her head only adding to his frustrations.
"I think we said everything we had to say back then." She says turning away from him and reaching for a serving dishes from the closet. Preston reaches over pulling it from her hand and setting it on the counter forcing Natalia to meet his gaze.
"Not everything. Look I've had a lot of time to think about it..." Natalia's glares back at him cutting him off mid sentence.
"Look, don't even go there. I've moved on a long time ago. I have a great life and from what you've said your's just got even better. Leave the past in the past Preston you can't resurrect the dead." She finishes staring pointedly at her him her lips set firm her back ramrod straight ending the topic. Preston looks back at her wishing she wasn't so closed. He'd imagined this moment over and over but the outcome in his mind was never like this.
" So you and this Brot guy are you serious." He asks trying to to keep the disappointment from his voice.
"Yeah very! So whatever thoughts you had on that topic just keep them to yourself. Here make yourself useful and but this on the table." She says shoving the bread basket at him and pushing him out the door. She leans against the sink and inhales deeply wondering if she was going to get through the evening without exploding.
Take's Pine Valley Chronicles Natalia and Preston
Tak, is that u? AMC message board? Maudie here�� I didn't know u wrote! I do too but nothing published YET! Great job❤️
ReplyDeleteYep! It's me Maudie! Let me know where you write I would love to read it!
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