Chapter Eight
*Nine months later*
“Allo love, miss me?”
Anya laughed into the
phone, “With every bullet so far Dom how are you?”
“I’m wishing I was with
you but alas I am not, when are you going to realize you are head over heels in
love with me?” He pouted.
“Not in this lifetime
boy. So what is the reason for the phone call?”
“WELL I actually am
going to be in New York next weekend and I hear from your good friend and mine,
Liv, that you will be as well. I deduce from this that we should go out at
least ONCE while we are in the same city.”
“You do huh?”
“Yes I do.”
“Well then Mr. Monaghan
if you insist. I’ll be at the same hotel as Liv, room 2364 meet me there
Saturday night at 7, we’ll go out to dinner first.”
“Brilliant see you then
love.”
Anya chuckled to
herself, “That boy is forever making me laugh.”
In the months following
the trip to island Anya had made herself extremely busy catching up on her
charity work. To prove to Liv and Bruce that she was in fact different she went
out with Liv on a number of occasions and actually became good friends with
some of the actors who had worked with Liv on Lord of the Rings. She went out
for lunch with Elijah every couple of weeks and enjoyed talking to him about
the projects he was working on and the newest woman in his life. Miranda Otto
was working in LA for three months and during that time Anya went out weekly
with her. She even went to Australia a month after Miranda left to visit her.
She’d only met Dom and Billy once or twice but Dom insisted on calling her
regularly. He said it was to wear her down, but really he was doing it because
he knew it bothered Orlando. Dom didn’t know that the two had been on the
island together he just knew that his friend was different and that Anya had
something to do with it. Bruce, Lee, Liv and the two were the only ones who did
know that the two had been together those two weeks.
Many times Orlando had
been moments away from asking Liv for Anya’s number but he always stopped
himself. Him and Kate were still together but for some reason they couldn’t
seem to recapture the closeness their relationship had before he left. She
still had no idea that he hadn’t been alone on that island and he couldn’t
bring himself to tell her. Recently Dom had been calling Anya a lot and always
made sure to tell Orlando when he did it. Orlando pretended it didn’t bother
him but every time Dom chuckled about the ‘hot billionaire’ he wanted to punch
his friend.
“Guess who I’m going
out with next Saturday when we’re in New York?” Dom asked.
“Paris Hilton?” Orlando
yawned and took a sip of his coffee. “Tell me again why you insisted on
dragging my ass out of bed a this ridiculous hour.”
“Because your fans are
in school now that’s why.” Dom said, “And no not Paris, she’s still busy
shagging’ that Backstreet Boy.”
“All right fine who
then?”
“Anya Hart.”
Orlando was lucky that
his coffee mug was still near his mouth. He spit it back into his mug and
sputtered, “W-what?”
“Yeah isn’t that bloody
brilliant?” Dom watched him carefully.
“Saturday night? The
night we all were going out??”
“Yup Liv and Roy will
be there, Lij is bringing his new bird, Billy and Bre of course, and you’ve got
Kate so I convinced Anya to be me date, I’m not going to be the ninth wheel.”
“D-did you tell her
that…”
“You were going to be
there? No I didn’t think she’d care, she hasn’t seen you since before you left
right?”
“Oh uh of course right
before I left. Umm it’ll be lovely to see her again.”
“Oh fuck off Orli you know
I don’t believe you for a second. There’s more between you and this bird then
you’re letting on.”
“I have no idea what
you’re talking about.” Orlando replied stubbornly.
“Oh well no matter,
with Breanne there it’ll only be a matter of minutes before you come clean.”
Orlando paled, Dom was
right he could never lie to Breanne and she’d know within seconds that there
was something between him and Anya. Was there something between them? He knew
one thing for sure; Breanne had been bugging him to drop Kate for weeks. The
two women couldn’t stand each other and frankly he was getting sick of Kate’s
nagging to stop talking to Breanne. “You’re full of shit Dom.”
“No more than you are
Orli.” His friend smirked, “No more than you are.”
Figuring Dom would take
her out to some club afterward Anya dressed in low riding designer jeans and
fitted low cut blue top that also showed off her midriff. She put her favourite
earrings in and left her hair down. She had fifteen minutes before Dom was due
to pick her up; she reached into her suitcase and pulled out the hoodie she’d
taken with her everywhere since she’d left the island. She put it on and
wrapped her arms around herself. If she closed her eyes she could remember him
holding her. She sighed, this is pathetic I’m turning into a lovesick teenager.
They weren’t reality so she really needed to let this go, unfortunately she
couldn’t.
Orlando and Kate were
in the middle of a heavy debate, “You didn’t tell me SHE was going to be here.”
Kate seethed.
Breanne, who had arrived
about five minutes previous to say hello to her friend just smiled smugly at
the blonde, “I’m a she am I? You know that rhymes with Bre.”
Orlando glared at
Breanne, “Must you egg her on?”
“I can’t help it OB
she’s being ridiculous.”
“I am NOT being ridiculous.”
Kate insisted, “You haven’t been the same in months Orli and in the last week
you’ve spent every fucking night on the phone with HER.” He’d done so because
he’d finally told Breanne that Anya had been on that island and that he was
sure he was in love with her.
“Okay am I she or am I
her?”
“Shut up for two
seconds Bre.” Orlando snapped, “She has nothing to do with me being different
Kate.”
“She has to be, I’m
loosing you and it’s her fault.”
He sighed defeated, he
couldn’t do this anymore, “It’s not her fault it’s mine, I’m just not in this
anymore Kate, I…on the island…Anya…” He trailed off.
“The billionaire?” Kate
was confused for a few minutes then pieced everything together, “She was
there?”
He nodded, “She wasn’t
supposed to be but…”
“Fuck.” Kate sat down
on the bed, “You went and fell in love with her didn’t you?”
He tried to reach out
and touch her but she shrugged his hand away, “I didn’t mean too Kate I
mean…I’m sorry.”
She inhaled slowly but
kept looking down at her hands, “Don’t say you’re sorry. I guess I should have
expected this soon enough. I…” She stopped his hands again, “Go out with your
friends tonight Orli. I’ll be gone before you get back.”
“Kate I…”
“Don’t Orli…just
don’t…please go.” She said softly before finally looking up at him, “I don’t
hate you okay…I guess you can’t help who you fall in love with.”
Breanne took his hand,
“Come on OB.”
“I don’t want to just
leave her…” He objected.
“She wants to be alone
now Orlando, let her be.” Breanne smiled at the woman who returned the smile
the animosity that had been there instantly gone.
“I didn’t mean for this
to happen Kate you have to believe that.”
“I do…really I do…” She
insisted then retreated into the bathroom.
“Let’s go.” Breanne
pulled him out of the room into the hall, “It’s what you wanted OB.”
He sighed, “Is it? How
do I know Anya even remembers a single day on that island?”
“Oh please of course
she does, she’ll take one look at you and forget that it’s been nine months.
Now come with me you can hang out with Bill and me till we leave.”
“Mercy.” Dom whistled
when Anya answered her door, “I hope you don’t expect me to keep my hands off
of you.”
She laughed, “Keep
yourself decent Dominic.”
“Ooh the full name I
must be on me best behaviour then.” He held out his arm for her, “Shall we?”
Taking his arm she
smiled, “Of course.”
“I hope you don’t mind
I invited some mutual friends of ours.”
Innocently she nodded,
“Good I haven’t seen the gang in forever.”
“You get to meet
Breanne too, Billy brought her this time.” Dom said nonchalantly as they got
into the elevator.
Anya’s face paled,
“Breanne Wilson?”
“Yeah, don’t tell me
you know her I thought she kept herself solely in the UK unless Billy forces
her to leave.” Dom joked knowing now for sure that Anya and Orlando were closer
then they let on.
“No I…umm I haven’t met
her…just uh heard about her.” This couldn’t be the same woman Orlando had told
her about…could it?
“Interesting, well
either way she’s a gas you’ll like her.” They stopped at the restaurant off the
lobby of the hotel, “After you Miss. Hart.” He said gallantly.
“Thank you.” She
followed the hostess to the table that had been reserved for them.
“Is it time to go yet?”
Orlando asked for the millionth time.
“Damnit Orli you’re
acting like a two year old. I’ve never seen you so excited to go to a club.”
Billy laughed as he finished up his room service.
“He’s nervous.” Breanne
explained.
“I don’t care if he’s
Swedish he needs to stop asking if we can go.”
“Fine I’ll go by meself
and meet you there.” He grumbled and went for the door.
“He didn’t mean it OB!”
Breanne called after him.
“Course I didn’t mate.”
Billy joined in.
Orlando turned around
to smile at them; “I know I think I just need a minute I’ll meet you there.”
“Are you sure?”
“Yes Bre.”
“Fine, see you there.”
In the hall it too him
a moment to catch his bearings, he wanted to walk to the club but knew better.
He flipped open his phone and called the chauffer to pick him up at the front
of the hotel. His stomach was doing flip-flops, what would he say when he saw
her? What would she say?
Anya was staring to
wonder why Liv and Dom kept looking at the door. She tried to engage in
conversation with the girl Elijah had brought with him. She thought her name
was Susie or something like that, but she couldn’t help but wonder why they
were casing the door.
“Hey I gotta go powder
my nose.” Susie said, “Wanna come with me?”
“Sure.” Anya committed
nonchalantly, she followed the girl to the bathroom still perplexed at Liv and
Dom’s actions.
They were explained
when the two women returned from the facility, “Oh my god.” Susie breathed,
“That’s Orlando Bloom! Lij never told me he was going to be here, fuck he’s
hot.”
Anya stopped in her
tracks her heart beating somewhere near her throat. Now Dom was making sense,
why he kept bugging her about how much she knew Orlando. This was a plan; she
was going to get extremely mad when she realized something. He was alone.
Didn’t Dom say everyone was bringing dates? She figured she’d pretend she
expected this and see what he did, “Well if it isn’t Mr. H.” She announced when
her and Susie returned to where Dom, Liv, Roy, Elijah and Orlando were
standing.
He looked her up and
down twice before speaking. His smile unnerved her, “Allo Miss H and how are
you?” He asked.
“Rather in need of
another vacation.” She said.
“You don’t say me too,
see my girlfriend finished with me today. I think I need some surfing…pressure
headache and all.” He watched her very carefully as he spoke.
Was he serious? “I read
somewhere that surfing heels those pressure headaches.” She managed to get out.
“Really? I must borrow
that book when you’re through.”
“Is anybody else
confused about what the hell it is they are talking about?” Dom finally asked
in frustration.
Breanne and Billy
arrived before anyone could answer him. Breanne looked at Anya and surprised
her by saying, “You must be Anya.”
“I…” She finally broke
her stare with Orlando and looked at the young woman who was smiling at her,
“How did you know?”
“Simple.” Breanne
laughed, “He didn’t even give me a look like the one he’s giving you. I’m
Breanne by the way, it’s a pleasure to finally meet you.” She outstretched her
hand.
Anya took it but was
beyond confused, “Umm it’s a pleasure to meet you too.” What did she mean the
way he was looking at her?
“Can I throw in a vote
here?” Elijah finally said.
“What?” Susie asked him
putting her arm around his waist utterly enthralled with what was unfolding in
front of them.
“Just kiss her.” He
said to Orlando.
“What I…”
“You don’t want to?”
Liv challenged him.
He glared at her then
looked back at Anya she just watched him softly waiting for him to do
something, “Fuck it.” He said and grabbed her hips and smiled, “My turn Miss
H.”
She looked back up at
him, “By all means Mr. H.” She whispered back before he leaned down and kissed
her, hard.
Everyone awed then
tried to stand around the couple so no one else in the rapidly filling club
could see them.
“Will someone PLEASE
tell me what the hell H stands for?” Dom was still perplexed then looked around
and groaned, “Aww fuck I’m dateless again.”
Orlando laughed at that
point and broke his kiss with Anya to look at his friend, “It’s your fault
mate.”
Dom sighed, “Yeah I
know true love prevails and all that shite. I really only did it so that you’d
stop horning in on my birds.” He eyed a blonde at the end of the bar who was
smiling at him, “Excuse me.”
“His broken heart mends
well.” Anya quipped just as her cell phone vibrated on her hip she reached for
it, “Anya Hart.”
“Hey there Miss Anya,
its Lee I’m making a trip to the island tomorrow anything you want me to take
along?” Bruce sure was efficient.
She looked up at
Orlando and laughed, “Two adults and no luggage?” ‘It’s Lee.’ She mouthed to
Orlando who winked at her understanding her response.
Lee laughed, “Sounds
great and how long this time?”
“I’ll get back to you
on that.” Anya grinned, “Now I have some pressing matters to attend to.” She
hung up the phone while Breanne laughed.
“Orlando take this
woman back to the hotel and away from all these people honestly you guys are
making me sick.”
“Right…Anya?”
“To heaven we go.” She
laughed.