The Billionaire From Her Past. Leah Ashton
confused,’ Mila said. ‘Steph always told me how much you loved your work. How excited you were about the company’s expansion, about—’
‘How I loved my work more than my wife?’ he said.
The sudden horrible, harsh words hung in the air between them.
‘No,’ she said softly. ‘She never said that.’
‘Not to you,’ Seb said.
Mila didn’t know what to do with what he’d said. She didn’t know what to do with any of this. It was all so unexpected, and it had been so long.
This Seb before her was such an odd combination of the boy she’d thought she’d known and this man she barely recognised. The Seb she’d known would never have sold his father’s company. But then, the Steph and Seb she’d known had been deliriously happily married. The Steph she’d known would never have taken drugs.
Emotion hung in the air between them.
‘What’s going on here, Seb?’ Mila said, suddenly frustrated. She’d never thought she’d see or hear from Seb again. And now here he was, with unexpected apologies and painful memories. ‘Because I don’t for a minute believe that your new dream just coincidentally started with the shop next door to mine.’
A small but humourless smile. Then Seb rubbed his forehead. ‘Okay—here’s the deal. I sold the company, donated a big chunk of the proceeds to addiction-related charities and then put some aside for the children I have no intention of having—that would require a wife—but my lawyer still insisted I provide for. Then I gave myself a relatively modest loan—’ he named an amount that would buy the row of shops many several times over ‘—which I will pay back once my new venture takes off. And the new venture is a building company. I’ve started with smaller developments, like this one, although already I’m starting on bigger projects: think entire apartment blocks, maybe office towers one day.’
‘So your dream wasn’t to play with computers all day but to build skyscrapers?’
Seb shook his head. ‘No, my dream was to do exactly what my dad did, but better. Which was the problem. I’ve spent my whole life deliberately walking in my father’s footsteps. I’ve finally realised that I’m more than that. That I can build a company from the ground up myself.’ He paused for a long moment. ‘When my acquisitions team recommended I buy this place I didn’t know it was next to your shop,’ he said. ‘But obviously it came up in the research. I should’ve known, really—I remember the photos you sent through to us when you first bought it.’ His lips quirked. ‘And that was really what sealed it—’
‘So you bought this place because of me?’
‘No,’ Seb said. ‘I was always going to buy it for the right price—which I had no problem negotiating.’
There it was—a glimpse of the ruthless businessman Mila remembered. Just this time without the suit.
‘The question was whether I’d let you know I’d bought it.’
Mila looked again at the building plan. In the corner was the company logo and its name: Heliotrope Construction.
‘Steph...’ Mila breathed.
‘It’s not that original,’ Seb said. ‘But if Steph could call her fashion label Violet, I figured...’
Shades of purple—Steph’s favourite colour.
‘I like it,’ Mila said.
But Seb was moving the conversation along. ‘I did consider not being hands-on with this place, to reduce the chances that we’d bump into each other. But that would have been pretty gutless. I’ve been back in Perth a few months now. I couldn’t avoid you for ever.’
Months? Seb’s email had been six months ago, and she’d dealt with his rejection then. Even so, it stung to realise he’d been back home for so long. Somehow rejection had hurt less when he was a million miles away.
‘I thought about calling. I knew I couldn’t email you.’ He shoved his hands into his pockets. ‘But I had to apologise in person. Buying this place just forced me into action. I’m sorry,’ he said again. ‘For waiting this long. Since Steph...everything’s been messed up. I’ve been messed up...’
‘I know,’ Mila said. She got it. Or at least some of it. She did.
They were both silent for a while. Mila didn’t quite know what to think—she’d mentally classified Seb as part of her past. And now here he was—so different—in her present.
‘I hope I’m not too late,’ Seb said.
‘For what?’ Mila asked, confused.
‘To fix things.’ He was watching her steadily, his gaze exploring her face. ‘To fix us. I’d hoped—’
Maybe he’d seen something in her expression, because for once Seb looked less than completely assured.
‘You and Steph were my closest friends. Steph’s gone for ever, but we still have each other. I want you in my life again, Mila. If you’ll let me.’
Part of Mila wanted to smile and laugh, tell Seb Of course! And in so many ways that was the obvious answer.
She’d told him she’d forgiven him for his behaviour amidst his grief. But it had still hurt. A lot. Because she’d certainly had enough rejection in her life—her ex-fiancé being the latest purveyor of rejection. And part of her—the pragmatic side—just wondered what the point actually was.
Had too much time passed? Was it better that their friendship remained a fond memory? Limited only to the occasional catch-up message on social media?
Remembering how she’d felt when he’d held her hand before—the warmth and strength of his fingers and the echoing, unwanted warmth in her belly—Mila thought she definitely knew the answer.
Seb had just lost his wife. And he’d been Steph’s husband. She had no place considering the breadth of his shoulders or the strength of his hands.
She should keep her distance. Be his friend, but acknowledge that things could never be as they had been. They could never have the connection of their childhood again. It was too complicated. The emotions too intense.
And yet—here he was. Right in front of her. This strange, compelling mix of the cute boy next door and this handsome almost-stranger next door.
Seb must have seen the conflict in her gaze.
‘Well,’ he said, ‘maybe I am too late.’
He was looking straight at her, but his eyes now gave nothing away. Gone was all that emotion, shuttered away.
He really wanted this, Mila realised. This was more than an extended apology or an attempt to make amends. And what was she worried about, anyway? Really?
So what if Seb still had the smile that had made her teenage self weak at the knees? She’d dealt with all that years ago. All that messy unrequited love and the whole heap of angst that came with your best friend marrying the first boy you’d fallen in love with. The first boy you’d kissed.
That had been for ever ago.
Today the butterflies in her tummy meant nothing. She was being silly. Right now Seb didn’t need her pushing him away for no apparent reason. And—frankly—she didn’t really want to push him away. She’d missed him.
‘So, do you honestly want a tour of my pottery studio?’ she asked.
Seb grinned triumphantly. ‘Lead on, Ms Molyneux!’
And of course Mila found herself smiling back.
‘KNOCK, KNOCK!’