The Deal

Choking back her tears and putting on a brave face she entered the hall with Rachel, grabbing them both a glass of wine. When the music started playing Patrick came over and asked her for a dance. Handing her glass to Rachel she figured why not, she was here to have some fun and since Austin didn't have the decency to show up he could go to hell.

"You look like you've been crying, is it because your husband hasn't shown up?"

"Look, I really don't want to talk to you about Austin." Patrick was the last person she would talk to about Austin.

"Then I'll not mention him again," he said, pulling her close as they moved to the music. He rested his head against hers. "You look amazing in this dress, then again you always look good in anything you wear."

After a couple of dances with Patrick, she excused herself and went to get another glass wine. She looked at all the happy couples dancing and sadness crept through her, wishing Austin was here with her. People kept coming over to talk with her. Some of the employees who used to talk about her behind her back were now sucking up to her. Since they were good at their jobs she let it slide, at least now they would show her more respect.

Several more glasses of wine later, and the fact it was getting late she decided to go home, Austin was still not answering her calls. Telling Rachel she was going to call a cab and go home went outside to make the call. She was drunk and had trouble dialing the number when someone snatched the phone from her hand. "Hey, what the hell?" she snapped, then saw it was Patrick.

"I think you had way much to drink, let me give you a ride home."

"Patrick," she said, looking at him through blurry vision. "Are you stalking me?" she asked, covering her mouth she giggled.

Putting his arm around her waist he walked her over to his car, opening the door he helped her in before going around to his side and getting in. "Where do you want me to take you? If you need to sober up first you could come back to mine."

"I'm a married woman, I can't go back to your place but I also don't want to go home and face him. Take me to a bar, I want to drink and dance till the sun comes up."

"As much as I would like to I really think you've had enough, now tell me where you live."

Pouting she crossed her arms. "Fine," she snapped, giving him the address.

Pulling into the driveway and parking his car he gets out, going around to the passenger side opened the door and helped her out. As she was staggering he put his arm around her waist and walked her to the front door.

"Thanks for bringing me home."

With his arm still around her, he leans her up against the door. He looks at her, he had a strong urge to kiss her, to feel her lips once again and when he put his lips on hers she pushed him away.

"Patrick, what the hell do you think you're doing? I'm a married woman and if Austin saw you he'd kill you."

"I'm sorry, but you look so sad and lonely. Your husband isn't treating you right, I can tell. Let me kiss you, let me show you how a man should treat a woman. It was good between us at one time until I fucked up. I just know it can be good again, give me a second chance."

"No, you better go now."

"I'll go, but I'll be back. I was a fool to let you go and I'm going to do whatever it takes to get you back. I still love you."

Her head was spinning, it felt nice knowing a man wanted her, even if it was from the lying, cheating Patrick who broke her heart. But she couldn't get Austin out of her mind, even though he hurt her by not showing up and as angry as she was with him she just couldn't let Patrick kiss her. "Goodbye, thanks for the ride," she said, opening the door she shut it behind her.

Kicking off her shoes she dragged her ass up the stairs and to the bedroom she shared with Austin. She knew he was home since she saw his car in the driveway. As soon as she walked into the room and saw him sitting up in bed with his laptop on his lap her anger returned. It only made it worse when he looked up at her and smiled.

"You look amazing in that dress, so damn hot," he said, closing the lid to his laptop.

"Where the hell have you been?" she snapped, crossing her arms and stared at him.

"What are you talking about, I've been right here."

She moved closer, her eyes flashing with anger. "You've been here all this time, why didn't you show up at my party and why didn't you answer my calls?"

"It was late when I got here and I was tired so I decided to stay home. What's the big deal?" he asked with a smirk on his face.

"What's the big deal? You knew how important tonight was for me. I expected you to show up, so did Mr. Ritter. It was so embarrassing having to explain to the press why my own husband didn't show up." She couldn't stop the tears that started falling down her face. "You really hurt me Austin. You gave me your word and you broke it."

"Seeing how drunk you are I'd say you had a good time without me, he said, sarcastically.

"Yes, thanks to Patrick," she said as she went to grab her nightgown.

"Patrick, as in your ex?" he asked, pushing his laptop off his lap.

"That's right, he didn't have to come but he did it for me," she answered as she started gathering up a few things.

"How did you get home?" he asked, getting mad at the thought it might have been her ex who brought her home and he would soon know how right he was.

"Patrick," she answered.

"What are you doing?" he asked, getting out of bed he goes over to her.

"I'm getting a few things for the morning. I'm moving back into the other bedroom, I won't share a bed with you for one more night. From now on this marriage is just going to be a business arrangement, like you wanted in the beginning," she said, slurring her words.

"You're overreacting, there's no need to sleep in another room." He didn't like seeing her cry, it tugged on his heartstrings. It was then he realized how much this party meant to her and how much he had hurt her. Maybe he had gone too far, it wouldn't have hurt him to have gone to the party.

"Oh, there's a need alright. I won't share a bed or my body with someone who doesn't respect me enough to do one little thing for me. Right now I hate you and can't stand to look at you."

He goes over and tries to take her into his arms but she pushed him away and then she slapped him hard across the face.

"Don't touch me, don't ever touch me again."

Did you let Patrick touch you?" he asked, his eyes growing dark with anger.

"We had a few drinks and danced together. He said he was sorry for hurting me and he wants me back, he says he still loves me."

Hearing this made him jealous, the thought of another man wanting her drove him crazy. Grabbing her shoulders he pulled her closer to him. "Is that right, well guess what lady? You're my wife for the time being, so stay away from him or I'll tell Mr. Ritter about how you tricked him into selling his company to you. I hope I'm making myself clear."

"You wouldn't dare," she said, feeling fear.

"Do you really want to test me?"

"You're a bastard, a cruel bastard." Pushing him away walked over to the door but stopped when he called out to her.

"Now that you got what you want I expect to get those shares to your company soon." It was like a demon had taken possession over him, making him lash out at her when what he really wanted to do was say he was sorry.

With a single tear falling down her cheek she looks at him with so much hurt in her eyes. "You'll get them. On Monday I'll start the paperwork. I'll still keep my agreement to stay faithful, let's hope you can do the same." She walks out, slamming the door behind her.

Going into the other bedroom she undressed and put on her nightgown. Pulling the covers down gets into bed. She laid there, feeling hurt and alone, the bed felt so cold and empty without Austin's warm body next to her.

Saturday: When she woke up in the morning her head was pounding, her throat dry. So getting up and throwing on a robe went downstairs to the kitchen to get some water. She got there to find Austin making coffee, he was shirtless so ignoring him she goes over to the fridge and takes out a bottle of water.

Seeing her he could tell she was hung over, reaching up and opening the cupboard grabbed the bottle of aspirins. He takes two from the bottle and hands them to her. "Here, take these, it will help." He wanted to take her into his arms, wanted to hold her and tell her how sorry he was but he didn't.

"Thank you," she said in a snarky tone as she took them out of his hand. Swallowing the pills and washing them down with some water she then grabbed a mug and filled it with coffee.

"Can I make you something to eat?"

She looks at him with fury in her eyes for a second and then turned away. "No. I'm going back to bed," she said, walking away with the mug and water in her hands.

She stayed in bed for most of the day, not wanting to see or talk to him. She knew it was going to be hard being in the same house with him over the weekend. There was no way she would ever be able to forgive him. When her stomach growled she knew she had to get something to eat, it was close to dinner time. Going down to the kitchen she started cooking pork chops, potatoes and vegetables for both of them. As mad as she was with him she couldn't find it in her to make food for herself and not for him.

He walks into the kitchen, hands in his pockets he leans against the counter. "Can I help you with anything?"

"You can set the table," she answered, not looking at him.

They sat down to eat, it was awkward and tense between them. He wanted to say something but wasn't sure what. It was so obvious to him that she didn't want to talk to him. They were just about done eating when the doorbell rang.

"I'll get it," he said, wiping his mouth got up and walked out. Moments later he returned with a bouquet of flowers."Someone sent you flowers," he said, setting them in front of her.

She takes the card that was with them, opening it up she quickly shoves it back into the envelope, not wanting Austin to see who they were from.

"Who are they from?" he asked when he noticed how she tried to hide the card.

"None of your business," she snapped.

"I'm making it my business," he said, snatching the card from her. His face turned red and all the muscles in his body tensed up. "Blair, thank you for a lovely evening, love Patrick. This man has a lot of nerve sending flowers to a married woman."

"What are you doing?" she asked when he picked up the flowers.

"Getting rid of them," he answered, opening the sliding door tossed them outside. He turns to look at her. "What exactly did you do to make it a lovely evening for him?"

She gets up and starts clearing away the dishes. "I didn't do anything and stop acting like you're jealous when we both know you have no feelings for me. You proved that yesterday when you let me down."

They avoided each other for the rest of the weekend, the flowers still laid on the ground outside.