so great. You know I called you and called you after graduation, you never called me back,” he said now, a little sadly, almost regretfully.
“I know, I’m sorry about that. It was a dark time for me. I had a one track mind back then, and I knew you wanted to go away to Europe anyway, so I thought I shouldn’t complicate things.” The truth was that she had been a bit in love with Danny, and it was evident Danny liked her too. She had a rule of not dating while in school and when he found out he had backed off and respected her wishes. That’s why they were such good friends. After college though, she had wanted to focus only on her business and Danny’s calls were something she had decided to sacrifice for her dream. But now?
“Well, a dance shouldn’t complicate anything, right?” Danny said, offering her his hand. Elise smiled. Why not, Tristan seemed busy and Danny was an old friend.
She took his hand and he led her to the dance floor.
Tristan had been trying to wave away the girl in front of him. Amanda? Sandra? The truth was he didn’t really know this woman, maybe they had met years ago at some party, but he didn’t REALLY know her. When Tristan finally managed to get away he turned to look for Elise but she wasn’t anywhere near him. He looked around the room until a swirl of purple caught his eye. Tristan’s face turned red the moment he realized what was happening. Elise was dancing with some guy, admittedly a dashing looking guy, and she was laughing. Elise, the cold, calculated woman he knew, who first smiled at him only a few minutes ago in the elevator, was laughing and dancing with a stranger. Tristan could feel the blood rushing to his head. He had to calm down.
When the dance was finally over, Tristan took measured steps toward Elise and her dance partner. They were still talking animatedly and it enraged him, though he knew he had no reason to be so angry.
“Hello, Elise, would you care to introduce me to your new friend?” he said with a tight smile at the stranger.
“Oh, I’m sorry, he’s hardly a new friend Tristan, we went to college together, Tristan this is Daniel Dayfield, and Danny this is Tristan Maine, a baker at our shop.”
A baker? Tristan was getting riled up now.
“Don’t be modest Elise, I’m her date,” Tristan said as he gave Daniel Dayfield a firm handshake and a tight lipped smile.
“Hey, I’m sorry I didn’t realize. Wait, haven’t I seen you before?” Danny said, squinting his eyes at Tristan. Tristan felt panic rise up in his throat.
“No, I’m sure you’re mistaken. Elise I see Suzanne over there. She might want to have word.”
With that, he led Elise away and they walked briskly.
“You’re acting very strange Tristan. Please slow down. What’s the matter with you?” Elise said, pulling away from him then.
“Nothing, I was just surprised that you were gone and dancing with someone else so quickly.”
“He was an old friend, and you were busy yourself weren’t you?”
“I… I’m sorry I was so abrupt, I shouldn’t have done that. There’s Suzanne now, shall we?”
Truths...
Elise was getting goose bumps, but she was hiding them well. She knew Tristan had felt jealous and she couldn’t help but feel shivery all over. She hadn’t even corrected him when he told Danny it was a date.
They had met with Suzanne and Jonathan and 5 other prospective customers and now, they were at the terrace enjoying some wine and quiet.
“Your aunt tells me you’ve never dated. I honestly find it hard to believe.”
“Well, believe it. I never felt I needed to or that it was the right time. I don’t have any regrets.”
“That must be a gift, to live with no regrets. I have so many I feel like most of my life is regret.”
“Why is that?”
“I lived my life like it was just that, just my life. There were no consequences, no pain, no responsibility. I was just a stray sheep. I’m glad I found God, and I found guidance too. I decided to change, and I haven’t looked back, but the regrets are still there. I try not to think about it but they’re there.”
“I lived my life for the future, that’s why I have no regrets, but I do wish I had lived for the moment more, just got on a random bus and go around and meet new people.”
“You can still do that. Get on a plane and fly somewhere, talk to strangers about life just to get a slice of their life, I can’t take back what I did.”
“But you can change and repent, and mean it. There’s always forgiveness if you sincerely look for it.” Elise turned to see Tristan staring at her intently.
“I admire you Elise. You are strong and brave, and kind too. You built up your life and worked to get everything you have. I’ve never worked for anything.”
“You worked at the continental didn’t you? And you work for us, although you are messy and tardy sometimes, you can fix that too.”
“Yeah, I guess I can.”
“Tristan… Tristan… Tristan Millard isn’t it? I was at a hotel opening for your father,” someone said from behind them. Tristan froze at the sight of a chubby gentleman who approached them.
“Tristan, surely you remember me, I’m John Vaineville, I was your father’s associate for the Hotel Adriatic in Spain. How is old Denver Milliard by the way?”
Tristan could taste the bile in his tongue. He turned to look at Elise, who was looking at him searchingly, and he could only look on as she turned on her heels and left.
Milliard? He was Tristan Milliard, son of Denver Milliard? This means he didn’t just work in Hotel Continental, their family OWNED Hotel Continental, along with 10 other 5-star hotels around the world. She didn’t understand. What was he doing working as a baker at a local shop when he could be anywhere in the world doing whatever he wanted?
The truth was that Elise was not angry with Tristan, but with herself, it was her fault. She felt like a fool, nearly falling for some playboy millionaire. Her parents had taught her better.
Elise shook her head, shaking the thoughts away. She had gone through the weekend as usual, going to mass and saying nothing to Aunt Jem, who was also conspicuously quiet then. Elise didn’t want to think about it. She had nothing more to say and she did not expect Tristan Maine or Milliard or whatever he called himself, to come back to work and that would be that.
As usual, she opened up at 7:00 am, and walked through the whole place. She almost didn’t go by Tristan’s work area, but the business woman in her said it was her responsibly. She was surprised to see his station immaculate. There wasn’t a single speck of flour out of place. Then she saw the simple pink box with the white ribbon sitting on his chair. She looked it over and found a card that said ‘Elise’ on it. She opened it and found a cupcake with ‘4give me’ written on it in icing. Elise couldn’t help but smile. Tristan must have baked this as an apology before he left. Elise could hardly suppress the tinge of pain she felt. She might never see him again and there was so much they had to say, or so it felt like it to her.
Elise brought the cupcake to her office and took a bite. It was delicious, Tristan really did have a gift. Before she realized it, there was a tear falling down her face.
“I would have expected that someone eating something so delicious would be smiling not crying.” It was Aunt Jem. Elise didn’t even notice her come in.
“Just some regrets Aunt, nothing terminal. This is really good.”
“Tristan was a really good baker. I’m sorry for what happened dear. I never thought you’d find out this way.”
Elise’s eyes widened. “You knew? You knew he was a Milliard and you didn’t tell me?”
“I know his mother, we were friends when we were younger. She wanted help, she told me that her son and her husband didn’t get along and that Tristan wanted to find work and maybe stand on his own without her husband knowing what was happening, she wanted to help her son find a better path than the one he’s been taking without his father taking over everything. I volunteered our little shop. Denver Milliard probably hasn’t even heard of it. So
I hired him. I tried to talk him out of going to that party at Milestone, someone was sure to recognize him, but he insisted, and I thought, what was the harm?” Aunt Jem looked apologetically at Elise. “I had no desire to make you feel like a fool.”
“Why did he pretend then? Why make up a lie about himself when he can have anything he wanted?”
At that moment, she saw Tristan behind Auntie Jem. He came into the office and looked at her.
“I’ll give you two some privacy,” said Auntie Jem, leaving the room.
“I wanted to work without being a Milliard. My whole life, I’ve had people falling to my feet, wanting to please, or mollify me. I was the heir to a business empire, but the only thing I was ever really good at was baking, and I loved it. But it wasn’t what was expected of me. So I partied, I didn’t know what to do with my life. I went out with women whose names I didn’t even bother to remember. But I decided to change Elise. So I came here, to work without the burden of being a Milliard and you treated me like any other worker. What I said at the party was true, I really do admire you.” Elise couldn’t look at him, or think of a reply, she just waited for him to finish.
“I was never sure of what I wanted before I discovered I could bake, then I knew that’s what I wanted to do, but I didn’t know how to go about it. I came here looking for direction, but I found more than that.”
“What exactly is it you think you’ve found here Mr.