Chapter 3 Sneaky Suspicions

Elise moved closer to the door, her footsteps silent on the concrete floor. Through the frosted glass, she could see their silhouettes rendered in sharp relief against the streetlight. Tyler's head dipped toward Jenna, his body angled toward hers in that familiar way he had of giving someone his complete attention. Jenna's hand hovered at his elbow, not quite touching, but not letting go either.

There was a pause, a shared intake of breath that Elise could feel even through the glass, and then a single, silent exchange; fingers brushing, a smile too practiced to be accidental.

Cold spread through Elise's chest. She stood frozen, her keys clutched in her fist, watching the moment burn itself into memory. Could they have been the couple she heard making out? No, they wouldn't do this to her.

Elise walked towards them. She was sure the other noises she heard came from the nearby club. Jenna had always been this way, always too friendly for her comfort with the men she dated. It used to bother Elise, but Jenna would always explain it away as a part of her test. Only Tyler had passed the test, only he remained by her side even if he and Jenna flirted openly too often for Elise's comfort.

When she reached them, Jenna and Tyler turned towards her as if nothing was wrong.

"Ready to go, Elle?" Jenna asked, her hand still resting on Tyler's suit jacket.

Tyler made no attempt to move it. This was their usual little game. Elise didn't have anything to worry about. If something was going on they would be more discreet wouldn't they?

The stress of the night was starting to get to her. "You guys go ahead, I'm going to go back to the studio and work on a few more pieces."

Neither of them responded or tried to convince her to join them. Sometimes, Elise felt like the third wheel in the group.

The overhead lights hummed as she retreated to her workbench. It was still cluttered with the debris of the day; flecks of solder catching the light like tiny stars, tangled wire coiled like discarded promises, pencil shavings from her last-minute sketch revisions.

The harsh fluorescents cast everything in unforgiving detail, but she welcomed the sting. She craved the discipline of finishing, the ritual of putting things in order when everything else felt like it was falling apart.

She reached for the necklace, her fingers finding the cool metal without hesitation. Each connection needed inspection, seventeen points where solder met metal, each one a moment of decision. Near the clasp, she found a small flaw, a tiny ridge where the platinum hadn't set flush with the bronze. The imperfection nagged at her like an unfinished thought.

She reached for her file, the wooden handle smooth and familiar against her palm. The rasping sound as metal met metal drowned out the echo of voices from the stairwell. Back and forth, back and forth, until the ridge disappeared beneath her careful attention.

She checked her phone. 11:47 PM. Almost midnight.

She focused on the necklace. She focused on nothing else.

But the quiet would not stay clean. Into it crept the memories of the night; Jenna's hand on Tyler's sleeve, the little smirk she wore when Elise was watching. Tyler's smile, too easy, too bright, aimed at anyone but her. The way he'd avoided her gaze after the second glass of champagne, as if he'd already written the apology but wasn't ready to deliver it.

"Damn it," she whispered, her voice unnaturally loud in the empty space. She set down the file with more force than necessary, the metal clanging against the wooden bench. Was she being paranoid again or was there something there that she was missing.

She turned to the stack of sketches she'd left untouched.

Her grandmother's voice echoed in her head, "Sort what matters from what doesn't."

She began arranging the pages, organizing them by potential, by what spoke to her most clearly.

Her phone vibrated against the metal surface, the sound amplified in the quiet room. She flinched, then frowned at the unknown number on the screen. Local area code. She debated letting it go to voicemail, but instinct won out.

"Elise Monroe," she said, the words clipped, almost mechanical.

A beat of silence, then, "Ms. Monroe, this is Cassandra Meyer. We met at the gallery in March; I represent Meridian Retail."

Elise's heart skipped. Meridian. One of the largest luxury retailers in the country. She pressed the phone closer to her ear.

"Sorry to call so late," Cassandra continued, her voice crisp and professional, "but I had to reach you before the buyers' meeting tomorrow."

"Of course," Elise said, fighting to keep her voice neutral. "What can I do for you?"

"I saw the preview photos. The necklace, your new statement piece, it's remarkable." There was genuine appreciation in her tone. "I have two clients who want an exclusive viewing. Are you available tomorrow afternoon? I can bring them to the studio at one."

"Yes," Elise said, too quickly. She took a breath. "Absolutely. That would be perfect."

"Excellent. I'll send a confirmation in the morning...Congratulations, Ms. Monroe. The board is very interested."

The call ended before Elise could think of a response. She stared at the phone, then set it down gently among the mess of wire and shavings, as if it might break from sudden motion.

It was finally happening, all her hard work was finally paying off.

For three years, Elise sacrificed her talents and recognition for Tyler so he can impress his uncle.

Now that he was the Executive Vice President in charge of jewelry designs at Sinclair. Elise could make a name for herself.

Once he had obtained the promotion, Elise told Tyler it was her turn to showcase her talents for herself and fulfill her dream. It was difficult in the beginning to convince him that she was still behind him supporting his growth in the company but he finally gave in and began to support her. Elise was ecstatic, even if it meant she still had to provide him with new designs when he requested them.

Now, she was getting one step closer to having her dreams come true.

Meridian. The board. She allowed herself the beginning of a smile, but it faltered as she imagined Tyler's reaction, or Jenna's, for that matter. There would be more parties, more nights like this, but this time it would be okay, since the wins would be hers.

She cleaned the bench, restored the tools to their places, and set the sketches aside for review in the morning. Her hands shook, just a little, from the aftershock of adrenaline, but she liked the sensation. It felt like progress.

This called for a celebration. Instead of holding herself up into her studio working, she would take the time to enjoy this moment with the man she loved.

Elise locked up the studio and headed to Tyler's apartment. Before leaving she sent him a text message to see if he was still awake, "I have great news! Let's Celebrate! Tonight I'm finally ready to give you all of me."