Chapter Three

Hal

What in the world is Annalise doing here?! I wonder as I stand in front of my large office window. The sight of her has jarred me and I can't shake it off. It's been two days since she moved in and closed the door on me.

What was that about? I thought I was the perfect gentleman?

We've barely held a conversation long enough for me to ask what she was doing here. Perhaps she's moved here due to a new job or something? Dad once mentioned that she wanted to do a PhD.

Was that why she was here? Or was it a pretext for Tasha to spy on me and the business?

No, it couldn"t be. I didn"t know Annalise very well but she didn"t seem like that sort of person. Although she had never been rude to me, like the rest of her sisters during family gatherings, she hadn"t been particularly friendly either. Maybe we could finally get a chance to get to know each other, and step away from the lies and rumors peddled in our respective family circles.

I turn back to my desk, eager to complete the mountain of work before me, but I just couldn"t concentrate. Seeing her had brought back so many memories. The first time I saw her, she was just a teenager then and I was in my twenties. She must be in her mid-twenties by now. I remember thinking back then that she was beautiful but now I couldn"t even find the words to describe her beauty. She was breathtaking.

"Hal ... Hal!"

I raise my head to see Jay standing in the doorway with a confused smile on his face.

"Are you okay? Why do you look like you"ve seen a ghost or something?"

"It"s nothing," I lie, taking a deep breath and trying to compose my thoughts. "Is this about the Callaway project?"

"Yeah. How soon can you get the designs ready?"

"Tomorrow okay?" I ask, looking at my calendar.

"Great Hal. We need to get it approved ASAP."

"Got it."

"Um. Are you sure you"re okay?"

"Yeah. I'm fine."

Jay didn"t look convinced, but he nodded anyway and left.

I press the bridge of my nose with my index finger and thumb. I have no business feeling this way about Annalise Wilson. None whatsoever. It's impossible. Nothing could ever happen between us. Besides, I"m sure she's heard many untrue stories from Tasha about me. It wasn"t possible that she was Tasha"s sister and not be poisoned against me. But now I have the chance to end the unspoken tension between us and show her that I'm not a bad person.

She knows nothing about me, and I have the chance to make her see that I'm not the monster Tasha has told everyone that I am. But how am I going to do that without making her want to avoid me further? Her reaction when I tried to help her with her things proves that she"s heard more than enough about me. I have never responded or tried to clear my name before. There was never any need for it. I have never cared about what anyone thought of me before.

Until now.

All of a sudden, I feel the need to explain. To tell Annalise that everything she"s ever heard about me is a lie. I must explain the reason for the rift between Tasha and I.

We live next door. We"re bound to run into each other someday, Hal. Just forget about it. We"ll figure that out later. Right now, you need to focus on these designs.

With that little pep talk, I force my mind to forget all about Annalise Wilson for a while and concentrate on the Callaway project. I hate mixing sentiments with business.

I finally get my work done, although it was a Herculean task not to think about her at all. My mind kept conjuring images of her beautiful olive skin and dark brown eyes. And that long dark hair of hers …

I hurriedly drive home to see if I can catch her somehow. I park my car and go to the lobby, all the while looking up at her window. The lights are off. She was probably still at work or school. But I'm determined to find out more about her.

I find myself spending more and more time on the balcony. I sit on the cane bench with my laptop trying to justify to myself that I'm only working outside to get some fresh air. A taxi drives by and I stand up to check if it's her. It isn't.

What the hell is happening to you, Hal? You"re acting like a teenager!

But I can't help it. I have to talk to her. I decide to wait for her to arrive home. Several hours pass by and I struggle to keep my eyes open. Two hours later I wake up on the sofa. As I stand up and head to my bedroom, I walk back onto the balcony and double-check the road leading to the building.

No sign of her.

Maybe she got home when I was asleep.

Way to go, Hal.

I turn and leave the balcony, even more eager to see her than I have ever been before.

***

Annalise

"Why are you asking all these questions, Anna? Did something happen?" Tasha asks in a panic.

I called her to ask about Hal. It"s been two days since I moved and I haven"t seen him since he helped me with my luggage. But as we're going to be neighbors long term, the questions only burned hotter in my mind. I want to get to the root of the rift between him and Tasha. What did she have against Hal? He was her stepson for goodness sake. How can you claim to love someone and hate his son?

"I just wanted to know because you"ve never really spoken to me about it. All you ever say is to avoid him like the plague. But why? It doesn't make any sense, Tasha. What happened between you two?"

"Just trust me on this one, Annalise. Look ... I gotta go. I"m driving. I"ll talk to you later, okay."

I stare at my phone after Tasha hangs up and shake my head. Why does she keep dodging my questions?

I discreetly ask some of our neighbors about Hal and was surprised to learn that he is actually the owner of the building! Why didn"t he live in a mansion somewhere on the south side of South Bay with the Hollywood celebrities? I"m sure the penthouse must be luxurious but how many billionaires would choose to live in a condo?

Several days passed before I saw Hal Torres again. I had a long day at work so I hit the gym to work off some of the tension building up inside of me.

I just finished venting my stress on the weights and treadmill when I decide to head home, exhausted from the day's events. I need a long soak in the bath.

As soon as I get in the front door, I head into the bathroom and begin preparing the tub. I turn on the water and let it fill up. I scatter some rose petals in and smile, satisfied with the look. I barely place my legs in when my doorbell rings.

Who could that be? I"m not expecting anyone.

I wrap myself in a towel and head towards the door, looked through the peephole and almost fall backwards.

It's Hal.

"Just a minute," I call and run to my bedroom to change into something better. I find blue gum jeans and a mustard tank top.

I take one final look in the mirror, then open the door.

"Hello, Anna."

"Hi, Hal."

"Can we talk?"

There was a strange certainty in his eyes and his demeanor. He's so incredibly handsome, with his dark hair and deep brown eyes. His tight white T-shirt emphasized his muscular arms and broad shoulders. He looks like he could have been sculpted by Michelangelo.

"Anna?"

"Uh ... yeah. Please come in," I stutter in embarrassment.

"I love what you've done with the place."

"Thank you. Would you like something to drink?" I ask, walking towards the kitchen area.

"No, I"m fine, thank you," he says quietly. "Listen, I just wanted to pop by to clarify a few things."

"Okay," I say, sitting down on one of the bar stools next to the breakfast bar that he now leans against. Looking up at him now, he appears as though he has a lot on his mind. His brow is furrowed and he reaches into his jean pockets. A few moments of silence stretch between us.

"I"m sure you know that Tasha and I aren"t on speaking terms," he begins. "She"s told you that, right?"

I wasn't expecting him to be so bold, but I guess it was necessary.

"Yes I know," I reply, the tension filling the air. I look up into his face, and he looks pained. I try to offer some comfort and add, "But before you continue, I"d like to apologize to you, Hal."

"Apologize for what?" He looks genuinely perplexed.

"The way I treated you the day I moved in … with the boxes. I was dismissive and rude, and I"m really sorry. I shouldn"t have acted that way."

He smiles down at me now. I feel my cheeks flush furiously. I'm suddenly very conscious that I still haven't showered or bathed since the gym and I'm in close proximity with this God like man, who actually seems pretty decent.

What is Tasha's problem?

"It"s okay Anna. I understand. I don"t have a problem with Tasha. Not anymore. I"ll admit that I never thought my dad would remarry, and certainly not to a woman much younger than him, and so soon after my mom"s death. So back then, I did everything I could to sabotage their relationship." He looks genuinely remorseful. "I was a pain in the ass, if I'm being completely honest, but I was grieving, you know? I found it all pretty difficult and hard to come to terms with but that was a long time ago now. I'm not perfect. But, who is?"

"That sounds pretty rough, Hal," I say. So is this why Tasha had her issues with him? Surely she had the tenacity to understand a grieving boy"s issue with his recently widowed dad's newfound relationship.

"When dad handed over the family business to me, I didn't want it. But he was insistent." Hal looks at me intently as he tells me this. I listen with rapt attention. Tasha had previously told me that Hal had ripped the company from his dad.

"Why didn't you want it?" I ask, to see whether his answer fills in any of the gaps. Between what Tasha and Hal have said to me, it doesn't make sense why they fell out as hard as they did. Hal laughs.

"I wanted to be an artist, but I was unable to follow my passion. Instead, I had to fulfill my duties as MD/CEO. Yet, I think I've probably made Torres Holdings one of the best conglomerates in America."

Hal and his dad have had their disagreements over the years, probably because of Hal's passion to become an artist which doesn't really fit in with Jeff's vision for the business. However, they still have a good relationship. Jeff never has a family gathering without Hal present, and he always sought his opinion on things before making any decisions.

So why did Tasha hate him so much? She was smart but didn"t have what it takes to run such a large company. Torres Holdings had a foothold in almost every industry in the United States and some parts of Europe.

"Perhaps I should have given Tasha a chance because I don"t really know her, but I think that ship has sailed. As you and I are going to be neighbors, I thought it was best I came over here and broke the ice, and to also give you my side of the story as I'm sure you've heard hers. Oh, and to give you these …."

Hal leaves my apartment for a minute or two and reappears holding a large bouquet of flowers.

"Oh my goodness …!" I exclaim.

"Do you like them?" He asks.

"Oh, I love them." He hands me the stunning display that I can't help but marvel at. "But what is this in aid of?"

"Let's just say it"s a moving in present."

"Thank you, they're stunning. And thanks for putting me in the picture, Hal. Do you think there's any possibility of a reconciliation between you both? I"m sure your dad"s not cool with what"s going on. And why doesn"t he say anything?"

"My dad is a diplomat. He"s trying to keep the peace. She"s his wife. Besides, I have never really cared about what anyone thought of me. Until now."

A breath catches in my throat. The way he looks at me is so intense. I feel my body come alive.

"So, what's changed?"

He smiles down at me again. "Well, let"s just say that I'm very keen for you to know the truth. You"re different. I have always known you were different."

"And here I was thinking that I had ruined your first impression of me with my attitude that day." I lower my head so he doesn't see me blushing furiously. His intense gaze is making my heartbeat faster.

"I want us to start over. Put the whole family feud behind us. Can we do that?"

"Sure," I say, smiling back at him. "But can you promise me one thing?"

"What is it?"

"You won"t close the door to a reconciliation between you and Tasha."

Hal smiled sadly. "I'll try. I"ll let you get back to whatever you were doing before I interrupted your evening." Hal walks towards the front door and I follow closely behind. Just before he leaves, he turns back to look at me.

"What are you doing tomorrow night?"

"Um ... nothing I guess ... I mean I have some research that I need to finish but it's not urgent."

"Can I take you out to dinner?"

I hesitate, unsure of what he's asking me. "Um ... is this like a friendly night out or ...?"

Hal laughs loudly, his gorgeous smile reaching up to his dark handsome eyes, "I"m asking you out on a date, Anna! A dinner date."

My knees almost buckle underneath me. The way he calls me ‘Anna' is so different to anyone else who pronounces my name. People don't usually call me Anna. But, I like it.

"Hal ... I don"t ..." I look at him but I can't read the expression on his face. I fear that if I decline his offer, he'll back off and never bring it up again.

Is that what you want?

"Anna, you don"t have to if you don"t want to."

Oh God, but I do. I really do.

"It"s not that ... I mean it"s fine. I just have to think about it."

"Not a problem. Let me know. I'm just next door," he smiles.

"Thank you."

I watch him walk back to his condo and then I shut the door behind me. I look at the stunning flowers sat on the breakfast bar then run to my bedroom. I have a sudden urge to scream into my pillow.

What are you doing Annalise Wilson? Seriously? Are you actually going to go out with Hal Torres?

Why the hell not? He seems like a great guy and he"s so freaking hot! What have I got to lose?

Erm … your sister?!

Voices argue in my head and I use a pillow to stifle my screams.

Hal Torres is forbidden. He is a territory I'm unable to cross. But yet, that only makes the thought even more thrilling. I want to know what lies beneath the quiet and mysterious young billionaire.

And what would your sister say, Anna? What would Tasha say?

What she doesn't know won't hurt.

I have no plans to tell my sister. Not for now at least. Perhaps Hal just wants us to bond as in-laws or something. Maybe he was just being nice and only wants to get to know me. Maybe that"s all there is to it. Telling Tasha would only make things worse and I had agreed to put the family feud behind us. There was no point carrying it on. I just had to find a way to force a reconciliation. Hal seemed open to it so why not Tasha? Especially since her reason for hating him is baseless. Perhaps she was still hurt about the things Hal did and said to her. But she had to let it go. It"s perfectly normal for a young teenager who lost his mom to be closed off to any other woman attempting to take her place.

I take off my clothes and lie in the tub. I close my eyes and think of Hal"s voice. It was like a hot knife cutting into butter, so smooth and deep.

That night, as I lay in bed, I dreamt I was in a ballroom with a whole room full of people. I was dancing with the most beautiful man in the world. It"s the same dream I have always had except that for the first time, his face was clear. We were dancing and everyone was clapping and smiling. The face of the man was Hal Torres.