Hey everyone, thanks again to you all for reading this story and to those who left a review, I appreciate it. Thank you so so much!
Also, I would like to thank RhondaStar for her help with this chapter :) I really appreciate it.
To Have and To Hold - The Next Day.
Awaking the following morning, Clarisse stretched her arms out above her head and decided to remain exactly where she was, in the quiet and stillness of the room, for just a little longer. It was rare she got a moment to herself like this, rare she got the chance to just lie in the warmth and wallow in her own thoughts. But as she looked towards the sunlight coming in through the smallest gap in the curtains her mind drifted back to the previous evening, to the charged moment she and Joseph had shared.
It was a mistake. Almost a dangerous one. And yet somehow one she knew would undoubtedly happen again at some point.
Eventually she pulled herself, and her thoughts, out of bed, and took a quick shower. She dressed and put her hair up into a french twist before ordering her breakfast, packing her belongings ready to leave later that day while waiting for it to arrive.
"Hello," Clarisse smiled as she made her way towards Sabrina sitting at the table in the hotel restaurant that afternoon.
"Ahh, hello," Sabrina smiled as she got to her feet to greet her. "You are on time."
"Yes, I can be sometimes you know," Clarisse laughed as they hugged.
"I know," Sabrina smiled as they pulled apart and sat down at the table. "I was just teasing you after the amount you had to drink last night, I expected you to be late."
"Nope, not today," Clarisse smiled at her and placed her purse down in the chair beside her, "I have been up a while actually, and I have even packed too."
"Well that does surprise me," Sabrina said, "are you not hungover or anything?"
"I had a bit of a headache when I first got up, but paracetamol soon sorted that out. Thank god," Clarisse answered and they both laughed. "What about you?"
"Thank goodness for paracetamol, it worked wonderfully for me this morning too," Sabrina smiled and took a sip of the ice water that had been poured for her when she first sat down at the table.
Smiling, Clarisse picked up the restaurant menu and gave it a quick scan before looking up at her friend. "I think I'm going to have the traditional Sunday roast."
"Mmm," Sabrina nodded as she placed her glass of ice water back down on the table, "me too."
"Are you ready to order, Lady Sabrina? Your majesty?" Asked the waiter as he stood at the end of their table with a smile.
"Yes we are, thank you," Clarisse smiled as she closed the menu and handed it to him, "we will both have the traditional Sunday roast. One with lamb, and," she said and looked at Sabrina sitting opposite her.
"I will have lamb too please," Sabrina smiled.
"Very well, two lamb roasts coming up," smiled the waiter as he tucked the menus under his arm.
"Oh, and can we have a jug of iced water and a glass for me too please?" Clarisse smiled as he looked back at her.
"Of course, your highness," the waiter smiled.
"Thank you," Clarisse said and watched as he began to walk away before she looked back at Sabrina. "So what time did you and Harry leave last night?"
"Oh not long after you and Joseph left us," Sabrina smiled as she folded her arms on the table in front of her when she noticed Joseph walking towards them. "Oh, talk of the devil. Hello!" She said and watched as Clarisse turned her head to look.
"Hello to you both," he smiled as he approached their table and kissed Sabrina's cheek. "I thought I would have a quick look to see if you were in here yet. I'm just about to leave for the airport so I wanted to say goodbye."
"Ok, well thank you for coming last night, it's been lovely seeing you again," Sabrina smiled and noticed Clarisse sat looking down at her glass.
"You too, and of course, I wouldn't have missed it for anything," Joseph smiled at her then at Clarisse. "Actually, Clarisse, before I leave. I wonder if I might have a quick word?" He said and watched as she looked up at him.
"Sure," Clarisse nodded, "let's go outside."
"It's okay, you can stay here," Sabrina said and placed her napkin on the table in front of her as Clarisse and Joseph looked at her. "I need to go to the ladies room anyway."
"Thank you, Sabrina," Joseph said as Sabrina got to her feet and stepped out of the way for him to sit in her seat.
"It's no trouble," Sabrina smiled at him before walking away.
"What did you want to speak to me about?" Clarisse asked and watched as Joseph looked at her before sitting down in Sabrina's seat opposite her.
"About what happened last night," he said while placing his arms on the table in front of him and clasped his hands together as the waiter brought the jug of ice water and Clarisse's glass to the table.
"Thank you," Clarisse smiled up at him.
"You're welcome," the waiter said, bowing his head before walking away.
Checking the coast was clear, Joseph looked back at Clarisse and continued as she poured herself a glass of iced water. "I want to apologise for my behaviour last night, I should never have acted the way I did and for that I'm sorry."
Placing the jug upon the table, Clarisse sat poised a moment while looking down at her hands resting in her lap before finally looking back up at him. "It wasn't just you, we are both to blame for what happened. So, it's only fair that I apologise too."
"But I instigated it?"
"Yes you did, but I kissed you back when I shouldn't have," Clarisse said as their eyes met across the table. "I should have stopped it and never had let it go as far as it did and for that, I'm sorry."
Nodding, Joseph looked down at his hands a long moment. "I guess I can say goodbye to coming back to work at the palace now," he said and shook his head.
"Not necessarily," Clarisse said and watched as he looked up at her, "I think we can keep our feelings for one another at bay when we aren't drinking. So as long as we don't get drunk together again, we should be fine," she said while maintaining eye contact; it was something she needed to do, to prove to herself she had the determination and calm state of mind to do this.
"Are you sure?" Joseph asked and watched as she looked back down at her hands resting in her lap.
She almost laughed at her nerves, it was incredibly sweet despite the awkwardness of the moment. "We managed it before so I'm sure we can do it again," she said gently while looking back up at him. "Unless you don't want to come back?"
"Oh I do, you know I do. I was just worried about it, about us... that's all," Joseph said, holding her gaze.
"I'm sure things will be awkward at first, they were before but I believe that we will be fine given time," Clarisse said and tilted her head slightly. "After all, we're both intelligent, accomplished adults. We can make this work."
"You're right," he nodded and thought a moment before looking back up at her, "so I'll see you next week then?"
"Yes, you will," Clarisse nodded and watched as he got to his feet.
"Thank you," Joseph whispered while leaning over to kiss her cheek.
"You're welcome," Clarisse said and watched as he walked away before she picked up her glass of water and took a couple sips.
A moment later, Sabrina came and sat back down at the table. "Is everything alright? I waited until he left before I came back."
"Yes," Clarisse nodded as she placed her glass back down, "everything's fine."
"Good," Sabrina smiled, "and you know I was thinking while I was gone, before you leave today why don't you come and see the house? We have been in it for six months already and you still haven't seen it."
"Alright, why not," Clarisse smiled. "I will have to phone Rupert though to let him know I'll be returning later than planned."
"That's fine, you can do that at the house," Sabrina smiled and picked up her glass of water as the waiter appeared with their Sunday roasts. "Oh lovely, thank you."
"Thank you," Clarisse smiled and watched as he placed their plates down on the table in front of them.
"My pleasure, your majesty," he said and smiled at Clarisse before smiling at Sabrina, "m'lady."
"This looks absolutely delicious," Clarisse smiled as the waiter walked away.
"Mmm it really does," Sabrina agreed and pulled her knife and fork from the napkin.
Standing in the living room doorway holding two glasses of wine later that day, Sabrina watched Clarisse a moment as she stood by the mantlepiece holding a photo frame in her hands. She had several different photos up there, all with different people but she knew exactly what photo she was holding.
Smiling, she made her way over to her friend. "Here you are," she said and took a sip of her wine as Clarisse turned to her.
"Thank you," Clarisse smiled while taking her glass from her and looked back down at the photo she held. Remembering fondly the day the photo was taken back in their university days. "I can't believe you still have this photo of us."
"Of course I do," Sabrina smiled as she made her way over to the sofa while looking back over her shoulder at Clarisse. "That's my favourite photo of us, living our carefree life back in New York."
"Yeah, those were the days," Clarisse smiled while placing the photo frame back up on the mantlepiece before turning to Sabrina as she sat sideways on one end of the sofa and crossed her legs in front of her.
"Anyway, what do you think about the house?" Sabrina asked as she watched Clarisse walk over to the sofa and took a seat on the other end of the sofa. Tucking her foot behind her ankle.
"It's beautiful, I love it," Clarisse nodded, "it's lovely and spacious, and so you. I bet the girls love it, don't they?"
"Oh they do, yes, they love running around the huge garden," Sabrina smiled as Clarisse took a sip of her wine.
"I was going to say I bet they do that," Clarisse smiled while resting her glass down on her thigh.
"So me and Harry were talking, when you come over in august, I know we were going to meet for dinner like we usually do, but if you could add a couple extra days onto your trip you could all come and stay here. We can have a barbecue and the children can have fun together in the garden," Sabrina smiled, "we have plenty of room now, and enough room for the guards too."
"That sounds lovely," Clarisse nodded, "let me talk to Rupert about it and we can make plans."
"Make sure you do," Sabrina smiled at her as she took another sip of her wine.
"I will," Clarisse smiled and rested her glass back down on her thigh.
"Are you sure that you are okay? You haven't been yourself since I left you and Joseph to talk in the restaurant," Sabrina said and watched as Clarisse stared at her glass a long moment.
"Is there anyone else here, other than us?" Clarisse asked while looking at her friend.
"No, it's just us two, well except for your bodyguard. But he's out in the car," Sabrina said as Clarisse looked back at her glass. "Did something happen between you and Joseph last night?"
Slowly looking back at her, Clarisse watched as Sabrina gasped. "It did, didn't it? You slept with him, didn't you?" Sabrina exclaimed and covered her mouth with her hand.
Part 2 will follow shortly.