Stolen Hearts

Chapter fifteen.

If the photo works it's of Vincent.

Delia stepped into the elevator and cracked her neck, it was a long shift already and she wasn't even half done. She leaned back against the wall and waited for the doors to close, a second before they did the janitor got on, he glanced at her but didn't say anything.

"Vincent," She greeted curtly.

"Dee."

"My name's Delia."

"I know you're name."

She rolled her eyes, completely over him and his attitude. When he'd been hired it had been under the rules he stayed clean, so far he had but he had a past with drugs and it made Delia leery. The elevator dinged as the floors passed and then suddenly with a hard jerk stopped. The lights flickered and Delia fell to the floor.

"Are you okay?"

"I think so."

He moved to help her up off the floor but she shrugged him away. She brushed off her pants and stood, glancing at where the numbers were no longer visible.

"What happened?" She asked.

"We must be stuck, this damned place is falling apart."

"You can fix it right?"

"I'm maintenance Dee, not the equipment manager."

She moved to the corner and grabbed the small red phone that was for emergencies, she clicked the numbers a few times but nothing happened.

"It's dead!" She slammed it back on the hook.

"Someone will notice and we'll be fine."

"What if we fall to the basement?!" She cried.

"We wont....Dee.....are you okay?" he asked gently.

"I'm fine!" She snapped.

"Dee....."

"I just don't much care for tight spaces, alright?"

He took the few steps needed to catch her arm just as she began to pace and hyperventilate.

"Calm down, okay?" He said.

"Don't touch me."

"Dee, calm down....come on let's sit."

He pulled her to the back of the elevator and gently eased to the floor taking her with him until they were sitting side by side.

"Just take a deep breath," He said.

"I know how to breathe, I'm a doctor."

"Okay, just.....talk to me."

"About what? It's not like we have a lot in common," She snapped.

"Fine, whatever."

He shook his head, and fell silent. It only took a minute or two before she began to feel guilty for snapping at him.

"I'm sorry it's just......you remind me so much of someone and I....I'm sorry."

"Ex?" He guessed.

"Kind of," she said with a heavy sigh.

"You don't have to tell me if you don't want to."

"You mean you haven't heard?" She asked, surprised.

"No."

"I'm surprised, I've been the laughing stock of the town for awhile."

"I'm pretty new to town," He said with a shrug.

"My fiance' left me.....on our wedding day standing at the alter and I think the only person who was surprised was me."

"Bastard."

She laughed a little and shook her head, her dad had same the exact same thing while she cried into Maggies shoulder the day of her wedding.

"Dad said the same thing."

"So, that's why you hate me."

She shrugged, deep down she knew she was being petty. She knew that Vincent wasn't the man who left her at the alter but she was leery of men to begin with and then Vincent walked into her life and the similarities shook her to the core.

"I'm not him you know," He said.

"I know that, I'm not stupid."

"I never said you were."

She realized that he had been talking to her as a distraction but it had worked, she was no longer panicking about the situation. In fact she'd relaxed enough to lean against the wall and it was the first rest she'd had all day.

"How long have you been working?" He asked.

"Halfway through my shift."

"Did you do back to back again?"

"Maybe," She said with a shrug.

"You work too hard."

"You don't work hard enough." She shot back.

He was about to reply when the elevator began to shake, the lights flickering again. She let out a gasp and reached out gripping his arm in fear.

"It's alright," He promised.

A second later the elevator began to move, he stood and gently pulled her to her feet. She was fidgeting again but realized that the elevator was working again. She moved closer to the doors, ready to bolt the second they opened. A bell dinged signaling they arrived on the floor, the doors hesitated for just a second but it was long enough.

"Dee," He said her name.

"Yeah?" She wasn't paying attention as she waited for the doors to open.

He caught her by the arm spinning her towards him, he pulled her flush against his body and pressed his lips to hers. Kissing her deeply, before she had time to react the doors opened and he pulled away releasing her.

"Your fiance never kissed you like that," He said.

She opened her mouth for a snappy come back but nothing came to mind, her brain had apparently followed the lead of the elevator and wasn't reaching the top floor.

He winked at her then stepped off the elevator, she hesitated a minute before following him. She'd just stepped into the hallway when she heard Maggie calling to her.

"Dee."

"Mags, hey." She said, her voice shaky.

"Geez, you look like you saw a ghost. Are you okay?" Maggie asked, cupping Delias cheek.

"I'm fine, what's going on?"

"Can we talk?" Maggie asked, fidgeting with the edge of her shirt.

"Of course, come on."

Shaking off her nerves Delia wrapped and arm around Maggie and lead her to her office. Whatever happened had to take second place because she could already tell Maggie was upset and that was more important.