Total pages in book: 74
Estimated words: 71396 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 357(@200wpm)___ 286(@250wpm)___ 238(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 71396 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 357(@200wpm)___ 286(@250wpm)___ 238(@300wpm)
“If you want to fly commercial,” I offer, “we can. We’ll have a layover in Frankfurt, so it will be about a five-hour trip.”
Lara snorts, folding a pair of jeans. “And we’ll probably have a crying baby beside us and a mystery stain on the armrest.”
“Won’t have that on the private jet,” I say with a waggle of my eyebrows. “And it will take us just over an hour. We’ll sip on wine and have a cheese plate.”
“Very bougie,” she hums with a laugh. “Fine. I’ll fly private. Twist my arm.”
I grin and return to my closet, grabbing a few more shirts and a pair of sneakers. Lara quietly folds and I sense a shift. She’s done nothing out of the ordinary, and yet I can tell something heavy is weighing on her.
Without thought, I dump the garments on the bed and take Lara’s hand. I pull free a blue Henley from her hand, toss it on the pile of other clothes and then pull her down onto the mattress so we’re sitting side by side. “I can tell something’s wrong that has nothing to do with how much money I make.”
Her eyes lighten and she smiles. “I should be freaked out that you know me so well, but I’m not. I called my mum earlier.”
“All good back home?” I lace my fingers with hers, rest them on the bed between us.
“Yeah. It was a nice talk, but in the end, she told me I needed to stop putting things off. That no one could move forward—not me, not Lance, not our families—until I handled things with him.”
My spine stiffens slightly, and I angle toward her. “You called him.”
It’s not a question.
She nods. “This afternoon.”
Not sure why my heart is suddenly racing, but I can’t ignore the fact I am somewhat fearful. “How’d it go?”
She exhales, eyes on her hands. “Better than I expected. He apologized. Said he’s going to start therapy. Said all the right things. But…”
My stomach drops. He’s going to try to get her back? “But?” I push.
Her eyes lock with mine. “But it’s over. I told him that very clearly. I didn’t sugarcoat it.”
Relief swells through me, even if it’s tempered with caution. “And he accepted that?”
She hesitates. “He asked to see me. Said he’d be in Torquay in two days and wanted one last conversation. In person.”
I go still. My jaw ticks and I have to restrain myself from demanding that she never go see him, but I also know that’s not my place. Lara is her own person.
Her fingers squeeze mine and her smile is gentle. “I know you don’t like it but I’m going to have to see him sometime. We need that face-to-face so he understands it’s really over.”
“But not now,” I guess.
Shaking her head, she sighs before pushing off the bed and returning to the clothes. “No, I’m not going to Torquay. I’m committed to going to Suzuka with you, but probably after that, I’ll head back and handle it.”
I scrub a hand through my hair, pushing down the knot of dread in my chest. I don’t want her going to Torquay. I want her to stay with me in our little bubble that’s insulated from the mess of my brother.
“How did you leave it with him?” I ask.
Lara’s cheeks flush pink and she looks a little discombobulated. “Um… I sort of panicked when he said he wanted to talk in Torquay because he thought I was there. I told him I wasn’t and he wanted to know where I was. I panicked.” She smiles sheepishly. “And sort of told him I had to go and hung up.”
I consider what that might mean for Lance’s next move. Will he patiently wait for her to return? Will he press for her whereabouts? Or he might even try to get the information out of our parents, although they’ve agreed to stay out of it completely and won’t tell Lance that she’s with me.
What a fucking mess! I rub the back of my neck. “I’ve got a week off between Suzuka and Shanghai. I could go back to Torquay with you to talk to Lance.”
Lara shakes her head and touches my forearm. “You know I have to do this alone. This is between me and Lance.” She glances out the window, swallows hard before bringing her eyes back to mine. “And… he needs to know about us. I’ll tell him in person.”
“I don’t want you doing that alone,” I growl, pulling my arm away from her. “Last time you were alone with him, he hit you.”
Smile turning downward, she nods. “I know that scares you, but I have to do it alone. I can do it at your parents’ house or my house if that makes you more comfortable, but you cannot be there.”
“But—”
“No buts,” she says, placing a finger over my lips and staring up at me resolutely. “Just go with me on this. Once I talk to Lance, then you and I are free to…”