Page 19 of Solid Ground

Caitlin takes my hand in hers. “No way. He would have been the luckiest man alive to have you. It’s his loss.”

I groan as Brandon approaches. Sure enough, he wants to know what that dirty look was for, judging from the quizzical expression on his face.

“Babe? You okay?”

Caitlin shakes her head. “No. Tell your boys to stop hitting on Zoe. She’s not interested.”

He frowns. “Who? I’ll take care of it.”

I sigh. “It doesn’t matter.”

Brandon sits beside Caitlin. “Tell me who it is, and I’ll beat the shit out of them.”

She wraps herself around him. “My hero.”

“It’s not worth it. Today is supposed to be about love and fun,” I say.

He plants a kiss on Caitlin’s temple. “Speaking of, we need to get out of here.”

“I love you guys. Have an amazing honeymoon, and we’ll catch up when you get back.” I squeeze her knee.

“Love you too,” Caitlin says.

“I’m sorry the guys have been harassing you.” Brandon frowns. “I’ll deal with them when I’m home again.”

“I’m fine. I think everyone just needs to sleep it off.”

He nods. With one last hug, they leave, waving goodbye to everyone as they make their way out to the car. I’m not sure it’s sunk in just how much our lives are about to change. WithBrandon being traded to Chicago, Caitlin will be right behind him in a few weeks.

It’s a long trek back to my hotel room. I’m so happy for Caitlin, and I hope she has a wonderful honeymoon. Today just emphasises the fact that I’m alone—if I only wanted sex, I would’ve taken up Lachlan or someone else’s proposition tonight.

But now I’m not sure anyone can top Declan O’Leary. It’s gonna take a very long time to get over that night together. Since that weekend, my memory has become a little hazy. I know the sex was amazing, and I definitely remember what happened before breakfast the following morning. But I wish now I hadn’t had anything to drink and had had a completely clear head.

Maybe if I called him …

I curl up in my bed and think about what might have been.

No. That’s not fair.

Declan O’Leary is a pipe dream. Maybe we had that night together, but I’ll never see him in the flesh again.

All I have left is my murky memory.

FIVE

ZOE

Six weeks later

I pickup my phone for approximately the one millionth time since our weekend in Vegas.

Declan never called me.

And I’m too stubborn to call him.

With me only being here until the end of the year, it might not be the best idea to start a new romance anyway. When I sold, the contract for the deal contained a clause for me to stay on and help manage the transition to the new owner’s infrastructure. Every day I have less and less to do—my time with the company was planned that way as I ease myself out of it.

The deal was so big, once I work out this year I never have to work again, but there’s also a sense of loss that whatwas once mine is gone. If I want to build something new, I’ll have to start all over again.

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