Page 66 of Away We Go

We devour our ice creams as we head back to the hotel, and I sigh in relief when we catch sight of it.

“I should have brought you home sooner.” A look of concern forms between his brows as he runs a finger from my temple to my chin. “You look exhausted.”

Great. Terrific. Just what a girl wants to hear.

“I’m fine,” I tell him. More lies. “But a nap sounds good.”

He walks me to my room and waits as I dive under the covers.

“I have to leave in a couple of hours,” he says. “I tried to get out of it, but there’s a meeting in London HQ I have to attend.”

My heart sinks at the thought of him leaving and I chastise myself for being silly. The man has a very important job; he can’t stay here and play nursemaid.

“I’m leaving your pills and some water next to your bed,” he says, the very picture of a very cute nursemaid. “Promise you’ll callme if you need anything. This diva will make sure you’re looked after.”

I chuckle at this and pull the blanket up to my chin, blinking rapidly to keep my tears at bay. If I cry now, he will move heaven and earth to stay here with me.

“Are you going to be okay?” He looks torn and I muster up my most healthy smile. Flashing all my teeth.

“Yes, now go. I’ll be fine after a sleep.”

He doesn’t budge. “Promise you’ll call?”

I nod. He stares down at me for a long moment, then lets out a frustrated groan. “I have to go.”

“I know.”

He groans again, leaning down to brush his lips over my forehead. “Look after yourself, Cherie.”

The skin on my forehead tingles and I can only offer him a weak wave, my eyes glued on him as he walks away.

When the door clicks closed behind him, I screw my eyes shut. My whole body feels sweaty and cold and tingling, and I know it has nothing to do with the mutant cold I’m currently fighting and everything to do with the man I want to spend all my time with. I can feel something growing between the two of us and I desperately want to believe it’s real. But with the bucketload of emotional baggage Troy left for me to carry, I don’t trust that Nicky does want to be with me, like that. And even if he does, I most certainly don’t believe he will want to stay with me. Forever.

Getting close to this grown-up version of Nicky is better than any fantasy I could have ever imagined, and with my insecurities and self-doubt rushing to join this party, I’m just not sure what to do with all these intense feelings. I can’t trust myself to believe any of this is real and I’m worried that, come the end of the season, neither my heart nor my body will ever be the same again.

• • • • •

Nicky

How are you?

Cherry

For the billionth time, I’m good.

Nicky

Serena begs to differ…

Cherry

That little snitch…

I’m on the mend.

I’ll be fine for the race in Madrid.

Nicky

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