Page 133 of Late Nights & Love Lines
“Not that it’s any of my business,” she says in a voice that feels vaguely familiar. “But that woman’s a bitch. You’re not seriously going to let her push you away, are you? That man loves you.”
My mouth drops open as I stare at my restroom friend from last night.
“Oh, geez. My name’s Tilly, and I have an eavesdropping problem. You haven’t had an easy couple of days, huh?”
I don’t know what overcomes me, but I open my mouth to sayI’m fineand end up spilling my guts to her. Everything. I tell her every single thing.
My phone is buzzing nonstop by the time I’m finished, and what does this stranger do? She plows into me and wraps me in a hug.
“Two things you should know about me,” she says, wiping away a tear from the corner of her eye. “I really do make the best of friends in restrooms, and I love happily ever afters.”
“I—I need to get out of here to handle some stuff, but I can’t let Seb see me.”
Her kind eyes crinkle at the corners. “Go out there and take what’s yours, girl, and email me when you do.” She places a card in my hands. “It’ll make a great story.” I glance down at the card she gave me to see it’s for a blog about happily ever afters.
I laugh at the absurdity as she opens the door and peeks out. “Come on, she’s gone. I’ll help sneak you out. We can use the service exit, and then I’ll distract Sebastian by giving him that introduction to my husband he asked for.”
“I can’t believe your husband owns this hotel.” It slips from my lips, and my eyes widen with embarrassment.
She smirks. “He owns a few of them. Now let’s get your happily ever after on the road. I’ll take care of Sebastian and my husband, so don’t worry about that.” With a final hug, she uses a keycard to open a side door, and I slip out.
Stepping into the New York sunshine isn’t as therapeutic as one would think. It’s too damn hot and sticky as hell. Elongating my stride so I don’t step on the cracks, I walk toward the sidewalk and freeze.
Step on a crack, break your mother’s back.
I’ve avoided stepping on cracks since I was six years old, and for what? To protect my mother? Turning around, I stomp my feet on one crack, then another and another, until a thin sheen of sweat covers my body.
I’m behaving as though I’ve lost control of my limbs and smiling like it’s an out-of-body experience, but I’m free. Lifting my arm, I wave down a taxi. The little yellow fucker nearly takes me out as it pulls up to the curb, but I slide in, hoping and praying I’m doing the right thing.
“Where to?” the man asks.
“Coleman Industries?” I ask because I have no idea where it is.
The man nods and pulls out into traffic with the speed of a race car driver reentering the track.
My phone is still buzzing, and my entire body aches a little, knowing I’ve hurt him.
But it’s temporary. Hopefully he’ll see that when I’m done. I didn’t have a choice. I had to allow Mya to believe that she was getting what she wanted so I can do the only thing in my power—take back my life and force Jacob’s hand.
Sebastian’s name lights up my phone again, and my fingers hover over the keypad. The pain will be temporary, but I no longer am. He’s changed me. He’s made me want the damn happily ever after and the white picket fence.
Seb:Don’t do this.
Seb:What did she say to you?
Seb:Please don’t leave this way.
Oh, my heart.
Me:Please trust me. You’ll have my tomorrows, but I need my todays.
Seb:I don’t understand. What did she say to you? Why did you leave? Where are you?
Me:I’m going to fix things.
Seb:That’s not your job. Just come home.
Me:I’ll meet you in Sailport Bay.
