Page 33 of A Major Puck Up

Peaches: Come to my room.

Me: I can’t. You know I can’t.

Peaches: I know. I’m sorry.

Me: Don’t apologize. I want you so much it’s physical torture going to my room alone, but it wouldn’t work. You have to work things out with your dad before you have a shot at a healthy relationship with anyone, and I can’t get in the middle of that.

Peaches: Maybe one day.

Me: Maybe.

Inside my hotel room, I toss the phone onto the bed while I undress. The maybes and one days do me no good. She’s too young, and she’s got a lifetime ahead of her, but at forty, my one day is now.

I just have to accept the fact that what we had wasn’t meant to last.

“Your sister coming?” I ask Daniel as I sidle up next to him beside the car waiting to take us to the airport.

He shakes his head and lowers his chin, his face mostly hidden beneath his blue Bolts baseball cap. “Nah. I guess some woman offered Millie a job, so she’s staying here today to discuss details and then flying straight to Paris to start.”

My stomach drops. “She’s what?” I can’t even hide the irritated shock in my voice. “She just met this woman, and now she’s following her to Paris? You and your father are okay with that?”

Beckett appears at my side and squeezes my shoulder. “It’s Cat James. I saw them at breakfast. She’s going to be working on Sienna’s show.”

My lungs seize as my mind races. I’m really not going to see her again. I told her we couldn’t keep talking. I pushed her away…

And apparently, I pushed her all the way to Paris.

TEN

GAVIN

PRESENT DAY

Beside me, Henry—because after this much time together, we’re on a first-name basis with one another—leans forward. “Then what happened?”

I shrug. “Nothing. We didn’t speak for a year.” I pause. “Well, that’s not exactly true. She texted me a month after the wedding.”

“What did she say?”

I chuckle. “Hi.”

“Hi?” His voice is dubious.

I glance at him. “That was exactly how I felt. I’d been going out of my mind for this girl, and she sends me the shortest, most casual text.”

Then again, I didn’t have the balls to text her, period.

I pull out the phone and show him the text exchange.

Me: Hey, how is Paris?

Peaches: So good. Your sister is amazing. A little scary when she gets in the zone, but most of the time, she’s great.

I can’t help but grin at my phone. That tracks. Sienna has always been intense. She’s the youngest in the family and the most successful. She’s made a name for herself all on her own. It’s impressive as fuck.

Me: So you’re happy?

I remember watching the dots dance waiting for a response. With every second that passed, my nerves frayed. Would she say yes, she’s happy? That walking away was the right decision? That I did the right thing?

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