Page 65 of Strictly the Worst

I smile and nod. “Yes, it is.” And that’s what I’m going to take away from this. That there is more to life than juggling work and home and renovations. That there’s a part of me that needs to be free.

No, I’m not running out on Zoe. She’s my absolute priority. But she’s getting older. One day she’s going to fly the coop and it will be just me.

I need to work out what kind of life it is that I want to live.

“Okay,” Gold says, clapping his hands together. “It’s a shame Salinger isn’t here, but he called to explain why. And I don’t think it will come as any surprise to tell you that Hampshire PR has hit it out of the park. I’m going to think on it, but right now you’re very much my preferred option.”

My airplane lands on the tarmac at JFK later that evening and I finally relax. People start to turn on their phones. I look at my own. There are a few messages. One from Zoe, asking me if I’ve landed yet – because we arrived ten minutes late. Another from Angela telling me that more people die on the toilet every year than on an airplane. I have no idea if this is true, but I laugh anyway.

And then Linc’s name comes up on the screen. I’m stupidly excited to see it, in a way that is so unlike me.

I press my finger on the screen and open it up.

Glad it went well. L x

I stare at it for a moment. I’d sent him a message after the presentation to let him know that it went well with Gold and that we should hear back from his team within a week.

But then I had to hurry to catch my flight to Nassau and didn’t hear back from him until now.

And if I’m honest, I’m disappointed.

I don’t know what I was expecting. Not a declaration of love or anything, that’s for sure. But maybe thanks for a great trip. Or great sex.

Maybe part of me was even hoping he’d send me some dirty texts.

But seriously, is that what I want? This week has been fun. More than that, it’s what I needed. But I can’t see how any of this would work when we’re back in the real world.

I don’t think he’d want it to anyway.

The seatbelt sign goes off and everybody stands and starts to gather their carry-ons from the overheads, jostling for a position to be the first ones off the plane. A child in the back starts to cry.

I slowly gather my things, as the pilot welcomes us to New York and tells us that it’s raining outside.

I guess that’s it. Exuma’s over.

It’s time to get back to real life.

CHAPTER

SIXTEEN

LINC

“For fuck’s sake,” Myles mutters as his ball stops short of the green. “This is stupid. Why didn’t you arrange for strippers instead?”

I shake my head, because Myles will bitch about anything. I don’t know how his wife puts up with him. Ava’s a damn angel.

I flew into Vegas last night after a week in Paris, and I’m in the worst kind of mood. Part of it is jet-lag, but a lot of it is because I’m an asshole.

I haven’t called Carmichael. I wanted to, but I didn’t. And I know that makes me the worst kind of douche, but I have no idea what to say to her.

Liam and Brooks are already at the club house, no doubt trying out all the finest whiskeys behind the bar. Eli and Holden are ahead of us, the two of them talking about the next green I think.

And Myles is pouting like a baby at his club.

“I don’t know why you’re grumbling,” I tell him. “I’m the one who just crossed two continents and then came straight here to watch you miss every hole on the course.”

“One continent. You crossed one,” Myles corrects.

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