Page 276 of The Grand Duel

I smile and lean into her, hugging her. “You’re the best.”

I pull up to the cottage at six o’clock and stare out through my windscreen, feeling like it’s not the same home as it was a week ago.

The traffic leaving London was as bad as my commute in, and the lack of conversation, which I’ve grown used to when travelling to and from the city with Charles, only made me think about the little moments I shared with him.

The silly jokes and teasing, and the looks he’d give me as if he couldn’t take his eyes off me.

I sigh, pushing open the car door and walking to the house. The smell of caramel instantly melts over me.

“Auntie Lissie!”

I smile at where Willow sits on the kitchen island holding a stick with an apple on the top.

“Oh, it’s toffee,” I say, chucking my bag down on the sofa.

Luna and Daisy jump at me, and I bend to smooth them down.

“Willow couldn’t wait for tea. She’s had hers.”

“It’s fine,” I tell Jovie, the sight of her in the kitchen making dinner throwing me off.

It was always me who would cook out of the two of us. Even when she got older, I’d be the one to do it.

I look down at the dogs, their tails wagging. “I’ll take you out first thing, babies.” I kiss Daisy’s head. “I promise.”

Her sad eyes haunt me, and I know it’s silly because she’s just a dog, but I’m certain she knows.

My throat starts to burn, and I blink, looking towards the fire, knowing it’s the girls’ biggest comfort outside of Charlie.

“I’m going to get some logs in for the fire,” I pass them and head for the back door.

Wrapping my cardigan around me, I step out into the cold night, quickly making my way down the path to the shed. I’m loading logs into the small basket, the torch on my phone my only light, when my phone pings with a new calendar notification.

I pull my phone from my pocket and read the updates.

Home

1 Hyde Park Gardens

Mason’s penthouse.

My chin trembles, and I give in to the ache in my throat, sitting back on the log behind me. I stare down at the notification with tears rolling down my cheeks.

I want to be mad at him. I want to hate him for leaving. But all I can think about is how he might be handling this and if the man who stood in our archway last night was as broken as he looked.

I hate that he’s alone. That he flew to the other side of the world to bring my sister home so that I wouldn’t be by myself but doesn’t allow that comfort for himself.

I want to hug him. To be held by him. I want to shower off the busy day together and then argue over what to have for tea before going with whatever I end up picking and eating it curled up on the sofa.

I just want him home.

I wipe at my face and click on his message thread, reading his last message.

There’s something really important I need you to take a look at in my office.

I smile as more tears fall, remembering the moment that followed.

I knock on the door and poke my head inside his office.

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