Page 147 of Worth Every Penny

“I know you don’t mean that,” Jack says. “It doesn’t matter how much money someone has, they’re never obligated to help someone out.Never. He didn’t do it because he could, he did it because he cared.” Jack stares at me, a world of emotion in his eyes when he adds, “He told me he loved you.”

My heart clenches, and a lingering unease settles inside me, like a bad aftertaste on the back of my tongue. I’ve made a mistake. I have to make it right with Nico.

I must have been silent too long, lost in a whirl of memories, because Jack’s voice crashes in like a moon-landing. I tune in just in time to hear the tail-end of the question I missed. “Do you?” he asks.

“Huh? What?”

“Nico. Do you love him?”

Do I?

I open my mouth, but the sound that escapes from between my parted lips is not a word. It’s a low, pitiful, aching noise.

My pulse roars in my ears. My vision blurs and my cheeks are wet, and I don’t know if it’s tears or rain. Jack’s arms are suddenly around me and I’m breaking my heart.

Nico did everything for me, for my family. And I screamed at him for it. I flash back to smashing the picture of my father that he had framed. Shame floods me, choking my throat and forcing yet more tears to stream down my face. But the pain of being lied to, of knowing that every time I was with him he was keeping the truth about my father from me... thathurts.

I cling tighter to Jack, nuzzling my tear-streaked face into his coat. After a few minutes, the sobs subside.

“Hey,” he says, and I tilt my face up to look at him. “Does this mean you’ve forgiven me?”

I clench a fist and thump him on the chest. “God, you’re a prick sometimes.” I laugh through the heartache, because I do forgive him. Of course, I forgive him. And if I can forgive Jack, I can forgive Nico, too.

45

KATE

“This is madness. What on earth do you hope to achieve?” Marie asks, arms folded, the toe of one shoe tapping on the linoleum floor.

I’m standing at the door, a small roll-on suitcase at my feet, passport tucked into my handbag.

“It’s not madness,” Elly says, bouncing on her toes, hot chocolate slopping over the edge of her mug. “It’s romantic.”

Marie’s lids shutter on an eye roll before her sharp gaze settles back on me. “You’re going to turn up unannounced? What if he’s already flying back here? Or he’s seeing someone else…”

“He’s not seeing someone else,” I reply.

Marie sets her jaw and stares me down. “You sound very certain about that.”

I’m not certain at all, but it gives me some satisfaction that my act is convincing hard-nosed Marie. Even though I’ve decided to pursue him, Nico’s words keep swirling in my mind, threatening to send me running back to my room so I can pull the duvet over my head and hide.

I don’t fucking quit, and I cannot be with someone who does.

Maybe he still feels like that… maybe me showing up at the Hawkston Building in New York won’t be enough. Maybe it’ll be too late. Either way, I can’t sit here and do nothing, waiting for Nico to come home. I will not get back under that duvet.

It might have taken me a while, but I got here in the end. I know what I want, and it’s six foot three inches tall and looks drop dead gorgeous in a suit and tie, and even better naked.

“If I’m wrong, I’ll get on the next flight back. No harm done,” I continue. “Other than my bank balance. Last-minute tickets weren’t cheap.”

Marie’s arched brow lets me know she’s not entirely convinced by my act after all.

Elly grabs my arm, turning both of us to face off against Marie. “This is the big moment. This is Kate putting her heart on the line, risking it all for the love of her life.”

“Okay, stop,” I cry. “That’s too much. If you keep going like that, I’ll lose my nerve and stay here and watch a movie with you two.”

“It’s just good sex, that’s all,” Marie says, shrugging a shoulder.

Elly pulls my head towards hers with the arm she has wrapped around my shoulder and smacks a huge kiss on the side of my face. “Go get him, babe.” Then she points at Marie and hisses, “Good sex is worth fighting for too. You should try it sometime.”

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