Page 48 of Audra: The Prequel

The line went dead. The sound was like a kick to the heart.

He remained frozen with the phone to his ear, unable to move. The silence on the line was deafening, each second dragging by in a never-ending loop as realization cut through him like a knife.

I’m going to lose her.

He lowered his hand. Numb.

He should have told her right away. Even ifPeoplemagazine had printed the photos next week as originally planned, someone at the party could have shared pictures of him and Nami online beforehand, which could have also gotten back to Audra.

He hadn’t been thinking. Over the years, he’d grown accustomed to living his own life and doing his own thing without answering to anyone. Being in a monogamous relationship was… different. Life didn’t center around Damon “The Flash” anymore. Every major move he made affected not only him, butthemas a couple.

Mind racing, he ran a hand over his short-cropped hair.

A misunderstanding couldn’t, and wouldn’t, be the end of them. He refused to let their relationship end like this. He had to convince Audra of the truth, that’s all.

He’d reach out to her when he returned to Atlanta and force her to talk to him face to face.

Chapter Nineteen

Audra finished combing Kerilyn’s hair into long twists and snapped a clip at the end of the last one. Her daughter was excited that she would be spending time with her cousins on their farm. She loved feeding the chickens, milking the cows, and chasing the goats around the yard. For her, the experience was an adventure—something different from the norm. For them, managing the farm was work, which had expanded beyond their roadside stand selling fruits and vegetables.

In recent years, they had added a petting zoo, the option for guided tours, and a small store that sold baked goods made from their yield. In the fall, they offered wagon rides throughout the property and allowed people to pick their own apples for a fee.

Kerilyn hopped up from the ottoman and took a look in the hand mirror.

“I look pretty,” she announced with a smile.

“Yes, you do. Always,” Audra said. “Time to get dressed. Cousin Joe will be here soon to pick you up.”

Kerilyn scampered away and raced up the stairs ahead of Audra. In her pink-decorated room, Audra added a few more items to her daughter’s small suitcase before zipping it shut.

“That’s everything?” she asked Kerilyn.

Her daughter nodded.

“You’re sure? You won’t be coming back before the weekend is over.”

“I’m sure.”

“You’re not taking any stuffed animals this time?”

Kerilyn shook her head. “I don’t need them.”

The doorbell rang.

“That’s Cousin Joe. Let’s go,” Audra said.

At the top of the stairs, they saw Cousin Joe—a couple of years younger than Audra—being welcomed inside by a member of the household staff. Joe worked on the farm with his parents and younger siblings and was dressed in overalls and a baseball cap, looking every bit like a country boy.

“Hey, Joe,” Audra called as she carried the suitcase down the stairs.

“Cousin Joe!” Kerilyn raced over and gave him a big hug.

He embraced her and patted her back. “Hi, Keri. I hope you’re ready, because we have a lot of work to do,” he warned in his slow drawl.

“I’m ready!” Kerilyn straightened up like a soldier, indicating she could handle whatever he tossed her way.

“She’s been talking about this weekend ever since you called,” Audra told him.

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