Page 500 of The Sinner: James

I glance at him.

“You’ll get your fucking money. You’ve earned it. Now buckle up. We’re ready to take off.”

11

RAIN

“I hope you’re right,”I murmur, holding my trench with one hand and my phone with the other while stepping into the car.

Within seconds, the luxury limousine rolls onto the streets of Monte Carlo.

“Give me a second,” I say before exchanging a few words with the driver.

“I’m back,” I murmur, resuming my phone conversation while stretching my legs and sagging in the back seat.

“Of course I’m right,” Eve murmurs at the other end of the phone line. “You’re trying to surprise him with something nice. Why wouldn’t he be happy?”

“Because... I spoke with Lex on the phone last night, and he told me James was on his way back from London or Eastern Europe or… I have no idea where. He’d traveled the entire week, and the last time we talked on the phone, he said he’d let me know when was a good time for me to travel.”

“This is the perfect time,” Eve says, convinced it’s true. “The weekend is almost here. I’m sure he needs to take a break.”

“Yeah... I hope so,” I say, not as convinced as she is. “How are things with you?”

“Great,” she says in a breath. “I’m up for a promotion at the end of the month.”

“Oh. Congratulations.”

“Yup. I’ll have my own secretary. Can you imagine that?”

A smile tilts my lips.

“I’m so happy for you. You’ve worked so hard for it.”

“We should celebrate it next time you come to New York.”

“I can’t wait.”

“Cool. Other than that, I’ve started dating again.”

“Again? I thought you’d been dating all this time.”

“Well, yes. I have. But then I got mad at the whole process and promised myself I’d never do it again. Somehow, I compelled myself to try it again, logged in on one of the apps I’ve used before, and reviewed some profiles.”

“And?”

“I’ve got a few leads. Went out a couple of times. Nothing came out of it, but I’m more patient now and taking it for what it is, not expecting much from it. I’m not putting much hope into it, either. If it happens, it happens. If not, so be it. I’m young. I can do this dating thing for a long time,” she says, laughing. “It’s no longer that important. Right now, I’m focused on my work. It’s fun and fulfilling. There’s no point in sweating over this dating thing. Everybody has to have a bad experience at some point, right?”

“Well... I guess,” I say distractedly as the car makes a turn and the entrance of the Hotel de Paris Monte Carlo comes into view.

My heart starts pounding, unexplained nostalgia mixed with jitters coursing through me.

Regardless of what she says, making a surprise appearance has never been my thing.

When you surprise someone, you might end up surprising yourself, and it’s usually something unpleasant.

I try to shake off that feeling before the car comes to a stop, and the driver rushes to open the door for me.

I smile at him.

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