Page 122 of Secrets That Bind Us
“He loves her!”
I scoff. “Does he? Or is he only nice when people and cameras are around? You don’t know how he is to her behind closed doors, do you?”
She keeps her mouth shut and then– “So what are you thinking?”
“She flew down for the engagement party, didn’t she?” I ask, getting out of the airport and onto I-35-- theworsthighway ever in Texas, always under goddamn construction– and keep my eyes on the road, looking out for oncoming traffic.
“You mean the one you were too chicken-shit to attend?”
I growl. “Yes.”
“What am I supposed to do, Dean? Huh? You know she won’t come down here. She’s on tour as we speak, so it’s not like you can just show up. Her entire life is planned out for her.”
“Where is she headed next?”
“Paris.”
I make an executive decision without thinking. Looks like old habits die hard when it comes to Verity. “Then I’ll go to Paris.”
So I go to Paris.
But I have an issue trying to get to the convention she’s attending from the airport– due to a language barrier. Of all the languages Adelaide could’ve taught me, it had to be Spanish. Not French. By the time I get there, not only is it over, but the sun has also gone down, and she’s already headed to a different location. And I don’t have the money to follow her.
I head back to Adelaide, depressed as fuck.
But I keep going, keep working on the man I am. Because when I get her, I’m gonna be everything she’s ever wanted or needed me to be. I can do that for her. I’m not giving up.
SIX WEEKS LATER
Zo: I think I have a plan.
Me: What?
Zo: I’m down the street.
I go ahead and go to my front door, buttoning up my uniform. I open it when I see the teal Jeep pull into my driveway. Evan gets out of the driver's seat, then runs around the car to help Zo out. They’re inside my house by the time I'm done putting my belt on. They come in, and Bear comes to greet them. “Spill,” I tell her, shoving my feet into my shoes.
Zoey ignores my bluntness, but I don’t really have time to waste. “The last time she came down here and was actually within fifteen miles of Adelaide was for our engagement party.”
“Uh-huh.”
She sighs and looks over at Evan. “We’re going to fake call off the engagement for a few months–”
I snap my head up to look at her. “A few months?!”
“Give me a sec. It’s gonna take a minute, okay? We’ll get ‘back together’”-she makes air quotes with her fingers– “And have another engagement party, and she’ll come down and you’ll live happily ever after.”
I stare at her blankly. “That easy, huh?”
“Peasy.” She says, swiping her hands in a motion like she’s saying end of discussion.
I blink over at Evan. “And you're okay with this?”
He sighs. “No. But if it means getting my fiancé’s best friend back so she quits leaving me every time the opportunity arises, then so be it. It could be a great plan. Or it could be a shitty plan.”
“I’ll get on it right away.” Zoey chirps. “I can fake-cry like you wouldn’t believe.”
Evans groans and rubs a hand on his stomach. “Verity is going to hate me when she finds out.”
