Page 49 of Game Changer

We head back into the function hall and I find Shelly. After apologising to her again for my outburst, we say goodbye and make our way back to the hotel. Thankfully Annalise is nowhere to be seen. Now I have to tell Zara I need to go back to L.A. for a few weeks, but that can wait. This night has to end on a better note than this and I’m not about to make things worse right now. I know she’ll understand, but God I’m going to miss her.

* * *

“Morning sunshine,” I say to Zara as I set a coffee cup down on the bedside table.

“Mmm. Morning handsome,” she says stretching out in the massive bed. “Where’d you get that?”

“I went down to the wee café we saw on the way to the premiere last night.”

“Oh you remembered. Thank you. I need this,” she groans grabbing the cup and taking a long sip. “Oh, that’s so good. I didn’t have much to drink last night but I feel rough this morning. Must be lack of sleep.”

She winks at me with makeup blackened eyes. I can’t help but stare at her. She’s breathtakingly beautiful. Even though I know every inch of her body and spent years as her friend, I’m enjoying getting to know her all over again.

“Listen, I need to talk to you about my move back to the UK.” I take a seat on the bed next to her.

“Alright. You don’t look exactly over enthusiastic about it. Is everything okay?”

“Yeah. I am enthusiastic about it. I told you I’d already decided to move back but you’ve made it certain for me. I can’t live thousands of miles away from you. It’s just as easy for me to hop on a flight and go wherever I’m needed. I’ll even take a private flight if I have to. I want to be wherever you are.”

“Aww you’re so sweet Buckie. You know if my business was portable, I would go wherever you are. But I can’t take my pubs all over the world with me.”

“Who says you couldn’thavepubs all over the world?”

“Pfft. Buckie, I’m hardly in a position to go global. As much as I do alright for myself, I don’t have that kind of capital behind me. It would take millions to get something like that up and running. No, I’m happy where I am for now. So what is it you need to talk to me about?”

“Well if I’m to move back to Scotland permanently, I’m going to have to go back to L.A. to tie everything up. I’ll need to sell my home in Malibu and buy one here. I’ll probably be away for about three weeks. I’ve been dreading telling you. I feel as though we haven’t had enough time for us, you know. I’m going as soon as all these damn press engagements are done, which means I won’t be back in Glasgow until the middle of May.”

“Oh you silly man,” she says putting her cup down and sitting herself, in all her naked glory, in my lap. “We’ll have all the time in the world when you’re back. This has been eating you up, hasn’t it?”

“You’ve no idea. I’m glad you took it well.”

“Why on earth wouldn’t I have taken it well?” She reaches up and touches my face, running her fingers over my stubble.

“I fucking love you Zara.”

“The feeling’s mutual handsome.”

She looks at me with her beautiful hazel eyes, her smile lighting up her face. I don’t want to say goodbye to her today. Three weeks is a long time when you have someone to miss. I’ve been lonely for so long. It’s a strange feeling to be surrounded by people all the time but still feel so alone.

“When’s your flight?”

“Not for another five hours.”

“Good.”

She squeals as I toss her down onto the bed and I stand and strip out of my clothes. “Mmm. I like where this is going.”

“I need a memory for the good old wank bank. I have to occupy myself somehow.”

“Ugh Buckie, way to dampen the mood.”

She swats my arm and I lean down to kiss her. Her lips are soft and inviting. If the last thing I ever do is make love to this beautiful woman, I’ll die a happy man.

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