Page 135 of Need You Now

An LA number. Name unknown.

With one quick slide, she answers. “Hello?”

“You’re a hard woman to track down, darling. To think I had to resort to buying a burner phone just to get the drop on you.”

At the sound of Colin’s familiar voice, Lacey sits up straight and lets out a squeak.

Shit. Shit. Shit.

“Lace?” Sal’s deep green eyes pin her down.

“Tell me, what have you been doing? Other than ignoring my calls.”

Lacey flinches, thinking of all the calls from Colin she’s denied. “Give me one second,” she says into the receiver. Then—

“I have to take this,” Lacey says to the women, slipping off the stool to stand and grabbing her parka from the hallway coat hook. “I’ll be right back.”

A wave of guilt hits her as she sneaks right past Seth and out the back door, wanting to get out of the house before he overhears and worries.

Time to face Colin like she’s faced this last month. With strength. With resolve. Not to mention a little bit of stone-cold fear.

Outside, Lacey picks up the conversation. “Colin, hi,” she says, trudging through the fresh snow. The cold cuts like a knife. Tucking the phone against her ear, she zips up her parka, her eyes scouring the clouds above. It’s only three p.m. and the sky is gray and fat with snow. “I know I’ve been off the grid. I’m in Tennessee. I needed a vacation. I was—”

“Mugged.”

She stops. “How did you know?”

“My darling, Autumn told me. Had I known ...” He lets out a huff of a sigh. “I acted atrociously. And so did Prentiss. As I’m sure you’ve heard, they are no longer my agency of rep.”

“I hadn’t. I kind of tuned out the world these days.” Hair whipping around her face, Lacey moves in the direction of the dock. “Colin, why are you calling?”

“I want you to come work for me.” Though his voice is tinny over the line, she hears him loud and clear.

Her mouth drops. “Excuse me?”

“Directly. I want you to be my personal party planner. All the parties. You’ll have carte blanche. A credit card. The guest house out back if you want to live there.” Colin’s melodic voice sings. “You’re the one Prentiss needs, not the other way around.”

“Colin. That’s an amazing offer, but—”

“And I swear, no more dead-of-night errands. Unless it involves Prentiss and a hit-and-run.”

Lacey chokes on a laugh.

“What do you say, darling?” Colin asks, his voice cajoling. “Don’t make me plan my parties without my right-hand woman.”

A thrill of excitement zips through her. Holy shit. Her dream job offered to her on a silver platter. All her worries about what comes next instantly solved.

But what about Seth? The thought of leaving him has her soul slowly disintegrating.

She glances back at the house, softening. Resolved to finally do what’s in her heart.

“Colin, I’m sorry, but I’m happy. I have a life here now.” Stepping onto the dock, she walks its length down to the railing to overlook the water. Steeling herself, she inhales a sharp breath. “Thank you, but I can’t accept. I—”

The line sizzles with static.

“Darling ... no for an answer ...”

“Colin, I can’t hear you. What—”

---