Page 124 of Ghost Note

“That’s… nice of her.”

“She’s a nice person.”

“You’ll have to let me know how it goes once he realises you’ve gone out there to surprise him.”

“You think he’ll be okay about it?”

“A beautiful woman chases an average man—who already has everything he could ask forexcepther—across the big, bad world to beg for his devotion. What could possibly go wrong?”

“Ben…”

“Everything’s going to be just fine, Dais.”

I nodded, the excitement and nerves tearing through me. “I think so, too.”

* * *

Jules held my hand at every opportunity on the way to Paris. In the last few hours, I’d experienced more new things than I had in the twenty-five years before it, and if she hadn’t been there, I may have been too overwhelmed to have gone through with any of it.

Private limo rides to Heathrow Airport.

Private access to a private plane.

My first flight in the sky was experienced in pure luxury, and I could hardly speak throughout any of it. My eyes were sore and already tired from having been bugging out of my head since the car arrived to pick me up from my home. I kept running my hands along the smooth, cream leather armrests on either side of me on the plane, and every time Jules caught my eye, she’d laugh softly and promise me I’d get used to it eventually.

I didn’t think I ever would.

We were given any variety of drink we wanted, and snacks were provided, too, even though I didn’t feel like I could eat much of anything. The flight was going to be short, and I just wanted it over with. My feet hadn’t stopped bouncing since I’d boarded the plane, and the jingling of my knees was making my legs ache. Everything already felt like a dream, and I was pretty sure I was about to let nerves ruin this masterplan I’d put in place with the help of Julia.

She sat across from me, and when the captain came over the speakers to tell us we were to start making our descent, I caught her eyes. She obviously saw the worry I was carrying.

“Are you having second thoughts?” she asked calmly.

“Second. Third. Fourth. Fifth…”

“We can put a stop to it at any point.”

“You don’t think I can do this?”

“You know I do, but you have choices.”

“I don’t, Jules. Not anymore There’s only one choice, and he’s it.”

“All I’m saying is that no one would think badly of you if you simply wanted to walk in there and throw your arms around Danny. Even I’d struggle to go through with this.”

“That’s not helping.”

“Sorry.” She smirked. “I’m just surprised you want to do something so…”

“Stupid?”

“Grand. It’s quite a statement you’re about to make.”

“I should have done this last time instead of running away like a coward. I don’t want to be that person.”I want to be like Saffron. Danny deserves that.

Her warm smile was comforting. “I understand.”

“Do you think we’ll get there in time? I just want to get it over with.”

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