Page 130 of Never Quiet

“F-for him to be happy.” Taking a deep breath, she added past the lump in her throat, “For them to have what they were supposed to have before Winston Winters destroyed it.”

“Then get up, get dressed, and show the world that Hayden’s happiness isn’t crushing you.” Noel stood. “Right now. Let’s go. Shower, put on something gorgeous, and let’s go out.”

An hour later, Amanda emerged from the warehouse and smiled for the cameras, surrounded by security.

She gave interviews. She talked about her new line of books and explained they were the cause of her months of quiet.

“I had to take time to focus. I’ve always loved children and these are stories I shared with the little ones in my life. My talented grandmother illustrated them and I’m really proud of the result.” Gesturing to Roark, he held out a stack of books she’d received from the printer. “Hot off the press! I’ll autograph one for the children in your lives.”

For fifteen minutes, she personalized messages and signed copies of her first of seven children’s books.

Raking her fingers through her long hair, she placed one hand on her scantily-clad hip, and smiled. “Now! What else, ladies and gentlemen?”

“How do you feel about Hayden, Amanda?”

“He’s wonderful. I hear the woman he’s with is amazing, too. I look forward to meeting her in the future.”

“You’re not jealous?”

Frowning, she asked, “Why would someone I care for deeply being happy make me jealous? He’s an incredible man and a woman would have to be equally incredible to turn his head.” She smiled. “After all, Hayden has discerning tastes.”

“Any love interests on the horizon for you, Miss Lang?”

“Absolutely.” After a pause, she added, “Myself. Living my best life and making positive change in the world. It’s important to take time every now and again to assess where you are and where you want to go. I’ve done that and feel more focused than ever. Now, if you’ll excuse me, we have reservations but it was great to talk to you.”

Then she was hustled into the back of the SUV where her aunt waited. The rest of the family left from the rear of the warehouse and were already at the restaurant.

Noel took her hand and said, “Well done, Amanda.”

She nodded and a few tears slipped free. “I love him. I-I’m going to miss him, the way he is, the way he treated me. He’s a tough act to follow.”

“You changed his life. You saved him as no person was ever able to do. It had to be you. It had to be now. Thank you for loving him, helping him, the way only you could have, Amanda. He’s important to me, to a lot of people.” Noel kissed her temple and leaned back. “Now, imagine all the fun you’ll have doing interviews for his replacement.”

“You are…I can’t with you.” Then they were talking like they always had and the pain eased in her heart a little more. “Thank you for everything you did.”

“Thank you for helping me fulfill a wonderful woman’s final wish for her child.”

At the restaurant, Rick swept Noel away for a minute when she walked through the door. They hadn’t seen each other in over a week. Caroline and her William patted a seat between them. It put her across the table from her dad, mom, and sister.

They were halfway through the meal when the door to the private room opened and Davis walked through it.

Amanda almost fell getting to him and he held her hard, her feet off the floor, as she cried softly against his neck.

Quietly enough that her voice didn’t carry, she whispered, “I-I had to give him up. It hurts, Davis. It hurts.”

“I know, honey.” After a few minutes of just holding her while she cried, he put her on her feet and led her to the far corner of the room. “Hayden wanted to send me to you sooner but I wasn’t on this side of the world. I’m sorry, Amanda.”

She held his face in her palms. “You’re here now.” She hugged him again and knew he was the final piece she needed to at least stop the bleeding.

Davis made everything better.

Hours later, photos of Amanda smiling, talking, and signing books with reporters flooded social media. She and her cousin talked until the middle of the night, stretched out on either side of the huge sectional in Caroline’s loft.

He drifted to sleep before her and she laid there, staring at the ceiling, for a long time. She picked up her cell phone and checked her Facebook messages for the first time in months. Callie refused to open any that were clearly private.

There were dozens of messages from Hayden that grew increasingly desperate the longer she ignored him.

Unmuting his phone number, she sent him a text and Hayden responded within seconds.

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