Chapter 12 #2
“But Creed showed me Monaco and invited me for food. I declined because of my prior engagements but he told me to bring Rue along. So, we did, we ate the amazing food, drank amazing wine, and I chose the lucky roulette number which landed him a nice prize in his back pocket.”
“Was the prize you?”
“Oh my God, Nora. No, it was a pretty sum of money.”
“Like that rich bastard needs any more money.”
“Any how.” I try and change the subject.
“What number did you choose?”
“Seventeen,”
“Ah, I see.”
“Why?”
“Seventeen was his number when he raced. They retired it after him. Always said it was his lucky number.”
I sit up on my elbows, resting my phone between my ear and shoulder.
“Is that so?”
“It is so.”
“Well, I never.”
“Learn something new every day, my friend.”
“Talking of something new, did you know that Monégasque people can’t gamble? It’s part of some old law to protect them financially.”
“I didn’t know that, no.”
“Well, right back at you. Learn something new every day.”
“So, Charles couldn’t gamble.”
“I don’t think so.”
“Huh.” Her voice lifts higher.
“Why don’t you come out and see me? Spend the weekend here before the summer break ends.”
“I can’t just fly out. I am not sure if it has occurred to you, but I am still dealing with a messy public break up.”
“It wasn’t messy, surely there cannot be that much to sort out.” I roll my eyes and flop down on my bed.
“It wasn’t clean, was it?” She tuts. “You, blubbering in the pit lane, Royce looking like the bad guy as you begged him not to leave you.”
“All right, all right, I don’t need to relive it, thank you.”
“Just reminding you of how it was, in fact, messy.”
“Hate you.”
“I love you, too.”
Silence crackles for a moment
“I will check some flights out, I’ll let you know,” she says softly and my heart thumps.
“Miss you.”
“No, you don’t, you have Rue.”
“Bye, Nora.”
“Bye, my love.” The phone goes dead.
Smiling, I push up from the bed and get ready for the day. I will not let my little embarrassing moment keep me locked in my room. I am a twenty-six-year-old woman. I can own it.
Dressed in light denim high waisted, mom jeans, an orange and cream striped cropped tee, and black Hermes sandals, I finally emerge from my bedroom to see Creed and the three others sitting there.
“I just wanted to apologise for my interrupting this morning.”
Creed holds his hand up shaking his head.
“No need to apologise, Ana?s. You weren’t to know.”
No, I wasn’t.
I smile at the three of them and tuck my head down as I walk towards the kitchen to make myself a coffee.
Lifting the pot, it’s still warm, so I pour out a black coffee before adding a dash of milk and two sugars. I look over quickly to see that their cups are still full, so I don’t offer them one.
Taking my coffee back into the bedroom, I swipe my bag and my phone and move towards the penthouse lobby.
I stand there, listening to the idle chit chat between them to see if I can decipher any of it but it all sounds pretty mundane.
Finishing my coffee, I leave the empty cup on the side table and see myself out.
I need food and I want to go and hang with Rue for a while, maybe browse the books. I feel like I need to stay out of Creed’s way today and I’m worried that we may fall into something we shouldn’t.
Have I thought about his lips on mine? Yes.
Do I want him to kiss me? Also yes.
But it is a dangerous game. This back and forth, the chasing and teasing. It’s harmless at the moment, but it’ll soon turn into something more and that’s when the shit will hit the fan.
Could you imagine…
No.
No, I mustn’t.
Pressing the button for the lift a few more times than needed, it arrives pretty quickly.
I say good morning to the other door man, but for the life of me I cannot remember his name, so a wave of my hand will have to do. Keeping my head down, I walk towards Rue’s.
Relief swarms me when I make it, and I feel like I have dressed wrong for today’s weather. The sun is hot and now I feel all sticky and sweaty.
Pushing the door open, the small bell rings and her head pops around the door frame from out back.
“Morning.” I smile at her as I walk towards her, she gives me a kiss on the cheek, and I pull her in for a hug.
“Morning.” She yawns.
“Tired?”
“Exhausted,” she admits just as two girls walk through the door. She excuses herself to go and talk to them, so I browse the bookshelves.
I love reading, but I never really have the time. But now, I am single and not ready to mingle, maybe I could fall in love with a fictional man. Brushing my fingertips along the spines of some books, I stop on one and pull it out, the cover pulling me in.
“That’s a good one.” A soft voice floats behind me, and I turn to see a young girl. She was one of the two that walked into the shop after me.
“Yup, girl gets her heart broken so moves away to a coastal town to find herself and instead she finds a six-foot guy who she shouldn’t want.”
Is this book about me?
“That does sound good, I’ll check it out.” I smile at her. “Thank you.”
“You’re welcome.” She steps up next to me and looks on the shelves.
“Holiday?” I ask her and she nods.
“We come here a few times a year, especially when the race is on.” Her smile widens.
“It’s an amazing atmosphere, isn’t it?” I sigh and she nods eagerly, not that I have been here for the race.
“I love it so much,” she admits. “Plus, we like coming here and try to spy the drivers.”
“Have you ever got lucky?” I ask, turning towards her, holding the book close to my chest.
“A couple of times, but we’ve never seen our favourite driver.” I watch her lips turn down.
“Who’s your favourite?” I find myself asking, and I think deep down I already knew.
“Royce Lexington.” Her eyes sparkle when she says his name.
“Oh yes, Royce.” I nod, trying to swallow to relieve the dryness in my throat, a large sand-like lump lodged.
“He is just.” She places her hand over her heart
“I’ve heard he doesn’t really like it here, comes for the races and event weekends but avoids the area when he can.”
Her friend joins her at the same time I drop that little bombshell.
“Really? I thought most of them lived here.” Disappointment surges through her friend.
“Nope, only the odd few actually live here.
“Well, that’s not ideal.” She looks at her friend
“If it’s meant to be, you’ll run into him.” I place my hand on the top of her arm and give it a soft rub.
Rue walks over and looks between the three of us, then lets her eyes fall to the book in my hand.
“Great choice.” She nods towards it then looks back up at the girls. “You look sad. Why are you sad in a book shop?” Her lips tease a smile.
“They thought they may have bumped into Royce.”
“As in your ex-boyfriend Royce?” I hear their gasps and I inhale heavily, my shoulders rising and falling.
“Yup.”
“Oh, my God. You used to date Royce Lexington?!” The dark-haired girl eyes go wide, and I want to face palm myself.
“Oh, you didn’t tell them.”
I force a smile onto my lips as I turn to Rue. “No, I didn’t.”
“My bad.” She grimaces and then backs away slowly, holding her hands up before ducking behind her desk.
I shake my head.
“What was he like?” the other girl asks as I begin to walk towards the till.
“Amazing.” I don’t lie. He was amazing.
“He seems amazing,” they say in unison.
“Yeah.” My voice trails off as I place the book down on the counter, the girls still hovering.
“Sorry about your breakup.” The dark-haired girl gives me a look of sympathy, and I tilt my head.
“Thank you.” I smile at her, warmness blooming in my chest.
“We’ll see you around, maybe?” She sounds hopeful, and I give her a nod.
“Give her a follow on socials, she’s one of those influencers,” Rue pipes in and I cast my gaze to her.
They both pull their phones out from their bags and search the name that Rue gives them.
After five minutes of conversation, they walk out of the shop, huge smiles on their faces before they disappear.
“Sorry about that.” Rue winces as she begins to wrap the book I placed down.
“Don’t worry about it.” I wave her off then turn to face her.
“Wasn’t my place to say anything.”
“It wasn’t,” I admit, eyes batted down as I watch her, “but you didn’t do anything wrong. Stated a fact. You weren’t to know I didn’t say anything.”
“True.” She nods, taping the thin tissue paper that my books are now encased in.
I load up my card on my phone, and she shakes her head, holding her hand up.
“You can have this on me.”
“No, don’t be silly.”
“Please, let me. A gift from me to you.” Her eyes plead with mine and I am hesitant at first, but after another whispered, please, I lock my phone and place it into my bag.
“Fine, but I’ll get lunch.”
“Sounds fab.” She smiles as she finishes packing my book and handing me the bag.
“What time did you want to meet?” I ask, pulling the bag over my wrist and step back from the counter.
“One? Does that work for you?”
“Yes, perfect.” I begin to walk towards the door. “I’ll meet you back here.”
“Cool, see you then.” I wave her off as a group of girls walk into her shop. “If anything changes, lemme know,” I call before walking out of the door and back towards the penthouse. I really need to get some work down and go through my mammoth mailbox.
Pulling my sunglasses from my head, I put them on and begin my walk back home.