41. Kent
Chapter Forty-One
KENT
When I open my eyes, the morning light streams through the curtains.
I expect to see the view of the bridge from my bedroom window but I’m still at Mick’s.
I get half a second of peace before the memory of yesterday comes rushing back—the prenup, the dead deal, the disappointment and anger in Liz’s eyes.
Liz.
I look over to the other side of the bed, but Liz is gone. She’s probably still upset. I reach over and touch her pillow. It’s cold. She’s been gone for a while. I sit up and rub the sleep out of my eyes. That’s when I catch a glimpse of the diamond on the table.
Is that?
I reach over to Liz’s nightstand and grab the rare royal diamond ring.
I tell myself that she took it off to sleep and forgot to put it on again this morning.
But I have a sinking feeling she has no intention of putting it back on.
I get up and check the bathroom. Her toothbrush and facial potions are all gone.
I check the closet. Her suitcase is gone too.
Bollocks. She didn’t leave, did she?
I reach for my mobile to call her and see she sent me a text about an hour and a half ago. My hands tremble as I try to make sense of her message.
LIZ
I’m sorry I left without telling you, but I’m going home. I left the ring on the table. I never should’ve accepted it in the first place. Tell your dad and everyone whatever you want. I just can’t play this game anymore.
She really left. I need to get her back. I can’t finish this without her. I call her number but it goes to her answerphone. I try again and again. Same thing. She may already be in the air. Shit!
I scratch my head, trying to think. I have to be at my father’s annual Boxing Day brunch soon. How am I going to explain this? Liz had a family emergency? Stomach flu? A change of heart? No, definitely not that last one.
My heart doesn’t stop racing when I wash up and get dressed. I leave the room and start down the hall.
“Hey.” Kate pops up from around the corner, and I startle.
I clutch my shirt covering my chest. “Blimey! You frightened me.”
She crosses her arms and arches an eyebrow. “Did you get your ring back?”
Kate knows? I can hardly breathe when I ask, “How do you know about that?”
“Liz told me. She told me everything.”
“Do you know where she is?” I ask, hopeful I can still catch her.
“No, but I’m guessing she’s somewhere over the Atlantic.” Kate doesn’t seem pleased about this turn of events either. “Are you going to fix this?”
I shrug, searching my brain for a decent answer. “I . . . I don’t know how.”
“You really don’t know how?” She shoots me a don’t-be-an-idiot glare.
“No, not anymore.” And I don’t. It’s as if I’ve run out of cards to play. So I have to stick with the hand I’m dealt and pray no one calls my bluff.
“Hey, have either of you seen Leo?” Dahlia appears out of nowhere, startling me again. “He wasn’t in his room.”
Kate gives me a look, urging me to tell Dahlia what’s going on. I can’t say for sure Liz left with Leo so I simply say, “No, I haven’t seen him.”
“Hmm.” She chews at the inside of her cheek and heads off down the hallway.
Kate’s face is now red. “Why did you lie to her?”
“I didn’t. I haven’t seen him,” I say, narrowly defending myself.
She scoffs. “Maybe Liz was right to leave.”
Ouch. That hurts. “Kate, it’s so much more complicated than you think.”
“You know, I was once like you until I got my head out of my ass. I suggest you do the same.” I’ve never seen this side of Kate. She can be quite fierce when she wants to be.
“And do what exactly?”
She steps up to me, practically getting in my face. “Be honest about what you want and how you really feel.”
If only it were that easy. “Okay, just please don’t say anything to my father.”
“I won’t. But only because Liz asked me not to.”
“She did?” I ask. Perhaps she doesn’t completely hate me.
“Yeah, because she’s not a heartless idiot. And I hope neither are you.” Kate leaves without another word and stomps off downstairs. I lean back against the wall in the hallway to keep myself upright. My solid plan is beginning to fall apart. But I can’t give up. I can’t concede defeat. Not yet.
I manage to sneak out of the house before anyone else catches me and send a message to my brothers that I’ll meet them at brunch.
I try Liz again and again, and still no answer.
I just wish I could talk to her again. Convince her that all is not lost. If she really is flying over the ocean, there’s no way I can get her back now.
I’ll have to do what my father taught me best—keep up appearances.
I arrive at my father’s house as others are pouring in.
This is his big annual event, when the family, his colleagues, friends, and many notables gather to make powerful connections and watch a little sport on his various big screen tellies.
Cater-waiters weave through the crowd, balancing warm appetizers and flutes filled with champagne and orange juice. I grab one and down it immediately.
“There you are.” Dahlia taps my shoulder. “Where’s Liz?”
“She, um . . . She’s not here.”
Her fair brow wrinkles. “Why?”
“She sort of . . . left,” I blurt.
“What!” Dahlia’s as shocked as I was this morning. Still am. “When?”
I pull her in and say low in her ear, “I don’t know but she’s gone, and I need you to pretend she’s back at the house with the stomach flu.”
“Really Kent?” She rips away, and I shoot her my pleading eyes. She just shakes her head in disappointment. “Leo must’ve gone with her. He never even said goodbye.”
“Well, neither did she.”
“So what are you going to do?” she asks.
“I’m going to act like everything’s fine. And I hope you will too.”
“Fine. I won’t say anything,” she says.
I nearly puddle to the floor with relief. “Thank you.”
“Let me clarify. I won’t say anything but you should. For your own sake.”
“What do you suggest I do? Make a huge announcement to everyone that I lied?” I growl under my breath.
“Yeah, why not? We’re all here,” she says.
I roll my eyes. “You’re off your rocker.” She doesn’t get it. Kate doesn’t get it. And while I thought Liz got it, she’s gone now. But this is my career. My life. I’m not letting this go. They don’t have to understand.
“You know, the definition of insanity is doing the same thing over and over and expecting something different. So maybe you’re the one who’s off your rocker!
” She makes a sharp turn in the opposite direction, stomping off and disappearing into the crowd.
Her top bun wiggles on her head with every stamp of her foot.
Great. Now she’s cross with me too. This isn’t Boxing Day, it’s Box Kent Day.
“Dahlia!” I call after her.
“Kent, there you are,” Collin calls my name, and I cringe. He’s the last person I want to see right now.
I turn to face him. “Collin.”
“Where’s your lovely fiancée?” he asks, looking smug.
“She’s having the lurgy,” I say, sticking to the script.
“Oh, is she? I wonder if it has anything to do with her dead deal.”
I narrow my eyes, ready to ring his neck. Collin’s behind this? What a fucking wanker. I clench my fists. I’ll kill him. I’ll put him in the ground straight away. “You.” I step up to him. “You told my father about Liz’s deal?”
“No,” he says. “I couldn’t risk looking petty. My assistant got the message to him.”
My fist draws up, and I step back, ready to clock him.
But we’re surrounded by all of my father’s contacts, including members of the board.
I won’t risk looking unfit in front of them.
That’s exactly what he wants me to do. But I get in his face.
“The moment I’m appointed, I’ll make sure you’re sacked. ”
Collin scoffs. “Oh, really? I’m not afraid of you, Kent. To me, you’re still Drew’s scrappy, immature little brother. And from what I can tell, nothing’s changed.” He bumps my shoulder with his as he walks off. It takes every ounce of composure I have left to not punch a hole in the wall.
I need to cool off.
I walk right back outside and around the side of the house.
If I smoked cigarettes, I’d be having one right now.
But I don’t. My only vice is lying. And Liz.
This would be so much easier if she were here.
And not just because she was the best fake fiancée a guy like me could ever ask for.
She had a way of making me feel settled.
And calm. I call her one more time and get her answerphone again.
This time, I leave a message.
“Hey, it’s me. I know you probably never want to talk to me again.
And you may not be the only one. But I wanted to tell you I’m sorry about all of this.
I shouldn’t have dragged you into it. That’s my fault.
But I’m not giving up. I don’t want you to either.
I know you don’t believe me but I wish you could.
Anyway, I hope you’re okay. And I hope last night wasn’t the last time I’ll ever see you because I . . . I miss you, Darling.”
There’s nothing left for me to say. Or at least, nothing left that I know how to say. So I end the call knowing she may delete my message before ever listening to it. I stuff my mobile back in my pocket and start for the front door.
“Kent, is that you?” A woman’s voice calls. I look behind me and find Barbara Deton, one of the board of directors at Bonnaire Enterprises, and one of my mother’s dear friends.
“Hi, Mrs. Barbara. Happy Boxing Day,” I say and lean in for an air peck on the cheek.
“Happy Boxing Day. It’s lovely to see you. I hear you’re to be married. Will you introduce me?” she asks with a warm excitement in her eyes.
Why can’t Liz be here? “I would, but unfortunately, she wasn’t able to make it today.”
Barbara offers a consoling smile. “Another time then.” If only there were another time. “Next year’s going to be a big year for you.”
“You think so?” I ask.