Chapter 62
sixty-two
ASTRID
“We are going. I am forcing you!”
Amara waved at me, ushering me from my bedroom.
The last thing I wanted to do was attend a white-tie fundraiser for a politician while grieving the end of my relationship with Parker. I’d gone to his place the day before—hoping to talk—but he was already gone in Devon. He’d run off—done with me.
“You look lovely, and I look a mess,” I said.
“You look beautiful, and your tits look great!”
I’d doubted this choice of dress for that reason alone. It seemed too revealing for this occasion, but Amara insisted.
We entered the car.
“It feels so early . We’re leaving at five for this?”
“I told you they wanted us there for pre-dinner drinks.”
“But doesn’t dinner start at eight?”
“My mother is strange. I don’t know.”
We climbed into the waiting car—a luxurious Bentley. That was odd. Amara’s parents were well-off but not this well-off.
“Champagne?” Amara asked as we got on the motorway .
“We’re going to be in London in an hour. Am I not pre-gaming? And who sprung for this car?”
Amara winced. “The car is a gift from Niall.”
“Why would Niall?—”
“We’re not going to London,” Amara said.
“What?”
“I’m ditching my parents.”
“What?” I was so confused. “They’ll be livid!”
“They will get over it. I got a tongue-lashing, but… it will all be worth it in a few hours.”
“Where are we going? And why the kidnapping plot?” I asked, annoyed.
“First, it is for your own good. Second, we’re off to Devon.”
“No, no, no!” I said. “I am not?—”
“You are. Hence, leaving so early.”
“Parker doesn’t want me there. I can assure you?—”
“Niall has been there since morning,” Amara said. “And he says Parker is broken without you. We are putting you back together.”
“You hope.”
“I know, darling. This is for you.”
“And you because you want to see Niall.”
Amara shrugged. “Meh. Yes, of course, I want to see him in a tuxedo, but I want to see you reunited more—we both do.”
“Why do you care?”
“Because you are my bestie,” Amara said. “Because I love you and want you to be happy.”
“You two concocted this whole plan?”
“This morning, he rang me, and we came up with it. I packed a bag while you were at the gym.”
“For me?”
Amara nodded.
“You sneaky bitch!”
“You’ll appreciate it tomorrow when you’re not driving back in an evening gown. And Parker will appreciate the neckline on this thing.”
I facepalmed. “So , that is what you were on about! ”
We rode south for what seemed like forever. I drank to cope with my nerves, worried that Parker would turn me away the moment I arrived.
“What if he doesn’t want to see me?”
“He will. He is desperate to see you, darling. Niall worries about him. He’s terrified to go through the night alone.”
“His mother?—”
“Fuck her. It’s Parker’s house. She can feel however she wants, but Parker owns the estate. What he says goes. Just like with your sister, I would imagine.”
I nodded.
“I cannot handle any more rejection from him,” I said. “I am so hurt, Amara. All I want is for my life to return to normal—whatever that means.”
“You want to be back with Parker,” Amara said. “That’s what it means. And you will be. Do you trust me?”
“Yes,” I answered. “But Parker is complicated.”
“So are you. I don’t see this going south. He loves you. He’d do anything for you—even this, darling.”
I hoped Amara was right. My heart couldn’t take any more. I knew love was hard. I suspected Parker also felt lost. I believed fighting for him was worth it, even if the wait killed me. We were both so prone to argument, and I worried we both might end up screaming before we got down to a rational discussion. However, as Rick suggested, we’d need to learn to work through it. I just hoped we could.