Chapter 72
LONDON
Liam was gone. I stood in the middle of the kitchen with Lorelei, but I felt like my brain had just been sucked out of my head—and my heart had gone right along with it. Honestly, I kind of felt like I wasn’t anywhere right now.
All I felt was lost.
“London?” Lori frowned, her gaze sweeping across my face. I refocused on her. “Are you okay? You look kind of pale all of a sudden.”
“Yeah.” I cleared my throat, my mind racing. I tried to make sense of everything that had happened in the last twelve hours. “I think I might’ve caught whatever Liam’s got. Maybe it’s best if I head home too. I wouldn’t want to pass it on to you with the wedding coming up so soon and all.”
She smiled. “You know, it’s entirely possible that you have what he’s got since y’all are always all over each other these days.”
I forced myself to return that conspiratorial smile of hers. “You know us. Are you sure you won’t mind if I take off?”
“Do I want you to leave? No, but you really don’t look so good and Liam must’ve been half-dead to have run out on this weekend, so you both probably just need a few days in bed.”
“Probably.” I dropped my chin in an unenthusiastic, single nod. “He didn’t happen to say where he was going when he left, did he?”
She shrugged and shook her head. “I think the message just said that he was headed home. Where else would he go?”
To Houston. To his real home.
I didn’t say any of that out loud, though. Instead, I just blew her a kiss and started backing up. “I won’t hug you just in case, but you guys have fun, okay? I love you.”
“Love you too, babe.” Her eyes narrowed and she pointed the spatula she’d just swiped up off the counter at me. “Are you sure there’s not more to this?”
“I’m sure,” I lied through my teeth and I felt horrible for it, but I couldn’t explain right now. I just didn’t have it in me.
I really did feel like my head and my chest were both hollow, the organs that belonged there ripped clean out.
A few minutes ago, I’d come into the kitchen bracing myself for an awkward, morning-after encounter with him.
I hadn’t known what I was going to say or how I was going to handle it, especially after what I’d overheard last night, but anything would’ve been better than this.
When I’d walked in, Lori had been telling Bryce that Liam was gone. That was it—that was all I knew. Bryce had given her a curt nod and he’d barely muttered a good morning to me before he’d stumbled out of the kitchen clutching his head.
Now here I was, following in his footsteps, but not stumbling because I had a hangover. Right about now, I wished this was a hangover, but this was shock. My limbs were refusing to work with me because I couldn’t believe he was gone.
And this time, I had a feeling he wasn’t coming back. Although I had no way of knowing for sure, I had a suspicion he hadn’t gone home to Miami, but to Texas, and I also had a feeling that sometime this week, my father was going to be getting an email that would shatter my entire life.
Don’t get ahead of yourself. One step at a time.
I made it back to my bedroom, not even noticing Abigail sitting on my bed until I’d shut the door behind me.
My sister was dressed already while I was still slouching around in my pajamas.
Her hair was wet, her skin flushed in a way that told me she’d gotten more of a workout this morning than just a run, and I groaned.
“I’m leaving,” I muttered, heading directly to my suitcase on the floor. “Can you or Simon give me a ride to the airport?”
“I’ll do it. Is it true? Did he really leave?”
“Apparently, he’s sick.” I scoffed. “As if. He’s just a lying liar who doesn’t trust me as far as he can throw me.”
She came over and gave me a sideways hug. “Hey, it’s going to be okay. I just realized that I can’t actually give you a ride to the airport since I don’t have a car here, but I’ll order an Uber and I’ll come with you since I know you don’t like taking them alone. Be ready in thirty?”
“You got it.”
As I started packing, she left my room and I blew out a heavy breath. My insides were crawling and uncomfortable, the space where my heart used to be heavy, and a weird, searing pain of unknown origin consuming every inch of my body.
This can’t be heartbreak. It’s not just my heart that’s sore. It’s everything. Moving like an eighty-eight-year-old as a result, I finally managed to collect all my things and I barely had enough time left for a shower, so I opted for just changing and brushing my teeth.
By the time I made it outside, Abi was already there and our car was waiting. She held the door open for me without saying a word, taking my suitcase and helping our driver to load it before she came to join me on the back seat.
Most of our ride to the airport was completely silent. The driver eventually turned the radio up just a little and the sultry sounds of country music that had welcomed me here accompanied me now as I left.
When we arrived at the drop-off zone, I was just barely holding back tears and I inhaled deeply as I turned to my sister. “Okay, this is it. Thanks for coming with me. Tell Simon I’ll see you guys next weekend?”
“Oh, didn’t I tell you?” she asked innocently. “I’m coming back to Miami with you.”
My eyes widened. “No, you’re not. You can’t. You’re getting married next weekend. In New York City.”
“Yep, and everything is already planned. I’ve taken this week off work and there’s nothing really left for me to do there, so I’m going on vacation. Call it a post-wedding-planning-moon before the honeymoon.”
I shook my head at her. “What about Simon?”
“He’s fine with it.” She gave me a gentle smile. “There’s no way I’m letting you go through this alone, London. Trust me, I’ve been there. You know that. Right now, you need support and it just so happens that I’m it.”
I finally lost the fight against the tears and felt them welling on my eyelids. “Okay, come on. Let’s go.” I paused before I added. “Thanks, Abi.”
“Anytime, baby sister. Besides, Liv would never forgive me if I just let you go.” She turned to open her door. “Are you coming?”
I climbed out on my side and thanked the driver for his help when he located a luggage cart for us.
We strode directly to a coffee shop, and just seeing the selection of pastries available made me want to burst into tears again, so I ordered a toasted sandwich instead.
I didn’t eat it, though. My appetite seemed to have abandoned me, but we had to order something if we wanted a table, and I did want to sit, so sandwich it was.
Once we’d found a spot, we booked our tickets on a flight leaving in a couple hours, and I killed the time by woodenly responding to emails while Abigail downloaded a new book on her e-reader and relaxed into her chair.
All the while, the pain inside me kept growing.
I had no idea how that was possible, but it was true.
I’d never been in this much pain without any physical cause, and by the time we boarded the plane, I’d sunk into a deep sense of sadness as well. When I’d told Liam that I didn’t need him, I’d known that would be the end. I just hadn’t expected it to hurt this much or to feel this bad.
What was I thinking?
I’d known he would walk away, but I’d said it anyway. I hadn’t wanted to lose him. I hadn’t wanted what we had to be over, but I’d heard him agreeing with Bryce and Zach. As much as he’d said he was simply acknowledging rather than agreeing, the exact words he’d used were “I know.”
It’d hurt like hell to hear him respond to “She’s playing with you” and “She’s never even been on the board” with, “I know.” All the way home, I wondered if that was how he really felt, but I also wondered if I had been stringing him along.
If perhaps I’d become the villain without even realizing it and without meaning to.
Abigail and I touched down in Miami, and suddenly, there were reminders of him everywhere. The few times I’d arrived at the airport here had been with him. When we got back to the house, it was even worse.
The place still smelled like him and his things were all over. Every inch of the house was infused with memories of us together, and knowing that I’d lost him had me fracturing in ways I’d never felt before.
Abigail kept trying to get me to eat and go outside, but I just couldn’t.
Thankfully, she was here to make sure the branch continued in our absence.
She arranged for a manager to take over for the foreseeable future and she personally dealt with clients when they insisted on speaking to either Liam or myself.
After the most horrible week of my life, she burst into my room on the day that Liam and I had been due to fly out to New York for her wedding. I grabbed my pillow and stuffed it over my face. “Just five more minutes. I’ll get up. I promise.”
“Nope, you don’t have five more minutes. I’ve given you all the minutes you can afford. I’ve packed your bags and I’ve spoken to your office. I’m not leaving you here alone and I need to get back today. Plus, you’ve already got a plane ticket. Wheels up in three hours. We need to get going.”
“I’ll meet you there tomorrow,” I whined into the pillow, not finding enough energy inside me to lift the dang thing off my face.
Maybe it’ll just suffocate me and put me out of my misery.
The next thing I knew though, the pillow went flying and my sister was standing over me with a stern look on her face.
“Olivia, Charlie, Lizzie, Mom, and Dad are all waiting for us. It’ll be good for you to see them and this is my wedding we’re talking about.
I’m not letting you miss it, so get your ass out of bed and let’s go.
Or I’m slapping a handle on you and checking you as luggage. ”
As I stared up at her, I knew she was right. I’d never forgive myself if I somehow wound up missing my own sister’s wedding. Especially after how hard she’d fought for her happily ever after with Simon. After how much she’d endured and survived to get here.
Mustering strength from Venus only knew where, I finally managed to get up. She smiled at me. “Atta girl. Our ride will be here in ten minutes. I’ll see you downstairs. Brush your teeth.”
I nodded, watching as she left before I made my feet carry me to the sink.
After brushing, I went to my closet. Abi had said she’d already packed my bags, so I pulled on a hoodie and some leggings, and then I followed my sister out the door.
We had a wedding to get to—and then I could seal myself in this bedroom for the rest of eternity and never venture out again.