Here With You (17 page)

She dropped back onto the chair. He was going to send her away.

She was halfway to school when she realized there was no reason to go.

Rachel stopped in her tracks. He was going to send her to boarding school—and it made
her heart
hurt
—what did it matter if she screwed up in school?

It didn't.

She turned around and headed for Romantic Notions. She'd wait for Griffin Chase instead.
If she had to leave, at least she could make sure she did this one last thing for
her mom.

The wind was super cold. She sat on the curb and watched the store for as long as
she could before she had to admit defeat and go inside Grounds for Thought. Fortunately,
there was a small table open in the front window. She put her stuff there and went
to order a hot chocolate.

The blonde who was always there manned the counter. Tucking her hair behind her ear,
she smiled at Rachel. "No school today?"

"Not really," she mumbled, pretending to study the pastries even though she already
knew what she wanted.

"Hot chocolate?" the lady asked. "And I recommend the chocolate chip Madeleines today.
I know if you order Madeleines, you're probably a purist, but trust me, the chocolate
chip ones are to die for."

She shrugged. "Okay."

The blonde took her money. "My name is Eve, by the way. What's your name?"

"Rachel," she murmured, putting her change away.

"I'll bring your cookies and drink out to you, Rachel."

"Thanks." She went to take her seat to begin her vigil. She watched the dark store
for five minutes before it occurred to her that Nicole wouldn't be arriving until
later, so she took out her blank notebook, a pen, and her phone.

There were a bunch of text messages from Aaron, asking if she was okay.

She was going to be sent to boarding school, and she'd never get to kiss Aaron again.
Even if she came back, why would he want to hang out with someone who'd been imprisoned?

Putting her phone away, she stared at the notebook. If only her mom were here, none
of this would have happened.

Although if her mom were here, she wouldn't have met Aaron either. Or Griffin Chase.

She frowned.

"Here you go, Rachel." Eve set the hot chocolate on the table with a little plate
of cookies. "Anything else you need?"

She looked up at the café lady, who had no idea what she was asking. Feeling sad,
she shook her head and pulled the hot chocolate closer.

Eve hesitated for a moment, but someone walked in, so she went to take their order.
Just as well. Rachel didn't feel like talking.

But she could write.

She pulled out her laptop and opened her email.

———————————————————

To: [email protected]

From: [email protected]

Subject: I KNOW.

You're going to send me away to boarding school???

How could you?? When were you going to tell me? As you and your girlfriend got married?

How can you just forget Mom and move on? Don't you love her anymore? Don't you think
about her at all??

I think about her ALL THE TIME. I feel like if I don't, I'll forget her, and if I
forget her then no one will know how great she was. Remember that time she surprised
you with a picnic at work, and how we sat on the floor of your office, and she brought
sparkling grape juice so it was like a celebration? It was for no reason except that
she loved you. She always did stuff like that, just because, to make a person feel
good.

And you're trashing her memory!

Well, I won't forget her, and if that's a crime you might as well send me away.

Maybe it's just as well, because now you can start fresh with a new family. You don't
need reminders of the past hanging out. Your girlfriend probably won't like me. I'm
not sure you do anymore either.

———————————————————

Rachel reread the email, her cursor hovering over
Send
. But then she clicked delete, closed her laptop, and put her head down on the table.
He didn't care—why even bother?



Chapter Twenty

As she walked up onto Grounds for Thought, Nicole found Marley and Valentine already
sitting at their usual table. She waved at them through the window and went in to
join them. She was really late.

Grif's fault. He'd told her he wanted to make sure he hadn't neglected any part of
her, and he'd been very diligent about keeping his word. She'd replied that maybe
he needed to double-check a couple areas. He'd risen to the challenge.

The passion was only minorly dimmed by the argument they'd had about her career. They
had an unspoken truce, but everything hung heavy between them—especially the fact
that Grif would be leaving soon.

But she wasn't going to think about that. She was going to enjoy Marley and Valentine,
who stood as Nicole approached.

"You're back," Nicole exclaimed, catching her up in a big hug.

"Yesterday." Her friend smiled wide. She had a glow from sun and love that lit her
skin. "Ethan says hi."

Marley shook her head. "You know I can't call him that, right? And I'm also not sure
I can stand to hear sex stories about him."

Nicole took off her jacket and hung it on the back of her seat. "I want to hear sex
stories. After I get a mocha."

"A mocha." Marley raised her brow. "Feeling decadent?"

More like she needed a pick-me-up. She was a happy person, but the past few days she'd
been up and down. Mostly because of Grif harping on her designs, but also because
he was going to leave.

She didn't want him to.

But she flashed a Cheshire smile to put up a brave front and went to order her drink.
When she came back, she took a seat and waved her hand. "I'm ready for sex."

"You're not my type." Valentine grinned. "I missed you guys. What have you been up
to?"

Nicole swiped whipped cream with her finger and licked it. "First we need to hear
about the honeymoon."

"But the PG version," Marley said.

"Then it'll be a short discussion." Valentine smiled, her cute dimples flashing. "I
thought we were just going to drive down the coast, but he surprised me by taking
me to Tahiti."

"Tahiti." Nicole sighed. "That's so romantic."

"We stayed at this resort that was beautiful, in a private villa with our own swimming
pool, and it was warm, and we didn't need swimsuits."

Marley stuck her fingers in her ears. "La la la la la..."

Laughing, Nicole pushed her friend's hands back down. "As if you and Brian live chastely."

"Not at all. Brian's a sex machine," she said proudly. "But Valentine is like Pollyanna,
and who wants to hear about Pollyanna having sex?"

"Are you saying I'm not sexy?" Valentine frowned, clearly affronted. "Ethan thinks
I am."

"He thinks the sun rises and sets on you, too. But you know who I do want to hear
about?" Marley faced Nicole. "Griffin Chase."

"The rock star?" Valentine's little nose wrinkled. "Why would you care? You never
even read the tabloids."

"I care because Nicole cares." Marley watched her, waiting expectantly.

Nicole lifted her cup, trying to act nonchalant.

Valentine shook her head. "Why would Nicole care? Does this have to do with his engagement?"

"Engagement?" Marley lurched forward, mouth gaping. Then she pointed at Nicole. "You've
been holding out."

"No." She shook her head. "There's no engagement."

"Yes, there is. I read it in a celebrity magazine on the plane ride back yesterday."
Valentine pursed her lips. "
People
, I think. Griffin Chase is marrying Inga."

"The Swedish supermodel?" Marley frowned.

Nicole shook her head again. "No, he's not."

"
Did he tell you he wasn't?
" Marley asked.

"
No. But he also didn't tell me he was.
" H
e'd have told her, right?
B
ecause she was his best friend. Because they were having sex. He wouldn't have sex
with her if he were engaged to someone else, even if he
was
leaving.

Valentine looked back and forth between them. "I don't understand what's going on
here."

"Did you seriously not notice at your wedding reception?" Marley gaped incredulously.
"I thought everyone noticed when Griffin Chase walked in."

"I was a little busy that night." Valentine frowned. "It doesn't make sense. Why would
Griffin Chase be at my wedding?"

"Because Nicole is getting it on with him," Marley said tactfully.

"
What?
" Valentine whirled to face her.

Nicole shrugged. "That's technically not true. I started getting it on with him way
after your wedding."

"When did this happen?
How
did this happen? And why does it always happen when I'm out of town?"

"This is the first time you've been out of town," Marley pointed out.

"Whatever." Valentine waved her hand. Then she faced Nicole. "I don't understand why
the news is all over his engagement to Inga if you're dating him."

Dating
seemed like overstating things. Except that they
had
been spending every minute she wasn't at work together. "It's just a mistake."

Valentine shook her head, leaning over and pulling out her phone from her purse. Thumbs
flying, she held out the screen. "See?"

The headline on the web page read
Chase Catches Supermodel
.

"It's just one sensational article," Nicole said calmly.

Valentine shook her head, punched a couple more things on her phone, and then held
it out again. The screen had a list of article headlines:

Chase and Inga Engaged!

Rock star and Supermodel to Tie the Knot

Inga and Griffin to Enter the Lexicon of Rocker/Model Unions

Inga Says It's a Summer Wedding

Nicole read them all carefully—twice—and shook her head. "It's not true."

"
Uh-oh
," Marley said.

"
What?
"

She exchanged a look with Valentine, who said, "
You've passed the point of no return.
"

"You're delusional," Marley added.

"I am
?
" Nicole looked down at herself. "I don't feel delusional."

Marley looked at her over the rim of her mug. "Trust us. In the dictionary, next to
delusional
, there's a picture of you."

"All these sources wouldn't report something that wasn't true," Valentine added gently.

Nicole shook her head. "I appreciate your concern. I really do. But there are always
false reports about celebrities. Do you really think Kim Kardashian was impregnated
by aliens?"

"This article wasn't in
The Enquirer
," Valentine said. "It's in
People
."

Nicole shrugged. "To-may-toes, to-mah-toes. And haven't you seen how this happens
in the movies all the time? The heroine always believes the false report, and it breaks
them up, but in the end the hero was innocent."

"So you believe Griffin Chase is innocent?" Marley asked, her brow raised skeptically.

"
Grif would
n't
be with me if he were engaged to someone else.
"

"
Hmm
,"
Marley hummed noncommittal
ly.

Nicole patted her friend's hand. "
I sound like a smitten woman, I know, but it's not like that.
"

Marley and Valentine exchanged another look.

Nicole grinned. "
It really isn't. He's not a douchebag.
"

"
He's a musician
," Marley pointed out
.
"
Douchebag is practically synonymous.
"

"
I don't believe it. He's always been solid. He'd have told me if he were engaged.
"

"
Fine.
" Marley rolled her eyes. "W
hen you're devastated
because
he's marrying a supermodel
, just remember that I suck at the
touchy-feely stuff. But
because you're my friend,
if you need to
—
I don't know
—
cry or something, I'll try not to panic.
"

Nicole laughed. "
You're a pal.
"

Marley nodded. "
I really do try.
"

They lay in her bed together. He sprawled out length-wise, and her head dangled off
the side. Their clothes were strewn all over the floor, including the new purple Mimi
Holliday set she'd wanted to show off to Grif. In his defense, he
had
admired it for a few seconds before stripping it off her.

She almost hadn't worn the new lingerie. She'd had a niggle of unease since the conversation
with Marley and Valentine, and she didn't want to distract from it. But in the end,
she knew she was just being paranoid. In fact...

She turned and slid up against his body, nestling her head on his shoulder. "I saw
a funny story today."

He played with a strand of her hair. "What sort of funny story?"

"About you, being engaged to that supermodel Inga."

His body stiffened, not very much but enough that she noticed.
"
Where did you see the news?
"

"All over." She chuckled. "It was detailed, with statements from your manager as well
as Inga."

"It's not true."

She hadn't realized she'd been holding tension in her shoulders all day until right
then. She rubbed his chest, feeling a surge of possessiveness that went hand-in-hand
with joy. "I know. I didn't believe it."

"But we were engaged."

"What?" She sat up, frowning.

He propped himself on his elbow. "I broke it off before coming here. It was momentary
insanity. It was never going to work with Inga, with the way we were both constantly
jetting off in opposite directions."