“What’s wrong?”
“Just worried about Addy and Derek.”
“Don’t worry about it.” She chuckled. “Derek stopped by, but I gave him a piece of my mind. I called his parents too. They understand that Derek needs to stay away until after you get back. They miss her, but they get it.”
“Thank God.” I blew out a breath. “Okay. I’m going to try and enjoy the rest of the vacation. You’ll call if you have any problems, right?”
“Always. I told you I would. Stop worrying, and go enjoy yourself.”
“Okay, I’ll let you go. Love you.”
“Love you more, kiddo,” she said as she ended the call.
I thought I’d feel a little better after talking to Jill, but I didn’t. I didn’t get a chance to work out my anxiety in the gym this morning, and now my nerves were wound up. After ending my stupid drug addiction seven years ago, I wouldn’t go near pills of any kind, so instead of taking drugs for my anxiety, I worked out instead. Shit, I could probably have entered bodybuilding competitions for all the working out I did just to shake out my nerves.
I stood up, shouldered my purse, made a right out of the hotel, and speed-walked through the streets of London, not knowing where I was headed or when I’d stop. I needed to fucking run through a field of daisies or some happy shit like that. Instead, these historic buildings that once captivated all of my attention were starting to close in on me. Fuck. I was going to burst into tears if I didn’t get these feelings shaken off.
A river, a beautiful flowing river. I walked toward it and stared into nature, pulling the water in different directions. The crowd surrounding me was becoming too much, so I pulled my hair into a ponytail. I was losing my shit, and there was no stopping it. Tears started streaming down my face as I twisted and turned to get out of there. I should have gotten up earlier. I should have started my morning off with a grueling workout. Instead, I didn’t.
Once I was down the road away from the crowd, my heart rate finally slowed into a regular rhythm, and that’s only because I was coming off of the adrenaline high my body spiked into for no reason. Well, there was a reason, but I usually dealt with it much better. This time, I let my nerves bring me to a level of a panic attack, and now I was sitting on a bench, staring out at the walkway, trying to reset my tired brain.
“Avery?” I heard a deep voice ask. “Hey,” he said again.
I felt him sit next to me, but strangely, like last night, I knew this had to be a dream. This guy was stupid sexy, and stupid period if he was real and trailing me for no good reason. Talking to my ex on the phone should have scared him off, on top of the fact that I was a single mom. I couldn’t get dates, and even if I did, the pricks usually only wanted sex. No guy in their right might would gladly take on a case like me. Not that I ever divulged my entire dark past to them. I learned from that and moved on.
Maybe that’s why I had this slight breakdown, bringing up the ghosts of the person I no longer was. Those days were so far behind me. They were stories about another girl, in my opinion—not me. Today I let them get into my mind and mess with me. No more. I promised myself that.
“You’re not here. You’re seriously not here,” I said, half delusional and half hysterical.
“Well, that’s news to me,” he said, and I jumped when I felt his hand on my back. “You okay?”
“Bad morning,” I answered as I looked at him.
How do his shades make him look even hotter after covering up those emerald eyes?
“I’m guessing you didn’t get the fill-up of breakfast you desired so greatly last evening?” he smirked.
I couldn’t take my eyes off him. His lips were framed by his perfect face stubble that, after seeing him in his gray suit, I would have assumed he’d have shaved this morning. His jawline was perfectly defined—hell, the guy as a whole was perfectly defined.
“Why are you here?” I questioned the man sporting yet another bespoke suit. “I don’t get why you give a damn about me. After my—”
He smiled and leaned his elbows on his knees, then looked back at me. “You intrigue me,” he simply stated.
I laughed, loosening up at that answer. “You must be one massively burnt-out businessman. Either that or you live a boring life.”
“Some say both.”
“Some?” I leaned back, more relaxed by the presence of this man, who seemed to exude power and confidence. “What do you say? You know, about being so obviously bored with life that you’ve taken some bizarre interest in me?”
“I say it’s about time I opened my eyes to the world around me and do what I do best.”
“What is it you do best, Jim?”
“She remembers my name.” He chuckled and leaned back, stretching his arm on the bench behind my back. My eyes widened at the sight of his black leather shoes when he crossed one leg over the other.
“You made an impression on me last night. I won’t lie. The way to my heart is through my stomach.”
“Good to know,” he answered. “And to answer your question, what I do best is going after something I want and securing it no matter how difficult that may be.”
“Spoken like a true businessman.”
“I’m more than that.” He smiled.
“Doubt that,” I teased.
“Well, if you’ve decided to take me up on my offer, I could prove that to you.”
“Offer?”
“Staying with me at my place in the country.”
“Right,” I answered. “And how do I know you’re not going to tie me up in a dungeon or something?”
“A dungeon?” He laughed a light and humored laugh that did something to my insides. “You, Avery, have been locked in the dark ages of London’s history for too long. Two trips to hear the haunted voices of the princes who were locked away in that tower,” he pointed back at the Tower of London that I’d ended up at, “tells me you need to learn the more current events of this fine country.”
“Ah, so where’s this place you have? Does it have cell service?”
“You’ll be able to call your daughter in the states at any time, so long as you keep in mind the time difference, of course.”
I let out a breath. “I’ve done some crazy shit in my life, and considering this idea might be up there with that.”
“You don’t have to come.” He smiled sympathetically at me. “I will say this, though: if you enjoy nature, that place has it all. I will mostly be working from my study and out of your way. There will also be plenty of food,” he said, and I could tell he was looking at my still tear-stained cheeks. “Up to you.”
“Fine,” I said, meeting his eyes with a little determination. “And if I need to get back here earlier than expected?”
“Then I’ll personally drive you back.”
“Personally?”
“Yeah, I have a driver.” He cringed. “Is that a total turn-off?”
I laughed. “No. Somewhat geeky, I guess, but not a complete turn-off. Glad you value my opinion, though.”
“As I said, I’m intrigued by you. That could be another turn-off, couldn’t it?”