Squeezing my hand, he turns to me. “As happy as I am for Whispers and want to get back to where I’ve felt so at home, I guess the media have drones everywhere. Everyone wants to see where the celebrity now lives…” His voice drifts off as he looks out at Preston, lips pressed in a tense line. “I’ve never felt like an animal in a cage like I do right now. The press are intrusive, but I never minded this much. So what if I have a bad hair day or did a walk of shame from somewhere? But now… now I have something to protect, and it feels like it’s out of control.”
Emotion clogs my throat. I’ve been so consumed by my own plight, I haven’t really considered his privacy. “Do you think it will calm down soon?”
“No. It’s not going to calm down until they spot me. I’ll probably have to do an interview. Maybe a daytime talk show or something. But I need to give them something. The more elusive I am, the more they want. So I’m going to go back to LA.”
A sharp pain zings through my chest. “LA?” Is he leaving me now? Now that we’ve fled together, said I love you, and spent a magical week with our heads in the sand?
“I need to pull their attention away from Whispers. Away from you. I need to give them something. Hopefully, pulling the media away from Whispers and back to LA will give you and Preston time to hide back at the cottage without anyone spotting you or knowing who you are. You won't be able to work with Rochelle. Those assholes from the diner are still around, probably waiting to point you out. Although, the sheriff is keeping an eye on them, waiting for them to step out of line just once so he can haul them in and charge them with something.”
I take a deep breath, the reality of my new life hitting me like a slap in the face. We didn’t press charges against the men who assaulted me. Mainly because we don’t need the additional stress and they didn’t press charges against Sutton either. Obviously knowing they were in the wrong.
“We’ll get you and Preston on Tanner's jet back to Whispers, where Sawyer will take care of you. I’ll pop my face out in Paris, make sure I’m seen there, and then jump on a jet to LA. I won’t be there long, though, since the Whiteman’s launch is going live next week. That’s a big night.”
I feel momentarily relieved. “I forgot about that with everything happening. I’m excited for you.”
“My mom is even flying in. I can’t wait for you to meet her.” He looks at me and grins, and my eyebrows rise in surprise.
“You want me to meet your mom?”
“Of course. My mom is great, and I already know she’ll love you.”
While I’m nervous and still don’t know how we’re going to navigate everything, I feel excited to have a way forward. I’m not yet sure what the reality of that will be, but we’ll work it out.
His thumb rubs the back of my hand in soothing circles as he takes a deep breath. “The whiskey launch at Whiteman’s will put me on an entirely new trajectory, as everyone will then know that Whispers is exactly where I’ve been hiding all this time. I know I just mentioned hiding out at the cottage, but I’m not exaggerating. We’ll need to lie low.”
“Okay…” I don’t know what to say; it all sounds crazy. I know he’s doing all of this for me. If I was just a normal girl, I could probably go to LA with him, be seen on his arm, go on dates, and not worry about the media or paparazzi that follow us. But I’m not a normal girl. I’m Charlotte Titan, heiress to the Titan fortune. Not that I’ll probably see any of it.
“You’ll be safe, since not many locals know that’s where you are. No school, no library, and best to stay indoors as much as you can. We’ll use the yellow path; I’ll come to you or you to me, or we meet in the middle, I don’t care, but I can’t live without you. The week away in LA without seeing you is going to be enough to kill me.”
My heart thuds out of my chest. This next step of our future feels almost insurmountable.
I nod as I try to digest exactly what’s going on. The perfect week we’ve had is now coming to an end.
“I’ve also called my security team. Jackson is my head of security. I’ll be bringing him and a small team back to Whispers with me. I need everyone safe. I need our safety respected, and I want another set of eyes on you and Preston.”
Again, I nod. My mind is spinning as I look up at the sky, closing my eyes for a moment.
He clears his throat. “There’s something else.”
My eyes shoot back to his, not sure I can take much more.
“I had Sawyer look into guardianship for Preston. I told him just what he needed to know.” He looks guilt-ridden, and while it makes me anxious to know other people are aware of my secret, I trust him and I trust his brother. I need someone on my side, and I hope they can help.
“My father?” I ask shakily.
He nods. “He knows your father.”
I should’ve known Sawyer would.
“Sawyer’s going to start pulling some things together. A contract that gives you custody of your brother, some legal paperwork that you can present to him. He’s going to start to build a legal defense, in case it’s needed, then we’ll be ready without delays.” My flight-or-fight starts to flutter, and my breathing quickens.
I don’t know what to say without sobbing, so I don’t say anything. I remain quiet, my eyes conveying every thank you and I love you to Sutton as he reaches forward and wipes a stray tear from my cheek.
Reaching over, he lifts me from my chair and sits me in front of him, my back to his chest as he wraps his arms around me. We watch Preston laugh and play, soaking up the sun in each other’s embrace until it sets on the horizon. Like the final curtain call to my life.
“Got everything?” I smile at Preston, not because I’m happy, but because I need to ensure he isn’t worried.
“Yeah.” His voice tells me he’s bummed to be leaving.
