“I miss you too, Mom.”
“Promise me something?”
“Anything.”
“Don’t let Matt make you retreat into a cave.”
“I won’t.”
“And don’t burn down all of England just to avoid getting out and living your life.”
I laugh. “Deal.”
“Good girl,” she says, smiling. “Go knock ’em dead in your meeting.”
“Love you, Mom.”
“Love you more.”
"No matter what," I say, the way we always do.
"No matter what," she echoes.
We hang up, and I stare at my phone for a second before setting it down, wishing she were closer.
I plop down into the chair across from Luke’s desk, exhaling like I just finished a marathon.
Luke ordered lunch for us today—the smell of warm bread and herbed chicken fills the air in his office. He slides my takeaway container toward me and flashes a knowing smirk.
“Let me guess—Matt?”
I groan and lean back in the chair dramatically. “Luke, he’s literally everywhere. He’s like a fucking boomerang. The only place I can escape him and the cameras is the fucking bathroom.”
Luke barks out a laugh, unwrapping his sandwich. “I told you I hated that prick.”
I roll my eyes. “I know. Can we not do that routine again? I realize he was a mistake, okay?”
“Sorry, Ads.” He takes a bite of his sandwich and smiles. “At least you’ve got Oliver on your side. He looks like he might set Matt on fire with just a stare.”
I practically choke on a bite of chicken. “What? Oh, no. No. He doesn’t—what? No.” I clear my throat. I’m fucking spiraling.Get it together, Addison.“He doesn’t like journalists and cameras and all that. That’s just Oliver.”
Luke raises an eyebrow. “Uh-huh.”
“It is,” I insist.
“Well, we do have that international break coming up,” Luke says after a beat, changing the subject. “That should get you a bit of a rest.”
“What are you and Pippa up to?” I ask, hoping I can at least hang at their place for the weekend.
“We’re headed down to her parents’ place in Devon. You’re welcome to come if you want, Ads.”
“Oh, no,” I say, waving the idea off. “You guys need to enjoy your time together without me being a third wheel. I’m just jealous. You all get to take off for the weekend, and I’ll be stuck in the city withhim.”
Luke tilts his head at me. “Are you sure you don’t want to—”
“No, it’s cool,” I cut in. “Honestly. I’ll be okay.”
“You could leave too, Ads.”
