Page 94 of Have To Be Mine

“Thank you for all your help.” Adrian looked over at his brother. “It feels like he has his head back in the game, and it seems like I might have you to thank for that.”

“Well, thank you for the opportunity. It was a fun job.”

He smiled. “Thanks for taking it on such short notice.”

“You’re welcome.” I shrugged. “I had an opening and you offered me an insane amount of money.”

Adrian nodded and chuckled. “Win-win.”

He excused himself and headed back toward the runway. I watched him go, feeling more alone than I had in years. I needed to get out of here. Now. Before I did something stupid like cry in front of everyone.

I would book a ferry back to Athens and be on a plane to New York by tonight. Clean break. Professional exit. No mess, no drama. Then finally, my life could go back to the way it used to be.

“Krista! Wait up!”

I closed my eyes briefly, recognizing Elizabeth’s voice. I sighed. So much for a clean exit.

I turned to find both Elizabeth and Mandy hurrying toward me. Elizabeth’s face was flushed from the heat and she still had her son strapped to her chest, but somehow she managed to look stylish and in control.

“Hey,” I said, putting my professional face back on. “Everything okay?”

“That’s what we were going to ask you,” Mandy said. “You looked like you were about to bolt.”

“Well, I wouldn’t call it bolting. I was just going back to the villa to pack.” I shrugged like it was no big deal and it didn’t feel like my world was ending.

“We wanted to catch you before you disappeared,” Mandy said. “You’re leaving already?”

“I’ve completed my contract,” I said. “Dash doesn’t need me here anymore. He’s got everything under control, especially with his family here to support him.”

Elizabeth kissed Buck’s head while watching me. “Is that really why you’re leaving?”

“What other reason would there be?” I asked innocently.

“Maybe because you guys hit it off and you’re terrified of admitting it,” Mandy said bluntly.

I actually flinched. How the hell did she know that? Did he tell them we slept together?

“Mandy,” Elizabeth said, but there was no real admonishment in it.

“What? I’m right.” Mandy looked at me. “I’ve seen that look before. I’m a wedding coordinator. I spend my days with couples that are crazy about each other.”

“We’re not—” I stopped, not even sure what I was trying to say. “This is different.”

“How?”

“Because Dash and I aren’t that,” I told her.

Elizabeth reached out and touched my arm gently. “Krista, can we sit for a minute? Please?”

Every instinct I had was screaming at me to say no, to make an excuse and get the hell out of there. But something in Elizabeth’s expression made me hesitate. She looked genuinely concerned.

“Okay,” I heard myself say.

We found a shaded area away from the main production zone, three chairs arranged in a loose circle. Elizabeth settled Buck on her lap, and he immediately grabbed for her necklace. Mandy pulled her chair closer, and suddenly I was surrounded by these two women who were looking at me like I mattered.

It felt foreign. Uncomfortable. Like trying on clothes that didn’t fit.

“I don’t really do this,” I said, gesturing vaguely at the three of us. “The whole girl-talk thing.”