Page 141 of Where Roads Lead

Not for Andrew.

Not for her.

“I’m giving you a week,” she said with a tone of finality. “If you aren’t back in Boston by then, ready to apologize to your father and me…” She didn’t need to finish. Her implication was clear.

“Cutting me out of the will, then?” I laughed with no trace of humor. “Because I couldn’t force the man you chose to be in love with me?”

She didn’t respond.

“Money can buy a lot of things, mother, but it’s never been able to buy happiness. Not yours. And definitely not mine.”

I heard the words settle over her, filling her with discomfort. I pictured her red lips set in a straight line against her perfectly porcelain face.

When she spoke, I thought about what it might cost me to finally act so heavily against her wishes. I worried how it would change the course of my life.

“You still have a chance to make this right, Elspeth,” she said, her tone ringing with the finality of her last warning.

But it didn’t matter anymore. I think we both knew it. That this would be the straw that broke the Cameron dynasty forever.

“So did you,” I told her, so utterly heartbroken. “And you just wasted it.”

The line went dead, and I cradled it against my ear, frozen, listening to the silence because I knew with a certainty—that would be the last time she called me.

“Who are you talking to so early in the morning?”

The sliding glass door alerted me to Will’s arrival, and in a few steps he was behind me, his arms wrapping around me in an embrace I melted into.

“Oh, that?” I arched my neck to look up at him. “I was just calling for an Uber home.”

He stiffened.

“I’m kidding.” I laughed, patting him on the arm. “But glad to know you like having me around.”

“That wasn’t funny,” he said, his hold tightening.

“It was to anyone who got to see that grumpy look on your face.” I poked the frown lines on his cheek.

“I’m more worried about the grumpy look on your face,” he countered, brushing my hair back with a gentleness that surprised me. “I haven’t really seen that one on you before and, to be honest, I’m not a fan.”

He touched the frown that still seemed to force my lips downward, and I sighed, burrowing against him.

“What’s wrong? I can fix it.”

“You don’t even know what it is.” I smiled into his chest.

“Doesn’t matter,” he said adamantly. “I’ll take care of it.”

I laughed at his confidence, feeling okay for only a moment before the memory of my mother’s words resurfaced. Inescapable. I groaned into his shirt.

“Who called you?” he asked.

“My mother.” And then, not wanting him to worry, added. “She can be…a lot.”

He blew out a breath of relief, and I looked up at him questioningly.

“Sorry, it’s just that for a second I was worried it was that other guy you told me about.” He hesitated. “I thought maybe you were having second thoughts.”

“What!” I exclaimed. “No. Absolutely not. This thing between us?” I gestured with a hand. “There’s no room allowed for any thoughts besides positive ones. Okay?”