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Porsche? London lifted her head. The light turned green. A shiny silver Porsche, driven by a man bearing a striking resemblance to Ace Montgomery, drove directly past her.
Was that…? No. Couldn’t be. Not here in Paradise Cove, California.
She slammed her car into gear. “Okay, girl, you really need to get it together.” Zooming out of the parking lot, she headed to Drake Community Center, where her charismatic brother Terrell could keep her entertained, or at least provide enough conversation to keep her mind off…everything. Turning up the car stereo, she tried to put yet another layer between her and her thoughts.
A call coming through her car’s Bluetooth interrupted the music.
“Hey, Mom.”
“Hello, Clarisse. Where are you, sweetie?”
“On my way to the center.”
“Well, you need to turn around and come home. You have a visitor.”
“Who?”
Asked even though she already knew the answer.
“I’ll let it be a lovely surprise. Just come home quickly. You passed on dinner, but we can all share dessert.”
Less than ten minutes later, she walked into the house and down the hall toward Jennifer’s tinkling laughter, Ike Sr.’s rumbling chuckle and the deep, slightly raspy sound of Ace’s voice. Great. Just friggin’ great.
Go ahead. Impress them. I couldn’t care less about that or you.
She took a quick glance in a hallway mirror, pulled the band off a hastily arranged ponytail and shook out her hair.
When she turned the corner, her greeting was abrupt. “What are you doing here?”
“Clarisse!” Jennifer’s cultured sensibilities chafed at her rudeness.
If Ace was ruffled, it didn’t show. “Hello, London.”
“Hello. What are you doing here?”
“I wanted to speak with you, but you haven’t returned my calls.”
“Which should have been your clue.”
“Can we talk privately?”
London glared at him for a few seconds, then turned and walked out of the room.
Ace stood quickly, addressing London’s parents just as fast. “Mr. and Mrs. Drake, it’s been a pleasure. Excuse me. London!”
His long legs ate up the distance between them, catching her as she headed—more like stomped—up the stairs. She reached the top and spun around. “You’ve got a lot of nerve coming here.”
“Yes, I do.”
She continued down the hall. “A lot of good it did. Because I have nothing to say to you.”
“Good. It’ll make listening easier.”
“You’re such a jerk.”
“That’s not my intention.”
They reached her suite. She flung open the door and whirled around on him. “Okay, talk. Your five minutes start now.”
Ace eyed her intently for a moment.
“Staring at me is just wasting time.”
Another beat and then he said, “I love you.”
Well, now. This was an unexpected opening line, one that shocked London into silence. From the look on Ace’s face, she suspected it might have shocked him, too.
“Bad timing, I know. But I can’t help it, can’t control it. I tried to. Wouldn’t even admit it to myself until tonight when I had a two hour drive to think about why not hearing from you, being with you, was driving me crazy. But I’ve known for a while. In London, I knew. And Milan. I especially knew in Paris, when you stayed out with Max and I couldn’t sleep. When I wanted nothing more than to crash that dinner party and introduce my fist to his face. Me, a nonviolent kind of brother.
“Earlier, I told myself this was about business. That the only reason I was coming here was to confirm your continued participation as the face of our line. But that was bullshit. I’m here because I didn’t want to be without you for one second longer. Is there a way you can forgive me so we can at least be friends?”
London continued to stare at him, still stuck back on that I-love-you moment. Slowly, she began to nod her head. “I guess,” she whispered and walked into his embrace.
His hug was long and firm, his hands squeezing her shoulders and back. He kissed her forehead, cheeks and eyes. Then he stepped back and away from her.
“I’m so sorry I hurt you. I felt so bad about all I said, especially when you told me you’d been molested.”
