AllFreeNovel
Share Us
“I’m going to bring Emma home, I promise,” she said.
“Be careful, Astrid, okay,” Martin said.
She knew he was worried, but she was possessed now by an intense inner-strength that soared through her like the Ferrari zooming down the freeway. “I’ve been careful my whole life. It’s time to be a little risky for once. Step out of my comfort zone.”
“Just don’t do anything stupid. I love you.”
“I love you too, Daddy.”
Astrid closed her eyes in the comfortable leather seat of Jake’s car and started to drift into a snoozy sleep to the purr of the engine. She drifted in and out of consciousness, but she opened her eyes again as she felt the car stop.
“It’s okay,” Jake whispered, covering her with his coat, “I’ve pulled into a parking lot. We’re in Pennsylvania so we can grab some sleep, then we’ll head off to Philadelphia at dawn. Best to sleep under the cover of darkness, and be ready for action when daylight comes…”
She nodded. He kissed her, then she settled down to sleep in the passenger seat, holding his hand across the center console, feeling safe, and knowing now that he’d do anything to protect her.
When she woke up again it was daylight and Jake was pulling the car into a university campus. The University of Philadelphia was clean and bright, and set in lush grounds, with glass modern buildings, as well as some older Victorian edifices, which presumably were part of the original college. Jake was cruising the Ferrari along a wide winding road that snaked through the center of the campus.
“Why are we here?” Astrid asked, pulling herself out of her sleep.
“There’s someone here who can help us,” he said, craning to look out the passenger window.
“Who?” Astrid asked.
Jake grinned. Affection washed over his face. “There she is.”
Astrid glanced outside and saw a stern-looking young woman – who was dressed in a sharp suit with blond hair – surrounded by a small group of handsome young men. They were all sitting on wooden chairs under a canopy of rusty-leafed trees, and the woman seemed to be giving them an outdoor lecture. Astrid glanced at the clock on the dashboard. It was eight in the morning. This was all very surreal.
“Who is she?” Astrid asked, feeling her jealousy well-up.
Jake smiled to himself. “Can you believe she’s here as a visiting tutor, teaching biodiversity to a bunch of post-grads? She’d much rather be out there in the field… But the pay’s good she says.”
Astrid had no idea who she was, but she didn’t get the chance to ask, because Jake pulled the car over, making the woman glance up – it was hard to miss Jake’s red Ferrari. She grinned as she saw him, then she made her excuses to the group of men, and hurried over.
Jake climbed out the car, and the two hugged. Astrid got out too and stretched, watching the scene unfold. He was now lifting the woman off the ground and spinning her with joy – sending Astrid’s envy sky-high. Apparently these two knew each other very well.
“Jake, why didn’t you tell me you were coming?” the woman asked.
He placed her down and threw her a playful grin. “I’m on the run…”
She squealed with excitement – something Astrid wouldn’t have thought she was incapable of at first glance. Jake started to fill her in, so Astrid stood there like a spare part, trying to push away her feelings of inadequacy. How stupid she’d been to give up everything for Jake like this. Of course she meant nothing to him. Of course he had women dotted all over the country. She hardened her heart against him. But actually… this was exactly what she needed – a little adventure, a little fun. She decided to continue on this new and exciting path, regardless of whether Jake was in this with her for the long haul. Astrid was going to stand on her own two feet – to become the strong and independent woman she’d always wanted to be. And she realized she could do that with or without Jake Quinlan. He’d revved her up but now she was going to take the wheel and drive herself into the sunset.
She tuned back into Jake’s reunion with the woman. They were holding hands and gazing affectionately into each other’s eyes. “It’s always so great to see you, Jake,” the woman said. “Of course you can hideout here – how very exciting!” She hugged him again, making him laugh with affection.
He broke away and turned to face Astrid, who smiled thinly. “Astrid, this is Clara.”
She tightened up. “Hello, Clara.”
“Hello, Astrid. My brother’s been telling me all about you.”
Astrid glanced at Jake – wondering how he’d had time. “Has he?”
“Oh, not this one… Joseph…”
Astrid frowned. “Joseph?”
Jake draped his arm around Clara’s shoulders. “Astrid, Clara’s my sister. My twin sister.”
Astrid’s body washed with relief and she let out a laugh. “Oh, I see!”
