Page 4 of All That Lies Between Us

Losing the condo, however, feels monumental. It’s the only thing that’s mine. The only thing I have full control of.

With languid limbs, I finally sit up, wiping the tears from my cheeks and smoothing out my clothes.

I allowed myself the anger and tears and falling apart, but now it’s time to pick up the pieces of my shattered life.

It will take time for me to process everything that happened today, and I have a house full of stuff that needs a new home, but right now, I need to get away. Clear my head.

I pull my phone out of my back pocket and dial the only person I know who can distract me from the chaos. She answers on the first ring.

“I was just thinking about you, Addi,” Olivia’s voice bursts from the phone. “Wanna go dancing tonight?”

I don’t even have to fake the laugh that bubbles out of me. “I have to be at the studio tonight. But it’s our last class for this session.”

“Oh, boo! I guess I’ll just have to spend the night all by my lonesome.”

If I know her as well as I think I do—and trust me, I do—she would be doing no such thing. “Um, actually—and hear me out...”

“Oh, god.”

“No, this is a good thing,” I insist. “A fun thing.”

“Addi, no offense, but do you even know the definition of fun anymore?”

“Ha-ha.” I pause for only a second. “Let’s go on vacation.”

“Vacation?” Her voice raises. “Yes, I am there! Just tell me when, and I’ll—”

“Tonight?” I expect a squeal of delight in response, but instead, I’m met with silence. “Meet me at the airport in”—I pause to do the math—“three hours? Let’s pick a random flight and just...go.”

“Are you drunk?” she finally asks. “It’s only four o’clock.”

“No, but I need to be,” I mutter. I take a shaky breath, forcing a good-natured tone into my words, even if the thought behind them feels reckless. An impromptu vacation isn’t like me, but maybe that’s exactly why I need it. “I’ll fill you in on the flight. In the meantime, get to packing.”

Before she can ask any more questions, I end the call. Despite the last-minute trip, I know I can count on her to be at the airport without issue. She might even have her bags still packed from her latest trip—Greece, if I remember correctly. Even though Olivia has a fully furnished apartment downtown, she never seems to stay in one place long enough to enjoy it, or unpack.

She comes from old Hollywood money, and she’s never had to work a day in her life. Charity work, public appearances, and traveling the world on her family’s dime are her MO. More importantly, she’s the sweetest and most genuine person I’ve ever met. She’s funny, spunky, and full of life—the type of girl every guy wishes he could score and every girl wishes she could be.

Our friendship has made it through the many years of teenage drama and too many drunken nights we can’t remember, but by the time I graduated law school and settled back into LA, Ethan’s leash had gotten so tight that my time spent with her had dialed down to brunch every other Sunday.

It was time to change that.

Realizing I have just thirty minutes to get out the door, hail a cab, and make it to the studio in time has me rushing to my bedroom. Heading to the airport without a plan is a little crazy, but I push my mind into autopilot to keep myself from overthinking.

Without much care, I grab my old, ragged duffle bag and start shoving clothes inside. I make it a point to not use my expensive Coach luggage or touch any designer clothing.

Although I have no idea where I’m going, I don’t want to stick out when I get there. I don’t want to be known as Robert McCormick’s daughter or Ethan Brown’s fiancée. I want to fly under the radar, just another twenty-something girl out with her friend, a fake smile on her face though the weight of the world drags down her shoulders.

* * *

Olivia’s gorgeous green eyes stare hard at me, her lips drawn up in a tight line. She seems to be taking her time choosing what to say next. I giggle, because one, I’m kind of drunk, and two, Olivia is rarely quiet, but I’ve managed to silence her twice in one day.

We’re finally perched up in first class, keeping the flight attendant busy refreshing our drinks and taking advantage of the in-flight Wi-Fi to book an Airbnb.

Just an hour earlier, we made quick work of meeting up and choosing a flight at the airport. It took me all of two minutes of eyeing the flight board to decide on the perfect location.

I need something different, a big change from the hustle and bustle of Los Angeles. The look of horror on Olivia’s face when I confidently announced we were going to Colorado secured in my mind that I couldn’t have chosen a better place. The hard part was getting her to agree.

Dragging a five-foot-eleven goddess in sky-high stilettos through the crowds of LAX with sixty pounds of luggage weighing her down was no easy feat.

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