Page 62 of Touch of Heartache


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Pembroke laughed and sat back on something. If Lilac didn’t know better, she thought she saw the handle of a roll-on bag behind the girl’s back. “Chicago and yes, I went all-blue.” Her gaze traveled over the camera. “Though I don’t know why. Bad enough I got all the stares with the blue streaks. I’m getting twice as many glances with an all-bluemop.”

“You know you look fabulous,” said Gavin. “Eat it up, Broke.” He frowned. “But what are you doing here without letting me know you were stoppingby?”

“Yeah… Sorry about that.” Pembroke cleared her throat and looked around her. Lilac saw more people go by with suitcases. “It was kind of impromptu. And I won’t be herelong.”

“You’re in front of Union Station,” said Gavin. “You’re going onvacation?”

“Sort of,” said Pembroke. “I… I actually don’t really have a destination inmind.”

“Okay, hold up, don’t you go anywhere,” said Gavin. “I’ll be there in…” He looked over his shoulder and a man with a pretty tight body walked by behind him, a towel around his waist. He paused, almost frozen in the spotlight. He looked way too young to have his own successful marketing company, but then Lilac supposed he could have come from a trust fund like she did. She could have created a marketing company and hired Gavin to runit.

She should have thought ofthat.

The hot towel-toting boss came closer to Gavin and then pressed his lips to Lilac’s best friend’s. “What have wehere?”

Smiling sweetly, Gavin returned the peck and then turned back to the camera. “Gabriel, meet my bestie, Lilac, and my other sweetheart of a friend, Pembroke.” All that was missing was Brielle, but her messages had grown curt as of late. Gavin had surmised she’d broken it off with her comic book celebrity paramour about a weekbefore.

Lilac wavedhiand told her nether regions to behave as the sexy man leaned forward to get a closer look.Nolan. And Gavin. Down,girl.

“Doll, can we head to Union Station?” Gavin asked Gabriel. “Pembroke’s therenow.”

“Sure.” Gabriel nodded and pulled back, disappearing fromview.

“Someone’sgot his boss wrapped around his little finger,” said Lilac, snorting when Gavin turnedscarlet.

“Anyway,” said Gavin. “Chat later, ’kay, Li? When are you meeting Mr.Sandgrouse?”

“He’s picking me up at three,” said Lilac. Which was pretty late for a Tildy World date, but who was she to complain? It wasn’t like she wouldn’t have a zillion and one other chances to check out the park. Unfortunately, Christian had been named Earl’s replacement, though whether it was because of Earl’s situation or his lack of proximity to the man, he hadn’t given off any skeevy vibes in the day since. They’d agreed to let her keep setting up shop at Gyu-ri’s and to check in with him at least once a day on her progress with the big Tent Tildy/Ballroom crossover. That suited Lilac justfine.

“Have fun,” said Gavin. “And you better rememberallthedetails.”

“Not until you tell me the story of how, precisely, you wound uptherelastnight.”

Gavin grinned widely and signedoff.

“You have a date?” asked Pembroke. Lilac had almost forgotten she was on thecall.

“Yeah,” said Lilac. “The guy in the Silly Sandgrousesuit.”

“That’s great,” said Pembroke. “I hope you have a funtime!”

“Thanks,” said Lilac, feeling the awkwardness hang in the air even with hundreds of miles between them. “And you have a nice trip… Wherever you’re going. Traveling can broaden yourworld.”

Pembroke scratched her cheek. “I’m not leaving the country oranything.”

“Even so,” said Lilac. “It’s a first step. An important one. Maybe someday you’ll head to Japan, too.” Lilac’s parents had moved on to Taiwan this week—or maybe it was Hong Kong by now. Lilac could never besure.

“Maybe,” said Pembroke, her smilefaltering.

“Hey, if you’re ever serious about it, let me know,” said Lilac, a genuine idea popping in her head. “I could foot the bill and maybe we’d invite Gavin andBrielle—”

“Oh, no, I couldn’t.” Pembroke’s already-pale face looked ashen. “I mean, not that I’d mind going with all of you, but I couldn’t have you pay forit.”

“Well, think about it,” said Lilac. “And tell me how your tripgoes.”

“Lilac?” asked Pembroke, just as Lilac was about to end thecall.

“Hmm?”

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