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My eyes fill with tears because it is hard to let go of someone who was there when no one cared. When you gave them your heart and soul. “I love him, Exie. I love Lane,” I choke.
“I know. Trust me, it is hard for me to tell you this. As his sister, I want to tell you hell no, but as your best friend, I need to tell you yes. You will always love Lane, and you gave him the best part of you already, but he is gone, Aura. He isn’t here to help you pick up the pieces. You need Kalum to be the barrier against my family and their righteous shit. He is willing, and I think my brother was right.”
“Right about what?” I sniff.
“He knew, Aura.” She takes a deep sigh. “He knew that Kalum was in love with you before you fell for him and I guess if something happened to him, he would trust Kalum to do the right thing. They were friends from before, Aura. Before you. That day in the cafeteria. Do you remember when he came up and kissed you and I gave him shit about it?”
“Yes,” I croak.
“Kalum was in love with you. Everyone knew it. The way that boy looked at you. Anyone could see it. Even me. But I was on my brother’s side. My brother fell for you too.”
“And you made sure to make Kalum out to be the villain. The one that was just using me because Lane was your brother.”
My heart is beating wildly inside of my chest. “How could I have missed it? Why didn’t he say anything and keep his feelings hidden? The phone calls make sense. The bears he left in my room that I would look at with longing from the fair. The memory of his kiss and his touch and then his parents forcing me to leave.”
“His parents made sure to get rid of you because they knew, Aura. They knew that he would choose you and he would always choose you.”
“Unless I chose differently. I chose Lane.”
“Yes, you chose Lane, but now things are different. I don’t know what will happen or how Kalum feels now but what you need to focus on is you and what you want. What is best for Lane Jr., and I know you will do what feels right. I can’t make my parents do anything, but I can tell my best friend and mother to my nephew to be happy and fuck what everyone else thinks.”
I know what she is trying to say. Take Kalum’s offer for help. Find myself and don’t feel guilty. The most he can offer me is friendship after everything. There is no way he feels the same way he felt back then. I got married, fell in love, and had a child. I chose Lane, and I don’t regret it. Lane gave me a family and a home when I had no one. His dying wish was for me to be happy, and that is what I’m going to do.
I tell Exie we should meet up in New York later in the week so she can see Lane Jr. A knock is coming from the front door and it must be Kalum’s assistant because the security let her through.
I open the door to see a tall brunette with the most expressive green eyes staring back at me. Her mouth curves in a grin as she sweeps me from head to toe with her eyes.
“You must be Aura. I’m Janine. Mr. St. Claire’s personal assistant and secretary.”
I give her a smile. “Yes. Kalum said I should be expecting you to take me to pick up a dress.”
“Not just any dress. The dress.”
“I hope it’s not too expensive.”
She walks in and smiles. “Honey, that man wants to buy you whatever you want. He has never given me a limit when it comes to you and I can blow money like the wind. He gives me a limit on everything. Until you.”
Camila comes from the patio area with Lane and beams when she sees Janine.
“Hello, dear. Have you come to whisk Aura away to make her beautiful for her date tonight with Kalum?”
I shake my head. “Oh, it’s not a date. I’m just doing Kalum a favor and going with him as friends.”
Janine acts like she doesn’t hear me. “It’s a date,” she says to Camila, ignoring my last comment.
Camila gives me a warm smile. “We will be fine while you’re gone. I have a whole night planned with Lane and he will be just fine with you gone. Kalum told me you guys would be out until late, but Lane will be fine. Right, sweetie?”
“Yep, we have a whole day planned and Mommy can go out and have some fun.” He frowns. “She is always working and I never see her have any fun.”
I bend over at my waist to caress his handsome little face. “Oh honey, I’m just trying to save money.”
Janine raises her brows and shakes her head. “You don’t have to, you know. He wants you to not worry about a thing.”
I stand up straight and cross my arms over my simple black T-shirt. “I know, but I don’t like to take advantage of his hospitality.”
She snorts and waves her hand toward the front door. “Come on before my mouth gets the best of me in front of little Lane.”
We head out to the city with Henry and security trailing us from behind in the black Maybach.
