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“I wasatthe party. I saw what happened.” From the look on his face, it was heartbreaking. “Nobody is going to be getting much work done today. Your boss got pulled into a meeting with the higher-ups already.”
I jiggle my mouse and find a note in my inbox from Greg asking me to cancel the rest of his meetings for the afternoon.I’ll be unavailable,it says. It only takes a few seconds to send cancel notices and reschedule invites. “I should—”
“We’re going on vacation.” I meet Will’s eyes, and there it is—that tentative, vulnerable look that he tries so hard to keep off his face.
“I want to. I do. But—”
“Please.” He lifts the palm tree figurine from my desk and turns it slowly in his fingers. “Let me take you to the beach. Just this once. Just for now.” The corners of his mouth turn down, the barest hint of a dimple appearing in his chin, and I know he’s thinking about that party. I think of Candy sayinghe didn’t recognize his own son.I think of the way Will talked about his brothers. What happened with Finn’s dad clearly stirred up some memories. His eyes come back to mine, the sea-glass color sad. “We don’t know if we have tomorrow, but we have right now.”
“Okay. You’re right. You’re—of course you’re right.” My pulse speeds up. It feels urgent to leave now. Urgent and exciting, like escaping in the nick of time. It’s going to be a situation around here today. Eventually, the news will reach outside the building, and I don’t want to be here for that. I reply to Greg’s email, telling him I’ll be out. Purse. Jacket. I hold my purse open for Will.
“What—oh.” He seems to remember he’s holding the palm tree, and drops it in. “Are you leaving for good?”
“I want it to witness our trip.” I tip the Jolly Ranchers in, too. I’ve tasted them for so long thinking about the beach. A couple taps on my keyboard, and the computer is logged out.
“Ready?” Will asks.
“Let’s go.”
He takes my arm in the hall, guiding me toward the elevator like he expects someone to jump out of every office. Or maybe it’s just that he doesn’t want me to second-guess my decision. He hits the button, and the doors slide open. Empty. Good.
We step inside and the doors close behind us.
“I’m not happy about this,” Will says. “I don’t like it for Hughes, and I don’t like it for me. But I can’t—” He looks down at me. “I think it’s best to get some perspective.”
To get the hell out, he means. “It’s a good idea.”
“We’ll grab some clothes from my place and pick up the twins early. Then we can go straight to the house.”
“You have a place to stay already?”
Will doesn’t look at me. The elevator doors open, letting us out into the lobby. “Yes.”
“How did you know I’d go with you?”
“I didn’t. Risked it anyway.” Will walks me across the lobby toward an exit leading to the underground parking. “And.” His tone turns light, almost casual, except he’s obviously trying to make it sound that way. “I thought my brothers could come out to the house for the afternoon. Maybe have dinner with us. Emerson’s wife, too.”
My chest warms. Hisbrothers.He’s inviting me to spend time with both of them. I force myself to look calm. Unsurprised. Prepared. “That sounds great, Will. I’d really like that.”
“Good,” he says. Then, almost to himself: “Me too.”
23
BRISTOL
Will pulls upin front of the beach rental house two hours later, and my mouth drops open.
“Bristol, what? What is it?” Mia asks from the back seat, craning her neck. “What are you looking at?”
“The house.”
“Don’t like it?” Will bends to look at the house, too. “I can find another one.”
I put my hand on his arm to stop him from reaching for his phone, even as a joke. “It’s a dream.”
He smiles, huffing a laugh. “You haven’t been inside yet.”
“Adream.”
