AllFreeNovel
Share Us
“About moving on and forgetting he ever existed?”
I wince. “No, about finding someone who deserves you. All this drama? It’s not worth it,” I advise her. “You’ll know real love when it comes your way.”
And maybe she’ll be wise enough not to fuck it up royally, the way I did.
I leave her to it, and exit the party, walking to a busier street nearby to catch a taxi. I’m planning on making the drive back to Sussex tonight, to get back to work and make sure there are no other epic disasters in the offing. But when the cabbie asks for the exact hotel address, I can’t help pausing.
This ridiculous search for Hugo Chambers has been nothing but one complication after the next. Jolene seems sure she has a lock on finding him now, but is that really true?
Who knows if she might need some help again?
“Change of plan,” I say, and climb in. Because knowing Jolene, there’s still trouble ahead.
And I wouldn’t miss it for the world.
10
JJ
After grabbingsome food and crashing for the night at a cheap hotel near the train station, I wake bright and early, ready to intercept Hugo and to whisk him back to Sussex ASAP.
Or, more accurately, I wake for the tenth time that night and finally decide to get up. Every hour or so, I was startled awake by doors slamming through the paper-thin walls. There was also one wakeup from a cold-sweat nightmare where I lost the star of a major movie and, somehow, the first man I ever loved is hot on my trail at every step, reminding me of my massive failure.
No wait, that’s my real life.
I struggle through an icy shower, pull on some fresh clothes, and check out, walking over to Euston Station. The terminal is bustling, packed with morning commuters and tourists, all walking determinedly in a dozen different directions. I check the main departures board, but Hugo’s train doesn’t have a platform announced yet, and there’s no sign of him on the concourse, so I hit some convenience stores to load up on breakfast snacks.
Hazel FaceTimes me just as I’m deciding between a bacon sarnie and sausage rolls.
Why not both?
“Tell me everything’s going perfectly to plan, and you have thepackagesecured,” she says, as Reeve muscles into frame.
“It is, and I will!” I assure them, and this time, I’m not even lying. “I’m at the train station right now, I’ll grabthe packagebefore he even boards. But, even if I somehow miss him—which I won’t!—I’ve got the address where he’s headed to find this Mara woman in Glasgow, so I can intercept him there instead. It’s a no-fail scenario.”
“No fail,” Reeve repeats, sounding dubious.
“Relax!” I urge him. “Is everyone buying the flu story?”
“Yes,” Hazel rolls her eyes. “Too well. Half the crew is now complaining about feeling under the weather, they’re all angling for some time off in bed, too.”
I smile. “See? I have it all under control. Which is why you didn’t need to send Fraser freaking MacKenzie chasing after me,” I add sternly.
“Yeah, sorry about that,” Hazel winces. “He cornered me and threatened to call the studio if I didn’t spill. Everything work out OK with him though?”
“Sure,” I reply, breezy. I’m still annoyed he waltzed in, flashed some cash, and got to feel like he solved everything. I would have totally gotten Clemmie to spill eventually.
Then I hear an announcement that sounds like ‘Glasgow’ booming over the loudspeakers. “Got to run!” I exclaim, carrying my food haul to the checkout. “I’ll let you know when the package is enroute!”
I race over to the platform as soon as it’s announced and stake out a position right by the head of the train. I scan every face that passes me, ready to pounce on our familiar aristocratic actor. But the stream of people hurrying to board slows to a trickle, and soon, there’s just a few minutes left until departure.
Dammit. Did he catch a different train? Maybe there was an earlier one?
“Final boarding for the nine oh three to Glasgow Central,” the announcement sounds. “All aboard, mind the closing doors.”
I make an executive decision, and leap onboard. I walk fast through the carriages, searching the faces of the other passengers settling in for the journey. Nothing. By the time I reach the final carriage, it’s clear: Hugo isn’t on this train. Which only means one thing:
Scotland, here I come.
