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We both laugh and then exchange a look. Though he smiles, his brow is still furrowed in concern. I can’t look at him for too long without remembering the heartbreak.
“They missed you, Stell.”
I nod. “I missed them too.”
“And, shockingly, I missed you too.”
I smile and lean my head over gently onto Colin’s shoulder. He rests his cheek on the top of my head, eyes still glued to the road.
“You can tell me, you know. I won’t be mad,” he whispers.
Where would I even begin? Even if we hadn’t broken the main covenant of this trip, how would I even begin to explain how my thoughts and feelings transformed over the course of two weeks only to leave me desperate and heartbroken, unsure of how to pick up the pieces?
“When you’re ready, you can tell me.”
I don’t reply. Because the truth is I don’t think I’ll ever be ready to relive those memories. I want to forget the Mediterranean and Flynn Madden as quickly as possible.
Chapter 17
Flynn
Istareoutthewindow of my car at the entrance to Wired Reality. On a normal day, I would do the normal person thing and just get out of my car and go inside.
Except there hasn’t been a normal day in two weeks.
Two weeks. Two whole weeks of this shit. I’m about to snap.
Every day since I returned from Venice, the entrance to Wired Reality’s corporate office has been swarmed with reporters and photographers. Don’t they have anything better to cover right now? Aren’t people dying all around the world? Isn’t that therealnews?
Not a CEO playboy kissing a supermodel.
“You want me to go around the block again, Mr. Madden?” my driver asks in a kindly voice.
I look at Freckles beside me. She’s been very clingy since I’ve returned, and honestly, keeping her by my side most hours of the day is good for both of us. She pushes her snout forward; I take it in my hand and give it a soft scratch. Then, I sigh. “No. I don’t think they’re going anywhere.”
The veil of reporters and photographers is thicker than it’s been the last few days because Adelaide shot off her mouth. Again. It’s not bad enough that she is now in a very public breakup with Theo, now I have to be implicated in it at every turn.
Last night, a clip of Theo on TMZ dropped; the interview asked him if he thought it was karma that his relationship was ending like this. He spouted off a string of expletives so long the cameraman legitimately backed away from him. Then, just this morning, People dropped an issue with Adelaide on the cover with the headline,“We never stopped loving each other.”
Mind you, I haven’t spoken to her since the night she kissed me. I made it very clear once I got back to the boat and saw Stella’s things were gone that I would not be speaking to her again.
Maybe Theo deserved the karma for being the other man. But I think I deserve the karma for being hung up on her for so long. I finally got what I thought I wanted… and ruined my whole life in the process.
“Good luck, sir.”
I chuckle, grabbing my briefcase and Freckles leash tight in my hand. “Thanks.”
I finally get to my office fifteen minutes later with Freckles in my arms like she’s a baby. The poor thing was about to get trampled by a reporter from channel seven. She’s been shaking since we got in the elevator. To top it off, the left pocket of my suit jacket has been torn asunder, fabric ripped and drooping.
“They’re fucking feral out there,” I mutter to Colin, who already has set up the latest demo for our medical software.
Colin is silent, tinkering with something on his computer.
I coax Freckles down into her bed I have beside my desk and then shrug off my jacket. “I ought to send them a bill for damages.” I toss it to the side. Better a chew toy for the dog than a jacket for me.
Colin still doesn’t say anything.
I sigh. Things have been off ever since my return, and we’ve only talked business. Our presentation for investors is just a week away. I’ve been busy doing damage control while Colin perfects the program. He’s withheld questions just as I’ve withheld stories. I can sense he suspects something; what I’m not sure.
