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“No. Marilyn Blake died this morning.”

My heart lurches, and I grab on tight to the steering wheel. Lux. God, her mother is dead.

“Does Lux know?”

“Chase is going to call her. Cam is sending a plane for her.”

Jesus, she’s going to be devastated.

“What can I do?”

“All we can do is be there for them, and you’re doing that by picking up Bron. We wouldn’t trust anyone else.”

We hang up, and the news is weighing heavy on my heart. Lux is going to hurt, and I can’t do anything about it.

How can I be there for Lux when she doesn’t want me near her?

30

Lux

“You were right,” I say, looking up from my phone to Maeven. “Positano is the perfect travel content place. These photos of the sunset by the bay are to die for. I just hit post, and people are already commenting.”

“This is a photogenic city. Every angle is gorgeous.”

“Yes, and—” I look over her shoulder and freeze. There’s a cute little boutique, but my eyes are on the small blue leather jacket. It would be perfect for Ayla. I don’t let myself think about it. “Come.”

She trails behind. “More shopping? Sign me up.”

The clerk comes around the desk. “Ciao. Cosa posso mostrarti?”

I smile at her and point to the jacket. “I want to see that one.”

“Oh, Americana. Yes. What size?”

“Medium.”

When she hands it to me, Maeven reaches out to touch it. “So soft.”

“It is. Do you have any other colors?”

“In the back, I have an orange one. I can go get it.”

“Yes, please.”

As she disappears through the door, Maeven turns to me. “It’s beautiful, but this doesn’t seem like your style.”

Her arched brow tells me there’s something more on her mind.

“It’s not for me.”

“I know. It’s for Ayla.”

I nod. There’s no need for me to lie. “Yeah, her skin tone is gorgeous, just like yours. It reminds me of her.”

She nods. “I think a lot of things here do.”

“Yeah.” I shrug like it’s no big deal.