Page 17

TEN

AUDREY

I get back to my house from the Piney Creek Diner a little after nine AM, and I’m practically floating on air. My fingers drift to the chain around my neck as I climb the stone steps to the front door, and I feel the outline of Reign’s dog tags beneath my shirt.

I’d almost forgotten what it felt like to believe things could change, that I had choices beyond the ones handed to me by Lucille and Gio. But Reign makes it seem possible.

The thing I love most about Reign is the way he always seems so sure about everything.

He doesn’t need my help or my permission.

He just acts. It’s the complete opposite of every other relationship in my life, where I’m expected to manage emotions and smooth over problems and make everyone else comfortable.

“Miss Audrey?” Our housekeeper Maria appears in the foyer as I close the door behind me. “Lucille is looking for you. She’s in the morning room.”

My stomach clenches. “Did she say what she needed?”

“Something about your travel arrangements for tomorrow.” Maria’s expression is carefully neutral, but I catch the sympathy in her eyes. She’s worked for our family long enough to know what these “travel arrangements” really mean.

“Thank you, Maria.”

I make my way through the house and when I step into the morning room, Lucille is seated at her antique writing desk with her laptop open and her phone pressed to her ear. She holds up one finger when she sees me, indicating I should wait.

“Yes, the penthouse suite will be perfect,” she says. “And please ensure the champagne is Dom Pérignon. My daughter has very particular tastes.”

I hover near the doorway, listening to her arrange my life with the same efficiency she uses to plan charity galas. Every detail predetermined, every moment scheduled. No room for spontaneity or personal preference.

“Wonderful. We’ll see you tomorrow afternoon.” She ends the call and turns to me with a satisfied smile. “All set for Denver. The bridal salon is expecting us at ten sharp Friday morning.”

“Great.” I force enthusiasm into my voice. “I should probably go pack.”

“Actually, I’ve taken the liberty of having your wardrobe selected and packed already. Patricia from the boutique came by this morning with several options for the various appointments.”

Of course, she did. Even my clothes for this trip have been chosen for me.

“That was thoughtful,” I manage.

Lucille studies me for a moment, her gaze sharp. “You seem different today.”

Panic flutters in my chest. “Do I?”

“Yes. More...energetic.”

“I’m just excited about the trip,” I lie smoothly. “It’ll be nice to get away for a few days.”

“Hmm.” She doesn’t look entirely convinced, but she lets it slide.

“Well, don’t get too comfortable with the freedom.

We have a very packed schedule. The dress appointments, the cake tasting, the final venue walkthrough.

Plus, dinner with the Castellanos. They’re flying in specifically to meet you. ”

More business connections. More performances. More people evaluating whether I’m suitable for their precious family alliance.

“I’ll be ready,” I promise.

“See that you are. And Audrey?” Her voice takes on that edge I know so well. “I expect you to be enthusiastic about all of this. Engaged. This isn’t just about finding a dress.”

Ugh.

“Of course, Lucille.”

She nods, apparently satisfied, and returns to her laptop. I’m dismissed.

I escape to my room, closing the door behind me and leaning against it with relief. The space feels like a sanctuary compared to the rest of the house. My artwork on the walls, my books scattered on the nightstand, my easel still set up by the window, even though I haven’t painted in months.

I walk to my closet, my mind drifts back to Reign’s invitation.

A weekend at his cabin. Somewhere we can be completely alone.

The thought sends heat racing through my body.

Three days in Denver, then I can see him again.

Three days of wedding planning for a marriage I don’t want, then two days with the man I can’t stop thinking about.

My phone buzzes with an incoming FaceTime call. Violet’s name appears on the screen, along with a photo of her and Iris making ridiculous faces. I haven’t talked to my friends in days.

I answer the call, settling cross-legged on my bed. “Hey, girls.”

“Audrey!” Violet’s voice fills my room. “We’ve been wondering where you’ve been. You’ve been radio silent for days.”

“Sorry,” I say, adjusting the phone so they can see me better. “Things have been crazy here.”

Iris leans into the frame, her hair falling over her shoulder. “Crazy how? Please tell me you’re not letting Lucille drive you insane with wedding planning.”

The irony of her comment makes me laugh. If only she knew how complicated things had really gotten.

“Actually.” I glance toward my bedroom door to make sure it’s closed. “I have some news. Big news.”

Both of their faces light up with curiosity. Violet bounces in her seat. “Spill. Now.”

I take a deep breath, hardly believing I’m about to say this out loud. “Remember the guy from San Diego? Reign?”

“The hot mountain man from the bar?” Iris asks. “What about him?”

“He lives here. In Cooper Heights.”

The silence that follows is deafening. Then they both start talking at once.

“What do you mean he lives there?”

“How is that possible?”

“Have you seen him?”

“Wait, start from the beginning!”

I hold up my hands, laughing despite the chaos of my situation.

“Reign owns a security company in Cooper Heights. And get this, Reign is Ben Mitchell’s brother—you know, the fighter Gio promotes? I ran into him at the fight on Friday night.”

“Wow,” Violet breathes. “What are the odds?”

“And?” Iris prompts. “What happened when you saw him?”

Heat floods my cheeks as I remember exactly what happened. “We...you know, talked.”

“Liar,” Iris says immediately. “You’re blushing. You didn’t just talk.”

I bite my lip, debating how much to tell them. These are my best friends, the only people in the world I trust completely. If I can’t tell them, who can I tell?

“We may have ended up having sex in the bathroom,” I admit quietly.

The screaming that follows is so loud I have to hold the phone away from my ear.

“Audrey Elizabeth Worthington!” Violet shouts. “You had hot bathroom sex with a mountain man while you were at an event with your fiancé?”

“Keep your voice down,” I hiss, even though they’re hundreds of miles away. “But yes.”

“Oh my gosh.” Iris fans herself dramatically. “This is the best thing I’ve heard all year. Tell us everything. And I mean everything.”

So I do. I tell them about seeing Reign at the fight, about the tension between him and Gio, about Reign following me to that bathroom and what happened there. I tell them about meeting him at the diner this morning, about the dog tags now hanging around my neck.

“Show us,” Violet demands when I mention them.

I pull the chain out from beneath my dress, letting the metal tags catch the light. My friends both sigh appreciatively.

“That’s the hottest thing I’ve ever seen,” Iris says. “He’s marking his territory.”

“It’s not like that,” I protest, but even I can hear how unconvincing I sound.

“Honey,” Violet says gently, “it’s exactly like that. And honestly? Good for you. You deserve someone who wants to claim you.”

“There’s more,” I say. “He invited me to spend the weekend at his cabin when I get back from Denver.”

The reaction is immediate and unanimous.

“You’re going,” Iris states.

“Absolutely,” Violet agrees. “No question.”

“But how?” I ask. “I can’t just disappear for a weekend. Lucille watches my every move.”

“We’ll figure it out,” Violet interrupts. “There has to be something you can use as cover.”

I rack my brain, thinking of any legitimate reason I might have to be away from home for two days. Then it hits me.

“Wait,” I say, reaching for my laptop. “I think I saw something on Facebook...”

I scroll through my feed until I find what I’m looking for. A post from my high school majorette team about a reunion weekend at Fit Mountain Resort.

“Perfect,” I breathe. “My old majorette team is having a reunion next weekend at Fit Mountain Resort. It’s the same weekend Reign wants me to come to his cabin.”

“That’s genius,” Iris says. “How long since you’ve seen those girls?”

“Years,” I admit. “But I can register late. I’m sure they won’t mind.”

“Do it,” Violet urges. “Register right now, then you have legitimate cover for the weekend.”

My fingers hover over the keyboard. This feels like such a huge step, actively lying to Lucille and Gio to spend time with Reign. But when I think about his hands on my body, his voice promising to solve my problems, the choice feels obvious.

I click the registration link and fill out the form, my heart pounding with each keystroke. When I hit submit, a weight lifts off my shoulders.

“Done,” I announce.

My friends cheer, and I can’t help but smile. For the first time in months, I have something to look forward to that’s entirely my choice.

“I’m so proud of you,” Violet says, her expression serious now. “You’re finally fighting for what you want.”

“It’s terrifying,” I admit.

“The best things usually are,” Iris replies. “But Audrey, you deserve to be happy. You deserve to be with someone who sees you for who you really are.”

Tears prick at my eyes. “I should go. I still need to get a few things done before I leave tomorrow.”

“Text us from Denver,” Violet says. “And remember, you’re doing this for you. Not for Lucille, not for Gio, not for anyone else.”

“I will,” I promise. “Love you both.”

“Love you, too,” they say in unison before ending the call.

I set my phone aside and finish packing, my movements lighter than they’ve been in weeks. The dog tags shift against my skin with each motion, a constant reminder of Reign’s promise. Three days in Denver, then a weekend that’s entirely mine.