Page 47 of Valentine Nook (The Valentine Nook Chronicles #1)

Thankfully, Clementine arrives before the pair of them get into an argument, and squeezes into the booth next to me.

She almost looks as sad as I feel. I’m tempted to ask her if she’s heard from Holiday about this West End business.

But I don’t want to know the answer because if she has when I haven’t, I know it’ll make me feel doubly shitty.

“Oh hey, Agatha, how’s it going?” she asks, almost absentmindedly, before thumbing behind her. “D’you two know who that woman is at the bar? I’m sure I just heard her asking for directions to Burlington. I think she had an American accent.”

Miles and I turn around to see a woman with dark blond hair and a tiny baby strapped to her chest talking to one of Eddie’s bar staff. She’s not very tall, and she’s pretty, if a little tired looking, which would be understandable if she’s just become a mother.

The longer I stare, I’m certain there’s something oddly familiar about her, but I meet so many people it’s hard to remember them all.

“Maybe. I’m not sure. I’d need to get closer to know.”

“Same. I swear I’ve seen her before. She’s definitely hot, so it’s possible . . .” Miles begins, before his face drops in panic. “Shit, I hope that’s not my child.”

Agatha’s also staring hard at the woman now talking to Eddie. “It’s not. That child is Alex’s. ”

“Oh, thank god,” Miles replies, before his head jerks back in Agatha’s direction. “Wait, what did you just say?”

“That child is Alex’s,” she repeats calmly, not like she’s just dropped an atomic bomb of information. Then because she’s Agatha, and a law unto herself, she walks off as quickly as she arrived without another word.

Clementine’s intake of air is so sharp she splutters. Miles spins around again to stare harder, and then I realize where I’ve seen that girl. The last time was standing in the middle of a bakery in Aspen waiting for Alex to say his goodbyes.

The answer hits Miles at the same time. “It’s Haven.”

“Alex’s Haven?” whispers Clementine.

“Shit, what do we do?” I down the remains of my glass only for Miles to keep me from standing.

“ We’re doing nothing.” He points hard at my chest. “You’re going to LA. Clementine and I will deal with Haven.”

I glance at my sister, who seems as shocked as I am by the turn of events.

“Milo, I can’t just fly to LA.”

“You can. The plane is fueled and waiting. James is outside in the car ready to take you, and I packed you an overnight bag, which is also in the car.”

What the hell is happening right now? An hour ago, I was nursing my sorrows and minding my own business. Now the girl Alex loves is standing in The One True Love, holding a baby, and I’m heading to get Holiday back.

The most shocking of all, however, is that Miles has volunteered to deal with whatever the situation is, without making a joke of the whole thing. He seems totally serious.

Clementine claps her hands far too enthusiastically. “It’s like a real-life movie ending.”

I frown at my sister. “I don’t know where she lives.”

Miles pulls out his phone and taps the screen, only for mine to buzz with a message. I look down to find a photo of a package with an address label for Los Angeles. “Now you do.”

“How did you get it?”

“Holiday’s assistant was at Bluebell yesterday packing up boxes. I happened to pop by and say hello. While I was there, I saw the address label.”

“You really think I should go?”

“ Yes ,” Clementine and Miles insist in unison.

“You heard Holiday. She’s coming to the West End. So go and bring her back.” Miles adds, “And I can’t believe I’m saying this, but what if Agatha’s right too?”

“If she’s right about me, then she’s right about that.” I nod in Haven’s direction.

“One shitshow at a time,” Miles shoots back. “Now will you please fuck off? James is outside waiting.”

I don’t even know why I’m thinking about it.

Of course I’m flying to Los Angeles.

E ven in November, Los Angeles is mild enough to wear a jumper without feeling too cold, but I’m shivering nonetheless. Shivering, shaking. Same difference. Because it’s from the same bunch of nerves playing go-karts in the pit of my stomach.

The Hollywood sign is bright white, lit up against the darkening sky.

I haven’t spent a lot of time in Los Angeles before.

It’s not a city Burlington Estates has any interest in, but as the evening draws in, I’m taken aback by how vast it is.

The lights of the city stretch into the distance and disappear over the horizon.

I’m in the back of an SUV heading to the address Miles gave me.

Up front, a little blue dot moves quickly toward the red arrow on the GPS map, and the closer it gets, the quicker my adrenaline spikes.

I’ve been traveling for twelve hours, it’s approximately two a.m. back home, and I’ve slept for a total of four hours.

It’s a lethal combination that poses a set of questions I don’t want to think about, but I will absolutely blame Miles for if everything goes tits up.

It’s evening in Los Angeles. What if Holiday isn’t home? What if I’ve got this all wrong? What if she’s getting ready for a date?

My fists clench, and my nonexistent fingernails dig into my skin so hard they almost draw blood.

The driver slows down and turns to me. “Sir, we’re here.”

I peer out the window and see what amounts to a tall gate in a very high hedge. But that’s it. There’s no driveway or entrance—just this gate in the hedge.

“This?”

The driver nods.

“Are you sure this is the right place?”

He turns and looks at me, like I dare question his map reading.

“That’s the address you gave me.”

I get out. I left my overnight bag on the plane, which in hindsight was kind of stupid, but I guess if this isn’t the right place, then I’m heading straight home.

“Where’s the garage?” I ask, trying again, because I know Holiday has a car here, so if this is her place, where does she keep it?

The driver points at a dark green garage door flush to the hedge I hadn’t noticed before. It’s kind of ingenious having a camouflaged house.

“So I guess I just ring the buzzer?”

When he rolls his eyes and mumbles under his breath, I decide to cut his tip in half. Where’s the brotherly solidarity? Surely, he can see I’m on the verge of a nervous breakdown .

I stand in front of the gate and count down from ten. When I reach one, I decide to count down from twenty.

“You want me to wait here?” the driver calls out, cutting his tip again.

“Yes,” I snap.

“Is the buzzer not working?”

This time, I ignore him and press down on the button. “Okay, here goes nothing.”

“Yeah,” barks a voice I recognize immediately.

“Holiday?” Silence stretches out, so I buzz again, only this time it goes unanswered.

I spin around to the driver, now back in the car. “You heard someone answer too, right?”

He shrugs in response.

I’m about to try a third time when the lock spins and the door opens wide.

Standing in front of me is the woman I love with my whole heart, the one I know I want to spend the rest of my life with, wherever that will be. I’ll follow her anywhere.

Except she’s looking at me like she’s seen a ghost.

“Lando? What are you doing here?”

I’m too busy staring to be able to form words. All the words I rehearsed on the flight over have vanished.

“Lando?”

“I’m miserable,” I blurt. “I can’t even last a week without you.”

Her hands fly to her mouth, and she lets out a loud sob, which I take as a good sign, so I continue.

“I’ve been trying to figure out a way for us to be together, and I came up with a pretty good solution, but then I heard a rumor that perhaps you might be coming to the West End.

So before we go any further, I want to double-check you know the West End is in London, and there’s not another West End somewhere in America. ”

“You flew here to check I knew where the West End is?” she asks quietly from behind her palm.

I nod. “Yes.”

“How did you know?”

“Miles saw one of your chat shows and showed me,” I reply. “Is it true, you’re not going to New York? I don’t have to set up headquarters there because you’re coming to London?”

“I changed my mind.” She shrugs, and her hands fall to her side. When she smiles at me, it’s like I can take a full breath again and she’s the one administering oxygen to me. “I heard London is the place to be, and you know, there’s someone over there I kind of like.”

“Oh yeah?”

“Yeah.” She smiles. “Super tall, long legs, black hair. Answers to the name of Thunder.”

A smirk curves my lips. “He will be pleased to hear that. I think he’s missed you nearly as much as I have. Everyone’s missed you nearly as much as I have. I’ve missed you the most.”

This time, her shoulder drops low. “Not as much as I’ve missed you,” she replies.

“I’m so sorry, Gracie. I’m so sorry for what I put you through the last week, and for leaving and not believing in us.

It just made me realize how much I love you and how miserable I am without you. ” She trails off into a sob.

“I’m here because I believed enough for both of us.” I swipe away a tear. “Does this mean we can go home? Because I can’t leave empty-handed. I’ll be strung up and hung from the Valentine Arch for returning without you.”

“Well, as it happens, another interview was added to my schedule. One of your London chat shows, so if you’ve got a spot on the plane, I could do with a ride.”

“Even if I didn’t, I’d kick people off for you.”

When she giggles, I smile. I’ve so missed that incredible sound .

“I was hoping, if you’ll still have me, I could come back to Bluebell once the award season is over.”

I shake my head. “Bluebell won’t be available, I’m afraid. It’s no longer up for rental.”

I pause, and Holiday’s smile freezes. I can see her brain working overtime already.

“You’ll have to come to Burlington, if that’s suitable for an A-lister of your caliber.”

Her mouth drops. “Burlington? Really? You’re asking me to move in with you?”

I nod. “I am. If you’re going to be working all hours, I want to make sure the ones you have for me aren’t hampered by traveling.”

“Even when the traveling is over a field?”

“Yes. Even then.” I wrap my arms around her. “I love you, Holiday Simpson, and I’m done with being apart from you. So what do you say? Will you move into Burlington?”

She lifts onto her tiptoes and flings her arms around my neck. “I’d love to.”