The Day He Came Back

How could I say no? The curiosity would kill me.

“I…yeah. Yes! I’ll come.”

He let out a breath into the phone. “Let me make a few calls, and I’ll be back in touch, okay?”

Even though I could hardly breathe, I tried to sound calm. “Yep.”

I hung up.

What just happened?***Needless to say, I had a difficult time concentrating the rest of the afternoon.

When I couldn’t take the waiting anymore, I stepped out to the backyard while Mr. M napped.

I dialed Marni.

“What’s up?” she answered. “You don’t normally call me at this time.”

“Marni, I’m freaking out.”

“Why? What happened?”

“Gavin wants me to come to London…tonight.”

“What? Tonight?”

“He called me today, said he needs to talk to me in person, doesn’t want to do it over the phone. He can’t leave England right now, so he wants to fly me there. He’s making alternate arrangements for his father so I can leave tonight.”

“Holy shit! That’s the most romantic thing I’ve ever heard.”

“Romantic? It’s terrifying!”

“How can you think that?”

“I have no evidence that this is about him wanting to get back together with me. Maybe he needs to see me in person to give me bad news. He hasn’t told me why he wants me there, except that we need to talk. It all sounded pretty ominous, if you ask me.”

“I don’t believe that for a second.”

“Maybe he’s still confused. Maybe he needs time with me to figure out what he wants? Or maybe he just wanted to see me one last time before he—”

“Stop theorizing…”

“He hasn’t contacted me in nearly a month, and now he wants me to come to London. I don’t know what to make of it.”

“Don’t make anything of it. Just do it. Go. Take a risk, Raven. You’ve never even left the country. You deserve a break from your routine, and Lord knows, you deserve some closure where that man’s concerned. One way or the other, I think you’re gonna get it this time.”

“I wish you could come with me.”

“Nah. This trip is yours to do alone.”

My phone beeped. I looked down. It was Gavin calling on the other line.

“Oh my God. He’s calling.”

“Go, go!” she said.

I clicked over, attempting to sound casual. My hand was on my forehead. “Hello?”

“Hey. I’ve spoken to the agency. They assured me they have someone who’s worked with Dad before lined up to take your place for at least a few days. They said they’d handle it for as long as needed, though. The replacement is on her way.”

I walked back into the house and asked, “How did you manage that on such short notice?

“Does it matter?”

Things did not work that smoothly at my office. I wondered who he had to pay off.

“Not really, I suppose.”

“Explain to my dad that you have to go out of town. Assure him you’ll be back. I have a car coming to get you in a half hour. The driver will take you to your house so you can pack a bag. Then he’ll drive you to Palm Beach International. Leave your car parked at Dad’s. That way you don’t have to deal with parking at the airport.”

“Why do I feel like I’m in the middle of a movie with all of these instructions?”

“When you get into the car, there will be a suitcase with money in it. Take it to the alley and...” He laughed. “Kidding.”

“Exactly! That’s exactly what this reminds me of!” I expelled a nervous breath. “What do I do when I get to London?”

“Don’t worry. Someone will be there to pick you up.”

“Okay. Um…this is really weird. And exciting. I’ve only flown once before. I’m freaking out a little.”

“You’ll be fine. I promise.”

“This is officially the craziest thing I’ve ever done.”

“Well, then, I’m glad to have a part in it.”

I looked over at the clock. Holy shit, I’d be in London in a matter of hours. “I’ll see you soon, I guess.”

“Raven…”

“Yeah?”

“Just breathe.”CHAPTER TWENTY-NINE* * *RAVENI couldn’t remember ever being this anxious. Sitting on a British Airways jet and not knowing what I’d be facing on the ground was nerve-wracking.

I spent a good majority of the flight reflecting on my life since Gavin’s return.

Back when we were younger, Gavin and I used to talk about finding our purpose. I had definitely found mine in caring for Mr. M. I knew even after he was gone from this Earth, working with him would leave a lasting impact on me.

I’m a lot more mature and settled than I was a decade ago, but the one thing that hasn’t changed is the love in my heart for a man I believed I could never be with.

Seeing Gavin again was a second chance I never dreamed I’d have. Even the worst-case scenario—that Gavin was moving on with his plans to marry Paige and wanted to let me down in person—was still going to bring me closure. And this was a trip across the world I never would have otherwise taken. This experience would undoubtedly change my life, one way or the other.