“He went to prison. Not for what he did to me.” The police didn’t believe I hadn’t roofied myself for the high, because what girl doesn’t want to spend her eighteenth catatonic? And as I had no memory and there was no DNA evidence linking him to me, the case was dead before it even began. “He got caught for possession with intent to distribute though so I guess it worked out in the end.”
“Good.” Skyler nods then dusts her hands off on her cargo pants. “So… apple fries?”
I snort on a laugh. “Really? I tell you about the big bad thing and you put me to work making you treats?”
She points a manicured finger at me. “Did you or did you not promise me apple fries?”
I push up off the floor and narrow my eyes at Skyler. “Your empathy knows no bounds.” Honestly though, it’s the best thing she could have said. I don’t want to think about Carson any more than I have to, not when I can’t even look at my phone without stressing about the text from the unknown number. It doesn’t take a genius to work out Carson’s the one sending them. I just don’t know what to do about it. So, I make Skyler apple fries instead.
Half an hour later we’re lying on my bed, our stomachs full of sugary goodness and the sweet scent of deep-fried apple in the air.
Skyler turns her head to look at me. “So,” she says, “Roman owns the orchard.”
The comforter rustles against my cheek as I roll to face her. “Roman owns the orchard,” I repeat.
“You kissed.”
“He thinks I don’t remember.”
“And why, pray tell, does he think that?”
I screw up my face and hold my thumb and forefinger an inch apart. “I may have told a tiny little lie and said I didn’t remember anything from the whole night when I woke up in the hospital.”
Skyler’s brows raise in thought. “That could actually work in your favor you know. It might make it easier to keep things professional. He sells apples, you buy them. It can be as simple as that. I mean, how often are you really going to see him? Once a week when he drops off the apples? Plus, I can totally take the deliveries for you.”
“I don’t really have a choice, do I?”
Pity shines in Skyler’s clear blue eyes as she shakes her head.
I sigh. “So. Professional?”
“It’s totally easy. We can get you a suit and everything.”
I laugh a little then roll onto my back and stare up at the ceiling. That night was a long time ago and despite everything that happened, I survived. I should be able to survive a few hours in Roman’s presence without falling back in love.
Right?
Chapter Eleven
Roman
Hi, I’m Lola. My parents said you’re staying with us for vacation and that you’ll probably want to hang out with Mase ‘cause he’s your age but he’s kind of boring so you can totally play with me too.
- Lola, age eight to Roman, age 15
I draw in a breath,finding my patience as I stand at the kitchen island, looking over the latest contract my father sent me. He’s added another hundred thousand pounds to the salary. You’d have thought he’d have learned by now that more money isn’t going to make a difference but that’s the world my father lives in.
According to him, everyone has a price, and if they don’t, they’ve got secrets.
I guess I should be happy he hasn’t resorted to blackmailing me. At this point I honestly wouldn’t put it past him.
I take my glasses off, snatch the contract up, and head to the front door to pull on my boots.
Smoke drifts across from the patio area over to the right of the stables.
Jarred came over earlier with extra food from his mum and got the barbecue going. I don’t think June ever stops mothering, and she likes to make sure all my pickers are well fed. I stopped insisting to Jarred that I had it covered when I realized he needed a reason to get out of the house.
I join him by the barbecue and shove the contract underneath the rack topped with meat, watching as the paper curls up in the flames.
