She’d lost control of the one thing she’d told herself she could handle. Playing a role at Satin had started as something she’d needed in order to feel remotely worthy, but it had turned into something far more dangerous and far more intimate. And now she was trapped between two versions of herself, neither of which Jo really knew, not fully.
But Ada knew enough, and Amelia knew Ada would protect Jo to the ends of the earth.
That left Amelia with no choice now. She would have to tell Jo the truth. Not in a rushed text. Not over a phone call. But face-to-face. The way it should have been from the beginning.
She exhaled a shaky breath, finally managing to start the car. Still, she didn’t drive off. She couldn’t do that until her thoughts had quietened.
She reached for her phone instead, pulling it from the centre console and unlocking it with a quick swipe. She was about to text Jo to see if she was available now when her phone buzzed in her hand.
Hey, I’m really sorry but I don’t think tomorrow’s going to work anymore. Something’s come up. Hope you don’t mind x
Amelia’s fingers froze above the screen. No. Not now. She reread the message, trying to breathe through the sudden pinch in her chest. Her thumbs hovered over the keyboard as a thousand questions lined up. What came up? Was she okay? Was she backing out? Had Ada already told her everything?
She hit dial. It rang once…twice…and then her phone vibrated again.
Another call was incoming.
Callum.
Her heart sank so hard and fast that it made her dizzy. She hadn’t heard from her son in weeks. Not since his last smug text from a bamboo bungalow in Thailand. But that worked for her. She was still pissed off with him over what he’d done to Jo, but Amelia guessed he knew that, and that was why communication was minimal.
She answered, her voice brittle. “Callum?”
“Mum.” His voice was unusually serious. Flat, even. “Hiya.”
“Is everything alright?”
“Yeah. Well…no. Not really.”
She sat back, one hand still on the wheel. “What’s going on?”
“I’m coming home.”
Amelia frowned. “You’re what?”
“I booked a flight this morning. I’ll be back on Sunday.”
“Is something wrong?”
There was a pause on the other end of the line, then came a heavy sigh. “Thea and I broke up.”
Amelia’s lips parted, but she said nothing. There was nothingtosay. Any hope of her and Jo working on what they were building had just been stomped on.
“She left me in Laos. Packed up and flew home without me.”
“Oh, Callum…I’m sorry.” God, of all the times when she wished he’d stayed with Thea.
“It’s fine. It’s for the best.” He cleared his throat. “Actually, I’ve been thinking a lot…about Jo.”
Amelia’s fingers tensed around her phone.
“I know I fucked things up, but I want to try again with her. Ineedto try again. I still love her.” Amelia’s world tilted, even as Callum kept talking, completely unaware that he was ripping his mother’s heart out of her chest. “I know it’s probably too late, but I have to at least tell her. In person. She deserves that. So yeah…I’ll be home on Sunday. I just wanted to give you a heads-up.”
Not only would her son be returning, but he would also likely be staying with Amelia. When he’d split up with Jo, he’d given up their rented home outside the city. But that was the least of her concerns right now.
Amelia couldn’t breathe.
He was coming back…for Jo. He was going to try and fix everything. To put their past back together. To win her back.
