Today is about Lainey. I’m going to do my best to make this day fun for her because once she learns about Rachel, it’s going to break her little heart.
“Okay.” I straighten up and give her a serious look. “How about a light breakfast so we can get some energy, and then we shop until we drop. We can have a late lunch and afterward do something fun like bowling or going to an arcade?”
“Yessss!” she practically screeches. “That will be so much fun.”
Behaving like a little grown-up, she leans forward and instructs the driver, “Izak, can you take us to All That Jazz for breakfast, please?”
“Of course,” he replies. I see a smile tug at the man’s mouth. He seems to be in his late thirties, with salt-and-pepper hair and a friendly face, unlike Tyler, the bodyguard, who has a strict air about him. His features are expressionless, and his blond hair is trimmed in a super neat style.
The men make me feel uneasy, but I do my best not to let it show.
I’m going to have to work hard on hiding my past trauma. I don’t want anyone to pick up on it.
My thoughts turn to earlier when Easton snapped at Sylvia. I had such a fright I dropped the knife. His heated words had fear engulfing me. Even though his angry response had nothing to do with me, I automatically apologized like I would’ve done with Trent.
Only no apology was ever good enough for Trent. He always had to teach me a lesson.
“If you turn left up here, it goes to my school,” Lainey says, pulling me out of my dark thoughts.
“How is school?” I ask, forcing myself to focus on her while I glance at the wealthy neighborhood we’re driving through.
Back in Verona, there are mansions, but they pale in comparison to the luxurious properties here in Beverly Hills.
Lainey shrugs. “Some days, it sucks. I’m still best friends with Porsha, but there’s this girl named Shay who’s trying to worm her way between us.”
Lainey and Porsha have been friends since their first day of school. Just like Rachel and me.
Rach.
My heart clenches in my chest, but I try not to think of the worst-case scenario because Easton might be able to get help for Rachel.
She’s not gone yet. You still have time with her.
“Maybe Shay wants to be friends with both you and Porsha?”
Lainey shakes her head. “She never speaks to Porsha and keeps trying to invite me over to her house. It’s very annoying. I know Shay’s only doing it because her mom probably told her to do it.” She rolls her eyes. “It’s happened lots of times before where kids try to hang out with me so their parents can meet Uncle Easton.”
“Oh no,” I murmur while my eyebrows furrow. “I’m sorry that happened to you.”
Dang, it must be so hard for Lainey with people using her to get to Easton.
“How long are you visiting for?” Lainey asks.
“For as long as I’m allowed to.” A smile spreads over my face. “So you’re going to get tired of me real quick.”
She lets out a bubbly chuckle. “Never. Mom was so happy when she told me you’re coming to visit she cried.”
Again, my heart clenches.
Needing to say the words, I tell her, “I love you and your mom very much.”
Her smile widens until a dimple appears on her left cheek. “We love you too. You should move to LA so we can hang out all the time.”
“You know what?” I say, giving her an excited look. “I might just do that.”
“Really?” she gasps. “That would be awesome, Nova.”
“It would, wouldn’t it?” I murmur while combing my fingers through her hair.
