I wanted her to look at me and be proud.
Looking out of the window, my smile grew at the thought of her. I was excited and nervous, trying to hide both. I rubbed my sweating palms into my shins, pretending to adjust my white heels.
I hadn’t seen my nagyi since I was eight.
When I had lighter hair and my smiles were carefree, and my favourite hobby was cooking gourmet mud pies in her garden.
Imre was my entire world then.
Back when seeing him was the most precious time of my life, even if I didn’t understand it then. How he’d cheated on mum. Lied. Ruined her finances.
Now I was dreading seeing him.
Would she even like me now? Would she blame me for avoiding Imre all these years? Would she lash out, talking about my mum?
That was something I hadn’t considered. If they spoke negatively about Mum, I was out.
Out where?I didn’t know, seeing as the three of us were staying at Imre’s house, our luggage sitting tight in the back of the taxi.
I’d have to grab my suitcase and walk miles down those beautiful country lanes…
Ever and Luca were strategising, considering their battle lines, planning their undercover operation.
While I took in the view.
We were in the South of Hungary, thick in acres of forest and far down winding country lanes that took us into another world of green. Vibrant. Luscious.
I rolled the window down to breathe the fresh, fragrant air, filling my lungs with a calming oxygen called Hungary.
I so rarely enjoyed the wild anymore.
All that calm vanished as we pulled onto a long, circular, gravel drive.
Luca wolf-whistled, and I choked on the humid air.
There had to be a mistake.
Imre was a mechanic at StormSprint. He wasn’t a millionaire.
Because this place was only aspirational for me.
Maybe he had a girlfriend who came from money. We sure didn’t.
The huge structure — light wood and grey, thick brick — was almost camouflaged by the forest life that climbed the brick pillars, stretching and dangling across the roof.
It was like a log cabin on steroids.
And the welcome?Three champagne towers stood along the stone pathway leading to the house, a suited workernext to each, standing pin-point straight, a tray in their hand.
This was not like the home I’d grown up in — a terraced house in the city, with a doorbell that didn’t work and a garage that permanently stank of diesel and a father with an oil stain on every t-shirt.
It was warm and welcoming, but not with the homely chaos I’d expected.
“Earth to Fia,” Ever said, and I looked up to see Luca holding the car door open for me and Everly bending with a concerned expression, a wrinkle between her brows. “Are you okay? We don’t need to stay.”
“No, it’s fine,” I said. I had said I was coming. And I wasn’t one to break my promises.
Also…staying a room away from Zoltán with my door unlocked?That man was going to break down first.
