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“Hey, Saskia. Yeah, I’m here. Tell me what you know.”

It doesn’t take me long to pack my bags. The first thing I do is take off the dress, leaving it draped over a chair in Theo’s bedroom because I never want to see it again.

It made me feel beautiful. Until it didn’t.

Then I pull on a pair of jeans and a top that I know would never have made me look like I fit in, and throw everything else in my suitcase.

And all the while I’m trying – and failing – to find a cab service that’s open in the local area. There are none at all. I’m about to look up the train schedule when there’s a rap of knuckles at the door.

I close up my suitcase and zip it up. “Come in,” I call out.

The door opens and Caleb steps inside. I’m only a little bit disappointed, but I manage to hide it.

He looks at the closed bag on the bed. “Oh,” he says quietly. “You’re really going?”

“I’m trying to,” I tell him. “But there are no cabs. I’m going to have to catch a train.”

“They won’t be running until morning either,” he tells me. “That’s if they run at all. It’s almost Christmas, everything stops here for days.” He clears his throat. “I’ll drive you back to London if that’s what you want?”

“You’re supposed to be going up to Scotland, aren’t you?”

He shrugs. “I can head up later tomorrow. No biggie.” He gives me a soft smile. “It’s me or walking down country lanes in the slush and cold in the middle of the night. If I were you, I’d choose me.”

I let out a breath. He’s right. “A ride would be lovely,” I tell him. “Thank you.”

I’m trying not to cry. And I’m trying even harder not to let him see that I’m trying not to cry. It’s harder than it sounds.

He tips his head to the side. “What are your plans after you get to London?”

“I don’t know.” The rest of my things are at The Hunt Hotel. His hotel. “I’ll figure it out on the way back.”

Caleb shifts his feet. “Theo will have his head on straight tomorrow. He’ll want to talk to you then.”

I frown. “He said that?”

“Kind of.” Caleb grimaces. “But he’s badly implicated, Georgia. He could face charges for what his father’s done.”

My chest tightens. “I know. And I hate that. But he didn’t want me to stay. Pretty much told me to leave like I’m a complication he doesn’t need or want.”

“He just… please… just give him time. I’ve never seen him fall for anyone the way he’s fallen for you.”

I don’t say that maybe he’s fallen for the wrong woman. The kind of woman his mother doesn’t quite appreciate, and his brother accuses of trying to tear the family apart. God, even his dad can’t remember my name.

I’ve been such an idiot. Thinking this was the real thing, not some stupid infatuation on his part. I threw myself in front of his car. Yeah, it was to chase a cat, but it still happened.

And somehow we both thought we were the lead actors in a Christmas romance movie. Working our way to a happily ever after.

But real life isn’t like that. Real life means me going home, and Theo talking about maybe coming over to see me, but likely not when more problems get in the way. His phone will ring, his family will be demanding. The trip will get postponed.

You don’t have to be a psychic to know this will fizzle out. And my heart already feels like it’s breaking.

“I think we should go now,” I tell Caleb.

He scans my face, shifting his feet. “Okay,” he says. “Let’s go downstairs. We’ll tell Theo you’re leaving.”

“Can you tell him?” I ask, because at heart I’m a coward. “I don’t want to throw any more emotions his way. He’s dealing with enough.”

He nods, looking resigned. “Okay then. I’ll take your case and you to my car first.”