Awkward Abroad (Awkward #2)

by Rachel Rhodes

I hold it together until my parents have retired to my guest room, their jetlag finally catching up with them. Mandy returned about an hour ago, after dispatching all the other guests, including Ryan, home. They’re staying in a hotel just a few blocks down. Mandy has barely spoken since the confrontation outside, but once my mom and dad have said their goodnights, we take a seat in the living room.

  I heft the book from the side table and dump it on her lap.

  “Show me.”

  Mandy flips through it, the furrows on her brow deepening with each passing page. When she reaches the last divider in the red section, she raises her head and gives me a look of wretched apology.

  “I must’ve thrown it out,” she says, in a voice heavy with remorse, “God, Amber, I’m so sorry. I hated him so much. When I found out the truth, I must’ve ripped it out of the file.”

  “It’s not your fault,” I sigh. “He must’ve known you were gone, and he took a chance. It paid off, obviously. There’s no way you could’ve known.”

  “I might’ve, if you’d confided in me,” she points out.

  I give her a weary smile. “I’m sorry I didn’t tell you. I’m sorry I’ve been quiet. Things have been a bit crazy.”

  “I know you were upset about Wei leaving. And then something happened with Kent?” It’s an educated guess, given what went down earlier.

  “Oh God, don’t remind me.” I cover my face with my hands, briefly, and then force myself to look at her. “I don’t even know how this happened. One minute he was the bane of my life, and driving me nuts, and the next…”

  “You wanted to jump his bones?”

  “Well, yeah.”

  “I hate to break it to you, Amber, but you’ve been crazy about that man since the day I met you. I don’t know who you thought you were fooling.”

  “Myself?”

  “Good job. You’re the only one you managed to convince.”

  “What am I going to do?”

  “You’re going to live out the ending of every romcom you’ve ever watched. You’re going to go after him. And,” she adds wryly, “you’re going to do it without subtitles.”

  19

  The dry heat of the Santa Ana winds hit me in full force the moment I step off the plane. My father had temporarily lifted his ban on my spending to secure me a first-class ticket home to “sort out my shit,” as he so eloquently put it. I know that he only did it because it involves Kent. I could tell by the smug look. Nothing would make him happier than to see me end up with the man he already considers a son. And, for the first time in my life, what he wants and what I want are perfectly aligned. I grabbed the ticket. I didn’t even offer to pay for it myself.

  Bianca had accepted my excuse that there had been a family emergency, in her stride, but I only had three days. I’d be returning to Beijing, with or without Kent.

  The cab ride to his apartment is the longest of my life. I keep my eyes on the road, the miles flashing by in a grey and white blur, while my heart races in my chest.

  “Thank you,” I say when we finally pull up outside Kent’s apartment block. I hand over a few crumpled bills. “Keep the change.”

  I brought nothing with me, save for my purse. I have enough clothes in my apartment to last a lifetime, let alone a couple of days, and, thanks to Amber and the lucrative second income she passed along, my credit card is good to go.

  I stop only when I reach Kent’s door. I didn’t think to call ahead, and for all I know he’s not even here, but I still need a minute to compose myself. What he saw, back in Beijing, isn’t going to be easy to explain. The escort business may be innocent, but my relationship with Chase was definitely not.

  I’m trying to find the right words to explain it all when the door is yanked open, and Kent bursts from his apartment, in an obvious hurry. Eyes fixed on his cell, oblivious to the fact that I’m standing here, he knocks me clean off my feet, and we go down in a painful heap.

  “Jesus, Amber!” he yells, disentangling himself and getting to his feet. “Are you okay?” He offers me his hand and I take it. We face each other and I notice the dark shadows under his eyes, and the empty look within them.

  “What the hell are you doing lurking in my doorway? There’s a bell, you know.”

  “I know. I’m sorry, I was about to knock.”

  His gaze slides over me, from head to toe and back again. “You’re sure you’re okay?”

  I nod.

  “What are you doing here?”

  “I came to see you. We need to talk.”

  “Really?” he crosses his arms over his chest. “About what?”

  I glance up and down the hallway. “Could we go inside?”

  “No. Whatever you have to say to me, you can say it right here.”

  “Kent.”

  He doesn’t budge.

  “Fine! What you saw yesterday, it wasn’t what you think. Wait,” I add quickly, “it’s exactly what you think, but I can explain.”

  “I’m listening.”

  “Chase is… was, someone I met before you and I had dinner that night, but we weren’t together. Not until after you told me you had a girlfriend.”

  “Do I look like I was born yesterday?”

  “It’s the truth! Nothing happened! We haven’t even… you know.”

  “No, I don’t know.” He is not going to make this easy for me.

  “We haven’t had sex!” I snap, loud enough that he winces. His eyes travel the length of the hall, and he curses under his breath.

  “Get in here,” he mutters, holding the door wide. I scuttle inside. We head for the kitchen. Kent starts making a pot of coffee, with unnecessary force. “Explain.”

  I do, in fits and starts, tripping over my words more than once. I leave nothing out. At some point, Kent hands me a mug of coffee, but he doesn’t speak, only stands opposite me over the marble island and listens.

  When I’m finally done, I look up at him. Kent’s face is unreadable.

  “Your coffee’s cold,” he says.

  I blink in confusion. “What?”

  “Your coffee,” he says simply, reaching over for my mug. “It’s cold.”

  “That’s all you have to say?”

  “No. I have a lot to say, but I’m trying to get a hold of my…” he trails off, turning away from me so I can’t see his face.

  “Your temper?” I prompt. “You’re trying to get a hold on your temper?”

  Only when his shoulders start to shake, do I realize he’s laughing.

  “What the hell is so funny?” I storm around the island and walk right into his personal space. His eyes are streaming, and he sets down the mugs to wipe at them with the sleeve of his shirt.

  “Only you,” he says, between gasping breaths. “God, you’re a mess.”

  I don’t take it too personally, though, because his arms have come around my waist as he says it. I press my lips together to keep from laughing too.

  “It’s not funny,” I say.

  “You’re right,” he sniffs, composing himself. “And you may be a mess, but you’re my mess.” The possessive pronoun sends a thrill through me.

  “You’re really not mad at me?”

  His face softens. “I’m really not mad at you. I’ve spent the last few years of my life watching you self-destruct, Amber. What you’ve done… well, it might not be the most conventional way to do it, but you’ve stood on your own two feet.” He smiles down at me, and his arms tighten, shifting me into the space between them, snug against the length of his body. “When your dad sent you over there, I was convinced you’d be back in a week, broken, and broke. Instead, you not only rose to the challenge, but you embraced it. I couldn’t be prouder. I’m sorry I didn’t hear you out,” he adds, “but seeing you with Chase…” I feel his hands tighten convulsively at the base of my spine and, for a second, his face falls. “You’re sure you’re not secretly in love with that bastard?”

  I rise onto my toes, so our faces are only inches apart.

 
“The only bastard I’m secretly in love with,” I say, speaking slowly and clearly, “is you.”

  His eyes blaze with triumph. It’s a beautiful sight, but I don’t have time appreciate it, because his head dips and my eyes close automatically as his lips meet mine.

  First class never so looked good as it does now, with Kent lounging in the seat beside me. His hands are constantly seeking me out – they stray to my hair, my thigh, trace small patterns at the nape of my neck.

  “My lucky charm,” he says, as the air hostess brings us each a complimentary glass of champagne. I grin at him over my glass.

  “Is this real?” he asks, and I know exactly what he means. It’s all happened so quickly, and yet, taken us a lifetime to reach this point.

  “I hope so,” I say. “You know, you could’ve saved us a lot of time and hassle if you’d just admitted you were in love with me back in college.”

  “You would’ve run for the hills.”

  “Lara would’ve dragged me.” Thinking back, I wonder if Lara didn’t suspect all along and, fearful of losing her party sponsor, had driven that wedge deeper between us.

  “Speaking of Lara. Have you spoken to her at all since you left?”

  “Once. She made it crystal clear that I wasn’t any use to her without my platinum card.”

  He gives me a knowing grin. “I hate to say I told you so…”

  “Bullshit. You live for it.”

  He leans over to kiss my nose. “Is it wrong to feel so ridiculously happy after everything that’s happened?”

  “If it is, I’m just as guilty as you are.”

  His lips find mine, and he holds the kiss slightly longer than is appropriate, but the flight hostess only gives us a fond smile.

  “There are a few things we need to clear up, though,” Kent murmurs into my neck.

  “Hmm, like what?”

  “Well, if you’re serious about staying in Beijing and seeing your year out, I’m thinking you should give up that apartment and get a key to mine. Saber has enough invested in Beijing to justify me staying too.”

  “Give up my apartment?” I fake mock outrage. “After all the work I’ve put in to get it?”

  “Oh, you mean eating at fancy restaurants and drinking all the expensive champagne your heart desires?”

  “Yes. That’s exactly what I mean. I don’t think you appreciate how difficult it’s been for me, Mr. James. It’s a tough job, but someone’s got to do it.”

  “Well, I guess we better start looking for your replacement. I don’t want to tell you how to live your life, but I would prefer that I occupied your evenings from now on.” He squeezes my leg and a blaze of heat rockets up my thigh.

  “I’m sure we can come to some sort of arrangement,” I say, trying to keep my voice light. “I mean, there should be a discount for frequent users.”

  His low rumble of laughter is music to my ears. “And I plan to use you frequently.”

  I rest my head on his shoulder and draw the blanket up over us.

  “I’m sure there’ll be someone to take things over. Mandy’s replacement is single, and I caught her eyeing up my Prada boots last week.” I tilt my head to breathe in the trace of aftershave on his jaw. “Are you sure you want to stay in China? You’ve worked so hard. I’d hate to think that you’re giving up other opportunities because of me.”

  “Amber.” He shifts so that I have to raise my head to look at him. “I only work so hard because I thought it might get your attention. I only throw my heart and soul into your father’s business because I know, ultimately, it’s all for you. Trust me,” he adds, dropping another kiss on my brow, “I’m never leaving your side again.”

  “What if my dad decides I need to learn another lesson, and sends me to Siberia?”

  “Then I guess I’ll have to get a warmer coat.”

  Epilogue

  Of course, my dad wouldn’t send me anywhere. He was so thrilled about Kent and I, the only place he wanted us was back home. To his dismay, we refused. I was seeing out my teaching year, come hell or high water. It meant too much to me, this sense of accomplishment, and Gabby Martin had started to show an interest in poetry, of all things. Besides, I couldn’t let Bianca down. Amber’s replacement, Molly, was only too happy to take over the escort business, but, unlike Amber and I, she resigned from the school within two weeks when she realized how much money she stood to make. I’d handed her the book, with Chase’s updated file in the red list. Kent had laughed his handsome head off when Basil Mitchell had called me to tell me he approved.

  Now, with less than a week left, we’re packing up the apartment which we’ve come to call home. I have my heart set on a west coast wedding, and Kent’s mom has threatened to disown him if we don’t get our arses back to the States before Christmas. So, I’m finally headed home. A new Amber. A better Amber. With the man I love by my side. But first, we’re making a short pit stop. There’s a wedding in Canada that I wouldn’t miss for the world.

  Also by Rachel Rhodes

  Awkward in Print

  Awkward in Trouble

  COMING SOON

  Awkward Infidelity

  Awkward Ever After

  Awkward Undercover

  Awkward On Air

  Awkward Matrimony

  About the Author

  Rachel Rhodes is the pseudonym for an authors collective who have come together to publish the Awkward series, a collection of easy-reading, contemporary romance novels.

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