OK, admittedly he and Katie had managed to call a semi-truce in light of Mia. Katie had come to him, hat-in-hand, begging for his help to get Nick to talk to Mia when she had been in such a bad way. But that was a few weeks ago now, and all that he and Katie had done since then was fight about his photos. He wanted Katie to reshoot in better light, she refused.
Why is she calling me? Another fight about the fucking pictures? OK. Be nice now… at least until she gives you reason not to be.
He picked up the phone and spoke in what he hoped was a friendly tone. “Hi, Katie.”
“Hi, Adam.” She sounded harassed and pissed off and he almost threw the phone across the room. “Listen, have you got any way to get a hold of Nick?”
‘Well, hello Adam. How are you? Yeah, yeah, I’m fine too. So, listen – can I ask you something please?’ This woman’s self-importance is always dialled up to ‘high’, isn’t it? Jesus.
With great effort, he kept his tone now merely neutral. “No, I don’t. As you know, he left his cell with me here and I don’t know where he took Mia.”
“Damn.”
The silence on the other end went on for long enough that he had the urge to say, “Well! So nice talking to you!” and then hang up. But he hung on for a few seconds longer.
“Would – would anyone else know where they are, maybe?” she asked.
“No, for sure not. I mean, if you don’t and I don’t, then who’s left, really?”
“True.”
More silence. Only then did it occur to him that something might be wrong.
“Katie, is everything OK?”
“Ummm. No. Not really.”
He sat down. She sounded uncertain and tentative and something else.
Scared?
“What’s wrong? Can I help?”
Katie blinked at the phone in her hand. What – Mr. So-Important is deigning to offer assistance?
“Uh. Well. I’m not sure.”
“Tell me what happened.”
“Someone in my family is sick,” she said reluctantly. “I need to get back there in a hurry and I wanted to call Nick and Mia and collect my car from them.”
“Where do you have to go? Where’s home?”
“Aurora, in Illinois.”
“So – why don’t you fly?”
“I don’t fly… I hate it.”
He rolled his eyes. Princess.
“Yeah, OK,” he said. “I get that having to take your shoes off at the airport is a hassle and flights are all tense, but this is an emergency. I mean, drink some wine and do some deep breathing and you’ll be there in no time at all.”
She was silent.
“Katie? Hello?”
“No. I really can’t. I – I was in a plane crash as a kid. I just can’t fly.”
He felt like an absolute asshole. “God, Katie. I’m sorry. Maybe… the train? Bus?”
“No, it’ll take too long. My brother says that he probably won’t last more than two days. I have to get in the car and just drive, Adam.”
“Who’s ‘he’? Your Dad?”
Katie pretended not to hear him. “So that’s why I need my car back.”
“So rent a car.”
“I already tried that. Nothing’s available.” She now sounded panicked and desperate and teary.
Adam scratched his chin. Something about this whole thing feels very weird. Aloud, he said, “Well, I don’t know what to do to help you – if I knew where Nick and Mia were, I’d tell you. But I really don’t.”
“Right.” She took a shaky breath. “OK, well. Thanks anyway… I’ll let you…”
Her voice broke and suddenly Adam was on high alert. “OK, hold on. This is really important to you, huh?”
“Yes. Adam, yes. You have no idea.”
She sounded so completely broken and vulnerable, so unlike the usual hard-as-nails Katie, that something in Adam just responded.
“OK, Katie. Listen, I am suggesting this against my better judgment, but maybe… maybe I can take you.”
“What? You?”
“Yes. Me. I have a car, I can take a few days off, Gavin is more than capable of running things here with me and Nick away. I can take you, if you want.”
Katie almost fell off her chair in shock.
That is the worst fucking idea I have ever heard… trapped in a car with Adam Pierce for hours and hours on end! I bet he’ll talk about nothing but reshooting his goddamned pictures. I’d have to throw myself in front of the wheels just to make the torture end, I swear to Christ.
Then again, it was the best offer – the only offer – on the table. She didn’t see that she had much of a choice.
“Really?”
“Yes. Really.”
“I’d – I’d be very grateful, Adam. Thank you.”
“So… yes?”
She took a deep breath. “Yes. Yes, please.”
“You have Nick’s cell number?”
“I do.”
“OK, text me your address on his phone. I’ll be there in two hours.”
“Thank you, Adam.”
“You’re welcome.”
They both hung up the phone, already regretting it, already dreading the next few days.
**
Dear Reader,
‘Fighting Strong’ (Fighting For Love #2) will be published on August 10th. If you want to know when it is available for purchase, please check on one of my social media platforms (Twitter, Facebook, and my blog). I will be announcing its release in all of these places, and posting some teaser excerpts in advance.
Thank you for reading!
Marysol
About the author
Marysol James is the author of the 'Open Skies' and ‘Fighting For Love’ series. She writes steamy, sexy, slinky romances which feature strong, complex women and equally fascinating men. Marysol is interested in producing well-written and passionate stories with characters who learn to let go of control and to trust – both in and out of the bedroom.
Her stories are very sensual, and offer smart plots, a bit of humor, and lots of character development, so her books will appeal to readers who want emotional connection as well as sexuality.
When not writing, Marysol can be found swimming, doing yoga, listening to music and drinking coffee. To stay up-to-date with her, visit her blog at marysoljames.wordpress.com or follow her on Twitter (@marysoljames) or Facebook (marysol.james.romanceauthor).
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Fighting Hard Page 11
