The Fixed Trilogy: Found in You(87)

“Whatever. You aren’t responsible for your mother’s bad taste.”

She giggled. “I know, but it’s embarrassing. Celia’s such a bitch.” Mira leaned back in her chair. “She’s always been…I don’t know…fake. I’ve never trusted her, but I still can’t believe she did this to you.”

It was my turn to shrug. “It was my own fault. Not because I stalked her, but because I didn’t listen to the warnings not to get mixed up with her.”

“I know you didn’t stalk her.” Mira rolled her eyes. “Please. Do you think I don’t? Why would you do that? It’s not like you at all.”

Her confidence in me was startling. As well as completely off base. I’d figured my obsessive days were out in the open now for the whole Pierce family. It was nice to know it wasn’t the case.

But I was tired of secrets and bitter about my predicament. “Joke’s on you, I guess. That’s exactly like me. I used to do that crap all the time. Stalk people, I mean. I have a record.”

Mira narrowed her eyes and studied me. “No wonder you and Hudson are so good for each other.”

My mouth curled up at her unexpected comment. It was exactly the reason I’d thought I wasn’t good for Hudson. Interesting that she had a different perspective.

“Anyway, you don’t do that stuff now, do you?”

“No.”

“See? And you now is who I know, so don’t correct me again.” She grinned as she snagged another piece of cheese, this time sans celery, thank god. “Plus, I was in that bathroom. You didn’t harass her in the least. I told Hudson that, by the way.”

She was the second person to have defended me to Hudson. While I was glad for the support, I wished I didn’t need it.

Still, I was dying to know. “Did he believe you?”

“Of course, he did.” Her brown eyes widened. “Is that what this is about? You don’t think he knows you didn’t do that stuff? He totally does.”

“Because of what you told him?”

“Yeah.”

“That’s what I thought.”

Her face flushed. “I mean, maybe it wasn’t me. He probably believed you without…” Her sentence trailed away. “Shit.” She ran her hand through her short hair. “He would have figured it out if you weren’t avoiding his calls.”

“My phone’s broken.”

“And the times he’s called at the club?”

“Okay, I’m avoiding those.” I folded my arms over my chest, suddenly feeling defensive. “It’s not because I don’t want to talk to him. It’s…it’s complicated.” I chewed the inside of my lip. Was it really that complicated? I loved Hudson, and Hudson…well, I knew he loved me, too. Was that enough? There was no way of knowing without talking to him.

And I’d been avoiding that like the plague.

I sighed. “There’s more than this. I did some things that I shouldn’t have done. And he did some things that he shouldn’t have done. There’s a lot of fixing and stuff to be said and I think the things we need to say need to be in person.”

“So go to him.”

I arched a brow. “To Japan?”

“Why not? What you’re saying makes sense. Big things need to be face-to-face. It’s easier to be honest. Harder to run away. Yeah, you should go to him.” Mira’s whole face transformed with her enthusiasm.

Though adorable, her notion was insane.

“Isn’t he going to come back soon?”

“It doesn’t sound like it. The people he’s dealing with are dragging their feet.”

“Oh.” My heart dropped into my stomach. If it truly was Sunday, it had now been five days since Hudson had left. I didn’t think I could stand many more.

But the alternative was crazy. “I can’t go to Japan. I don’t have that kind of money.”

“I’d foot the bill.”

“Oh, no. I’m not letting you pay for me to go to Japan. Get real.”

Mira scowled and put a fist on what was probably once her waistline. “I have about as much money as my brother, you know. A trip to Japan is a drop in a very large bucket, and I’m not trying to brag. I’m trying to be clear.”

I opened my mouth to continue my protest.

“But if that’s really an issue,” she said before I had a chance, “then charge it to The Sky Launch. Hudson’s money. He wanted you out there to begin with.”

It wasn’t a bad idea necessarily. Not the best, but not bad.

Except what if he didn’t want me there?

Or maybe that’s why he’d sent his sister. I eyed Mira suspiciously. “Did he send you to convince me to go to Japan?”

“No!” She seemed appalled. “Uh-uh. Do not give him credit for my idea.”

But I’d wanted to give him credit. It would make it less scary to show up unannounced.

“Think about it,” Mira said, her eyes all dreamy. “Wouldn’t that be an awesome surprise?”

I imagined the roles reversed, if he showed up and surprised me. “Yeah. It kind of would be.” More than kind of. “I miss him.”

That was all Mira had to hear. “Laynie, he’s dying without you! I can hear it in his voice. He’s a basket case. He can’t eat, he can’t sleep—”