Diamonds (All that Glitters #1)(27)

“I thought so. You seem to work hard and clearly don’t back down from a challenge,” Felicity said with a quirked eyebrow. So, it all was a test. “I think we can make this partnership succeed, if you’re up for it.”

“I’m up for anything.”

WITH BRYNA’S FATHER OUT OF TOWN FOR CHRISTMAS, she found the excuse she needed to disappear for a week.

“You’re sure that you’re going to be gone the entire Christmas?” Celia asked. “We won’t even see you on Christmas day?”

Bryna sighed. She didn’t want to look too sympathetic or Celia wouldn’t buy it. “Look I just don’t get to spend any quality time with my mother, and since dad is going to be gone the whole time, it seemed like a perfect opportunity. No reason to split time between the house if he isn’t going to be here”

Celia pursed her lips. “Well, of course I want you to have quality time with your mother, but I will miss you dearly, honey. The whole house will miss you.”

“I’m sure.”

Bryna resisted the urge to roll her eyes. She certainly wouldn’t miss her overbearing stepmother or Pace. Especially Pace.

He hadn’t spoken to her since the incident with Jemma’s party, which was fine by her. She didn’t ever want to talk to him again if she could help it. She knew that the silent treatment was probably too good to be true. She was sure he was plotting something behind his silence. He wasn’t giving up yet.

It would be nice to get away from the cold shoulder and constant seething.

So, once her Louis Vuitton luggage was packed, she hightailed it out of the house.

About an hour later, after sitting through hellish traffic, she parked her car at Jude’s apartment. Jude let her inside when she showed up at his front door. He took her bags from her, set them down by the coffee table, and then scooped her up in his arms.

“I missed you,” he said into her hair.

She closed her eyes and tightened her grip around his neck. “I missed you, too.”

“Are you all ready to go?”

“Go where?” she asked, looking around the apartment.

“You didn’t think I’d get you all to myself for a week and keep you cooped up in my apartment, did you?”

Well, yeah. She kind of had thought that. It had sounded pretty wonderful. No drama for a whole week. Just Jude.

“I think you’ll like what I have in mind,” he said with a wink.

She arched an eyebrow but didn’t argue. As long as she was with him, then she knew she was going to like whatever he had planned.

Jude had a car waiting for them downstairs, and the driver placed her bags in the trunk. A bottle of champagne chilled in a silver bucket. Jude popped the top and poured them each a glass of the sparkling bubbly.

“To new beginnings,” he said, raising his glass.

She clinked her flute against his and then took a sip. “Is this your new beginning?”

He smirked in an unbelievably charming way. “You’re my new beginning, Bri.”

She didn’t know what to say to something so sweet. Guys weren’t normally like this. They didn’t really get her or know how to treat her. They were just silly boys. With Jude, it was different. She could spend all day wrapped in his arms and feel completely content. Nothing else had ever been like that. She was always so antsy, ready to do something else, anxious to get moving, scheming away in her head. Jude quieted all the noise and let her be.

About half an hour later, they were pulling off of Interstate 10, long before reaching the Santa Monica coastline.

Bryna glanced over at Jude in confusion. Where the hell are they going?

When the small Santa Monica Airport came into view, she was even more confused, not to mention curious. The car drove around and deposited them outside of a large hangar.

Bryna gaped. “What is going on?”

Jude looked smug. “Surprise.”

“Surprise…what?”

The driver opened up her door, and she got out of the car. She was oscillating between shock and excitement.

“Seriously. What is going on?” she asked, as Jude hopped out behind her. He wrapped his arm around her waist and placed a kiss on her temple.

“You asked what was next—a private plane and a trip to Saint Barts.”

She whipped around in his grip. “Tell me you’re joking.”

“I’m not joking.”

Her hand flew to her mouth before she could even try for cool, calm, and collected. Jude was taking her on a private plane to spend the week of Christmas in St. Barts. Shock was definitely winning out.

“You said you take your passport with you everywhere.”

She nodded softly at this. A man who had actually listened and remembered what she had said. She had counted on her own father to come home for Christmas, and he had let her down. Here was Jude, who had cared enough to go out of his way to plan this just for her. She was beyond shocked. She was completely floored and enamored.

“I take it you like it?”

She shook her head and then cracked up laughing. “Oh my God, I can’t believe we’re going away together.”

He leaned down and kissed her hard on the lips. “I said it was a new beginning.”

“You did. There’s only one problem,” she told him.

“What’s that?”