Exodus (The Ravenhood #2)(86)

“Thanks, but I feel like hell.”

His thick, dark blond brows V. “Not sleeping well?”

“Not really, no,” I confess as I glance around the boutique hotel.

Traffic bustles in and out of the lobby as I take in the posh furnishings and artwork. He’s staying at one of the few inns on the square that’s been newly purchased and renovated.

“This is nice.”

“It will do,” he says, looking me over curiously. “You want to tell me why the sudden change of heart? You’ve refused to entertain any offers or even talk about this place.”

“I have my reasons.”

He closes his laptop and pushes it in his dark brown leather satchel, the same one he used in school. “Always so damn secretive.”

I shrug. “Every woman needs some element of mystery, right?”

“It’s not annoying at all.” He deadpans. “And not at all the reason why I dumped you. I am curious as to how Collin got in. It’s because he’s British, it’s the accent, am I right?”

His smile fades when he reads my expression at the mention of Collin. “Really, Cecelia? Even I had a hard-on for him.”

“I don’t want to talk about it.” I turn and make my way out of the double doors, and he stops me out on the sidewalk, gently tugging my coat from my grip before helping me into it. “I’m sorry,” he whispers softly. “That was an asshole thing to say.”

“It’s fine. It needed to happen.” He stares at me expectantly. “I’m okay, Ryan. Come on. I’ll drive.”

He follows me to where I parked my Audi and climbs in the passenger seat before glancing out the window at the bustling square.

“This town is…charming. You grew up here?”

“Yes and no.”

“Jesus,” he grumbles, “It’s like you’re trained to be evasive.”

If he only knew. I turn to him. “I came here for a year when I was nineteen. I never really lived here.”

“A full answer. I’m impressed.”

“I wasn’t that bad.” I turn the engine over and glance his way to see a face filled with skepticism. “I wasn’t.”

“You vetoed Valentine’s day and told me to start sleeping with other women the night I told you I was in love with you.”

I pull away from Main Street and take the few turns leading us away from the square toward the plant. “I wasn’t ready for all that. And I didn’t want to lose you as a friend.”

“You were already the one that got away by the end of our first date.”

Though he’s being playful, maybe I wounded him more deeply than I originally thought. But he was supposed to be the party guy, capable of showing a girl a good time, and I was in desperate need of that.

“I never expected us to get serious,” I say honestly.

“Then you should have dumbed yourself down and worn frumpy sweaters.”

We share a grin at a stoplight. “I’m glad we stayed friends.”

“Yeah, well, now that your gold standard and disgustingly charming English gentleman is finally out of my way, we can negotiate adding benefits.”

“You’re ridiculous.”

“I’m not a complete animal. I’ll give you time to mourn,” he says matter of fact, scrolling through his phone, “how about a week from Tuesday?”

“Shut it. We need to get our heads in the game. Tell me about the offer.”

“The terms are simple. The offer is killer, despite the recent drop in share price. It’s pretty open and shut. We’re meeting their lawyer at two.”

“That was fast.”

“The majority shareholders have already signed off on it.”

“The offer is that good?”

“That good. If you use the money the way I think you’re going to, we’ll be able to do a lot more. But are you sure you want to do this?”

“Yes. Why do you keep asking me?”

“Why now?”

“Because I’ve avoided it long enough.” I take a turn onto the familiar road and a smile graces my face as it stretches out before us.

I can feel Ryan pause next to me. “What’s that smile?”

Rolling the windows down, the wind whips through the car along with the whisper of a memory, of a voice.

Eggs—runny, coffee—black.

“Music,” I say softly, turning up the radio, “loud.”

“What’s that?” Ryan says, flipping through his cell.

“Cars,” I finish glancing his way before flooring the gas, “fast.” Ryan’s eyes bulge, his jaw going slack before I turn my attention back to the road and open it up. Racing down the straightaway, I feed on the exhilaration as the hairs on my arm start to rise.

“Cecelia?” Ryan’s voice rattles with anxiety.

“Yeah?” I manage through a laugh.

“What are you doing?”

The lyrics of “The Pretender” by the Foo Fighters blasts through the car. I shake my head ironically and shift. If it’s memories I’m unearthing, then I plan on doing it right. I’ve faced the boogeyman, hell, I fell in love with him and survived. I survived a lot more than that.