Zoey

I didn’t know what was going to happen and I wasn’t going to sit around and wait. I was done being treated like I was nothing. His hot and cold personality made me want to rip my hair out. I tried. I gave everything I had and I was more than patient. Not only was I physically and mentally exhausted, I was hurt and broken. No one had ever made me feel this way and I didn’t care if I ever saw Carter Grayson again. Wiping the tears that fell down my face, I grabbed my suitcase and headed to the airport. I was getting home one way or another.

I managed to get on the first flight back to New York. There were no hiccups and I landed safely. I took a cab to Carter’s penthouse and called Sadie from the lobby to let her know I was there to pick up the rest of my things. As I stepped off the elevator, she greeted me with a hug.

“Why are you back already? And where’s Mr. Grayson?”

“Mr. Grayson is still in Seattle or probably on his way to Hawaii. Who the hell knows and who the hell cares,” I spoke as I walked to the bedroom to collect my things.

“You didn’t kill him, did you?” She smirked.

“Unfortunately, no. Not that he didn’t deserve it, though. We got into a huge fight and to be honest, Sadie, I don’t ever want to see that man again.”

“I’m sorry, Zoey. I had hoped you would have helped him.”

“He can’t be helped. I tried and I did everything I could. You can’t save someone who doesn’t want to be saved.”

I gathered the rest of my things, hugged Sadie goodbye, and climbed into Holly’s car that was waiting for me at the curb. The moment I shut the door, she reached over and hugged me as tears filled my eyes.

“I’m sorry, Zoey. He’s an asshole and you need to forget about him. Put him out of your mind the best you can and go on with your life. You were fine before him and you’ll be fine now.”

“I know,” I lied.

She pulled up in the driveway, and I took my suitcases from the back. After thanking her for picking me up and saying goodbye, I opened the door and stepped into my house. It felt good to be home again.

“Sweetheart.” John stood in front of me with his arms out.

Setting my suitcases down, I cried in his arms. Scott walked over and wrapped his arms around both of us.

“Why don’t you go upstairs, take a hot relaxing bath, and climb into bed. I made some homemade chicken noodle soup and I’ll bring it up,” Scott spoke.

I nodded my head, wiped my tears, and went upstairs. Climbing into the bubbly filled water, I lay back and closed my eyes.

****

Carter

I heard the door to her room shut. She was probably going down to get some coffee or something. I replayed everything she said over and over again in my head. Nothing that happened was a coincidence, and now I knew that. I said some horrible things to her. Things she didn’t deserve to hear. But everything she said to me, I fully deserved. Zoey Benson was special. Not just to the world, but to me, and that was something I was ready to accept.

I got up from the bed and headed down to the lobby to find her. I checked the restaurants and the café, and when I couldn’t find her, I went up to the lobby desk.

“May I help you?” an older gentleman asked.

“I’m looking for the woman who was with me. Tall, blonde, beautiful. Have you by any chance seen her?”

“I’m afraid I haven’t, sir.”

“Okay. Thank you.”

I walked away, and as I was heading to the lobby door, one of the bellhops stopped me.

“Excuse me, Mr. Grayson?”

“Yes.” I stopped.

“The woman who was with you, Zoey. She left.”

“What do you mean she left?”

“I helped her with her suitcase. She got into a cab and headed to the airport.”

I let out a long sigh.

“Thank you.” I reached into my pocket and handed him a twenty-dollar bill.

There was no way she went home. She specifically told me they wouldn’t let her. Pulling my phone from my pocket, I called the airport.

“Could you tell me if any flights to Connecticut or New York were canceled or delayed today?”

“All flights are leaving and arriving on time, sir. There haven’t been any cancellations or delays to either of those places.”

“Thank you.”

I went back to my room and threw my phone on the bed.

“Really?” I threw my hands up and looked up at the ceiling. “After all this, you let her go?”

I shook my head and a rush of coldness flowed through me.

“I know you’re here, Nora. I’m sorry. I’m sorry for everything and I’m going to make things right with her. I fucked up. I now know why you did what you did. Why you sent us on this trip to scatter your ashes. Why you wanted us together. You saw it and you knew that she was the one who could save me.”

I sat down on the edge of the bed and placed my elbows on my knees.

“Maybe I knew it all along too and that’s why I reacted the way I did. I felt the connection between us from the moment my eyes laid sight on her in Starbucks that day, and that’s why I freaked out. I hadn’t felt that in so long. But don’t you worry, little sister, I’m going to fix this. And by the way, you’re going to have to wait to have your ashes scattered in Hawaii because I’m not doing it alone.”

I grabbed my phone and got up from the bed. I was late for the boat and I needed to get Nora’s ashes out in Puget Sound before I headed back home to talk to Zoey.

I was on the boat, drifting in the open waters, when my phone rang.

“Cliff, what’s up?” I answered.

“Good news, Carter. There are three offers on your Malibu beach house. Actually, all three clients are fighting over it. One client is offering a quarter million more than you’re asking. Will you accept it?”

“No. In fact, take the house off the market. I’ve changed my mind. I’m not selling it after all.”

“Are you sure?”

“Positive. Give my apologies to the buyers.”

I ended the call, and as Nora’s ashes scattered over the open water, I spoke, “Did you hear that, Nora? I’m not selling the beach house. There are too many good memories there and I’m not willing to give them up. The memories that we made there and that Angelique and I made were made out of love and I want to keep it and make new memories without forgetting the old ones. That house will stay in the Grayson family and memories will be made there for years to come.”

I took the boat back in, called the pilot of my private jet that was flying me to Hawaii, and asked him to take me back to New York instead. As I sat on the plane, I knew I needed to devise a plan to see Zoey. It wasn’t like I could just call her up and ask her to meet me. She hated me at the moment and there was no way she would come. I thought about going to her, but she’d probably just slam the door in my face.

When I arrived back at my penthouse, Sadie was waiting for me like I had asked.

“Welcome home, Mr. Grayson,” she spoke.

“Thank you, Sadie. It’s good to see you.” I kissed her cheek.

“I can take your luggage up for you.”

“No need. I can do it myself. I need your help.”

“Okay. What would you like me to do?”

“I need you to call Zoey and tell her that she left a couple things here. Tell her they were in the dryer or something. I need her to come here so I can talk to her.”

“Mr. Grayson, she doesn’t want to talk to you ever again.”

“Did she say that?”

“Yes.” She looked down.

“Well, that’s just too bad because she’s going to listen to what I have to say. Now, when she comes to collect her things, I’ll be here waiting for her.”

“But she didn’t leave anything behind,” Sadie spoke.

“I know, and that doesn’t matter. I just need you to get her in this penthouse. I’ll take it from there. Go ahead, give her a call.”

“But it’s late and she’ll wonder why I’m still here. I think it would be better to wait until the morning.”

I sighed. “I suppose you’re right. We don’t want her to get suspicious. Fine, call her in the morning and let me know when she’ll be stopping by. I’m heading to the office first thing.”

“I will. Is that all?”

“Yes. Have a good night, Sadie.”

“You as well, Mr. Grayson.”