When he told her the news they had to leave in the morning, she only nodded, as if she knew it was coming. He expected her to cry or for them to at least have a long conversation about their future together. But Lauren offered no reaction, silently taking him by the hand up to their bedroom suite. It wasn’t sex they experienced. It was a mind-altering union between two people who shared something deeply. He wrestled with his thoughts about how he was going to go back to his old life on the road without her. She had infiltrated his system, and he physically needed her. He was more than certain she needed him too. Like a race car driver on a rain soaked track, he would have to navigate the upcoming months carefully. He was determined to make it to the finish line with Lauren Rose. He just had to get on the other side of his impending schedule that included the biggest launch of his entire career.
Chapter Twenty-Two
The look on Lauren’s father’s face was priceless when she walked into the family room of her childhood home.
“What in the world?” Dr. Randy Rose quickly hoisted himself out of his recliner, setting his Sunday newspaper and reading glasses on the worn leather seat.
Lauren trotted across the room into his embrace. “Hi, Daddy.”
“What are you doing here?”
“Are you surprised?” she asked, clinging to the back of his neck, not wanting to let go of someone familiar, someone she hadn’t realized she missed so much.
Pulling back from her, he left his hands on her shoulders and gave her the once over. “I’m very surprised. Sweetie, you look fantastic! What have you been up to?”
The father and daughter sat in the cozy room and proceeded to catch up on the last few months they’d been apart. Mrs. Rose was out with Lauren’s sister for the day, but would be home in time for dinner, much to her delight. She relished her time with her father alone, his undivided attention something she cherished all her life. They chatted about her gigs and classes, and he filled her in on the latest shenanigans dealing with college students trying to attempt Shakespeare. Laughter filled the air as he told her several comical stories, his love for his job at the university evident. She knew he would ask her the inevitable question at some point about why she came home without giving them a heads up.
“Sweetie, didn’t you have to work this weekend? You must be so tired adding on a four-hour drive from Atlanta.” The look on her father’s face filled with concern, which touched her deeply.
“Well, I wasn’t actually working this weekend. In fact, I haven’t worked all week. I was in New York City on Wednesday and Thursday, then we flew to Hilton Head early Friday morning.”
“Who’s ‘we’?” he asked curiously.
Talking about David Randle was hard. Her father would never understand the whirlwind romance between her and the British supermodel. She kept it simple saying she had met a nice guy unexpectedly, and they had spent the week together while he was in the States for his sister’s wedding. The conversation was light and upbeat even though she was slowly dying on the inside.
Later, after dinner with her family, Lauren reflected on the early morning conversation she’d had with David. She’d made the difficult decision to stay out of his way while he promoted the launch of his fragrance. If she continued to be a distraction for something so huge in his career, she would never forgive herself. He balked at first, insisting she wouldn’t be in the way at all and that she was actually an enhancement to his chaotic life. He even became emotional, his blue eyes misting as he tried to talk her out of the decision. His reaction affected her profoundly, but because she knew she was in love with him and wanted him to succeed more than anyone, she mustered the strength to stand her ground. It was for his sake, and his new brand. Resolute in her decision, she didn’t back down, and he only agreed to her request if she promised to wait for him.
It would be seven weeks before he would return to the States, and he was scheduled to leave that morning for Milan to kick off his European tour. She finally relented, agreeing to wait for him, her heart breaking as they packed up and headed to the airport. Catherine and Brian weren’t even out of bed when they left, David leaving them a good-bye note on the kitchen island promising to call later and fill them in. The long drive was excruciating, her body pulled tight into his with one of his hands running back and forth across her thigh while the other stroked her cheek. She asked him if the private plane could take her from Hilton Head Island to Valdosta, Georgia instead of Atlanta, which was a mere thirty-minute flight. Of course, he agreed, insisting some time with her family would be a good diversion under the circumstances.
They stood on the Valdosta airport tarmac in the bright sunshine, staring at each other. David shook his head, cupping her cheeks with his hands. “This is not good-bye, Lauren.”
Nodding, she leaned into his touch. Her knees were weak, and she felt as if she might collapse on the asphalt as her heart shattered into a million pieces. The words were once again on the tip of her tongue.
Their lips met for a sweet, lingering kiss before he turned and took the steps up to the plane entrance two at a time. He glanced at her for a moment more, his face pale and morose. There he was, in all of his glory standing high above her against a perfect sky dotted with fluffy white clouds. As always, he took her breath away. A sad, final smile crossed his gorgeous face before he ducked his head into the opening of the plane and was gone.
Lauren rushed into the terminal, pulling her rolling luggage roughly behind her as tears streamed down her face. When she found the restroom and latched the silver lock of the stall behind her, she came undone, allowing all of her pent up emotions to spew forth like a waterfall. For a moment, she contemplated texting him and telling him she had made a drastic mistake, her emotions getting the best of her. But she knew this was the best decision, for both of them. David needed to be able to focus and achieve the goal he’d worked so hard on.
Tears rolled down Lauren’s cheeks as she stared into the dark night out the large window of the guest room in her parent’s home. She tried to convince herself that if they could navigate these days apart, it would make them stronger on the other end of the journey. Sighing, she wiped her cheeks with the back of her hand and shook her head. “Forty-nine days of no contact with the man I love….” she whispered. “What have I done?”
***
David boarded his third flight of the day at the busy Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport feeling empty and depressed, his somber expression hidden behind his designer sunglasses. Sabrina was efficient in arranging all of his first-class travel in record time, her efforts to get him out of the States, obvious. His next stop was Milan—almost five thousand miles away from the woman he loved. The ten-hour flight loomed ahead of him like a prison sentence. He chastised himself for the ridiculous agreement he made with Lauren, feeling like they both made a terrible mistake. But he was a man of his word, and if she didn’t want to have contact with him for the next seven weeks, he would respect her wishes, no matter how torturous it felt. How he wished he’d been brave enough to tell her he loved her before they kissed good-bye. That was one regret he would never get over.
Settled in his cushy first-class compartment with outrageous legroom, a window, and the best part of all, no neighbor, he relished absolute privacy. Scrolling through his latest messages from Bri with his itinerary for the upcoming week, he sighed, looking for a message from Lauren, wishing she might reach out to him. But why would she? She was adamant they have no contact and he understood what she was trying to do. She wanted him to focus. The very thought of her caused a surge of love to ripple through his chest, causing him to inhale quickly in an effort to keep his emotions in check. He had to give her some credit for wanting him to succeed with the launch. It was a selfless, generous act that spoke volumes about her character. Most of the women he had dated or met were full of themselves—selfish, jealous, and conceited. Not Lauren. He decided the only way to move forward was to respect her gallant request, and countdown the days until
he would see her again.
Running his hands through his dark hair, he looked out the window, and again, wished he’d been man enough to tell her how he truly felt before they said good-bye. He was worried about her and hoped she was okay. Tempted to text her and check on her one last time before the plane took off, his thumb hovered over her name. He wanted her to know he would always be thinking about her.
“May I get you a beverage, sir?” A male steward interrupted.
David looked up at the man quickly before shoving the phone in the seat pocket in front of him. “Sparkling water, please. No ice.”
The man nodded and disappeared for less than a minute before bringing him a green bottle of sparkling water and a glass.
“I don’t need the glass,” he said waving it off and taking the bottle. “Thank you.”
He twisted off the cap and took a big swig as he stared out the window at the other jumbo jets. The plane slowly navigated its way to the long stretch of runway to take off. With the roar of the engines in full throttle, he buckled his seatbelt and put on headphones, making the surrounding noise disappear… into silence.
Chapter Twenty-Three
The first two weeks without him were the hardest. Lauren returned to her old life of classes and gigs, determined not to slip into the dark abyss of depression. She could hardly explain the situation to her roommate, Jordan, who was perplexed by the latest turn of events, but also concerned for her friend. There were many sleepless nights and on the nights she did finally succumb to slumber, her dreams were filled with David’s piercing blue eyes and unforgettable smile. Often, she would awaken with tears rolling down her face, tempted to reach out to him and admit she’d made a huge mistake. Eventually, she would calm down and gather the strength to move on for another day, checking the box off her calendar, getting closer to that day in April when she would lay eyes on him again.
Her set list of songs at the St. Regis was adjusted because there were a few selections she wasn’t able to sing, especially the song dedication she sang to him the first night they met. It was too painful, her voice catching with emotion as a flood of memories of that blissful week came crashing back. Her duo partner, Miles was more than accommodating but worried, commenting every Friday night they worked together how pale and thin she appeared to be. Lauren admitted food was never at the forefront of her mind, her appetite waning with each dismal day that passed.
Her mind kept replaying all the moments she and David shared, and she almost convinced herself it was all a dream and never really happened. She would often sit alone in her bedroom and finger the smooth shells they collected on the beach, calmed by the tangible evidence they had been together. She caressed the shells with her thumb, moving back and forth, back and forth, the motion reminding her of his strong hands doing the same across her thighs. She knew his launch would be a huge success and tried not to second guess whether or not his catapulting fame would cloud his obvious feelings for her. The future was definitely unknown. But she knew she’d see him again. She just had to keep herself busy until April.
***
David was thankful to be back in London for a few days where he could decompress and enjoy his own flat for a change. His European campaign for his new fragrance, Drive, was a huge success, the many weeks of traveling, PR meetings, and meet and greets totally worth the sacrifice of no sleep and a normal routine. To keep his mind off Lauren, he worked out whenever he had the chance, sometimes in the wee hours of the morning before sunrise. The endorphin high after pumping iron or going for a brisk run helped him to stay focused, keeping the dark feelings of loneliness at bay. He missed Lauren immensely. There wasn’t a day that went by he didn’t think about her. In less than a week he would be back in the States and Lauren would be back in his arms again. He was scheduled to appear on Good Morning America on a Friday in New York, in addition to a huge billboard being unveiled, advertising his successful new fragrance. He was adamant about which shot was chosen for the iconic Times Square ad, standing his ground before his entire team who were uncertain if he should deviate from what normally worked in the past. He knew without a doubt the shot he chose was the right call.
“There you are,” his assistant, Sabrina Watson greeted, walking casually into the small fitness room in his London home. His assistant had a key to his place, and he was aware she was going to stop by to discuss his weekly itinerary. “Working out? Again? I swear, David, if you don’t stop, your muscles are going to burst through your skin!”
Setting the barbell he’d been working with on the weight stand, he sat up, and straddled the utility bench. The bar was loaded with three hundred pounds of Olympic bumper plates, the hard workout he endured causing his body to sweat profusely, trickling down his face and biceps, making them glisten. He ran a towel over his skin, none too pleased Sabrina was earlier than expected and had interrupted him.
“You’re early, Bri,” he said gruffly taking a swig of water from a plastic bottle. He wasn’t in the mood for any kind of interrogation, especially in his own home.
Sabrina leaned against a wall of mirrors and folded her arms across her chest. “Your schedule is on the kitchen table. I also wanted to come by and personally offer my congratulations on the successful launch. David, we did it! Numbers are already coming in and we’ve been inundated with multiple offers for television appearances including some of the American entertainment channels. There’s also a famous pop star who’s interested in you being in one of her upcoming videos! You’ve become an even bigger sensation than you already were.” The look on her face was smug.
He chugged the rest of the water and crushed the plastic in his hands before tossing it to the side. “Before you book anything else, any new TV appearances or interviews, make sure my weekend schedule is wide open after the Good Morning America gig in the States.”
Sabrina grimaced and approached him, boldly straddling the bench right in front of him. The sigh she exhaled out of her thin body sounded exasperated. “Did you not hear what I just told you? Your career is being catapulted into the stratosphere. Doesn’t that mean anything to you? Why do you insist on wasting precious time in Atlanta?”
He glared at her. “That’s always been my plan and I am not deviating from it. You’ve always known this.” Wrapping the towel around his neck, he stood to throw away the crushed water bottle that lay on the floor.
His feelings toward his assistant had been strained for weeks, her obvious disdain for his chance at true love maddening. The woman pushed him to the brink of exhaustion with his schedule and if the launch hadn’t been successful, he would’ve totally fired her by now. As it stood, she was a key player in his brand’s achievement and had been with him since day one. Still, he wasn’t sure if he could continue a future with her, especially if she kept meddling in his personal life and insisting he stay away from Lauren.
“You haven’t seen her in almost two months, David. You’ve been more focused than I’ve ever seen and your career has taken off exponentially because of it. Do you really want to be bogged down with the foolishness of a common American girl?”
His brow furrowed and he turned slowly around trying to maintain his composure as he faced her. “Foolishness? You’re implying that I’m a fool?” A threatening laugh escaped his mouth. “Common? There is nothing common about Lauren.”
“No, no, you misunderstood, David.” Sabrina stood tall, obviously trying to back track and diffuse the heated exchange that was escalating. “She distracts you, and you can’t afford distractions right now, especially with the major accomplishment of launching your own fragrance. It’s never been done before. Can’t you see? You’re the first male supermodel who has ever tapped into this market! This is life-changing, David! Your career needs to be your main focus. Your career needs to be your one, true love! Not Lauren Rose.” She was standing right in front of him, her eyes blazing with greed and intensity.
David looked fiercely at her with disdain. “Get out.”
She stepp
ed back, stunned. “What?”
“You heard me, Sabrina. I said, ‘get out.’”
“You can’t be serious?”
“Get out, now!” His voice bellowed, startling the skinny woman.
She gathered her wits and stuck her chin out with purpose before quickly leaving the small space in a huff. David stood in the middle of the room, his bare chest heaving with anger. He was done. He knew good and well what was in store for him because of his success and he wanted Lauren to be with him, by his side. Lack of sleep and living on the road was something he was willing to sacrifice for his career, but not love. He was not willing to sacrifice what he had with Lauren. When it came to being without her, he had endured long enough.
Chapter Twenty- Four
Lauren shuffled down the hallway of her apartment early in the morning, rubbing her eyes trying to wake up from another fitful night of sleep. The anticipation of David back in the States interrupted her sleep for the past few nights, leaving her tired and irritable for several days in a row. She couldn’t believe this day had finally arrived and she would be seeing the man she had surrendered her heart to by the end of the night.
Jordan was parked on the sofa with the TV blaring, her hair a new shade of pink in recognition of the Easter season. The coffee table was loaded with goodies, including a box of croissants, a bowl of fruit and two huge Starbucks cups of coffee.
“What is all of this?” Lauren asked, stifling a yawn.
Jordan turned her pink head and looked up at her, grinning from ear to ear. “Good morning! I got us breakfast to kick off this special day. Come on.” She patted the sofa seat next to her. “Join me! I got your favorite coffee, and I even picked up those croissants you like so much from the corner bakery.”
The Nearness of You: A British celebrity, standalone love-at-first-sight romance Page 15