This trip of hers—a road trip to Tasmania—was mighty mysterious. Not to mention out of character. Sure, Bree had flown to Hobart several times over the last few years to visit her best friend, Tina. But that had only been for the odd long weekend.
Why drive when she could fly? Why would someone who was always on the move suddenly decide she needed to slow down?
Whenever questioned Bree just said the road trip was the break she needed before knuckling back down to work and thinking about the next phase of her life.
Due to The Plan, they all knew the next phase of Bree’s life consisted of starting up her own physiotherapy practice. She’d been working hard towards that goal for the last seven years.
Still, a month-long road trip to Tasmania seemed too...random.
Why hadn’t she chosen two weeks on a beach in Barbados? Or a month in Italy and France? She was up to something—and he knew he was using it as a displacement activity to take his mind off what had happened earlier in the day—but tagging along would help him solve that particular mystery.
And it would get him out of town. While he had zero enthusiasm for a road trip, it was better than the alternative—staying put and hiding from the press. ‘I’m happy to take things slow, Bree,’ he found himself saying.
A bad taste filled his mouth then. He had no right to invade her privacy or to spy on her or force a confidence she wasn’t ready to share. ‘Are you sure about this?’ He searched her face. ‘It’s a really kind offer and one I don’t deserve after what I said to you in the car on the way over here. I owe you an apology for that.’
She dismissed that with a wave of her hand. ‘It’s forgotten already. You were upset. Understandably so.’
Bree had always had a big heart. The three of them—he, Ryder and Blake—had teased her mercilessly when they’d been growing up. But whenever they’d been down, it had always been Bree that they’d turned to.
‘I need to warn you there’s going to be a lot of singing to ABBA. I have multiple playlists at the ready.’
That made him smile. Ever since the Mamma Mia! movies she’d been ABBA-mad. ‘Can I negotiate for a little Creedence Clearwater Revival?’
It was one of their ongoing jokes and an oblique reference to the Die Hard franchise. Mamma Mia! was all well and good, but it had nothing on Die Hard 4.
She laughed and for no reason at all some of the weight that pressed him flat lifted. ‘I’m sure I can manage some Creedence, but no thrash metal.’
He was long past his thrash-metal days.
‘Noah,’ she said softly.
He glanced up.
‘If you decide to come along, I want you to know you can jump ship at any time. You don’t have to go all the way to Hobart.’
That was true. ‘I could probably lose myself in Sydney for a few days. No one will be expecting to see me there.’ It would give him a breather and mean he’d only be cramping Bree’s style for part of her journey.
He hauled in a breath and nodded. ‘Thanks, Bree. If you’re sure I won’t be cramping your style, then I’d like to accept your very kind offer and tag along.’
‘Right, well...’ She glanced at her brothers and then at him. ‘All we need now is to pack you a suitcase.’
Damn it. He couldn’t go back to his apartment. ‘I’ll have to buy something on the road.’
‘Not necessary,’ Ryder said. ‘I grabbed the suitcase you’d packed for your honeymoon before that monster of a maid of honour tore off in the bridal car.’
His honeymoon... He should be getting ready—
‘Also,’ Bree said in her bossy tone, ‘you don’t get to drive at all today.’
His head came up. ‘I’m perfectly capable of driving. I’ve been jilted, not crippled, and—’
She pointed at the beer he held. ‘That’s your third and it’s not even lunchtime yet.’
Damn! She was right. He couldn’t remember when he’d last had a beer this early in the day. ‘Fine, whatever. What time did you want to set off?’ He did his best to keep the scowl out of his voice.
She consulted her watch again. ‘In an hour and a half.’
Why couldn’t they leave now? He wanted away from this scene of defeat and humiliation as fast as possible. He opened his mouth, but shut it again when he recognised the stubborn light in her eyes. She wouldn’t budge.
‘We’re having lunch before we leave, and you’re putting something in your stomach besides beer, that’s non-negotiable.’
He ground back a sigh. She was setting the ground rules—going on as she meant to continue. She was the boss and he was merely a passenger. He scowled at her. He couldn’t help it. But then his scowls had never had the slightest impact on her. He swung to Colin. ‘Do you mind if I jump on your treadmill for half an hour?’
‘Knock yourself out, son.’
He was barely out through the door, only partway down the hallway that led downstairs to Colin’s home gym, before Bree’s entire family jumped on her with varying bits of advice.
Folding his arms, he leaned against the wall and listened. It was probably beneath him to eavesdrop, but today he simply didn’t have the strength to fight his baser instincts. Today he couldn’t cope with any more surprises.
‘You need to keep a close eye on him.’
‘Don’t let him get too morose.’
‘And don’t let him jump ship—at least not for the next two days.’
‘I want daily updates.’
‘And, darling, please make sure he eats something every day. We don’t want him getting sick on top of everything else.’
This wasn’t fair. All this pressure they were putting on her. He appreciated their support, but he couldn’t ruin her holiday. She hadn’t had a proper holiday in six or seven years, and while he might be throwing himself a big pity party, he had no right to drag Bree into the middle of that. She had big plans—they all knew that—and he’d be the lowest of the low if he inadvertently derailed them. He’d never forgive himself.
‘But get him rolling drunk tonight. If he passes out he won’t have to think about what happened today and—’
‘Enough!’ Bree’s voice cut through the directives and general mayhem. ‘I know what happened today was awful. I know it has to be a terrible blow for Noah. But he’s a grown-up. And he’s not an idiot. None of you have the right or any reason whatsoever to believe he’ll do something stupid.’
Noah’s head came up.
‘I am not a nursemaid and I’m not going to order Noah around like he’s a child. We’re going to head south, put some distance between us and Brisbane’s tabloid press, and sing loudly to whatever takes our fancy. We’ll stop when we want to stop, and eat when we want to eat.’
Sounded like a brilliant plan to him.
‘Also, I am not drinking beer and bourbon. But I’ll sip a glass of Shiraz while Noah does if he decides he wants to drink beer and bourbon.’
Drinking beer and bourbon sounded like a hell of a good plan too.
‘No more,’ she said when everyone started talking at one another again.
Noah shot downstairs to the home gym before someone caught him listening. Bree had it all under control.
* * *
Blake and Ryder cornered him in the foyer after lunch where he was waiting for Bree so they could finally leave this mess of a day behind them.
‘You sure you’re okay with this plan, buddy?’ Ryder asked. ‘If you’d rather hunker down here at Mum and Dad’s...?’
He shook his head. ‘That would send me stir crazy and you know it. At least driving will give me the illusion of doing something.’ And heading somewhere. Even if it was a lie and his life was stuck fast in a deep rut and he was spinning his wheels in the same spot.
Ryder grimaced.
Noah’s gut clenched. ‘What?’ Was there more bad news?
‘I know this isn’t wholly within your power, but I’d appreciate it if you could keep Bree’s name out of the papers for as long as the two of you travel together.’
‘Hell, Ryder, it’s not my plan that Bree be named in any fashion at all—before, after or in between.’
His friend raised his hands. ‘I know. I know. Just thought I’d mention it.’
Hell, if the press linked them together... His gut churned. He could just imagine the salacious headlines. ‘You have my word.’
‘You know, mate...’ Blake leaned against the wall ‘...it’d be great if you could get a heads-up on what this trip of Bree’s is about. She’s been as closed as a clam.’
Bree appeared at the end of the corridor, but her brothers had their backs to her and didn’t see her. He met her eyes briefly, though he couldn’t make out their expression. He recalled what she’d said about him earlier. Her words hadn’t made him feel like a victim. They’d made him feel strong. ‘In case you guys haven’t noticed, Bree’s a grown-up now. I’m not prying into her private business. If she wants you to know what she’s up to, she’ll tell you.’
When he met her gaze again, she was smiling.
Copyright © 2021 by Michelle Douglas
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ISBN-13: 9780369712905
Awakened by the CEO’s Kiss
Copyright © 2021 by Therese Beharrie
All rights reserved. No part of this book may be used or reproduced in any manner whatsoever without written permission except in the case of brief quotations embodied in critical articles and reviews.
This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places and incidents are either the product of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously. Any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, businesses, companies, events or locales is entirely coincidental.
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Awakened by the CEO's Kiss Page 19