running late for my flight.”
I shined my phone’s flashlight underneath the bed but no shoe there either.
“If you told me I could have requested the weekend off as well,” Rhys said when I gave up the search and rose to my knees. “Kept you company at this supposedly horrendous event.”
I looked up at him, and that was a mistake. He was sitting up in the bed I’d abandoned. And it had been so hot in St. Louis that fall, he only had one thin white sheet covering the special unit of magical anatomy I’d secretly dubbed the “The Real Prince.”
“Oh, all I want to do is stay here and have brunch with you,” I admit, making a little heart with both hands.
For the first time since I announced I was leaving, Rhys finally cracked a smile. “Then why don’t—”
“But I can’t and it’s just a weekend,” I answered before he could finish that thought. “Plus, small town Missouri don’t play. If I bring a White boy home, there will be all sorts of questions and situations I’d have to prepare you for.”
I scooted over to the bed on my knees to kiss him goodbye. “Plus, an expectation of marriage. And I know Rachel will assume I’m trying to take the spotlight on her second big day. And after Daddy got over you not being Black, he would spend the entire time telling you about how Guadalajara was such a great place to raise kids with its low crime and friendly neighbors. All because he’s trying to convince you to move to Guadalajara so he won’t have to sell out to DBCare.”
Rhys frowned. “So your father doesn’t like DBCare either?”
“No, my small town doctor father doesn’t have a lot of nice things to say about the international medical conglomerate whose main mission in life seems to be replacing doctors in clinics and small practices with nurse practitioners and a bunch of insurance forms.”
Rhys tilted his head with an unreadable look. “I don’t believe that’s their main mission in life. They’ve also the major chain of pharmacies along with their popular clinics which provide loads of patients with easy and affordable access to healthcare.”
“If someone was going to a free clinic and DBCare took over, how is ‘not free’ affordable?” I started to demand. But then I cut myself off.
“See,” I say. “It would be a huge argument between you and my dad. Which would make it even more uncomfortable when he tried to convince you to take over his practice—Rachel’s been on him to retire so that they can travel more. Like she doesn’t have two kids still in school. But anyway, trust me when I say you do not want any of this hometown business. It’s so not worth the aggravation.”
He opened his mouth to answer, but I kissed it closed before he could. And as I did, both my phone and watch vibrated at the same time.
“Sorry.” I gave him an apologetic smile after glancing at my Apple Watch. “I’ve got to go. Let me know if you find my shoe, okay?”
“Will you come back for it if I do?” he asked as I zipped up my bag and rushed toward the door.
“Bye Rhys!” I answered with a light laugh as I opened the door.
“Cynda.”
My name stopped me, just as I was about to head out.
“The Uber’s here,” I reminded him, turning back around.
But he continued to sit there, so upright and regal, that he put me in mind of a king on his throne, even though he was naked and in bed.
And it felt like a decree when he said, “You may go home this weekend, but when you return, come straight back to me.”
Fear banded around my heart. And for some reason, a picture of my mom dying in her hospital bed flashed across my mind.
Which is why it felt like one of the bravest things I’d ever done when I agreed, “Okay. See you Monday.”
“See you Monday,” he answered, his gaze steady on me.
But as it turned out, that was a promise I didn’t keep.
Chapter Ten
You’d think having on masks would make things less awkward. No reason to talk if your mouth is covered.
But somehow we manage a silence so rife and tense, it feels like we’re driving inside a powder keg about to explode.
About an hour in, I decide to just go’on ahead and light a match. “So you’re here with no wedding ring on. Guess you decided not to get back with Ingrid.”
“I didn’t