Fight, Jamiee - Ellie R. Hunter Page 0,57

in an hour,” Damon orders.

I can sleep on the plane. That’s what I repeat to keep myself going. That a large mug of coffee I pour myself the minute I walk into the kitchen will be enough to get me to the plane without falling asleep.

Something’s off as I sip the hot, bitter liquid, though. I look around and realise the back garden is clear. There’s no ceremony area, and the marquee has been taken down. Even the furniture has been taken away.

Apart from Alice shuffling up the stairs in her dress, you wouldn’t think the place was swarming with guests and wedding decorations yesterday.

“You good?” Freddie asks, walking into the kitchen.

Nodding, I pour him a coffee as large as mine, and pass it over to him.

“Tired. Are you okay?”

“Saw it coming for a while. I should’ve stepped in sooner.”

“This is his fault, not yours. He’s a grown man who makes his own decisions.”

“Fucking hell, Jamiee, we’ve all seen him snorting the shit. We could’ve done something.”

I can’t argue with him, because it’s how he feels. But I can assure him, there’s no point dwelling on it.

“He’s in the best place right now. And when he goes to rehab, he’ll be in an even better place. He has River with him, and what you need to do is concentrate on yourself. You’ll be in court tomorrow. You don’t know what’s going to happen, so can you please start thinking about you?”

He moves across the kitchen, putting his coffee down before standing in front of me. Placing his hands on either side of my head, and presses his lips to my forehead.

“I’m not worried about what happens to me. I can deal with anything knowing you’re waiting for me.”

I need to ask, just to be sure. “So life isn’t going to go back to how it was before?”

“There is no ‘before,’ only the here and now. You’re my life, Jamiee Coleman, and nothing, and no one, is going to come between us again.”

It’s exactly what I need to hear. Perhaps it’s the fatigue hitting me hard and warping my thoughts, but his assurances are very much welcome.

Taking my hand, he leads the way up to our rooms and swings my door open for me.

“Let me know when you’re packed, and I’ll carry your bags down to the car.”

“I will.”

Disappearing into his room, I jump in the shower. As the water cascades down my back, I can’t help wondering if things at home will be the same. Freddie’s words have meant everything and nothing before. God, I just need to sleep. Paranoia is certainly not going to help over the next couple of days.

21

Freddie

The L.A. house is silent, even though there are four of us here. We all crashed as soon as we got back yesterday, and I left Jamiee in bed while I jumped in the shower. As the water pummels against my body, I pray I won’t have to share showers with inmates this time tomorrow. I told Jamiee not to worry, but now it’s here, and I’m due in court in three hours. I’m worried.

I don’t want to be sentenced to prison, and I sure as hell don’t want to leave Jamiee now that I finally have her back.

Shutting the water off, I step out and wrap a towel around my waist, and one across my shoulders.

I find Jamiee sitting up in bed, looking just as tired as I feel. When she sees me, she smiles, but it doesn’t reach her eyes.

“Morning,” I say, joining her.

“I wish it could be tonight, and it’s just us back on this bed, getting ready for the rest of our lives.”

My heart aches. “I wish for the same.”

“I’m worried sick I’m going to lose you.”

“If that’s the outcome, I’ll be back. I won’t be away forever.”

The possibility of prison is there, but I’m praying my lawyer is a man of his word, that this will go away with a fine, and possibly community service. I’d take a thousand hours of free labour if it meant I got to lie with Jamiee every night, and wake up with her each morning.

“That doesn’t help. I should never have tried to make you jealous. I’m so sorry.”

“Hey, don’t do that. We’re moving on. This is just a bump in the road, and then it’ll be in our rearview mirror.”

She still isn’t convinced. I don’t think I’ll be able to find the right words to assure her this is going to work out.

When she slips into the