given a second chance with Nika?"
I glance up at him, surprised. "Of course. I would do almost everything differently. I would not chase her off by talking about how I don't believe in the idea of having a relationship forever, first of all."
His blue gaze burns into my face. "What about the other thing, the thing where she told you she loved you and you just…" He makes a small explosion noise. "What would you do about that?"
I finish off the third bottle of water, wincing. "I would tell her that I needed a little more time, but that I felt that way too…"
He squares off with me. "Do you love her?"
Looking down at the fourth bottle of water, I slowly nod my head. "Yeah, man. I love her. I can't believe I was stupid enough to run her off like I did."
He studies me for a long second. Then he cocks his head at me. "Would it help if I told you where she was going to be in two days?"
My eyes widen. I look up at him, trying to tell if he is serious or not. "What? How could you know? I thought she was hiding out or whatever."
He rolls his eyes. "My sister is not good at deception. She told Pippa where she is going to be the day after tomorrow. And it just so happens that it's very close. As in three beach houses down, kind of close."
The possibility of being able to talk to Annika again makes my heartbeat speed up. "Are you serious right now? You're not fucking with me?"
He shakes his head. "I'm serious as a heart attack. That's her itinerary, as far as I know. What you do with the information that I just gave you, that's up to you. But this?" He waves his hand over the recycling bin and steps on the latch that pops the lid up. I am embarrassed to say that I'm a responsible drunk and every one of the bottles that I emptied this week is right there, plain to see. My neck heats. He looks at me, dead serious. "This isn't how you deal with bad news. I need you to promise me that you understand that before you try to go win back my little sister."
I swallow, my jaw tensing. "Of course. I mean… Thanks. I don't really know what else to say."
He steps off the latch, looking at me. "Don't say it to me. Say it to Annika. She's the one that you seem to have massively ticked off somehow."
I take a deep breath, sucking it into my lungs. Running a hand over my face, I try to figure out what I could say to her.
"Where do I even start? What does Nika need me to say? Because I will say anything if it means she'll take me back." For keeps this time.
His lips twitch. "I would start with that. And telling her that you love her can never steer you wrong."
He picks up a set of keys from the counter by the fridge, holding them out to me. “It sounds like you have a ton of stuff to work out. I have to head back to the city but I’m glad that you are going to meet Nika at the house.”
Bowing my head gratefully, I grab the keys and walk him to the front door. “Thanks man. Really.”
We hug briefly and then Lars leaves me alone with a million thoughts crowding in on each other.
36
Annika
As we pull up to the big beach house just north of Copenhagen, I look up at the modern structure with a silent sigh. I don't want to be here. I'm a hundred percent sure that all I will think about the entire time I am at this particular house will be Erik.
How nearly three months ago to the day, I kissed him clumsily for the first time. Little did I know, it would spark something so consuming and burn for so long.
I climb out of the car, pressing my lips into a thin line and shouldering my bag. It's a little cooler outside now then it was that day three months ago. But despite the changing weather, everything else is the same. I glanced up at this cloudless sky and wish like hell that Kal and Pippa had just let me stay in Tuscany.
Kal glances at me, leading the way up to the door. "Are you okay with this?"
I shrug even though my heart aches. "We are