want to go to? Oh, gosh…what’s it called? It’s the one with all the boulders from the eruption. We’re going there for two nights.”
“That sounds nice.” He paused, considering his next thought. “What if I came with you?”
There was what he could only imagine to be stunned silence.
“Really?” his mom asked.
She couldn’t see him, but he shrugged anyway. “Yeah. It’s been a while since I took a trip that wasn’t planned around work, and I could use some time away.”
“Oh, Kai. That would be lovely. Can you get away this last-minute?”
“I’ll see what I can work out,” he said, although he already suspected the company could function fine without him for a couple of days. Brie would have no trouble stepping up.
“Let me know as soon as you can,” she said. “Dad will be so excited.”
That made Kai smile. Images of fishing with his parents and cooking over a fire at night filled his head. It had been far too long since he’d both seen his family and escaped into nature.
“I’ll text you soon,” he said.
After a quick goodbye, they hung up and he called Brie.
“Are you okay?” she answered after only half a ring.
“Yeah,” he said slowly. Had she heard something? Had Diane spoken with her? “Why?”
“Because it’s almost nine and you’re not at work yet. I was about to call you and make sure you weren’t in a hospital.”
“I’m physically well. Thanks.”
Physically, sure. Not mentally or emotionally. Hopefully, a brief getaway would assist with that.
“Okay. Good. Are you on your way here?”
“Actually, I’m thinking about taking off for a couple days. Maybe even three.”
“Seriously?”
“Yes. On a personal trip. My parents are going camping, and I’d like to join them.”
“Who is this I’m talking to, and what did you do with my boss?”
Kai smirked. “I need this.”
“Heard, and I also think that’s a great idea. Some people would say you don’t take breaks near enough.”
“Some people not being you?” he asked.
“Eh. I’ll sleep when I’m dead. Hey, I know you don’t like talking about this much with me, but does this have anything to do with Diane? Are you taking her with you? Or…”
With a sigh, Kai collapsed into the cushions. He stared up at the ceiling, trying to find the response that didn’t feel like knives on his tongue.
“Diane and I aren’t good for each other,” he eventually said.
“I’m sorry. I thought you guys might work out.”
“Yeah, well. That’s life. I have plenty of other things to focus on.”
“I know. Hey, everything here is in good hands. Take your time. Stay an extra couple days if you need to.”
He wouldn’t be able to do that. Even three days might be pushing it.
“I’ll be back soon,” he said. “And I appreciate you.”
“Of course. Talk soon.”
“Bye.”
After shooting a text to his mom to tell her to expect him later that day, he called the agency that booked pilots for him and arranged for someone to fly his jet to Cali that morning. Hoisting himself from the couch, he returned to his bedroom.
The place he really, really didn’t want to be.
Maybe while he was gone he’d have someone come in here and redecorate the entire place. It would feel nice to come back to new curtains, new furniture. Maybe even new paint.
It would be a new beginning.
He packed as fast as he could, hoping that if he moved swift enough he could outrun the thoughts of Diane.
Only a number of hours ago, she had been his. He had really thought they were getting back together, that in his finally letting go a kind of miracle had occurred and the Gods that be had brought them together once more.
Like most of the time with her, he’d been wrong.
Each hit he took hurt worse than the one before. He wasn’t into torturing himself.
Which was why the night before was probably good. For her, it had been nothing more than a goodbye—if even that. Could be it was just a thrill.
For him, though, it had been the end of a chapter. He would go on this trip and, when he returned, he would turn the page.
Chapter 17
Diane
“You really don’t have to come with.” Diane winced at the poor word choice. “I mean, I like that you’re here. I want to hang out with you. What I meant to say is that my mom, she…some people…”
Brie wrapped her arm around Diane’s shoulders and gave her a squeeze. “It’s okay. I’m not going to run off because your mom has memory issues. I’m not like that.”
Diane