Only One Touch (Only One #4) - Natasha Madison Page 0,65

I get up, packing my shit, and I’m out of the room ten minutes later and so is Lizzie.

“Laurene is going to meet us at home,” she says, and I nod at her. I get into the car, looking at my phone to see that no one has texted me back either. The plane is waiting when we arrive. I get out, calling her one last time before I get on the plane. I think at this point I’d be more surprised if she actually answered. I wait for the beep to come.

“Becca.” I say her name. “I can explain everything.” I walk into the plane, the burn forming in the pit of my stomach. “I’m on my way to you.” I press end and look out the window. “I just need one chance to talk to her,” I say to myself right before the door of the plane slams shut, and it’s almost as if it’s her slamming the door on me.

Chapter 27

Becca

The plane touches down, and I get up. “Looks cold,” I tell Erika, grabbing my jacket and putting it over my white cashmere turtleneck. “I might have to run to the mall or something.”

“I think there is time,” she says, and I look down at my ballerina shoes and so does Erika. “I think we may have to hit up something before we even attempt to go to the rink.”

I nod at her, and the phone pings in my hand, one after another. I step out of the plane and make my way over to the car waiting for us. The driver smiles at us and opens the back door. I climb in and take a deep breath before I take out my phone.

I see seventeen missed calls from him and two voice mails. I ignore that, but I can’t ignore the text he has just sent me.

Nico: Becca, I need to explain. Let me explain.

I delete it as fast as I can but not fast enough for the pain not to hit me. I grab my sunglasses and place them on, looking out at the cloudy day. It matches how I feel on the inside. If truth be told, all I want to do is curl up and stare into space, but I’m not going to do any of that until tonight. “I got you a suite at the Four Seasons,” Erika says from beside me. “It’s a regular suite. The top ones were taken.”

“That’s fine.” I look over at her. “My feet are frozen.”

“We are stopping at Saks right now,” she says, and I nod. We pull up and we both run in, leaving the driver to wait for us. I grab a thicker jacket and also three pairs of UGGs. “I don’t think I’ve ever seen you out of heels.” Erika laughs.

We check into the hotel, and then just as quickly as I drop my bag, Erika whisks me out of my room. I think she knows that if I sit, it’ll make everything worse. “We have to get to Long Island,” she says. I get into the car and see that I have a text from Manning.

Manning: Let me know you’re okay.

Me: I’m okay.

Manning: Can I do anything? Do you want to come here?

Me: No, out of town. I’ll touch base once I get back home.

Manning: I’m calling you tonight.

I don’t answer him. My phone rings, and I see it’s Miller. For the first time ever in my career, I send one of my clients to voice mail intentionally. I don’t want to do it, but how do I know he isn’t with Nico? Instead, I send Miller a text.

Me: Sorry, in a meeting. Everything okay?

I wait for him to answer, looking out the window as we drive away from the city. “How does the schedule look for tomorrow?”

“We have five kids to see all in and around New York, starting at ten, and I have already ten for Chicago two days from now.”

“Good,” I say, thinking this is what I need. I need to be buried in my work.

The phone pings, and I see it’s Miller.

Miller: Making sure you are okay. Call me when you can.

The car stops, so I put my phone away. I get out of the car and walk into the arena. The smell of ice hits me right away. This is where it starts for all the kids, I think.

I see that the team is already on the ice, and I pull open the doors that have seen