Page 28 of Awake in Cheshire Bay

In a move I didn’t anticipate, she reached out and hugged me before stepping back to the car.

I blinked hard.

What the hell was that? Tested?

The chauffeur closed the door, tipped his hat, and drove them away. Just like that. No fanfare, nothing.

I covered my heart with one hand and stared as the wheels rolled over the gravel and back onto the road, questioning what Sorcha has said. It had to be a lie, either that or I was the most gullible woman in the world to believe what had happened between us was all an act. My instinct told me it was real, it had to be. I’d felt it to my very core.

How dare Sorcha plant a seed of doubt. Antonio was far too caring to have played me for a fool. He was the real deal. I knew it. I trusted my instincts, which over the years, have never failed. Tonight—this morning—the last eighteen hours, it had all been real.

If true love was like it was in the movies, he’d stop the limo and come back to sweep me off my feet and prove beyond a shadow of a doubt I wasn’t another notch.

“Wait!” Like the world’s biggest idiot, I ran after the limo, but it kept going, cresting the hill, and taking a sharp left.

I ran back down to my truck. I could see him off at the airport, it would be so romantic. My chance wasn’t gone yet.

I put the pedal to the metal, but my old beater of a truck didn’t stand a chance at catching the top-of-the-line limousine. And where had that come from? The nearest major city was at least two hours away.

I raced down main street, pulling hard onto the highway leading to the airport. How fast was the limo moving as I didn’t see it on the road? Taking another hard turn, the tires squealed, and the engine groaned as I redlined it to the airport building, tucked just off the highway. My truck nearly hit the building when I slammed on the brakes, but the limo was nowhere to be seen.

Did I have the wrong airport? Were they going to drive across the island to Victoria? I hopped out of the truck and ran to the door, shaking the locked door on the building as hard as possible. No one was inside.

The building wasn’t that long, so I ran the outside, turning at the corner. Part of the runway lay before me. I rounded the corner, and despair and a ragging heartache smacked me in the gut and slapped me across the face. There was no plane on the tarmac, and no limo parked nearby either.

No chance for a grand gesture at love, despite finally knowing I wanted it. Notch or not, I needed to know where I stood with him. If only I had a way to contact him. He was always on his phone, but I didn’t know the name of his company, or even what city he worked in, but his number would be listed somewhere, and I knew just the person to obtain it for me.

Cedar.

She’d illegally tapped into a person’s account to access personal information. She could do it again.

Chapter Ten

Repeatedly, I buzzed Cedar’s apartment. Over and over again until she responded. But she didn’t answer over the intercom.

Mitch opened the glass door at the entrance to the building. “What the hell, Amber?”

“Oh, please, you’ve got to help me.”

“What’s going on?” Cedar stood behind Mitch and pushed herself into my line of sight. “What’s wrong?” Cedar let go of Mitch and wrapped her arm around me.

“He left. She said I didn’t mean anything. But there were feelings. I know it. I need to get in contact with him. I need to know the truth. I need his number. I wasn’t ready to stay goodbye. Please, you need to help me.”

Her warm hand touched my shoulder. “You’re not making any sense. Come upstairs, and I’ll get you some tea.”

“I don’t want any tea.” It came out sharp and bitter. “I need his contact information. And you can get it for me.” I fell to my knees, and gave her my sweetest, plea filled request. “Please, you are the only one who can access the information in the computer.”

Her eyes went large. “Are you asking me to break into confidential information.”

“Yes, yes.” I rose and pulled on her arms. “Please. I just need a number. Nine little numbers. Easy peasy.”

“I can’t do that. I’m on probation.” She tugged me up to my feet. “What is this all about, and please calm down.”

My focus jumped between her and Mitch, and over to the door, and back outside. “He left but we weren’t ready.”

“Who?”

“Antonio and his crew.” I stared, begging her to remember.