Page 284 of Sweet Nightmare

“Yes, tomorrow.” She lowers her tablet and gives me the look. “Come on. We need to leave. You’re closing the show, remember?”

Oh.

I thought I had more time. I hadn’t even told Stephen I was leaving.

Craaap.

I glance at the calendar on my phone, even though I already know what it says.

Tomorrow.

I have to leave.

Now.

And I really, really don't want to.

Mika notices.

“You don’t want to go,” she says.

I let out a defeated sigh. “I don’t.”

I look through the glass doors of the estate. Somewhere inside, Stephen is probably writing, composing, or doing something equally unfairly attractive without even trying.

Suddenly, leaving feels less like going home and more like walking away from him.

Mika’s expression softens. That’s a first. “He asked me this morning.”

I turn so quickly that my blades scrape against the ice.

“What?”

“He asked if you were planning on leaving.”

My heart stumbles.

I stare at her, searching her face for any hint that she’s teasing me.

But she’s not.

She’s serious.

“He asked you?”

She nods. “This morning.”

I blink, trying very hard to appear normal while my heart performs what feels like an entire Olympic routine inside my chest.

I narrow my eyes. “And what did you say?”

“That you’ll eventually have to leave unless he gives you a reason not to.”

“You did not say that.”

She tucks her tablet under her arm and grins. “You’re welcome. Now move your ass. I don’t want to listen to an hour-long lecture about tardiness and professionalism from Stevie because I failed to get you to New York on time.”

I can’t help it.