“Between my marriages, we made many good memories, Landon.” She stops. “Are you still angry that I left you?”
“If I remember correctly, you proposed, I refused, and a week later you were married to some second-rate driver.”
“Rafe.” She giggles. “He nearly killed himself trying to make it to Formula One. Anyway, I want to meet this girl. How well does she know you? Or is she one of those girls carried away by the pretty face and bags of money?”
I’m missing Rachel too much to listen to Ava even allude to her. “Good night, Ava.”
“It’s morning where I am. I’m in Colombia.”
“Okay.”
“Don’t you want to know who I’m with?”
“No.”
“His name is Jorge, and he’s a stud rancher. Also, a stud.”
I don’t have time to hear about her idle pursuits and entertain her manipulative tendencies. “Goodbye,” I say firmly.
Why does she care so much about Rachel and me?
Knowing Ava, she’s likely just bored and playing games, and I have better things to do than to indulge her.
My coffee is getting cold, and I take a sip. My phone is still in my hand, and I hit Rachel’s number. In a moment, her voice pulls me all the way back to her side.
“Hey.”
Closing my eyes, I let the sound wash over me. She calms me and soothes me without trying, without even being aware. “I thought you might be asleep,” I whisper. “What’s up?”
“Nothing. What’re you doing?”
“Having an early lunch.”
“How was your flight?”
“Uneventful.” I shrug. “I spent the whole afternoon trying to convince someone who suddenly changed her mind about selling me a property.”
“Did you succeed?”
I remember Madeleine’s face as she walked away from our table. “Barely.”
Rachel doesn’t reply. I want to ask her what she’s thinking. I wish I were right there, beside her.
“The next issue of Gilt Traveler will be out soon,” she tells me, “with the article about your hotel.”
“I’m looking forward to reading it.”
The waiter returns to refill my coffee and ask me if I want anything else. I ask for the bill instead. On the other side of the call, Rachel is quiet.
“Baby, are you there?”
“I’m here,” she whispers.
Something in her tone sets off alarm bells in my head. “Are you okay?”
“Yes.” She sighs. “Brett and Laurie… He told her they needed a break. She’s been crying all night.”
I’m shocked. I’d started to think of Rachel’s cousin and her boyfriend as a solid unit. I’ve even envied them their closeness. “Did he say why?”