Page 31 of One Weekend in Los Angeles

Again, she wasn’t being cruel. Merely honest. And I was happy to see her standing up for herself.

Paula’s shoulders slumped, the words clearly not what she’d wanted to hear. “I understand.”

Andi turned to me. “I’m ready to go.”

I kept my arm around her as I led her out to the waiting SUV, unsure who more needed her close, me or her. “I’m so proud of you.”

“Thanks. Did you think I was too hard on her?”

The fact she worried about it testified to her character.

“You were more than fair. Betrayal is not something you need to forgive.”

“No, I don’t need to absolve them of anything in order to move on.”

Once in the back seat, I lifted her legs up onto my lap and removed one shoe at a time. It was a pleasure to hear her sigh of relief.

“What does moving on look like? Say five years from now?” I was curious to find out how Andrea saw her future.

“I hope to have a family. Maybe open my own business and do freelance website design, and I don’t know, there’s that animal sanctuary idea even if it’s a couple cats and dogs, and maybe one mini cow to start.”

Her long-term plan shouldn’t have surprised me, but hearing her talk about a future that wouldn’t include me left me feeling out of sorts.

The emotion was ridiculous. Here she was, navigating a divorce and picking up the pieces of her life. The last thing she needed was to jump into another relationship. Not that I knew what that would be like. We’d enjoy the rest of the weekend and say our goodbyes, just as we’d agreed.

“If you don’t have any plans tomorrow, I thought we could hang out at my place? I don’t leave until Monday morning.”

She smiled. “I don’t have any plans, and I wouldn’t mind avoiding my house, but don’t you have things to do before you leave? More Zoom calls where you don’t need a—” She paused, flicking her gaze to the driver who was staring straight ahead. “A houseguest interrupting?”

The way she omitted the naked part made me chuckle. “I can’t think of a better interruption. And aside from a few phone calls, I don’t have a thing planned.”

Chapter Seventeen

ANDREA

Who could possibly say no to spending more time with Deacon? Especially when he was rubbing my feet in the back of an SUV. Yet there was the small voice warning that I was in over my head and shouldn’t go and do something stupid like fall for the man. He was most certainly leaving town, while I’d be left sitting here in reality.

The same voice told me it might already be too late. This may have started as a weekend of pretend, but it was turning out to be the best two days of my life.

Tonight had been cathartic. I’d finally been strong enough to share my true feelings with Jeff, and then the world, and even with Paula.

Jeff had wanted our lives on reality television, and now he had it. The good, bad, and now the ugly. I had no doubt he’d be furious once the interview aired, but I no longer cared. I was ready to move on. I was also ready to eat, having not done so since lunch.

“You hungry?”

He grinned. “Starving.”

It was close to nine o’clock, but I had an idea. “I know the perfect place.” I directed the driver to the best taco truck stand in LA. When we arrived, I was amused to see Deacon bring out my slippers which he’d thoughtfully stowed in the car for me.

We’d just ordered when Deacon’s phone rang. “Ah, it’s my attorney friend. How’s it going, Lawrence?”

Deacon listened for a bit before looking at me. “Yeah, let me ask her. You okay with meeting Lawrence tomorrow?”

“Of course.” So much for spending the day with Deacon. But the financial situation regarding my divorce was too important to put off.

Once we received our order, which included two fish tacos Deacon obtained for the driver, I played photographer, snapping phone pictures of him and the crew who manned the truck and a couple fellow customers who also wanted pictures with him. He was friendly to everyone, and I found myself once again wishing there wasn’t a countdown on our time together.

Back at Deacon’s house, Callie greeted us at the front door, clearly anxious to have me home.