Page 293 of The Heart You Kept

It’s not….

“It says…” Jonty reads the story from the newsroom. “The casino king Edward Prescott has announced his engagement to a mystery woman, Alora Sorenson.” He hunches his shoulders up in excitement. “It says here, Edward Prescott, who has been noticeably absent from social gatherings for an extended period of time, has re-emerged a taken man. He made a statement this morning. ‘Alora and I dated years ago and she was always the one that got away. We reconnected and are very much in love. We are very excited to be planning a life together and would appreciate privacy at this special time.’ Oh my god.” Jonty reads on. “There’s a picture of the two of you.”

“What?” I frown.

“Oh, you look good too.”

I snatch the phone from him to see a photo of the two of us just after we got engaged, I think Charlotte took this photo. We are in the garden, drinking champagne, and his arm is around me, we are both laughing and my ring is front and center. “I didn’t know he was using this photo?” I frown.

“You don’t like it?” Jonty takes his phone back and studies it again.

“No, I do. I just assumed he would have gotten approval that I wanted to use it.”

Jonty smiles as he stares at the photo. “As if he would ask for permission for anything.”

Hmm….

Even Jonty has an opinion of Edward.

My phone lights up on my desk as a call comes in. Thomas Stone.

Actually…I could use a Thomas pep talk right now. “Hello.”

“Hey.” I can tell he’s smiling. “I just read a very interesting story about a future Mrs. Prescott.”

“Ha.” I hold my finger up to Jonty. “Back in a minute.” I walk past Philippe. “Just going to sit and have a coffee in the café. You can watch me from here, I’ll sit by the window.”

He glances around. “Yeah, okay.”

I rush out into the street. “Oh my god, thank god you called,” I whisper.

“Are you on cloud nine?”

“I was until I saw my ex this morning.” I try to keep my voice down.

“You think you’re marrying the wrong guy?”

“No,” I scoff. “Nothing like that. Hang on.” I put the phone down and ask the server, “Hello, can I just grab a table by the door please?”

“Sure thing.” She leads me to a table and I sit down. “A café Americano, please.”

“Of course.”

“What’s going on?”

“So…I need you to tell me I’m being an idiot.”

“Why?”

“Well, Edward and I, we are so in love and it feels right, you know?”

“Okay,” he replies.

“And he took me home to meet his family in London and he spontaneously asked me to marry him and gave me his mother’s engagement ring.”

“What?” He gasps. “Are you serious?”

“Yes.”