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Jenna gave me a look. “All the more reason to get out of England, then.”
“I haven’t told him about my mum’s will yet,” I blurted. The weight of that sat heavily on my shoulders. “I have to do it. He’s going to be upset, think I’m intentionally keeping it from him.”
“Well, aren’t you?” Jenna asked.
“You’re the one who suggested I wait,” I exclaimed.
“Nope. That was Mama Grace because you were in tears when Nash shut you down over kids.”
I met Steve’s eyes in the rearview mirror, and his held a world of hurt. He had to know at least part of Nash’s reasoning was rooted in his childhood and their relationship.
“I’m scared.” My voice came out small.
“No use worrying over something you didn’t do and can’t change,” Jenna said.
“I vote you just tell him,” Kate added. “This has you too worked up.”
“Nash is happier than I’ve ever seen him,” Jenna said. “I’m sure it’ll be fine.”
“I don’t know if I can keep him that way,” I said.
Jenna shook her head. “That’s not your job, Aya. You love him—that’s where you focus your attention and energy. But another person’s happiness is too great a weight to bear.”
I placed my hands at my stomach and wondered over the heaviness that had settled there.
24
Nash
After I’d discovered that Reginald Aldringham owned Clean Water, the nonprofit Mrs. Didri-Aldringham had run for so many years, I’d had Hugh offer him a large sum to buy it. Yeah, it was hush money, but it also gave Aya back a piece of her mother.
Aya’s father had called me to discuss this during the show, when my phone was powered down. The concert had been spectacular—Maddox was a much better fit for the band than Tatum ever was. We were all revved up and amped off his energy, the sheer pleasure he took in playing our music. I felt wired, almost high, but this was all adrenaline.
I’d loved up Aya with that energy, and now, she practically purred in her sleep.
I powered on my phone to check our departure time, and then listened to his message. It was after two in the morning in Austin, so that was after eight in the morning in London. I put the last of my clothes in my suitcase, where I’d settled it in the large walk-in closet, not wanting to awaken Aya. She would join us on tour this weekend after her classes ended on Friday, but our buses rolled out late tomorrow morning.
I’d much rather stay home. And that’s what this place was—home. Because Aya was here. The song with that title by Edward Sharpe and the Magnetic Zeroes slipped through my mind. I grinned, bobbing my head to the beat. But the fans deserved their concerts, and I couldn’t beg another postponement simply because I was worried my girlfriend might freak out about our separation.
With a resigned groan, I called Lord Reginald back. Better now than on the bus, surrounded by the guys.
“Do I even want to know why you’re calling me at such an egregious time of night?” he asked once I’d stated my name.
“Probably not. But I’m returning your call, and as you know, we have business. See, I don’t like how you’ve been dragging Sofia’s name through the dirt. It hurts Aya, and that pisses me off.”
“My family’s life isn’t your concern,” Lord Aldringham snapped.
“Aya’s happiness matters to me. And I cared for her mother.” She’d been a better mother to me during my last year of high school than my own—by a long shot. So, yeah, I guess I was also buying Clean Water for myself.
“You have no right to speak to me this way. You don’t know anything about me and my daughter,” Lord Aldringham said, his tone as stiff as his upper lip.
“I’m the only one with the right. I’m the one who pulled her out of the water in Turks and Caicos when she nearly drowned. You were so busy lecturing Sofia, you didn’t even notice your daughter going under the wave.” Disdain caused my lip to curl. This man was as bad as Brad—worse in some ways. Aya had only been a possession, a thing to use.
“So,” I continued, “if anyone is going to have an opinion about your daughter, it’s going to be me. If you hurt Aya in any way, if you take any action that causes her to cry, I will absolutely destroy you. Not just financially, but I will repossess your house and make sure your daughters aren’t welcome in their prestigious school.”
“Just who the hell do you think you are?” Lord Aldringham sputtered.
“I’m Saif Syad’s heir, so believe me when I say I have that kind of global reach.”
