complications

...

    Back in the car heading toward their separate penthouses, Grace finally had a chance to confront Oliver about his attitude at the Gala. “I don’t know what your deal is with Tyler Gonnter. He’s a nice guy, and you and I—”

    “Are still a couple as far as he’s concerned. Unless you told him?” he asked, turning his laser-sharp gaze on her. “I appreciate you stepping up but maybe I should have just stepped aside and let him hit on you.” Oliver fiddled with his seat belt, buckling it into place. Grace looked out the window for a moment, thinking silently to herself.

    He wasn’t in a good mood at all. It was a shame because, prior to Tyler sitting down, he had been loosening up. She’d thought there might be a chance for them to rekindle their romance for real, not just in front of the cameras. He’d let his guard down and had been bantering with her like he had in the beginning. She’d hoped sitting with Dean and Coraline would make him remember the good times. 

    “No, Oli, of course not,” she said. I didn’t tell him about us breaking up. I keep hoping—” She broke herself off and placed her fingers to her temples defeated. She had promised herself she wouldn’t let him see how much he’d hurt her when he’d dumped her. Her entire life was based on never letting anyone see anything other than her best self. And that included Oliver, who oozed confidence the way her favorite bakery oozed tempting aromas when she walked by. “Hoping what?”

    “Nothing. It doesn’t matter. The film company has hired a private jet for the press junket I’m doing in Spain. Would you like to fly with me?”

    “Um…do I have to?” he asked. “Keke and Inigo are also going to Barcelona and I think we were going to take the Moretti Motors jet.”

    She shook her head. “If we were still a couple, would you really fly with your team instead of your fiancée?”

    “No, I wouldn’t ,” he conceded. “Fine. I’ll go with you.”

    She hated that he didn’t want to be with her. It wasn’t easy to know that the man who’d been her entire world now hated to be in the same space as her. She understood that things had changed, but she’d never really figured out what exactly had triggered it.

    “What did I do?” she asked. “What was it that made you start to hate me?”

    He sighed and shook his head. “I don’t hate you, honey. If I did, then this would be so much easier on both of us.”