"Eloise, you don’t need to do anything. Just stay where you are, and I’ll come to you. I’ll hug you. You can leave everything to me. How will you know what happiness feels like if you don’t even try? I promise I won’t make you cry again, or... well, I’ll try my best not to, at least.”
Lucian’s words hung in the air like he was trying to win an Oscar for “Most Heartfelt Speech.” It was almost working.
But then, like an unwanted pop-up ad in her brain, Ainsley’s voice appeared.
“Eloise, do you actually believe you deserve happiness?”
Oh, great, thought Eloise, now I have the soundtracks of two people echoing in my head at the same time.
Lucian’s offer of sunshine and rainbows was drowned out by Ainsley’s snarky voice. Happiness? Eloise thought, clutching her head. Who has time for that?
