She swallowed hard. “I need to get away. Can I take the plane to your house on Windermere?” Asher owned an estate on the island off Eleuthera, near the Bahamas. There was no better place for her to be alone and think.
“You can go anytime you want, but I need to ask, what’s wrong?”
She breathed in and out, controlling her rolling belly. “Can it wait? I’m not ready to talk about it yet.”
He studied her. “Are you okay? Do you want me or someone else to come with you?”
She shook her head. “I just need time to think where no one can find me.”
He opened his mouth as if to ask another question, then closed it again. He paused for long seconds. “I’ll tell my pilot to fuel the plane, and he’ll be waiting when you get there.”
She jumped up from her seat and hugged her big brother. “Thank you. And thanks for not pushing me for information. I promise to talk when I’m ready.”
He set her back and kissed her cheek. “I do have conditions.”
“What might those be?” she asked warily.
“Check in daily. I need to know you’re all right, and the only way I can do that is if I hear your voice.”
Her heart squeezed in her chest. “Because you’re worried I might be like Mom?”
“No. Of course not. Why would you say that?”
She would always remember the conversation she’d overheard her brothers having when Jade was eight. They believed that, because she was a daughter, Jade was more likely to have inherited Audrey’s mental illness. When she’d grown up and had gone through therapy of her own, she’d discovered the flaw in their thinking. But it had been too many years of internalizing their words and being afraid of every mood swing she had. Her anxiety attacks had begun after hearing that conversation, and she’d worked hard to fight them ever since.
“Jade?” Asher’s voice snapped her back to the present.
“I don’t know. It was a stupid thing to say.”
Asher studied her warily, his eyes narrowed. He was smart but he couldn’t read her mind. The men in her family had no idea what she’d overheard, and she never planned to tell them. Her siblings would be devastated to know their words had hurt her. Not even Serenity was aware of the words that still haunted her.
“Don’t worry. I’ll check in,” she promised.
He let out a groan. “Okay. I see you have your bag with you. Take my driver to the airport.”
She knew better than to argue with him. “Thanks. Will you let Mom and Dad know I’m fine? Tell them I just took a little vacation, okay?”
“Sure. If you decide you want to talk, I’ll be there, okay?”
She nodded. “You’re a good brother.” She squeezed his hand in thanks.
He picked up his phone and called his driver. And before she knew it, Jade was on her way out of the country for some serious self-reflection and a whole lot of panic.
***
After the meetingwith the florist, Knox took a taxi to Jade’s apartment, only for the doorman to tell him she wasn’t home. The information was contrary to what Lauren had said, and he got back in his car, frustrated. She didn’t return any of his texts or calls and his worry grew.
On Wednesday, he arrived at Jade’s office by ten a.m., only to be greeted with the news that she wasn’t in the office today. Unwilling to give up, he asked to see Lauren instead, hoping she’d open up to him. Because he was damned sure something was wrong.
When Lauren stepped out of her office, she didn’t appear surprised to see him. “Come on in, Knox.” She gestured for him to follow her into her office.
He waited until she closed the door behind him and turned to face her. “Where is she?”
“I told you she’s not feeling well.” She walked around him and sat down behind her desk.
“Then why isn’t she home?” A panicked thought hit him. “She’s not in the hospital, is she?”
Lauren shook her head. “No, nothing like that.”