Phase (Phoebe Reede: The Untold Story #1) (38 page)

“Those photos all hit Google last night. The PR team got an email and we’ve been trying to do what we can to minimise the damage, but they’ve been shared and reposted a number of times already. And they’re the number-one story on the
Gossip Weekly
site this morning. Sweetie, what’s happening?”

“I was stupid,” I said. “I thought they’d stay private.”

Mum grabbed her tablet off me and went to grab Nikki—whose whimpers had turned to full-blown shrieks for attention.

“Pheebs. I know what it’s like to be young and in love.” Her voice was a quiet admonishment. “But you’ve been raised to be more savvy than that. Nothing on the web is ever private. Thankfully it hasn’t appeared to ruffled too many feathers with the sponsors yet, although we have had to field some calls. All I can say is at least they were tastefully done and weren’t full-frontal nudes.”

I nodded, unable to say anything else. I’d watched her deal with the fallout from nude scandals in the past—sometimes spinning it into a positive, but sometimes not.

“Fleur Amelia won’t stand behind you if too many more scandals like this come out. As a major sponsor, we need to keep them happy or the whole thing will fall apart. Can you promise me there’ll be nothing else like this?”

“Of course. I’ll be more careful in the future.” Even though I was responding to her question about the photos, my promise was to myself too. I’d never let myself fall in love with the wrong person again.

“Okay. Now, what did Beau say when you told him the news?” A sly smile played on her lips as she asked. We hadn’t had a chance to talk about it alone since my conversation with him.

“What? Oh, ah, he was really excited.” The lie rolled off my tongue too easily.

“Did you tell him the team name?”

“Yeah. He, uh, he said it’s a really good team. That I should fit in perfectly and have the time of my life.”

Her smile grew wide. “It’s going to be the biggest adventure of your life.”

She could say that again.

“I’m so proud of you.”

That made one of us.

A WEEK later, Mum and I were in the study with the paperwork that would see me heading to the States. After she closed the door, she went straight into manager mode. Running through the contracts, she pointed out the positives and negatives in as much detail as she could. Emmanuel Racing would have ultimate control over the car, but would be leasing staff and a car from a US-based team. That way they could have the expertise of the local crowd while getting a foot into the new market. They’d done it successfully a few times before with smaller overseas races. Usually they used local drivers, but they were putting their faith in my ability to keep the car straight and the team running.

It was a lot of pressure at eighteen, but also proved the trust my parents had in me—and increased my desire not to let them down.

Once we’d gone over all the details, she handed me a pen. “Are you sure you want to do this?”

It wasn’t a plea for me not to, just a clarification before I signed my life away on the new contract that would see me overseas for at least twelve months, with plenty of options for renewal.

“I think I have to. Dad’s right. If I don’t, I’ll probably turn around in a few years’ time and wonder why I didn’t take the chance.” It was almost too easy to pretend to be okay. My guilt twisted in my stomach as I said the words, but they weren’t a complete lie. If I didn’t try to get some payback, some closure, I would always regret it.

“I understand.” She started to offer me the pen but hesitated. “And you’re sure about Beau? I mean, I’m all for supporting you, whoever you love, but I don’t want to see you get hurt.”

Not letting her see the worry in my gaze, I reached forward and grabbed the pen, initialling and signing all the places I knew I had to as I said, “Beau won’t hurt me, Mum.”
I mean, he can’t hurt me more than he has.
“That’s the one thing I’m sure of. He’s a little clueless about some things”—like how much he hurt me and how I’ll make him pay—“but I’ve got to do this. I’m sure of that much.”

Mum leaned across the desk and ran her fingers over my cheek before cupping them under my chin. “I’m glad to hear it.” Her mouth flattened into a hard line as she stared at me and then a tear slid across her cheek.

I understood because whatever else, it had always been us. From the time I was born, it was her and me. Even though I couldn’t remember much from the time before Dad came back, I’d learned most of it in the time since, in stories repeated so often they were part of me. In all of them, Mum and I had always had each other, even when she’d had no one else.

And now, she was having to say goodbye.

True, it wasn’t right that minute, but it felt like it.

After the contracts were signed, it would be full swing trying to find a place to live and get everything organised for the long-term trip. My last act before I left home would be to lie to everyone and convince them that I was going to my happy ever after, when I was really heading into the unknown. To a fight to prove to the man I loved that he was an idiot for treating me the way he had.

“I’ll stay in touch,” I said as my own tears started to form.

“I know. And so will we. It’ll just be different.”

We both stood and moved around the desk to hold each other.

“I just can’t believe how grown-up you are now.”

How grown-up Emmanuel would have been.
I heard the words she didn’t utter—a silent understanding between the two of us that we would never forget him.

“Make sure you wear your bracelet all the time,” Mum said as we pulled apart.

I fiddled with the bracelet on my left wrist. The reminder of Emmanuel’s gift, and the one thing that could save my life in an emergency.

“Always,” I confirmed. It usually only came off for photo shoots and charity events at home. There was no reason being overseas would be any different.

“I’ve got your plane tickets organised.”

“You didn’t even know I’d sign the contracts.”

She gave me a sad smile. “I know you too well, Phoebe. You don’t change your course once it’s set. You’ll fly out on the twenty-ninth.”

“So soon?” It was only a few weeks away, and only a week after Nikki’s first birthday.

“Sorry, honey. That’s how soon they want you.”

“Wow.” It was hard to believe I would be saying goodbye to everyone so soon.

“You should probably go Skype your boy before it gets too late. Tell him the good news.”

I forced my lips into a smile. “Yeah, I should.”

“Phoebe, is everything okay?”

My smile was watery at best, but I nodded anyway. “Of course, Mum. Why wouldn’t it be?”

After all, I was only leaving behind everything I’d ever known for the certainty of heartache.

TO BE CONTINUED . . .

STAY TUNED FOR MORE OF PHOEBE REEDE: THE UNTOLD STORY

PHOBIC

PHOEBE REEDE: THE UNTOLD STORY #2

JANUARY 2017

If you enjoyed this book, please let others know by sharing your thoughts on the
Phase
page on Goodreads, Booklikes, Amazon, and your other favorite review sites.

Thank you

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