I just hope the fact that he didn't answer means he's on a plane coming back.
He'd ended our phone call yesterday so angry. I don't know where we stand.
But regardless of whether he and I are over, now I need to be brave. I need to set the story straight, once and for all.
I can't keep pretending.
My friends told me I didn't owe anyone anything. But in my heart, I know I do. I want to move forward in my life with the whole truth, nothing but the truth, so help me God.
Living with shadows-secrets curling around my toes, keeping my feet tethered to the ground-isn't going to get me anywhere. And I am ready to take a step forward.
After breakfast, I sit down with Helen, Arthur, Geoffrey, and Fiona. Emmy, Tess, and Ace are there as well, as my moral support, but they think my confession is centered on my marriage.
When the real confession is about the fake engagement.
"Is everything all right, Claire? I know yesterday was hard for you, with Landon gone. I hope you aren't unhappy with us," Helen says, generously.
"Oh, I couldn't be more pleased with you. All of you, really."
I look down at my hands, not wanting to see the look of betrayal across my friends' faces when they hear how deceptive I've been.
"The truth is," I admit, "I'm already married. And my engagement with Landon isn't real. He didn't really propose, he just wanted you to believe he had, so that you'd think he'd grown up. So that he could have a chance at being your successor, Arthur."
They all have questions, of course; shame spreads across my face, floods my eyes. They ask why, they shake their heads, they don't understand.
And I try to explain.
Finally, once I've laid it all out there-the marriage, the motives, the apologies-I look up, hoping they will see me as something besides the way I see myself: A cheat. A liar. A disgrace.
"I understand why Landon would put you up to this, why he'd think it would work. And I can let that go because, honestly, he seems happier right now than he's ever been. What I don't understand is why you didn't get a divorce a long time ago, Claire?" Arthur asks. "You seem like such a smart girl."
I suck in my breath, squeezing shut my eyes. When I open them, I make sure to meet everyone's gaze. "Has anything ever happened to you, that you were so ashamed of? So embarrassed by, that you'd rather pretend to be something else entirely than deal with the facts?"
I don't expect anyone here to understand. Landon's family is this proper English clan, put together in ways I could never dream of being.
I see Helen and Fiona struggle to make sense of my story, and I just want someone-anyone-to say something. Emmy and Tess can't even seem to look at me.
But Ace catches me off guard when he's the one who speaks up.
"Claire, I understand. Completely. I spent five years hiding, pretending to be someone I wasn't. And my friends forgave me, my wife forgave me. Hell, you forgave me. I wasn't honest because I was fucking pushing away the demons of my past. It's okay, Claire. That's why you have us. We forgive you, of course, but mostly we're just sorry you went through all that."
Emmy laughs softly. "He's right, of course. We're really sorry, Claire."
Fiona tilts her head at me, her face lined with confusion. Geoffrey sits beside her, gripping her hand, though none of the story seems to surprise him.
"Do you love him?" Fiona asks. "I know this whole thing was fake, but ... it seemed so real."
"It really did," Tess agrees. "Like, insanely real."
I swallow, hard, blinking away tears. Because so much of this trip has felt like the absolute truth. Landon's proposal in the airport. Sliding a ring on my finger. The way he held me all night long, the way he touched my skin, my heart, my soul. The way he said I love you. The way I said it back.
"I do love him."
Helen pulls in a sharp breath. "Oh, love," she says, waving a handkerchief. "Arthur, do you hear her? She really loves our boy." Helen grips her husband's hand, and I feel so lucky to be in the presence of such generous people.
Because I need this. After everything before ... I need to see with my own eyes that love is real. Love exists. The way Arthur and Helen, Ace and Emmy-even Geoffrey and Fiona, in their own weird way-love one another.
I'm reminded that my love with Landon, while new, is real.
And I don't ever want to lose it.
I want it forever.
But I don't know if he feels the same way.
"So ... no double wedding?" Fiona asks. "Because I made an appointment at a bridal shop tomorrow for our gowns. The flowers are ordered. The guest list is completed, right, Helen?"
Helen nods.
"And the date is set, for next Saturday, at five o'clock in the evening."
"You have been busy," I say, unable to hide my shock.
"Well," Emmy says. "Last night you were a bit put out, and since I have some experience with putting together a wedding in short order, I helped. So did Tess and Helen. You said you didn't care about the details...."
"Right." I cringe. "I'm really sorry. I should have told everyone the whole truth yesterday. I was just so upset. And now you've done all this."
"So you really aren't going to be marrying Landon?" Tess asks.
"Well, we aren't really engaged. We clearly can't get married if he's never actually asked me. And right now I'm not sure if he'll forgive me for my lies. I made a mess of everything."
Right then, Brandon enters the sitting room with an announcement.
"Excuse me, but I wanted to inform you that a party of five has just arrived."
Chapter Twenty-Nine
Landon
We slept the night away, and by the time we land in Heathrow, get into a car, and start back to my parent's home, we're all pretty hopped up with anticipation.
Sophia bounces in her seat while Eva points out the window at the double buses, Big Ben, and the London Eye. And then, as we leave the city, the countryside stretches out before us and everyone seems to sink into their seats, instantly relaxed with the greenery, something the Vegas natives in this car never see.
"Where are you from, McQueen?" Eva asks as we drive along.
"Kansas City, ma'am," he says. "I'm a long way from home."
"That's where Dorothy is from, and Toto too," Sophia says.
"Something like that," McQueen says, smiling. "Jack, though, is from New York; that's the big leagues."
"Oh, I want to go to New York one day," Sophia says, her eyes bright.
"And why's that?" I ask her.
"Because that's where miracles happen, on 34th Street."
"She knows her movies," I say to Eva.
"Yes, just like her mama."
I smile, ignoring the reality that I had no bloody clue Claire loves to watch films. There's so much I don't know about her ... so much I need to learn.
How many things are necessary to know about the person you commit to spending your life with? Do you need to know details about favorite colors, favorite shows, favorite books? Or is knowing a person's heart enough?
I'm banking on the latter.
"That castle is so gorgeous, so unexpected," Eva says, looking out the window once more.
"That's my parent's home, actually," I tell her. "Let's see if there are any princesses about, shall we?" I ask Sophia.
"And Mama's here?" she asks.
"She is."
"I'm so glad you're her friend," she tells me. "Landon, you should be her BFF."
"Just because of my parents' place?" I ask. "I don't think we should pick friends based on their homes."
"No, silly. You should be her best friend forever because you're so wonderful." She smiles, dimples poking out of her ridiculously cute cheeks, her bright eyes beaming at me.
I'm bloody over my head for this whole lot.
I need to get a grip, before I step foot inside the house. For some reason it feels like I'm starting the first day of the rest of my life.
And I just hope that life involves Claire.
When we enter the house, Brandon quickly announces our arrival, while Sophia and Eva head to the loo. McQueen and Jack whistle low as they enter the foyer.
"Holy shit, man, your parents are loaded," McQueen says.
"Were loaded. Remember, that's what started a lot of this mess? The impending bankruptcy."
"It's all covered though, bro," Jack says, fist bumping me. "We got your back."
When Eva and Sophia return, the five of us head down the hall to the sitting room. Eva takes everything in, her face in awe the same way Claire's was.
The guys don't seem as phased. I'm guessing they're already having withdrawals from the fact that last night they went to sleep on a plane, as opposed to going to bed with whatever hotties they're used to bringing home.
When we make our way to the sitting room, Sophia can't help herself. "Mama," she exclaims, running to Claire, who has shock written all over her face. Shock, but also complete joy.
I think we're all a little choked up at the reunion . Seeing Claire with her daughter is something so foreign, something none of us have ever seen.