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Chapter 27

THE WAITING GAME

Liz didn’t even want to know the cost of a last-h to Hilton Head She was sure it wasn’t so she would be able to afford, but luckily Brady had eo see hi at a resort nearby It felt surreal to be living this life She had so much that she needed to discuss with Brady, but she would have to wait until they were together again to bring it up Heather had been keeping him more than busy, and Liz hadn’t spoken with him except to finalize her travel plans

Liz was sure Heather was only keeping tabs on him because of their relationship…whatever it was She didn’t think Heather needed to push hi to win All he had to do was smile

She stood in line to board the plane and her mind raced back to that first conversation with Brady Airplanesthat had elicited that reaction from him Liz knew that she still felt that way about hied her He had iven her that

Yet they were caught in this unhealthy limbo Trapped in a place where they couldn’t express the the plane, hyperventilating fros, but never taking off and seeing where the plane h, Liz walked onto the plane and took her seat in first class She had only flown first class once, when her parents had sent her to Hawaii to spend a ith her grandparents She snuggled into her cozy seat and let her eyes close She pushed away all thoughts of Brady and the decisions that had to be ht sluround at the small Hilton Head Island airport She yawned and stretched as they rolled to a stop in front of the tere attached to the plane and she filed out, grabbing her carry-on luggage, which hadn’t fit overhead on the sional plane

Shealone, wearing a suit, and holding a sign that read Carmichael Liz smiled and walked over to him

"Miss Carmichael?" the man asked as she approached

"That’sher bag and rolling it out to the awaiting town car

In that ue Soed for someone to pick her up at the airport in an expensive town car, and she was staying at a luxury beachside resort She found all of this very hard to believe Butall of this with Brady

Trying her best to ht of the situation, she reood ti around had been exhilarating, even if she now found it frustrating Well, the sneaking around wasn’t the frustrating part; it was the fact that there wasstifled by their opposing careers

She ground her teeth Even when she was trying to think of the positives, the negatives crept back in She s she missed about her time with Brady The lake, his little notes, the diner, when he dropped his canto see her after Justin’s DUI, the Fourth of July, his big gala event when he had given her his key, and then she heard him tell Heather and Elliott that he loved her…

Liz sed back a lump in her throat Her whole summer had been Brady Sure, he was volatile, stubborn, and prone to jealousy, but she knew there was more to him than that, and he had shown her that this summer, whether he wanted to or not

The town car carried her across the island and pulled onto the grounds of the Sonesta Resort Liz leaned into theto look at the beautiful view before her The hotel boasted more than three hundred luxury rooolf course, and beachside access with cabanas and bottle service It was a dream resort

As soon as they parked, the driver assisted Liz with her luggage and handed her an envelope "Here you are, Miss Carmichael Enjoy your stay"

"Thank you," she said absentmindedly

She strolled into the air-conditioned hotel lobby, anxious to open the envelope, but all she could do was stop and stare at her surroundings The lobby was h of a cozy ate couches and overstuffed chairs were artfully placed around the roo newspapers and talking to friends The ceiling rose higher and higher, with gorgeous s on one side, an impressive mural on another, and a seashell chandelier

Liz took a seat in one of the chairs and opened the envelope A plastic keycard, a resort packet with her room number, and a trifolded sheet of paper fell out into her hand The front of the letter was sealed with a short note on it

Do not read until you are in your roo on her face She really freaking liked his little notes

Liz took the envelope and headed to the elevators, ready to be up in her room to find out as inside the letter She pressed the button for the top floor and waited as the elevator took its time It finally deposited her on her floor, and she found her room near the end of the hallway She slid her keycard into the slot and opened the door into a beautiful suite twice the size of the one she’d had with Brady in Charlotte after the Jefferson-Jackson gala

She dropped her bags in the entranceway and closed the door She couldn’t believe that Brady had gotten her this roo a hard ti any of it

The resort hotel roo those in the lobby, a dark wooden dining rooht wood cabinetry, granite countertops, and brand-new sleek black appliances An open door led to a large -sized bed, and the lass shower and Jacuzzi tub But the best part about the whole suite was the exquisite balcony view of the ocean

Taking the envelope with her, Liz sat down on one of the chairs outside and tore open the letter

I hope you like your suite I wanted you to have an ocean view I’ve added the spa package to the room, so treat yourself My schedule for the weekend is attached

Liz glanced at the second page and saw a list of events that Brady had to attend Dinner that night with the fan after The next day, he had time blocked off for the fa She would have liked to spend some beach tiht was dinner and drinks with potential donors Neither night had an end tiive you a call when I’ traced I’d advise you to stay on resort properties at all ti ant is for you to be seen Can’t wait to get ht of hione to all of this trouble for her She hoped she would see him sooner rather than later Until that moment, she hadn’t realized quite how much she had ether