Chapter Four

IRENA

"OH.MY.GOD," Lindsay told as she stood in the middle of the kitchen in bunny slippers and a soft yellow dress.

Irena dropped her purse on the table and walked past her.

"Come on, Linds. Not too bad."

Lindsay followed her into the bedroom. Isn't it serious? She reached out and grabbed Irena's arm.

"You were in the same room as Sage Kennedy." Her voice squeaked as she called his name.

Irena calmed down and turned around.

"Yes. I was in the same room as Sage Kennedy." She paused as she let the words settle around her roommate.

"And Peter and a woman named Amanda." She threw it at him.

Lindsay gave him an exasperated look and went to her wardrobe, after searching for a few seconds, she came out with a suitcase.

Lindsay sat on the bed with a dazed look on her face.

"It's weird," she whispered.

"I think the person you like is getting a little out of control," Irena said as she dropped her suitcase on the bed and opened it.

"Can not control?" Lindsay looked at him in amazement.

"Sage Kennedy and I are meant to be together."

Irena glanced at him.

"Destiny?"

"Miss. Guanda said she saw us together." Lindsay clasps her hands in front of her face.

"Please introduce us."

Irena stared at her.

"Are you serious? You want me to introduce you to Sage Kennedy because your psychic told you were meant to be together?"

Lindsay winked.

"Please?"

Irena shook her head.

"I can't even if I wanted to. I'll meet him at the airport tomorrow and then we'll go to Greenland.

Lindsay dropped her hand on the bed.

"Uh. I should have been a Reporter."

"Journalist," Irena corrected.

Lindsay shot her with an exasperated look.

"Journalist," she scoffed.

Irena nodded, stuffing some underwear into her suitcase.

"I think you're a much better bartender."

"But all I get are drunk guys. You... you get billionaires."

Irena squeezed her shoulder. Going to Greenland to write a story that would help soften the shock inflicted on a multi-billion-dollar company was not something she had dreamed of in school. Writing stories that changed minds and hearts used to be her goal. She bit her lip as she returned to her wardrobe. Her morals were being sold.

Before leaving Peter's office and making a fool of herself in the elevator, Peter promised that he would give her more complicated stories if she will just go with Sage and cover the story.

Now, standing in her room, it looks more like a bribe.

Does Peter consider her a good journalist or someone he can push around? Moaning, she plopped down on the bed.

She was sold.

"Oh, no. What's wrong now?" There are too many unfamiliar points.

" You are about to arrive in a romantic desert with a handsome, tall, brunette billionaire. If it sells, then I will sell myself."

Irena wrapped her arms around her stomach. Her feelings are a pile of rubble.

"But it goes against everything I fought for."

"Ugh, not that ridiculous oath you made yourself."

Irena rolled to the side.

"It's an important oath."

"Wrong, crazy."

Irena closed her eyes and took a deep breath.

Lindsay sighed as she sat down.

"So, make this story something you're willing to fight for. It will not violate your oath. Not everyone makes sense. Not everyone is Brent."

A stomach acid rose in Irena's throat at the mention of her ex-fiancé.

She hated that even his own name made her sick.

"Oh, Linds. Why do you have to mention him?"

Rolling out of bed, she stood up. Just thinking of him, her feelings were shattered.

"Because you have to move on," said Lindsay, leaning down on her elbows and using her fingers to trace circles around Irena's duvet.

"Perhaps Mr. Kennedy is the way to do it." She raised her eyebrows.

"I've moved on." Irena took a few T-shirts from the closet and stuffed them into the suitcase.

When she turned, Lindsay was looking at her.

"You don’t."

"I've completely moved on."

"Um." Lindsay turned and focused on Irena's bedside table.

"Irena, I would like to present Exhibit A as evidence," she said, reaching for a drawer.

It was the drawer where Irena hid a picture of herself and Brent that she couldn't bear to throw away.

"Wait!" she said as she plunged into the pit, but Lindsay was faster.

"What do we have here?" Lindsay asked, waving the photo in front of her.

"I'm going to drop that one."

Lindsay headrest.

"Actually?"

Irena dry mouth.

"Alright." Dang, why doesn't she seem more confident?

Lindsay's gaze left the photo and returned to Irena.

"So, you don't mind if I burn it? It can help you get rid of the bad juju in your aura.”

She narrowed her eyes as if studying the air around Irena.

"No, I don't mind," Irena said a little too forcefully.

Somewhere deep in her heart, she wasn't ready to close that door yet. Brent may return. He says he needs space to find himself again, and once he does, she will wait. She swallowed. But there's no way she'd let Lindsay know she'd raised that hope.

Lindsay stuffed the photo in her suitcase.

"Here. Take it with you. Maybe you'll find the courage to throw it away when you're in Greenland."

She gave Irena a sharp look and then yawned.

"I'm going to take a shower. My shift starts in half an hour. If I don't see you tomorrow" - she hugged her - "have a good and safe flight."

Irena nodded into her shoulder as she hugged back.

Lindsay left.

"Have fun."

Irena straightened her face.

"It's for work, Linds."

She rolled her eyes and headed straight for the door.

"If I don't get a billionaire, I want him to come to you. Life isn't all about work. He'll ignore you if you're not careful!" she called late.

Irena sighed and went back to her luggage. Photo of Brent staring at her. She rubbed her hands on her pant legs as she considered taking them off.

Then the image of Lindsay holding a session while he was away popped into her mind. Throwing the coat into the suitcase to cover it, she groaned. Since when did her life become such a complicated mess?