No Way to Say Goodbye Read Online Free PDF Page B

going?”
    “Ireland.”
    His mother was taken aback. “Ireland?” she’d repeated, shocked.
    “I always promised Gran I’d go. So I’m going.”
    “Wow!” was all she could say. Still, she was beaming. She’d never been to her mother’s homeland but she was happy that her son was to visit the country her mother had loved. “When?”
    “Tomorrow morning.”
    “And your dad?”
    “Tell him I’m sorry about his nose. Tell him I’m well and it’s going to be OK.”
    “You’re sure?” she asked.
    “I am,” he lied.
    “You were always your grandmother’s favourite,” said his mother. “She’d be proud.”
    Sam had no doubt that, if she had been alive, she would have kicked his ass. Still, he was glad he’d seen his mother and, as hard as it was when she hugged him, he hugged her back. Perhaps his shrink had been right when he had simply advised: “Whatever it is, just let it go, man!” He desperately wanted to.
    Later that night he had dinner with Mia in her favourite restaurant.
    As soon as he had extended the invitation she’d known he was ending their relationship, yet she’d agreed that he could pick her up at eight. There had been technical problems with the video shoot and it had run on so she had just spent the fourth day in a row dancing on set for seven hours. Her ankle needed to be strapped and she’d have to take painkillers for her back. She’d left the studio with the set beautician, who would ensure that her hair and makeup were perfect. If she was going to be dumped by the love of her life, at least she’d look good while he was doing it.
    Sam arrived outside her building at eight sharp. Building security escorted her to the limo. Sam kissed her cheek and they sat in silence until they reached the restaurant. Outside, paparazzi bulbs flashed as she made her exit from the car, careful that they didn’t get a shot between her legs. Sam walked in ahead, knowing they were only interested in a name. She felt like a lamb being led to slaughter, not that she showed it. She was used to facing the flashes alone, so what was different about tonight? She turned it on. She smiled and paraded, winked and waved, and when they’d got what they were looking for she joined Sam, who was ready to order. They discussed the problems with the shoot, the recording of her third album and the inevitable tour but he waited until they had ordered coffee instead of dessert to talk properly.
    “I have to leave,” he said simply.
    She nodded and asked him to pass the milk.
    “Did you hear what I said?” he asked.
    “You’re leaving.”
    “You’re not surprised.”
    “Well, if you’re going to break up with Leland the day before you break up with me, what do you expect?” she asked, even-toned.
    “I didn’t think,” he admitted.
    “You never do.” She forced a smile and waved at a fellow limelighter who was passing and reeked of Dior – they’d be forced to smell her long after she had left.
    “I’m sorry,” he apologized, for the umpteenth time that day.
    “You are,” she agreed. She was playing it tough but the façade was crumbling. “So are we really over?”
    “I don’t know,” he said, unable to be honest with either of them.
    “You don’t know?” she repeated, tears welling and all pretence gone.
    “I just need time,” he said, and now she was crying openly.
    “It’s not over,” she begged. Please don’t leave me!
    “No, it’s not.” He backed down. Coward! “Do you want to go home?” he asked, concerned that people would notice her unravelling.
    “Yes,” she agreed. Hold it together .
    “Waiter!”
    And suddenly she broke down completely, even though they were in public and in a place where every waiter was on the razzis’ payroll. Sam found her loud sobbing deeply disturbing – the reason he’d taken her there was to avoid a scene.
    Mia couldn’t help it because, as bad as he was, she couldn’t bear to lose him. The waiter dropped the bill and grinned,