“That man is in love with you.”
My stomach flutters at the idea of that being true. Like I can maybe believe, but love? Though some part of me rationalizes if I’m feeling this way, there’s a chance he is too. But if that’s true, then what the hell was going on last night?
“Now go home and ask him what the hell is his problem and proceed with the plan.”
“He’s sleeping.” Like I should be doing. “And Wren is coming this afternoon. I’ll deal with all this after the weekend.”
She hums a sound of disapproval but doesn’t pinch me again.
I stay and stretch and work on floor as planned, but it’s hard to concentrate. I’m glad when it’s finally time to leave and get Wren.
On my way out, Coach Liz stops me in the lobby.
“Hey, Hannah.” Her quiet tone and tentative smile has shame heating my face instantly. It’s an automatic reaction that I have to fight off. I’ve paid my monthly fees but because I know she deals with the accounting at the gym, she’s become the debt collector looming over me, reminding me (if only in my head) that there are bills to pay and my savings account is dwindling.
“Hi.” I clutch the strap of my bag like a lifeline. All paid up or not, she makes me nervous.
Her smile pulls a little higher, a little more genuine. “Sorry to catch you before the weekend but I wanted to remind you that the yearly gym fees will be added to your next month’s bill.”
Somewhere in the very back corner of my mind where I store important but rarely used information, I grasp on to the gym fees line item in my contract and important bold font stating payable January 1. The exact number of the fees eludes me, but it doesn’t really matter. Five hundred or five thousand, I don’t have it.
Not that nor the coaching fees for the next two months. Fuck. How could I forget about something so important?
“Right. Of course. Thanks for the heads-up, Coach.”
“Have a good weekend, Hannah. I hope the storm holds off for a few more hours.” She glances toward the windows where light snow has started to fall.
“Me too. My sister is flying in this afternoon.” My smile is brittle, and the words sound far away. I’m still trying to do impossible math in my head.
“How nice. Enjoy.” She lifts her hand in a wave and heads back to her office.
By the time I get outside, the snow is already coming down harder. I should have taken the time to pull on my sweatpants because the cold air nips at my legs as I hurry to my Jeep and get in. I start the engine and will the heat to work faster. I place my hands in front of the vents and check the time again, cursing myself. With the weather it’ll likely take me longer to get to the airport and I’m already cutting it close.
I pull out of the parking lot and start the twenty-minute drive. My Jeep easily navigates the snow but a few minutes in, there’s a rattle that’s getting progressively worse and harder to ignore.
I contemplate pulling off an exit but I’m so close and Wren’s flight will be landing in a matter of minutes. That ends up being my downfall because not half a mile later, white smoke starts coming out of the hood. At first, I hope it’s just condensation from the cold but as it grows so does my panic.
“No, no, no, no.” I pull off to the side of the highway and throw my hazards on, then I kill the engine and grab my phone. I check Wren’s location, but she must not have landed yet because it says she’s still in Arizona.
My mind reels. I’m deciding between calling a rideshare and dealing with this later or calling a tow and begging them to drop me at the airport. Neither is likely to get me there in time.
My phone starts ringing before I’ve made up my mind.
Travis.
Travis never calls me. He texts. He sends voice messages. He sends videos and memes. But the number of times he’s called me is zero.
“Hello?” I answer tentatively, half expecting it to be a butt dial.
“Hey, Hannah. Where are you?”
“Highway C.”
“You’re on your way to get Wren?”
“Umm…” I glance at the smoke still billowing out of my Jeep. “Sort of.”
“Shit. I was hoping to catch you before you left.”
