A signature with no sentiment.
The road unrolled outside her window, endless green and Carolina blue skies. Her chest felt tight. Stupid, probably. But it did.
It wasn’t just the way he left.
It was how sincere it all felt—right up until it didn’t.
She didn’t even realize they’d arrived until the SUV slowed into the gravel driveway.
“How fast were you going, Sara?” she asked, shaking herself out of the spiral.
Sara laughed from behind the wheel. “Speed limit. Maybe. You weren’t paying attention. We thought you ghosted us at the airport.”
Claire forced a smile. “Sorry. Just… distracted. Let’s go get settled.”
The girls piled out of the SUV, grabbing bags and rolling suitcases behind them, already deep in debate over plans for the next couple days. Something about paddleboards. Something about bonfires. “Buns in the Sun” day was scheduled for Thursday, and Sara was already planning matching swimsuits for their group selfie.
Claire followed in silence, dragging her suitcase through the sand-dusted air, nodding when appropriate but barely hearing a word. Her mind was still back on the plane. Still replaying every second. Still wondering what the hell had changed between the runway and that damn goodbye.
Because something had.
She felt it.
And if he didn’t?
Then maybe she was just another passenger.
Another passing moment.
But damn it, it hadn’t felt like that.
Not even close.
3
Unanswered Questions
ByFridayafternoon,Claireshould’ve been thinking about cocktails, sunsets, and sleeping in past 7 AM. But her mind? Still stuck in that damn airport. That damn plane. And the man who somehow made her feel like everything was clicking—until he turned around and walked away like none of it mattered.
She stood at the bathroom mirror, curling her hair half-heartedly as the girls shouted dinner ideas from the other room. But her focus kept drifting. Her chest tightened like it always did when you wanted closure that wasn’t coming. And maybe it was stupid—maybe she was overthinking a casual, two-hour flight conversation—but the way Jaxon had ended it? It didn’t sit right. It hadn’t felt casual at all.
Not until he made it that way.
Claire wandered back toward the bedroom where Macie was sifting through a pile of sundresses like they were battle armor. “Can you believe that?” Claire asked, still staring off like the words weren’t even meant to be out loud.
Macie glanced up. “Can I believe what?”
“The way Jaxon ended things after the flight. I mean…” Claire shook her head. “I’ve never had a problem keeping a guy’s attention.”
“Maybe he was just in a hurry?” Macie offered gently, trying to sound neutral—but Claire could hear the doubt.
“I bet he’s married,” Sara called out from the hallway. “That’s why he dipped so quick.”
Claire scoffed. “I didn’t see a ring. No tan line either. And believe me, the man was tan.”
“Girl, you stared that hard at his hand?” Macie teased, raising an eyebrow.
“When a man like that’s sitting next to you on a plane for two hours? Yeah, I paid attention.”
