I wish Ashlee could come to Colorado with me now. She’s coming, but not until two days before the wedding.
Tucker and I don’t want to wait. We want to be together. We need to be together. I need to touch him. I need to hear his laugh, watch the little wrinkles by the edge of his eyes when he smiles. I need to reassure myself that everything between us is real.
So, this isit. I’m going to be with my man. My heart shoots little fireworks through me at such a thought: Tucker is my man.
I zip closed the suitcase and then glance around my bedroom. The emptiness makes everything all too real. I’ve boxed up everything I couldn’t fly with, and Ashlee’s promised to ship everything else after the wedding.
Not before. She says she doesn’t want to waste my money by having to ship it all back again when the wedding falls through.
My best friend.
She’s worse than my mom.
Who was shocked, yes. Appalled, even. But my mom knows me. She knows Tucker must be special for me to go to these lengths.
Marriage isn’t something the Langley women jumped into easily. If at all. My mom never did anyway. Even after she found herself three months pregnant at the onset of her career.
My phone buzzes with info on my flight’s status. Despite thunderstorms in the Denver area, my plane is scheduled to leave on time. Normally I’d just ride B.A.R.T. to the airport but my suitcases are loaded up and oversized.
My gaze drifts around the rooms I’ve called home for the past three and a half years. It doesn’t seem that long but so much has happened since Ashlee and I leased the tiny apartment a few blocks up from Pier Thirty-nine. I signed with my agent, sold my first book. Began a successful career in young adult romance.
In this living room, we’d grieved crappy dates, recovered from hangovers, and watched Sex in the City so many times we could recite most of the lines by heart. Leaving my best friend was far and away the worst part about getting married. That and leaving San Francisco.
Glancing out the window, a small black sedan pulls up. I assume it’s the ride I called for a few minutes ago.
My Uber. I seriously doubt I’ll have access to Uber drivers in the back of beyond.
Ashlee notices it too. “You stupid lovesick fool.” Brushing some strands of hair away from my face, Ashlee tries to laugh. She’ll understand some day.
I meet her eyes. “I love him, Ash.” I hug her impulsively. “You’re gonna love him too.”
She shakes her head. “I’m good, thanks.” We just stare at one another for a moment, almost a standoff. And then on a sigh, she pulls away and grabs one of my giant suitcases. I trail behind her down the stairs and out to the curb.
I’ll miss these crazy steep hills. And the sound of trolley cars two streets over.
Ignoring the distant blue of the ocean, the colorful buildings up and down the street, and everything that’s become so familiar, Ashlee and I share one last tearful hug before I climb into the car. “This isn’t goodbye forever.” I laugh through a sob. “I’ll see you in three weeks.”
She nods. “If not sooner.”
I wave one hand. “Enough already!” Tears threaten again.
“We’re sorry forthe delay, folks. We’re still waiting for permission to land. Bit of bad weather in the Denver area today. Shouldn’t be much longer.” The captain’s speech is emphasized by a flash of lightning.
I wish I could text Tucker. I hate the idea of him waiting for me at the airport. Already I’m over two hours late. Foggy clouds enshrine the plane. Peering out the windows, I’m gripped by more than a little fear.
“Weather in Colorado is finicky this way,” the gray-haired woman in the seat next to me pipes up. “I remember a few years when we got snow in June.” This woman shows no sign of concern whatsoever as she casually flips through her Good Housekeeping magazine.
“So not a big deal for April?” I ask her. I’m not much of a snow person. Sure, California boasts mountains as well as beaches, but I prefer to dwell on the sunny side of the Sunshine State. “I didn’t think it snowed this late.” The Colorado learning curve might be a little steep for me.
Just then the plane shakes and it seems as though it drops a few thousand feet. My stomach lurches to the top of my ribcage, and surprised gasps echo throughout the cabin.
“Landing in this airport can be a little dicey.” A little? My seatmate remains unfazed by the violent turbulence. “Something to do with how the wind hits the mountains.”
I’ve done my fair share of flying but never experienced anything like this. In that moment, the plane gives a good impression of driving over giant potholes, sending my heart into overdrive. I just want this flight to be over. I close my eyes and focus on the fact that I get to see Tucker as soon as we land. Feel his arms around me…
“Flight attendants, take your seats.” The lights lower as the uniformed staff rushes about the cabin before settling in.
Serious bouncing now.
