“I’m not going to make you do all those train changes with luggage. I’ll have Sarah drive you straight to your apartment.”
“Thank you,” I say in relief. That does make it a lot easier to get back home. And quicker.
I rush up the stairs to pack everything up and run out of the house before I have to see anyone else.
Especially Gavin.
I hear a knock on my door and freeze in the process of shoving my toiletries into their small bag with one hand and wiping up my snot with the other. “Who is it?”
“Sarah.” A voice calls out.
I rush to the door to let her in. “Hi. Thank you for saving me one more time.”
“Oh my.” Sarah, being a consummate professional, takes one look at me with my stuffed toiletries bag and then behind, seeing open suitcases haphazardly filled with stuff. She efficiently and gently pushes me back into the room. “Harrison says you’re leaving a day early.”
“Yeah.” Even I can hear how pathetic I sound.
“Okay then. Why don’t you sit and I’ll finish packing everything?”
“I don’t think I can sit still,” I whisper.
Not entirely true. I can sit still, but then I’ll just want to ugly cry a bunch and I would like to avoid that until I’m in the comfort and privacy of my own home.
She changes course from directing me to the bed, to directing me to the vanity. “Why don’t you finish up with the stuff on the vanity, and I’ll get the clothes?”
“Yeah. Sounds good.”
With Sarah’s efficient calm, I’m able to go through the motions of getting all my stuff together. Some tears leak out, but Sarah doesn’t comment on them, which I’m very grateful for.
“Let’s get you home,” she says once we get all my luggage collected at my room’s door.
“Thank you.”
She hands me a tissue and takes some of my luggage for me. “We’ll go through the elevator with all of this.”
“There’s an elevator?” I shouldn’t be surprised but it does help distract me a little from my sadness.
I step out the door with my own load of luggage and hear someone shout my name from behind me.
I was so close.
Chapter Thirty-One
Of course I can’t slip away without seeing Gavin one last time. Because nothing can go my way today. If I made bets, I’d put money on Sarah’s tires being flat or the freeway being closed as well.
“Hi, Gavin. I have to leave a little earlier than anticipated, but congratulations on your upcoming sale.” I try to avoid looking him in the eyes and keep moving after Sarah to the elevator.
“Wait.” He touches me lightly on the elbow. “What’s going on? Is everything okay?” He moves to stand in front of me. “You’ve been crying.” He sends an accusatory look to Sarah, who responds with wide eyes, unsure what to do.
I make eye contact with Gavin and immediately regret it. His is the face of me losing, in a spectacular fashion, and I resent him for it. I guess that answers the question of what happens when lovers compete—it doesn’t end well.
“It’s nothing.” Why won’t he drop this?
“Please tell me what’s wrong. I can’t fix it if I don’t know what’s wrong.” He looks pleading and ready to punch someone at the same time.
“You have the show. There’s no reason for me to stick around.”
“I have the show? What show?” He does a convincing job of looking confused.
