Tyler stared at that last line for a long moment. Then dropped his phone in his pocket as the doors from customs opened and passengers began to trickle through.
He spotted Fiona immediately.
She looked... tired. Which was fair—she’d just spent seventeen hours on a plane. But it was more than travel fatigue. Her shoulders were tight, her jaw set, her eyesscanning the crowd with the wariness of someone walking into enemy territory.
Their eyes met.
Neither of them smiled.
Tyler raised a hand. Not a wave exactly. Just acknowledgment. I see you. I’m here. Let’s get this over with.
Fiona walked toward him, pulling a large suitcase and carrying a leather tote that probably cost more than anything he’d ever seen in real life.
She stopped about three feet away—close enough to talk, far enough to maintain distance.
“Tyler.”
“Fiona.”
Silence.
“How was the flight?” Tyler asked, because someone had to say something.
“Long.”
“Right. Yeah. Seventeen hours.”
“Eighteen, with the layover.”
“Right.”
More silence. Behind them, the toddler was still shrieking about Mommy. Tyler had never envied a toddler before, but at least that kid knew what to say.
“Is that all your luggage?” he asked, nodding at the suitcase.
“I have another bag coming.”
“Okay. I’ll just—” He gestured vaguely towardthe carousel.
They stood side by side, watching suitcases circle. Not talking. The awkwardness was almost impressive in its density.
“There.” Fiona pointed to a matching suitcase, same expensive leather as the first.
Tyler grabbed it. It weighed approximately nine hundred pounds.
“What’s in here?”
“Clothes. Toiletries. I didn’t know how long I’d be staying.”
Neither do I, Tyler thought. But he just nodded and started walking toward the exit.
The drive back to Laguna was forty-five minutes of extremely careful conversation.
They covered the weather—warm—the traffic—moderate—and whether Tyler had heard about some Australian politician’s scandal—he hadn’t. Safe topics. Surface topics. The conversational equivalent of two diplomats negotiating a ceasefire.
Fiona stared out the window, her expression unreadable.
“Stella’s excited to see you,” he offered.
