My vision is blurry from the tears as I push open the door and step into the warm June air. Pedestrians shove past me on the sidewalk and the familiar sounds of New York traffic are oddly soothing. A tear trickles down my cheek and I swipe it away furiously, digging my phone out of my purse and pulling up my best friend’s contact info with shaking fingers. She, blessedly, answers on the second ring.
“Are you okay?” she asks immediately by way of greeting.
“What time did you say your flight leaves tomorrow?” My voice cracks at the end of the question. I’d normally be embarrassed of crying in front of anyone, of showing any sort of emotion or vulnerability, but not to my best friend. Not to the one who feels more like family to me than my own sisters.
“Oh, Jane, I’m already on my way to the airport.”
My steps slow before coming to a halt. I stop and press my back to the brick building behind me, letting everyone continue on past me as my heart crumples right there in the middle of a bustling sidewalk on a sunny Sunday afternoon.
“I’m so sorry,” my best friend’s voice fills the line, consoling and regretful.
I wave a hand as if she could see me right now. “Don’t be. You have things to do. Obligations. A fancy job you’re great at.”
“Is everything okay?”
I sniffle. “Yes, everything is just fine. I just wanted some company. The shower went . . . well, it went about as well as I should have expected it would go.”
“I feel terrible, Jane. If I didn’t have to go for work I’d turn around right now.”
“Well you obviously can’t choose me over Dublin. Seriously, I’m fine. I’llbefine. Have fun. Let me know when you two land.”
“Yes, mom,” Lola teases.
“Send pictures. Let me pretend like I’m there too.”
“Do you want the grainy ones from my phone or the gorgeous ones Kai takes?”
“Lola, I don’t have time to wait for Kai to upload photos and email them to me. Just send me whatever blurry photos you take.”
She scoffs. “My photos are not blurry.”
Kai mutters something in the background. “No they are not,” Lola says, doubling down. I can just picture her swatting him playfully on the arm, him grinning at her as he drives to the airport, the smile that would envelope her face.
Okay now I’m feeling sad for myself.
I clear my throat, bringing myself back to the present and out of my sad, pitiful train of thought.
“Seriously, have fun. I can’t wait to read your article.”
“You’ll be the first, as always,” she promises.
“Safe travels.”
“Love you.”
“Love you too.”
I end the call and shove my phone in my purse.
“I’ll keep you company.”
I jump at the sound of the deep baritone. I spin around and find Reid behind me, hands shoved in his pockets.
“So long as that wasn’t a secret boyfriend you were talking to,” he adds. An amused grin touches his lips, but there’s something in his eyes that looks vaguely like curiosity.
Pressing a hand to my racing heart that has everything to do with him scaring me and absolutely nothing to do with his smile, I hiss “Where did you come from?”
Reid nods a head to the building we just exited. “The shower. Same as you.” I simply nod in response, my hand still pressed to my chest and my thrumming heart as I stare at him. His eyes are roving over my face, taking in my red-rimmed eyes and tear-stained cheeks. I briefly worry that I have dark streaks of mascara trailing down my face, but I have too many emotions to push that one to the highest of concerns. He frowns and quickly closes the distance between us, his rosemary and lemon scent infiltrating my senses and suddenly making me feel a brief sense of relief. Reid raises a hand and gently swipes his thumb across my cheekbones.
