“It is. Carries fourteen people with five beds. I just hope I can finally sleep.”
He grinned at me. “You better rest up before you get to Colin. I got a feeling you won’t be sleeping when you get there.”
“He doesn’t know I’m coming, so if he messages you, you don’t know where I am.”
Evan winked. “Will do.”
I got out and gathered Bella and Allister. Evan grabbed my bags, then carried them to the steps where the flight crew took them aboard.
“Have a good time. We’ll see you guys soon.”
I hugged my friend, then boarded the plane.
Once we were in flight, I sat back and looked out over our ocean. Bella was stretched out on the leather sofa, and Allister was in my lap.
As I ran my hand down his velvety black fur, all I could think about was how I couldn’t wait to see him. Pressing my hand to my chest, I felt the two platinum rings that dangled from the chain I’d strung them through. The moment I bought them, I hung them around my neck so as not to forget them.
Colin was everything to me, and I wasn’t coming home without him.
“I’m coming, baby,” I murmured out the window over our ocean. “I’m coming.”
Chapter 34
Colin
It took two days to schedule an appointment with the Department of Home Affairs to resolve the issues with my visa. As I waited to be called back, I tried to text Carson, but he wasn’t responding. He lived for our messages, just like I did. Even though I’d only been here for less than a week, it already felt like months.
When the lady called me back for yet another interview, I smiled and pocketed my phone to follow her back.
“You can have a seat here, please.”
I did as she asked and had a seat. “Thank you.”
“My name is Leslie Newcastle. How can I help you, Mr. Kearney?”
Smiling, I explained my concerns about my visa being denied and wanted to know how to clear up any misinformation.
Leslie typed into her computer as I waited, what seemed like a week, for her to find what she was looking for. I wasn’t known to have stellar patience, but for Carson, I’d do anything.
“Here we go. There seems to be some concern regarding your desire not to return to our country.”
My brow furrowed. “I don’t think I understand.”
“It says here, a tip came in that you did not wish to return to Australia. Were you seeking asylum in the United States?”
I shook my head. “No ma’am. I was there to work. And I’d like to return to work again for the same team.”
She typed away again on her computer until she asked another question. “Is there a reason you have closed all your banking accounts here in Sydney?”
I nodded. “Yes, ma’am. My agent was skimming money from my accounts. It was over half a million dollars. I had to close them to keep him from taking what was left.”
“Why not open another one at another bank here in Australia?”
“I was in the United States and plan to go back to work there as a professional athlete. I needed my money where I was.”
She looked at me over her glasses. “Do you see how that might look as if you were planning not to return?”
I was getting irritated. “Am I not allowed to leave and not come back?”
