“Sounds like I need to sign up for Facebook Marketplace so I can search for ‘Parties for People Avoiding Their Feuding Families.’ That ought to do it.”
His warm, genuine chuckle rumbled through him. “That’s a good way to get yourself murdered. It’d be a lot safer to come to my family’s Fourth of July party. You remember it from last year. A ton of people and a ton of food.”
“We’re not— we were dating last year, so it was okay for me to go then.”
He was shaking his head before she finished her protest. “No one’ll care if we’re not there as a couple. I mean, they’llcarebecause they’re all still in mourning over our breakup. Mamá lights a candle for the two of us every time she goes to Mass.”
If not for the laughter in his tone, she might have been worried. Either he was indifferent, or he thought that seeking the help of the divine for an ended relationship was taking things a little far.
“Fresh salsa again this year?” She was honestly considering it a little. A very little.
“And live music.” He wiggled his eyebrows as if offering a temptation she couldn’t possibly resist. “And, as if that weren’t enough, at least half of the people there will speak entirely in Spanish. You won’t understand a word.”
She finished off her Dr. Pepper. “I wonder what it would take to get my family to talk only in languages I don’t understand.”
“Things sound even worse with your family than they were before.” He set aside his snacks and gave her his full attention. “Are you all right?”
She slumped a little on the bench. “It’s really not any different than before. I guess I just notice it more than I used to.” Knowing Miguel’s family and watching how they interacted with one another had changed the way she saw her own family.
“Then maybe it’s a good thing you’ve been away from them the past few days.”
It was, and yet...
“What is it?” he asked.
The confession that came next surprised her. “This trip was a little lonely. I always come here alone, but I really felt it this time.”
He reached across the table and set his hand on hers. She ought to have pulled away, but found she didn’t have the heart. His touch was as gentle and tender as she remembered, and she’d missed it. She adjusted her hand enough to thread her fingers through his.
“Where did we go wrong, Jane?” he asked quietly. “We were always so good together.”
Regret trickled over her. “We just wanted different things, I guess.”
His brow pulled downward. His gaze grew more intense. “You didn’t want to spend the rest of your life with me.”
That wasn’t it exactly. “I didn’tnotwant it.”
He blinked a few times in rapid succession. “But you turned me down. You said no.”
She realized quite suddenly how personal their discussion had become. This was exactly the topic she’d wanted to avoid. Thinking about their breakup made her emotional, and she wasn’t about to start crying in a crowded airport.
She pulled her hand back. “Thanks for the snack break.”
“Jane, I—”
“Ladies and gentlemen, we have updated flight information for our Denver passengers.”
Jane turned her gaze to the gate counter.
“Due to ongoing weather problems throughout much of the Midwest, delays and cancellations are widespread throughout the country. The delay of this evening’s Denver flight has beenextended. We do not, at this time, have an estimate for when the flight will depart.”
Not even an estimate? That is not a good omen.
“Passengers wishing to rebook for a future day may speak with any of the gate agents who have now arrived for that purpose. For those choosing to wait, we appreciate your continued patience, and we will keep you updated. Thank you.”
A few passengers jumped up immediately; others seemed to be debating. An indefinite delay most likely meant an eventual cancellation. But there was still a chance. And rebooking wouldn’t necessarily make a difference. If flights were being delayed and canceled across the country, travel would be chaotic for days.
She met Miguel’s eyes once more. What did he mean to do about his flight? If they both intended to stay and wait out the delay, that’d likely mean more awkward conversations, more confronting her own regrets and confusion. She wasn’t sure she was ready for that.
