Sure, I was a bit bitter, but I think I had taken it all in stride at this point in my life. At least they no longer had to pretend to care about what I did with my life. My parents were happy enough living in their luxury without a care in the world. That was something Willow and I found that we had in common. Parents that cared more about themselves than their children. Somedays, I wondered why they had even decided to have me.
Shutting down my laptop I confirmed with Sam that my flight was taking off in five hours and decided to head back to my apartment to finish packing. I tended to travel light because I knew that I could get whatever I needed when I landed, or Sam could send it to me.
“Any word from Willow?” I asked him as I passed by his desk outside of my office.
“No, sir. Would you like me to ask the airport to let me know if she checks into the flight? That way you don’t make an unnecessary trip.”
I debated for a moment if I wanted the heads up, knowing that Sam was right about driving to the airport for no reason. The Asheville airport was an hour or so from Carson and I didn’t really have the extra time to spare. Plus, if she decided not to show, I could cancel the rental I had set up for her.
I wasn’t sure that I had fully grasped how I would handle it if she didn’t show. My heart was banking on the fact that she and I had a connection that night and it had haunted her the way it had me. But I had no proof of that, only hope. And hope was a fickle beast.
“Yes, please let me know.”
He looked up at me sympathetically, the look of pity grating my nerves, but I understood it all the same. He thought her showing up was a pipe dream, and maybe it was.
With a forced smile, I added, “At least it would give me the heads up to find the closest bar instead of making the trek to Asheville.”
“That’s true, sir. I have emailed you your flight information and boarding pass along with the car and cabin rental information.”
“Thanks, Sam. I think you’ll be surprised when you arrive. The town is unlike any place you’ve ever been before.”
His face morphed to one of disgust, the born-and-bred city boy shining through. “I’ll take your word for it. I mean, the town doesn’t even have a website.”
“I’m sure we’ll all survive. Thanks again, Sam. Don’t forget to let me know if she checks in.”
“Will do. Have a safe trip.”
Packing up my two suitcases didn’t take much time, just enough to leave me a few minutes to spare before my car service would arrive to take me to the airport. Walking around the space, I did my routine check to make sure that everything was turned off except for what my cleaners would need. I always hired a team to come in once a week and do a check in and quick cleaning. I hated coming home to a dusty place.
Stopping in front of the full-length mirror the interior designer propped in the corner of my bedroom, I took a good long look over myself. I was dressed down in a pair of well-worn jeans and a form-fitted navy T-shirt. Nothing ostentatious like what I wore to the office on a daily basis, or what I wore when I was checking out one of our many clubs. Come to think of it, Willow had never seen me dressed casually and I wondered what she thought of my suits. I had been told by many an ex-girlfriend that I wore the suits well, but maybe that put Willow off.
A notification on my phone chimed, alerting me that my ride was out front. Gathering my luggage, I made my way out of my apartment and helped the driver load my suitcases into his trunk.
Before I knew it, I was flying high above Boston, heading south toward North Carolina. My stomach was churning, something that never happened when I flew, but I knew it had nothing to do with the air pressure or slight turbulence. It had everything to do with the woman I had left behind, unknowing if she would take a chance on me.
5
Willow
“Am I doing the right thing, Jolee?” I asked my cousin as I gathered another shirt and threw it haphazardly into my suitcase.
“What do you mean?” she replied as she lay casually across my bed.
“I mean, am I nuts to take this man’s offer? He’s practically a stranger. God, he could be a serial killer for all I know.”
“Well, I don’t know of any serial killers that look like him, but what a way to go.”
“Jolee!” I shouted, tossing a pair of clean socks in her direction.
“Sorry, I’m joking. But, no, I don’t think that you’re nuts. I think you found yourself in a tough situation and then something that truly can be chalked up to fate landed in your lap.”
“Really? Fate?” I said exasperatedly with a roll of my eyes as I threw a sundress into my suitcase. I had never traveled below the state of New York, so I had no idea how the weather would be in North Carolina. I assumed it was hot and humid like I had seen in the movies.
“Yes, fate. There is seriously no other explanation. I mean, this one-night-stand that you left in the middle of the night ends up being the son of the dean, which explains why he was at the graduation. But he overhears you lamenting about your lack of internship and miraculously has an opening for interns at multiple jobs. You know what that tells me?”
“Not a clue.”
“It tells me that he is a stellar businessman and that he really really wants to spend more time with you.”
“What if it’s all a set up though? What if I get down there and it’s all just a rouse to get in my pants?”
“Ugh, he’s already been your pants.”
“Seriously, Jolee?”
“Sorry,” she said with a shrug of her shoulders but the look on her face that meant she was anything but. “But, Willow, what do you have to lose? I feel like you’re looking at this all wrong. There is this amazingly attractive man who is offering you exactly what you need to graduate. And let's add that you have amazing chemistry with this man and you get to travel to a new place. I mean, come on, girl. I think you’re nuts if you decide not to do this.”
“Ugh, you’re right,” I reply with a heavy sigh as I fall backward onto my bed, nearly landing on her feet. “What’s wrong with me? I should be excited and thrilled at this chance.”
“You are excited and thrilled, but you’re also nervous. And that’s okay. But I don’t have a bad feeling about this at all. I think you’re going to have a great time. Just make sure you let me know if you decide that you’re not coming back.”
Turning to face her, I look at my cousin skeptically. “Why wouldn’t I come back?”
“Maybe you love the town. Maybe they offer you a job. Maybe you fall in love with the man.”
I seriously considered everything she said and I feared I was almost halfway there with the last point that she made. I ended up leaving him that night because I felt too much too quickly. There was nothing sane about how my heart had sped up as I stared at him sleeping. It was creepy, I know, but fear that I would wake and find the entire night was a dream had kept me awake.
“Promise you’ll visit me this summer? I can send you pictures of the venue if Ford decides to make an honest woman of you. Maybe you can get married there.”
“Don’t get my hopes up. You know as well as I do that Ford having a girlfriend is more than anyone expected.”