“I probably should have just shipped everything home,” Evie said with a small laugh, taking her place beside Slater. “It would have been easier, and then I could have skipped dealing with checking my bags at the airport.”
“You still can,” Milo reasoned. “Nora and I can take everything into town and ship it. All you’ll need is your carry-on. All your necessities can fit in that, and it’s not like you brought a ton of stuff with you.”
“Tell that to my fourth suitcase.”
“You know what I’m saying. If not having to deal with checking bags and then worrying about them getting lost and not making it all the way home with you…”
“Does that really happen?” Evie asked, looking at all of them.
“It shouldn’t, but you have a layover and if there are delays…” Milo went on with a shrug.
“And you can really ship my luggage?” she asked incredulously. “That seems like maybe I’m being excessive.”
“Or practical,” Nora added. “Besides, your boss will pay for it, so it won’t cost you anything. Right, Milo?”
He smiled serenely. “Of course.”
She looked up at Slater. “What do you think? Am I being ridiculous?”
“Personally, I’m all for convenience,” he said easily. “I hate having to wait in line and tag my own bags only to get to my destination and find they didn’t make it. If Milo’s willing to handle it, I say do it. You’re going home, so it’s not like you’re going to be without the things you need. Just put your essentials in your carry-on.”
She glanced at Milo. “And you’re sure you don’t mind?”
“I’ll ship it out today and pay for it to get there the quickest way possible.”
Beside him, she sagged with relief. “Okay. Thank you. I don’t travel a whole lot, and flying alone makes me a little nervous.”
“Don’t worry,” Nora assured her. “We’ve got you covered.”
“Thanks.”
“Anyone want more coffee?” Nora asked.
Slater’s phone rang, and he glanced at the screen as he stood. “Uh…none for me, but I need to take this.” He looked down at Evie. “I’ll meet you back at the cabin.”
Then he waved goodbye and stepped outside and onto the path before answering. “Hey, Dave! What’s up?”
Evie stared out of the window overlooking the runway and tried not to think about the fact that she was leaving.
Not just the resort and the friends she’d somehow collected in a mere month, but Slater.
The gate area buzzed with the usual airport chaos—rolling suitcases, muffled announcements, someone arguing with a gate agent about a missed connection—but Evie felt strangely removed from it all, like she was watching someone else’s life unfold from the outside.
She wrapped her fingers around the paper cup of coffee she’d bought ten minutes ago and hadn’t touched since.
It had been a good goodbye. A clean one. A temporary one.
And that was the only reason she’d been able to hold herself together.
Slater had walked her into the terminal, carried her bag even though she’d insisted she could manage it, and given her that easy, crooked smile she’d come to love.
They’d hugged when they reached the entrance for security, and then he’d kissed her so deeply, so thoroughly, that she almost told him she would stay in Harbortown and they could go to Seattle together in a few weeks.
But that would have meant missing her brother’s wedding, and she couldn’t do that.
No matter how much she wanted to.
Then he’d stepped back, hands in his pockets, and said, “It’s going to be okay. We’ll be together soon. I promise.”
