Page 52 of Rafe

“Please call if you need anything. Bon Appetit.” Shelby nodded and set off toward the front of the plane.

“Wow. This looks beautiful. And smells delicious.”

“Yes, I told you I really do have a chef. Please. Eat. You need your strength.”

Skylar lifted her fork and gently removed a fluffy piece of omelet and slid it inside her mouth. The culinary delight danced over her tongue and she smiled. “The truffles are so good. Who are you really, Sebastian?”

“Just a fellow on a work trip,” he answered without telling her his business.

“You’re an interesting one.” Skylar continued to eat.

“I’ll take that as a complement. I mean, who would like to be described otherwise? I’m certainly never boring. And you, Skylar, are a very unique human being, indeed.”

Skylar quietly evaluated his choice of words. She smiled, chewing as she slid another piece of egg onto her fork. “I don’t think I’m all that unique.”

“On the contrary, you traveled cross country to take a job you surely knew could end quickly but my guess is you’re in love with acting and pressed on. It’s admirable. The film industry is filled with dreamers. And where would our world be without film?”

“Hmm. True. Well, I wasn’t expecting my acting gig to end that quickly. But I’m taking a break now. It is what it is.” She set down her fork. “I really appreciate the lift to Washington. When I get home, I’m looking forward to a couple of weeks of quiet time.”

“Forgive me for overhearing your conversation but did I hear you say your parents were away?”

“Knowing my mom, she’ll be home before me.” Don’t let him think you’re going to be alone. “I know a lot of the neighbors, so yeah, I’m sure I’ll be busy once they find out I’m there.”

“I wish you peace, dove. You deserve it.”

“Yes, I actually do,” she replied. “I mean, it was hard to make the decision to leave New Orleans, but sometimes you have to take chances. You win some, you lose some, as they say. It’s all water under the bridge now. And like you said, maybe my luck is getting better.”

Skylar looked out the window at the sun peeking over Mount Rainier and she prayed things would go back to normal. Time healed all wounds. Logic told her she simply needed time to process the events of the past couple of days, but she suspected her heartbreak would leave a permanent scar. But no matter what her heart yearned for, the fleeting relationship she’d had with Rafe was over.

Skylar clutched the side of the leather seat as Sebastian raced his Porsche with precision around a tight curve. The speedometer crept toward ninety-five, and she bit her lip.

Sebastian insisted on driving her to her mother’s house, but when she refused, they agreed on the ferry terminal. From there she’d hop a bus and find her way back home.

Skylar studied Sebastian’s fine Italian suit, which appeared devoid of a single crease. Expensive. Cashmere. Though he appeared younger, he had a mature aristocratic air about him, and she wondered where he called home.

“You like cars?” Skylar gave a small laugh as the car rolled off the exit, decelerating.

“Indeed. It’s invigorating, yes?”

“I guess you could call it that.”

“It got your heart pumping blood, did it not?” Sebastian smiled but kept his focus on the road.

Skylar shot him a side eye, wishing they had already arrived. “So are you in Seattle long?”

“I certainly hope not. I have tickets to Giselle next weekend.”

“And I take it it’s not in Seattle?”

“Vienna. The Opera House. Have you been?”

“Regretfully, no.”

“Perhaps one day.”

“Perhaps,” Skylar replied as the car pulled up to the ferry terminal.

“We have arrived.” Sabastian pressed the hazard lights and turned off the car. “Just a second now.” He held up a finger at her as he exited the car and made his way to her side. A gentleman of another time.