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“Sorry,” Olivia murmured.
Melanie glanced into the bedroom, her eyes widened. “You guys have been busy.”
“I’m channeling my emotions in here for now.” Olivia turned toward the room, realizing it looked much worse from this angle than when she’d been sitting in the midst of her piles. “Jade’s mind has been working in overdrive and now I’m even more torn than before.”
“My idea is brilliant, if you ask me.”
“I didn’t,” Olivia told Jade.
“Well, tell me,” Melanie demanded.
Olivia went back into the room and sank down in the circle where she’d been surrounded by photos and papers. “I’ll let Jade tell you. I’m still trying to wrap my mind around it all.”
As her friends settled into the room, Jade started all over again explaining about the newly revamped airport catering to a higher class of clientele. Even the second time hearing this didn’t make it any clearer in Olivia’s mind.
She shuffled through the pictures, realizing she couldn’t bring herself to get rid of any. They each captured a moment that she’d never get back, and with each one she was instantly thrust into an exact time and place. The clothes were familiar, the smiles were so real she could hear the laughter. There were definitely good times in her life, or maybe she’d been so young her mother had shielded her from the sadness.
What the hell was Olivia supposed to do with all this stuff? Her condo in Atlanta wasn’t exactly the place she wanted to bring all these boxes. When she went back—and she seriously prayed that was soon—she wanted to be free of all these things, all this stuff she’d lived without since she left the last time.
“That does sound rather impressive,” Melanie finally stated when Jade was done with her marketing plan. “Time-consuming, costly, but definitely a risk that could pay off in a big way.”
Olivia dropped the stack of old pictures into her lap and glanced to her friend, who sat on the edge of the four-poster bed. “I’m aware of the pros and cons. Believe me, I’ve made a spreadsheet in my head. I just . . . damn it, I wish my dad wouldn’t have left me his portion of the airport. Or, I don’t know, at least know what he expected me to do with it.”
Melanie wrapped her fingers around the dark wood post and shrugged. “Maybe if you listen, he’s trying to tell you.”
Confused, Olivia asked, “What do you mean?”
“I believe in signs,” she explained. “Pay attention to what’s going on around you. Don’t make this about you trying to get in and get out. Think about what’s going on, how it will affect you and everyone involved. Maybe there is an answer that will work for everyone and maybe your dad had something in mind and that’s why he left it to both you and Jackson.”
Olivia didn’t want to wait for some sign. Time wasn’t on her side at the moment. There was only so long she could work away from her office in Atlanta. Even though she was doing her job just the same, it was different to be face-to-face with her boss. Olivia wanted that promotion and needed to get back in order to make sure the right person was appointed.
“I’ll talk to Jackson,” she finally conceded. “But don’t get your hopes up. I can’t see him letting go of his small-town-feeling airport. Plus, he rents the other hangars to local pilots so I’m not sure how all of that would play out or if more hangars would need to be added. There’s quite a bit to take into consideration.”
“Just make sure you know what you want and what will work for you before you go to him,” Jade added. “You don’t have to go along with this plan at all. You can forget I said anything.”
Olivia rolled her eyes and tipped her head toward her friend. “I can’t forget now. It’s a smart plan; I just don’t know if it’s something I can be part of. Talking to Jackson is the next step.”
“I’d rather discuss your date the other night.” Melanie produced a wide smile and raised her brows. “He is rather sexy. Not that I’m looking for anyone at this point in my life, but I can live through you.”
Waving a hand, Olivia muttered, “No reason to live through me.”
“Considering that’s the closest any of us have had to a date in quite some time, we are going to have to use this as a real date.”
Olivia sat the stack of pictures aside and sighed. “You know everything. We flew, we argued, he kissed me.”
“Skip the first two and tell us about the third point.”
Jade laughed and patted Melanie on the back. “I feel we’re raising you right.”
“I legitimately want to know,” Melanie laughed. “Because it sounds like he’s interested in you.”
Olivia shook her head, refusing to even contemplate that notion. “He’s not interested. He’s trying to distract me and throw me off my business game, that’s all.”
And it had worked . . . temporarily. “It was nothing. I mean, it was a kiss, but it meant nothing and it won’t happen again.”
“Then why are your cheeks pink?” Jade asked. “And the way you keep denying it makes me wonder just how much you even believe it yourself.”
Olivia came to her feet and brushed off her capris. “Shut up. I’m done here. If you two want to stay and get things into piles, great. I’m going for a walk.”
