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I wave to get their attention. “I’m looking for Quinn Bancroft.”
The two exchange looks of puzzlement. “She’s about this tall.” I hold my hand to my shoulder. “Long brownish-blond hair, from the dating show.”
Recognition dawns. “She left with a tall blonde.”
“Serena?”
They nod.
“Where’d they go?”
“To the airport, I guess?”
“Airport?” Panic sets in. “How long ago?”
“Not too long? Maybe ten, twenty minutes?”
I book it out of the stage. Fuck. The airport? Twenty minutes? The airport is only thirty minutes away. She could be through security by the time I get there. I don’t even have a ticket. I thought we could spend some time together here in the city before she went back to the sanctuary. I could introduce her to my parents. We could get coffee at my favorite shop. I could make love to her in my own damned bed. I start running because even if I have to fly to her sanctuary, she’s not getting away from me.
LA traffic is a nightmare, and I don’t get to the airport until an hour later. Quinn’s flight already left the gate. Frustrated, I clench my jaw so I don’t shout at the poor ticket agent.
“I’ll take the next flight out.”
“It’s not until tomorrow, sir.”
Why’d she leave? Is she having doubts about us? Does she think there’s no us at all? Or that it was some vacation fling?
“I’ll take—" I stop. What am I doing here? I’ll rent a jet. I’ve never done that before because it’s a waste of money and energy, but if there’s ever a case for a private plane, it’s this one. I get Binnie on the phone because she knows everything and everyone in this city.
“She’s left.”
“Quinn? Why?”
My wounded feelings are soothed a little by her exclamation of shock. “I don’t know, but I'm going after her. Where can I get a private plane on short notice?”
“I’ll book it for you if I can send a film crew.”
“If we were together in the same room, you’d have to run from me.”
“Okay, okay. But can I at least get a selfie video after you propose?”
“We’ll see. Text me the contact.”
“I’ll book it for you at no cost,” she says grudgingly. Somehow I know I’m going to pay for it later, but I don’t care. If she had held out, I would have agreed to the film crew, too. I’m that desperate.
After what feels like forever, I finally land at a tiny airport about forty minutes from the sanctuary. Despite the luxurious interior, I couldn’t sleep. I don’t even have Quinn’s number. We hadn’t had time to exchange them before we had to be debriefed by the show’s producers.
A car is waiting for me, courtesy of Binnie. I do owe her something. I text her a thank you and then take off. By the time I get to the sanctuary, I’m dead tired, smell rank, and probably look worse. I need to shower, sleep, and eat, and at this point, I don’t care which order those take place. It’s dusk, and the sanctuary gates are closed. I tell the driver to wait before exiting the car. I walk towards the entrance and swing myself over the bars of the gate. A security camera swings toward me, and I wave to it. She should know I’m coming.
I jog down the long driveway paved in pea gravel and lined with large eucalyptus trees. The clustered leaves allow a tiny bit of light through, leading me up to the main building which, of course, is closed. I drag my hands through my hair. Where is she? Do I throw a rock through the glass door to get her attention? Where in this complex does she put her head at night?
I spot some buildings to the left and head that way. A large roar from farther in catches me off guard, as does the sound of tires on the gravel. I swing around to see Quinn and another woman speeding toward me in an electric golf cart. I step into the path of the vehicle and hold out my arms. She’s going to have to kill me to get me to leave.
CHAPTER 22
QUINN
What the hell is he doing? Thankfully Laura is driving and is quick enough to slam on the brakes. The cart slides on the gravel, stopping mere inches from hitting him. I stare at Leo in shock. I didn’t believe it when I saw him on the screen.
Laura had grabbed my arm and pulled me out to the cart when she realized who it was standing outside. Laura, my dad and brother all came to pick me up from the airport. I gave them a small rundown of what happened on the drive back home. For the first time in my life, I hadn’t been excited for that drive out to the middle of nowhere. Each mile put Leo farther from me, returning us back to our regular lives, which couldn’t have been any further apart. Or so I’d thought.
