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The answer is silence.
I knock again.
I check my phone. Perhaps I should call him?
A part of me wants to, but Dominic decided to leave. He needs to decide to come back.
And my heart needs to stop hoping.
I stare at the unyielding door for I don’t know how long before I collect myself, leaving my hope scattered on Dominic’s welcome home mat.
Chapter24
London
People teem around the departure hall. The announcements ring in my ears. I used to love airports. The exhilaration of new destinations, new adventure, new experiences. I’d get the thrill even when picking someone up.
Right now, I hate airports. Though arguably there isn’t much I like lately.
I pick up a tea and stand at the side of the coffee shop. Ashley is late. She also didn’t send me my boarding pass or flight information, other than the terminal and departure time. And she forgot to share the file on our new potential donor.
Frankly, her performance in the past two days has been chaotic, elusive and weird. She is stressed about her first big donor meeting. I should be more supportive and make things easier on her. I have been anything but that.
In fact, I’ve been missing in action. This morning I called Ashley to cancel or go without me, but her near-breakdown propelled me to action. I showered. First time in three days. I pulled out a dress. First one in four weeks. I put on lipstick.
I still look like shit. Because I feel like shit. A call for a flight to Aruba echoes through the hall, and a tiny jolt of thrill sweeps through me. I should take my annual trip. That would get me out of this funk.
After I realized Dominic was not coming back and his reasons for dropping Napoli have probably nothing to do with me—and yes, somewhere between him entering my life and exiting it swiftly, I started to form opinions based on assumptions, not facts—I tried to reach Paris to join her in Europe, but I couldn’t get her. Maybe a solo trip to Aruba, or Thailand…
“I’m sorry I’m late.” Ashley interrupts my daydreaming.
“Good morning. It’s okay. You’re here now. Let’s go.” I start toward security.
Ashley has our boarding passes and we get through reasonably swiftly.
“You told me our flight is at eleven, but there is no eleven o’clock to Denver.”
“It’s because our flight leaves in twenty minutes, so we better hurry.” She bolts, and I startle for a moment before I pursue her.
“What the hell, Ashley?” I pant as we reach the gate.
“Ladies, you need to go to your seats now.” The attendant rushes us through, lifting the rope. We’re the last ones to board.
“We don’t have seats together. You’re here.” Ashley points to a seat in business class. “We’re going to Chicago.”
She doesn’t necessarily step back, but kind of leans away from me, as if she’s expecting me to slap her. Since when have I used physical violence?
I don’t understand what is happening. Why would she pretend we’re going to Denver? Regardless of her motivations, my heart starts a stampede at the mere mention of the city.
“I’m sorry,” Ashley squeaks. “I was worried you wouldn’t want to go because you know who lives there.”
“So you tricked me?” I snort, shaking my head. I’d have canceled the trip if I knew. “Ashley, I’m not stupid. The chances we would run into Dominic are non-existent.”
“Excuse me, you absolutely need to take your seats now,” the flight attendant urges, and Ashley is too eager to disappear into the rear of the plane.
I sit down and look back after my assistant. I regret boarding this plane. I was doing just fine sulking at home. Not only does my close coworker think I’m completely unreasonable—and in this case she would have been right—but an uncomfortable anxiety squeezes at my chest.
All because I’m Dominic bound. I mean Chicago bound.
