23. QUINN
23
QUINN
There’s a large wet spot in the middle of the very nice satin dress I am trying to fold up. My tears have not stopped streaming down my face ever since I started trying to pack for my flight. The action itself feels too… final, and I’m overwhelmed.
God. This is rock bottom.
There’s frantic knocking on my door, and I ignore it. With the state I’m in, the last thing I want is company.
“Come on. I’ll break the door if you don’t open it.”
It’s Lilly again. I haven’t seen her since our encounter in the lobby.
“I don’t want to see anyone.”
“I’m not just anyone, Quinn.”
For someone who has built her entire brand on letting things go, Lilly can be quite stubborn sometimes. I let out a defeated sigh and open the door for her.
“You look terrible.”
“Thanks,” I mutter, wiping away a stray tear that has traveled down to my cupid’s bow. “Can I help you with some tea? Coffee?”
“What I mean is you look like you could use some company.” She walks inside, noticing the opened suitcase and clothes sprawled all across the floor. “And some help.”
“Sure, why not,” I mutter, giving up.
My flight is in a few hours, and I can use whatever help I can get.
She kneels on the floor and starts folding the clothes for me—doing a much better job than me. I try to pick up a blouse.
“No, put that back,” she warns. “I don’t want you lifting a finger anymore. You’ve already gone through enough.”
I go to look at my phone for the first time, but find dozens of notifications instead.
It’s the same hate comments. I practically throw it away.
“Hey, no need to take your anger out on the device. It didn’t do anything wrong.”
“It’s done enough,” I admit. “If I’d never come down here, none of this would have happened.”
Lilly looks at me, concerned. “You don’t really mean that.”
“I’ve had more people calling me a whore than I ever anticipated in my life. I’m starting to wonder if they have a point.”
Lilly darts over to my side in an instant, wrapping me into a warm—and what I didn’t realize before this moment—much-needed embrace. I let myself cry into her arms, soiling her shirt, but she doesn’t complain.
“What happened to not letting their words get to you?” She smoothes out her hands against my hair.
“It’s easier said than done. You know, the strangest part is that it’s mostly the same accounts commenting over and over. It’s like they’re in some sort of competition with each other to come up with the most creative ways to hurl insults at me.”
“I guess birds of a feather do flock together.” Lilly hums. “Why don’t you just block them?”
“I’ve tried. They just make new accounts.”
“What a miserable bunch.” Lilly shakes her head. “I’m sorry that your time here had to be ruined like this. You really needed this break after what happened with Liam, and well, it’s just awful that it ended up like this.”
“At least it can’t get any worse.” I sigh, gathering myself enough to finally pull away from her arms. “Thank you for coming here to help me pack. I didn’t realize how badly I needed the help… and the company.”
“I knew you would never ask me yourself.” A small smile forms on her face. “You’re too independent for that.”
I nod. But the truth is, I feel like a shell of the person I was when I first arrived here. Things not working out with Enzo shattered my heart, and the online hate has reduced whatever confidence I had to zero.
I have a long road ahead of me, rebuilding whatever I lost in what was supposed to be the trip of a lifetime.
When we finish packing, Lilly makes us some tea, and we sit together for some time.
“Everyone’s still freaking out about the fire, even though they’ve already put it out.”
“Fire?” My eyes widen. “There’s been a fire? Where?”
“Oh, right. I suppose it makes sense you don’t have any clue since looking at stories is the last thing you’d be doing right now. But there was a fire at the vineyard. I think they’ve put it out now, but apparently, it caused quite the damage.”
I’m immediately worried about Enzo. Knowing how much he cares about his business, it must have devastated him.
But it’s not my place to ask him if he’s alright. He didn’t mince his words when he said that distance between us would be best, and reaching out would be the opposite of that.
“I hope they figure it out.” I sigh.
“Yeah, I hope they do.”
When it’s time to go to the airport, Lilly walks me down to the lobby.
“I’ll meet you very soon, okay?” She hugs me, squeezing tightly. “Take very good care of yourself.”
“Thank you, Lilly.”
“I know it doesn’t feel that way now, but you’re going to be just fine. I know it. Call it my intuition.”
She blows me a kiss, and I drag my bags over to the counter to check out.
“Room five-oh-nine.” I slide over my keycard.
“Leaving already, Miss Quinn?” The receptionist smiles warmly, fingers flying across her keyboard.
I nod, gripping the handle of my suitcase tightly. Just a few feet away is the lounge area where Enzo and I met for our first date. The memories hit me like a ton of bricks, and I cannot wait to get out of here as soon as I can.
“I hope that you’ve had a pleasant stay.”
She hands me my checkout receipt, and I nod a quick thank you before turning away from the hotel desk.
The automatic doors glide open, the warm summer air hitting my face.
This vacation had its moments that I’m never going to forget, but it’s time to get back to reality now.
Get a cab to the airport. Check in. Go through security. Pass passport control. Find seat.
I’m just going through the motions, but it helps me keep my mind off Enzo, who I am forever leaving behind as I embark on my journey back home.
I find a seat near the window, pull out my phone, and send a quick text to Laurie.
Just boarded. Flight DL0183. Pick me up when I land?
My phone lights up immediately with a response.
Obviously. Safe travels. Xxx
I turn my phone off and stash it inside my bag. Being without internet for the next ten hours is probably better for my mental health, anyway.
I settle into my seat, pulling down the blind to block out the bright tarmac.
The hum of the airplane fills the cabin as more passengers board. I close my eyes, hoping for a few moments of peace before we take off.
It goes well enough, until the person next to me shifts in his seat.
I open my eyes to find a middle-aged man there. He has a kind smile and seems eager to chat.
"Heading home or away from home?" he asks cheerfully.
"Home," I murmur, turning away from his gaze. My voice is flat and drained.
"Oh, nice. Was it a good trip?"
"Yes."
I can feel him glancing at me, perhaps waiting for more words to thread into a conversation.
I don’t oblige. My mind is too crowded to entertain small talk.
He seems to sense my reluctance, or maybe he just loses interest, turning his attention to a book.
Relief washes over me, and I allow myself to sink into the seat, my thoughts drifting to the tasks that await at home, the familiarity of my own bed, Laurie waiting at the airport.
For now, I just need to get through this flight.
As the plane takes off, I lift the bling a bit and steal one last glance out the window, watching the landscape shrink away until it’s nothing but blue skies.
Goodbye, Enzo. It’s too bad we never got to be anything.
I’m jolted out of my slumber by the tires of the plane against the runway, causing me to startle.
I’ve made it back home. I ignore the sinking feeling in my heart again and focus on the tasks ahead of me.
Exit plane. Stamp passport. Collect luggage.
Then, Laurie is there. It’s early morning in Chicago, but she’s made it.
As I approach, she opens her arms, and I fall into them without hesitation.
The dam breaks the moment she holds me. Tears spill, muffled by her shoulder, as everything I've held back comes flooding out.
"I'm home," I whisper, my voice cracking.
"I've got you," Laurie murmurs, rubbing my back in slow circles.
Pulling back slightly, I wipe my eyes. "I love him, Laurie. I really do. Leaving Enzo was the hardest thing I've ever done."
Laurie nods, her expression sympathetic. "I know. But you did what you had to do, right?"
I nod, swallowing hard. After what happened with my ex, the chaos, and the hurt, I thought Enzo could be different. But love, it seems, is not for me. It’s too tangled, too painful.
And with my career in shambles, it feels like I'm failing at everything that's supposed to define me.
Laurie leads me to the car, not letting me touch my luggage when I try to help out. When I slide into the passenger seat, I notice she’s gotten me my favorite coffee.
It’s a small gesture, but it means the world right now.
“I thought you could use the pick me up.” She smiles as she gets into the driver’s seat. "Let's focus on you for a while. No more boys, no more tears, no more trolls online.”
I nod, trying to muster more conviction than I feel.
Even though Laurie is right, I know my misery is far from over.
My heart is bleeding for Enzo, and I’m not sure it will ever stop.