Chapter Fifteen
Abigail-Ann
“Love is not something you find; love is something that finds you.”
~ Loretta Young
C opper platinum. My hair color. I knew that. My sister and Azzy knew it too, because they’d helped me color it a few times. But Mikkel knowing it? That definitely wasn’t on my bingo card for this year. In fact, Mikkel himself wasn’t on the bingo card, or any other card, for that matter. And yet, here he was, texting me, casually dropping it into our conversation like it was no big deal.
“It’s the most beautiful color I’ve ever seen on the most beautiful woman I’ve ever met.”
What? Seriously? I couldn’t shake the feeling of disbelief. It was like he could see these little details about me I hadn’t even noticed, and we hadn’t even hung out yet. My heart raced, and my stomach twisted.
Why was I freaking out over this?
Just me and my copper platinum hair, and suddenly, I was someone being noticed. Someone he noticed enough to remember. What was happening? I wasn’t sure if I should feel flattered or scared. What did it mean that he knew something so... personal?
How could something as simple as a comment about my hair send me into this spiral? What did that say about me—about what I was used to? I shook my head, trying to quiet the voices of doubt.
My phone glowed softly in my lap as I messaged him: “Boarding soon. Talk when I land.”
The reply came instantly. Was he waiting for my message?
@mikkelsuarezofficial: Safe travels, Red.
Below his message were a few links. Curious, I clicked one—videos on managing flight anxiety.
I stared at the screen, caught off guard. He remembered.
The PA system crackled overhead, announcing the next boarding call, but I barely heard it. My mind was too busy untangling the what-ifs.
Would we go any further? Did I want u-
“Abigail!”
My heart dropped as I turned to see Joshua striding toward me with a look of sheer desperation. Did he have a flight? How the hell had he gotten this far? In his hand, he clutched a bouquet of lilies.
My stomach churned.
Lilies .
He should’ve known better.
“What are you doing here?”
“Abigail, please, don’t go.” His voice cracked. He thrusted the flowers toward me, and I took an instinctive step back. “We can fix this. I promise. I can be better.”
“This is pathetic,” I said, my irritation barely contained. “I’m allergic to lilies, remember ?”
He looked down at them, confusion flashing across his face. “Allergic? But… I thought you loved flowers.”
“Primroses, not lilies.” My voice broke, the mix of frustration, embarrassment and sadness bubbling to the surface.
He dropped the bouquet to the floor, his hands trembling. “I know I messed up. But we can make it work. Just give me another chance. Don’t leave me alone.”
Tears welled up in my eyes as the embarrassment of this encounter washed over me. I had once believed in those chances, but that hope had been shattered too many times. “This is why I’m leaving,” I announced, my voice shaking. “You never listen. You never understand. Everything is always about you.”
His face contorted with pain. “That’s not true. I love you, Abigail. I need you.”
My tears spilled over. “You love the thought of me. You’ve never loved me and you never will.”
He reached out, and I took another step back, the distance between us growing. “Please,” he whispered, his voice breaking. “Don’t leave me.”
The final boarding call for my flight echoed through the terminal, each word a dagger to my heart. I wiped my tears, steeling myself. “Goodbye, Joshua.”
“Abigail, please!” he shouted, but I turned away, every step forward breaking my heart a little more.
I handed my boarding pass to the attendant, my hands shaking, and glanced back one last time to see him standing there, utterly defeated, the wilted lilies discarded at his feet. He didn’t deserve me, and with that thought, I boarded the flight with absolutely no regrets.
Stepping off the flight, I let out a relieved sigh. After what felt like an eternity of cramped seats and endless delays, I was finally free. Surprisingly, the videos Mikkel had sent helped keep me calm for most of the flight— soothing nature clips, ASMR-style rain sounds, and a guided breathing exercise.
I booked an Uber and headed straight to the apartment, grateful Emilia had handled everything while I was away.
When I arrived, I spotted her in the lobby, holding her curly-haired son.
“Abigail! Hey! Sorry, his babysitter canceled.”
I smiled, approaching them. “Emilia, there’s no need to apologize. Plus, he’s just so adorable.”
She grinned. “Thank you. How was your trip?”
“It was fine, but I’m happy to be here.”
She handed me three swipe passes. “These are the smart passes for your apartment. There are also keys if you’d rather use those.”
I took them with a grateful nod and stepped inside, immediately noticing the neatly arranged boxes. Emilia had already taken care of everything.
“Thank you, you’re a lifesaver.”
“It’s my job,” Emilia replied, handing me a folder. “This document includes your lease details and important contact numbers. If you ever need anything at all, don’t hesitate to reach out to me.”
I thanked her again before calling my parents to let them know I’d landed and settled. After that, I rang Azzaria, who immediately offered to help me unpack. We hung up, and I texted her the address before notifying the lobby she’d be arriving soon.
With a moment to breathe, I unlocked my phone and opened Instagram. While I knew Mikkel and I would exchange numbers and meet up eventually, I was enjoying our flirty chats and the way he took his time getting to know me.
I hesitated, then tapped on our messages. He was online.
My stomach fluttered.
me: Hey, I’m all settled
@mikkelsuarezofficial: Perfect. How was the flight?
me: The flight was good and your videos helped! Thank you, again.
@mikkelsuarezofficial: I’m happy they did, and you’re always welcome.
My stomach did a little flip. The way he said things always felt personal, even over text. Like he meant them .
@mikkelsuarezofficial: You already found a place already, right?
me: I did.
@mikkelsuarezofficial reacted to this message.
@mikkelsuarezofficial: What’s on the agenda for the rest of the day?
me: Azzy’s coming over to help me unpack, and then I’m taking a much-needed nap.
@mikkelsuarezofficial: Have you eaten?
me: I had Chipotle, but I might cook tonight.
@mikkelsuarezofficial: You cook?
me: I am quite the chef, Mr. Suarez.
@mikkelsuarezofficial: Gotta try it sometime, Ms. Asher.
me: You might just fall in love with my recipes.
The words left me feeling bold, but I didn’t regret them.
@mikkelsuarezofficial: I wouldn’t mind.
I’d never felt such a pure connection with a man before. Talking to him was effortless—no second-guessing, no hesitation. Just right.
Somehow, he quieted my anxieties, which was rare for me. I usually overthought everything, picking apart every word, every interaction. But with him? I felt at ease. Maybe a little too at ease.
Before I could spiral deeper into my thoughts, Azzaria’s voice rang through the apartment, calling my name. I blinked, snapping back to the present, and rushed to open the door.
“You got here fast. Where were you coming from?” I asked as she stepped inside.
Kicking off her black pumps at the door, she dropped her purse onto the table, a broad smile lighting up her face. “I was like ten minutes away with Dillon, so he just dropped me off. ”
“You and your billionaire tycoon,” I teased, nudging her playfully.
“Shut up,” she shot back with a grin. “Now, tell me how San Fran was.”
I shrugged. “It was fine. Just packed, spent time with my family, and broke up with Joshua.”
Her smile faltered. “Are you okay?”
“Yeah.” I sighed in relief. “But oh my gosh , he made a whole scene at the airport.”
Her brows shot up. “What the fuck did he do?”
I recounted the humiliating moment—how he showed up, begging and pleading like we were in some cringy rom-com, and even brought me lilies.
Her face twisted in disbelief. “You’re allergic! Five years together and he still doesn’t know that?”
“He said he thought I said I liked flowers,” I muttered, rolling my eyes.
“Dumbass.”
We said it in unison, then burst into laughter.
“I was kinda down because it was so fucking embarrassing, but honestly? I’m over it now.”
Azzaria gave me a knowing look. “It’s gonna take a while to be fully over it, but with time—”
“No,” I cut in, laughing as I shook my head. “I mentally checked out after the first fuck-up. I loved him enough to try fixing things, but the more I tried, the more I realized I wasn’t Bob the fucking Builder. I stayed because I didn’t want to feel like I wasted all those years.”
Her eyes widened slightly. “Loved? As in, past tense?”
“Yep.” I nodded, firm in my decision. “I won’t stay where I’m unwanted.”
A slow, proud smile spread across her face. “I’m happy for you, and I’m really proud of you, Abi.”.”
Before I could respond, my phone buzzed with a notification from Mikkel. The moment I glanced down, a smile tugged at my lips .
“Who’s texting you?”
I quickly switched off the screen and set my phone in my lap, trying to sound casual. “No one. Just a notification.”
Her skeptical look told me she definitely wasn’t buying it. Azzaria could sniff out a secret from a mile away, especially if it involved a guy.
“So, a notification pops up, you start grinning, and it’s nothing serious?” she pressed, one eyebrow raised.
“Exactly.”
“Hmm,” she muttered, clearly unconvinced. “Whatever you say.”
I wasn’t hiding anything on purpose, but I didn’t want to jinx things by talking about Mikkel before we even had a chance to hang out in person. Some things needed to be solid before I let her in on them.
“Are you here to grill me, or are we gonna unpack?”
“Well then, let’s get to unpacking,” she said with a smirk, leading the way into the bedroom.
We spent the next three hours unpacking, but only managed to get through one and a half rooms. Between sorting boxes, we took a break for pizza—and I had to admit, Mikkel was right. The pizza here was the best I’d ever had.
As Azzy was about to leave, she paused by the door, purse in hand, and gave me a concerned look. “Are you sure you’re good to stay by yourself tonight?”
I pulled her into a hug. “I’ll be fine, and thank you so much for today.”
She hugged me back tightly. “You’re always welcome.”
I walked her down to the lobby and watched as she climbed into a car that Dillon had sent for her. I thought about tackling some more unpacking, but the pull of sleep was too strong—until a call from Aurora interrupted my plans.
“I was seconds away from falling asleep,” I groaned into the phone.
“Sorry! Are you free next Thursday at 9am? ”
“What’s up?”
“Can you head to Book Culture? You just need to meet with the manager so you can start as soon as possible.”
“What do I need to bring?” I asked, now fully awake.
“I texted you all the details, but when you get there, ask for Adeline.”
“Got it, thanks.”
“And you’ll be there, right?” she pressed.
“Yeah, of course. I’ll be there,” I confirmed.
“Perfect! How are you, sis?”
“Exhausted,” I admitted, pushing myself out of bed. “Spent all day unpacking, and I’m still not done.”
“Take your time, Abigail,” she said softly, her tone calming.
“I’ve got to run errands tomorrow, too. Need to stock up on shower stuff and skincare,” I replied, mentally making a list.
“Didn’t Mom pack you a box with all that?”
I nodded, though she couldn’t see it. “Yeah, but it’s basically empty now. Anyway, goodnight. Love you.”
“I love you too,” she said warmly before hanging up.
Before finally drifting off, I sent a quick text to Mikkel.
me: Sorry for the lack of communication today. I was unpacking. Sweet dreams!
And as always, he replied almost instantly.
@mikkelsuarezofficial: Hey Red.
@mikkelsuarezofficial: I figured you were. Dulces suenos, 37 Red.
me: Do you always answer messages this quickly?
@mikkelsuarezofficial: When you’re the one messaging me, then yes.
I blushed so hard my cheeks started burning.
me: *melting emoji*
@mikkelsuarezofficial: Get some rest. We’ll definitely talk tomorrow.