Chapter 5 Collie
COLLIE
And to think I almost lost hope in all humanity today.
Maybe things can only go up from here?
The surprisingly hot stranger just gave me the smallest sliver of joy. Joy that if you had asked me an hour ago, I would have told you to fuck off and pick on someone your own size.
I’d like to think I’m naturally a happy person. But today, I wanted to break something. Launch the nearest sharp object across the entire terminal and riot. Still do, actually, but small victories.
Seeing as how I’m currently stuck in Nashville, Tennessee, without a return flight home and a dead cell phone, I would be stupid to refuse any kind of help.
I hovered by the gate for my original flight, hoping there’d be some type of misunderstanding—but nothing. Call it wishful thinking. Now, I’m two espresso martinis deep, throw a dead cell phone battery into the mix, and I have no clue where to go from here.
Lucky for me, I’m a short distance away from the plane leaving for…I lift my head to read the display monitor, telling me where the hot stranger is heading.
JAC. Jackson Hole, Wyoming.
He must be an outdoorsy guy. Never have I ever heard of anyone traveling to Wyoming without a cowboy hat in tow or some bait for fly fishing. Not that I know anyone who frequents Wyoming, but I’m just making an educated guess.
And besides, men don’t look like that in Timber Heights, South Carolina.
And I don’t mean the disheveled tuxedo.
His hands are massive, like they work on really hard things. Important things. Only strong hands ever work on things of significant importance. I bet he can swing an axe real good, too.
Hanging out of earshot, I dial Capri’s number, hoping she answers.
“Hello?”
“Oh, thank god. Capri. It’s me.”
“Collie?” Capri’s voice sounds panicked. “Where are you? Whose number is this?”
“Some rando at the airport,” I tell her, knowing she’ll freak out even more. “Don’t worry. I’m fine. Well, sort of.”
“Sort of? Collie. What’s going on?”
“Janet fired me.”
“No!” she gasps. “That bitch. I never did like her,” Capri mumbles, and I can’t help it, I smile with my full cheeks. That makes two of us.
“Yeah, no one did. But still. I loved my job.”
“I know you did. I’m sorry, Cols. There will be other jobs, though.”
She’s not wrong. But a part of me feels like I need a reset from the fitness industry.
Even if it’s just a month-long break to re-examine what I want working to look like for me moving forward.
I’ve been overworked for years and could use some time off.
Covering conferences across the East Coast weekend after weekend is exhausting.
Besides, having something stable and consistent has always been the dream.
Maybe this is my chance.
“Yeah, I guess. But get this…I got to the airport, only to find out my flight was canceled, pending rescheduling. So many things happened before and after that—an entertaining story for another day. I even got into it with a bartender over an espresso martini. Needless to say, today has been horse shit.”
“Jesus. I hope the martini was at least worth the trouble. You sound pretty calm despite everything clearly derailing.”
“Hardly. The fucking bartender sent me off the ledge,” I tell her. “The guy tried to tell me he didn’t have coffee. Like, dude…you literally just made an espresso martini.”
“Devastating,” Capri agrees with me.
“Someone gets it,” I shout in a whisper. “Anyway, that’s my day. Now, I’m trying to figure out what to do from here.”
Capri chuckles. “Just book another flight home, and we’ll stay up late chatting like the old days. You know I’m always here for you, Cols.”
God, I miss her.
“Capri, you don’t live in Timber Heights anymore. I have no reason to rush, especially now without a job. It won’t kill me to avoid going home a little while longer.”
Capri moved to Italy a few months ago with Jones, her fiancé, after falling in love over the summer and now carrying his child.
Come to find out, Jones is from Timber Heights as well, at one point taking care of his mom three months out of the year.
Capri’s decision to move with him to Italy was easy, and one I’m so happy she made for herself.
Now, they’re engaged and visit every now and then, but it’s not the same.
I am, however, excited to see them marry in Timber Heights in January, despite my annoyance with the planning. I’m not a planner at all. I’m a fly by the seat of your pants kind of girl.
Keeps things exciting.
Yet, these new plans are not exciting in the slightest. Especially when I’m alone. I never travel alone, and if I do, I meet someone along the way to keep me company.
In more ways than one.
“Collie, you’ve always been a free bird. Actually, maybe a loose cannon is a better term, but I know what you mean. I get it,” she exhales. “As much as I love Italy, it’s definitely missing you, though. I know you know this, but…we do have an extra room…”
“Nope. Absolutely not.” Capri and Jones have offered up their guest room to me multiple times, and I’ve refused. Never. I’ll never invade my sister’s private life. After Capri’s first marriage ended in shambles, I never thought she’d allow herself to love again. Until Jones.
I won’t taint that for her by imposing on their upcoming marriage and the start of the family she’s always wanted.
“Okay. Well, you know the offer still stands,” Capri reminds me kindly.
“So, what are you going to do now? Do you have a plan since you’re not coming home?
You know how I feel about being unprepared.
It gives me anxiety, and I’m pregnant. I can’t be worrying about my sister ending up as the next victim on my true crime podcast.”
“Trust me, babe. I tried to channel my inner Capri earlier and wound up even more pissed off. But honestly, I’m not sure. I’ve got a five-thousand-dollar check in my pocket waiting to be blown.”
“That mega bitch! She tried to pay you off!” Capri shouts.
“Sure did. A part of me wants nothing to do with her dirty dollars. But the other wants to say, ‘fuck you, Janet’ and spend all her gross money.”
“You should spend it all. Down to the last dime, then send her the receipts.”
I chuckle. “Oh my goodness. She would die!”
“Did she say why they were firing you?” Capri asks.
“Something about budget cuts. I don’t buy it. How convenient for them to use me for the conference, then fire me after I’ve made them look good?”
“You’re better off without them.”
“I know that. But I don’t have to like it,” I agree, my attention drifting back to the stranger and the way his leg thumps like a nervous tick. “Hey, listen. I love you, babe. I’m gonna go pick a place on the map and see where five grand will take me. I’ll call you when I land.”
“Be careful, Cols. No fucking random strangers.”
She knows me well.
“I make no promises. Make good decisions for me, Capri. And tell my niece in your belly I love her big time.”
“Will do. Love you.”
“Your phone, Your Majesty.” I bow, handing over my saving grace.
He grabs it from my hands, sending me a nonchalant smirk. “Get everything figured out?”
I nod. “Yes and no. My sister knows I’m safe. But I’m not sure back home is where I’m headed. At this point, I could go anywhere.”
He looks at me quizzically but doesn’t pry. “Where’s home?”
“Timber Heights, South Carolina.” I take a seat beside him, not bothering to ask permission first. Something about this guy makes me sad, and I can’t pinpoint it.
Despite his kindness toward me, I can tell there’s a darkness beneath his…dismantled surface. Not in a dangerous way, but in a way that makes him seem defeated.
Like life has taken a toll on his spirit, and he’s fighting to stay alive.
Maybe it’s the annihilated suit and lack of personal belongings, but his appearance in the airport seems a bit spontaneous.
No idea if that’s a reflection of him. I don’t know the guy. But based on judgment alone, he’s a big fat question mark.
“Never heard of it.”
“Most people haven’t. It’s a small beach town where no one is safe from their private life going public,” I tell him. “But anything is better than going home to face reality.” I laugh, trying to downplay my situation despite already causing a scene.
He stays silent, and I take that as my cue to leave. I hastily stand and adjust the bottom of my saturated sweatpants. “Well, it was nice meeting you…” I now realize I don’t know his name and wait for him to fill in the blanks.
“East Voss,” he tells me.
“That short for something?”
“Easton.”
I grin. “Well, it was nice meeting you, Easton. Thanks for your help today. I didn’t realize how much I needed your kindness.” Without another glance, I spin on my heels in search of a new adventure.
“Hey, lost girl,” a deep voice calls for me.
Turning to face him, my thoughts soak in his name for me. “Lost? I’m offended,” I joke, holding a hand to my chest. “What part about me looks lost? Don’t tell me it’s the mud all over my ass?”
“Didn’t even notice.” Liar. But then his brows drop slightly, and his gaze falls to his lap.
He’s lost in thought. I expected him to tell me goodbye, and I’d be on my way.
An offer was the last thing I anticipated.
The offer of a lifetime, to be exact. “I’ve got an extra ticket.
It’s yours if you want it.” He sounds worn out.
Breathless and just barely making it through the day.
“I’ve got no use for it, and I’d hate to see it go to waste. ”
My heart stops. “Ticket?” I question, a hopeful excitement rushing through me.
Easton nods to the display sign. “Jackson Hole.”
Is he seriously offering me an extra ticket to Wyoming?
I squint my eyes, assuming I’m being punked. “You always carry around extra plane tickets with you?” I nod toward his lap.
“Nope. But today I did. I can’t promise you it’ll be fun, but it’s somewhere new. You seem like you could use it almost as much as me.”
You have no idea, Easton Voss.