Chapter Seven
“Ladies and gentlemen, we will begin boarding our Denver flight in about thirty minutes.”
Jane wasn’t quite awake enough to make sense of the announcement at first. She shifted, her back loudly protesting the night she’d spent on the airport floor. She forced one eye open, and then the other. Miguel didn’t look any more awake than she did, and he looked far more uncomfortable.
“I told you not to sleep sitting up,” she said groggily.
“The way they designed this terminal, I don’t know that there were many other options except the floor.” He turned his head from side to side, as if working out a kink. “Booths as far as the eye can see.”
Jane sat up. Miguel’s sweatshirt slid off her shoulders. He’d insisted she use it as a blanket. “We’re boarding in half an hour.”
Miguel stood up and held his hand out to help her to her feet. She stood and stretched.
“I’ll go grab us something to eat.” He gave her a quick kiss on the cheek and took off.
She watched him go, smiling to herself. She’d missed him the past three months. How did she ever get lucky enough to find a guy like Miguel, let alone get a second chance with him? She pulled their carry-ons over to an empty booth. Thankfully, she always kept a brush and gum in her bag.
She’d barely made herself presentable when one of the guys from last night’s Mamma Mia! tribute approached the booth.
“It’s Jane, right?”
She nodded. “Great job last night. You guys were amazing.”
“Thanks. It was fun.” He motioned toward the opposite bench. “Do you mind?”
“No. Go ahead.”
“I’m Tim,” he said, taking a seat. “Is Miguel around?”
“He went to grab us some breakfast.”
“‘Us?’” Tim’s eyes pulled wide with excitement. “Are the two of you together again?”
She nodded. “He said he met you last night. Apparently you talked.”
Tim glanced back over at his fellow performers, who were watching from a distance. “We can be a little nosy,” he admitted. “But Miguel looked so broken up about it all.”
Jane could appreciate that. “We split up three months ago, and I think we’ve both been miserable ever since.”
“I’m no expert in love— I haven’t ever managed a long-term relationship— but both of you being miserable without the other seems like a sign to me.
” Tim’s look was one hundred percent empathetic.
“Miguel’s a great guy, from what we learned of him in the thirty minutes we talked last night. And you seem pretty wonderful as well.”
“Well, I am.”
At first, Tim didn’t seem to catch her joking tone. But then his smile blossomed, and his laugh followed shortly after.
“Thank you, again,” she said, “for the song last night. The not-so-subtle message hit its mark.”
“You’re going to take a chance on him?” Tim pressed.
Jane nodded. “Happily. And hope for the best.”
He turned a bit on the bench to fully face his friends and gave them two thumbs-up. The group exchanged high-fives. Jane couldn’t help but laugh. These strangers were nearly as happy about her and Miguel reconciling as she was.
“Oh, hey, Tim.” Miguel stepped up to the table and set a yogurt and an orange in front of Jane.
She scooted over to make room for him on the small bench. “Tim was checking to see if their serenade last night had the desired effect.”
Miguel set his arm around her shoulder. “I’d say it was a success.”
The others joined them, sitting in nearby booths.
The next few minutes flew by as they chatted about the theater, Denver, love, second chances.
Through it all, Miguel kept his arm around her.
Jane couldn’t say for certain that everything would work out between them, but having him with her again felt so very right.
The official boarding calls began. Changing flights had allowed for the changing of seats. Jane and Miguel now sat beside each other. Once they were settled in, he took her hand.
“Thank you,” he said.
“For holding your hand?”
He shook his head. “For giving me another chance. I know things aren’t perfect between us, and I know that commitment is a hard thing for you. So, thank you for trusting me enough to try again.” He raised her hand to his lips and pressed a kiss there. “I love you, you know.”
“I know. That’s why I’m willing to try. Well, that and the fact that I haven’t had a decent tamale in three months.”
He laughed long and deep. From across the aisle, Tim gave them both an enthusiastic thumbs up.
Jane set her head on Miguel’s shoulder. The path ahead of them wouldn’t be all sunshine and roses, but being with him again, knowing he hadn’t given up on her, gave her a hope she’d seldom known in her life.
And hope made all the difference in the world.