Chapter Forty-Seven
Gigi
W e walked into Logan International a little after ten. I’m pulling my suitcase behind me, and I feel like I’m going to explode with excitement. A small part of me wonders if he’s going to propose this weekend. Maybe we’re going to a resort and he’ll do a beach proposal. That would be a normal couple thing and would look good for social media. I tried to con some information out of Linc as to where we were going, but he said he genuinely didn’t know. Liar.
Marcus guides me to a kiosk to check in for our flight. He pulls out his wallet for his license and brings up the airline’s app on his phone. I stand staring at the screen as he punches in our confirmation number, dying with anticipation to see what pops up on the screen. A rotating circle goes on for what seems like forever until our flight pops up.
“We’re going to Orlando?”
He pauses, tapping information on the screen and looks at me with warm eyes. “We are.”
“Why Orlando?”
“That’s where Disney World is.”
Tears gather in my eyes. “Are you for real right now?”
“Is that okay?”
I feel a drop run down my cheek. “I’ve never been to Disney World.”
He runs his thumb across my cheek, wiping away the tears. “I know.”
I think back through conversations, or times when I would’ve spoken about it. He’s seen me watch princess movies time and time again. But I’m trying to recollect when I had mentioned I wanted to see Disney World. When it hits me, disbelief washes over me. He really remembered?
Two years ago
Marcus asked if I wanted to grab some food and watch the game at a sports bar down the street from my place. We haven’t hung out just the two of us before, but he seems alright. Yeah, the group calls him grumpy, but usually grumpy people are just misunderstood.
I walk in to see him sitting at the bar, an empty chair beside him with a menu and an Old Fashioned already waiting for me.
“Hey, Marcus.”
He turns, gives me a tight smile, then pulls out the chair for me. “Hey, Gigi. Hope you don’t mind, but I already ordered drinks. It will get busy in this place once the game starts.”
“No, that’s great. I’ll look at the menu so we can get our food order in.”
We ordered food, then watched the pre-game show. We talk about the Red Sox. Once the game starts, we focus on the TVs around the bar and the conversation slips away. He doesn’t talk much, and I’m an over-sharer, so this might be a painful evening. I’ll probably end up talking his ear off and he’ll never want to hang out solo with me again.
I can’t fight the urge to speak any longer, so during a commercial break, I turn toward him to break the silence. We’ve already exhausted the topic of sports, so I blurted out a random question. “If you could travel anywhere in the world, where would you go?”
His head tilts back and forth as he thinks. “I’d probably go to Mexico City. My mom’s side of the family is from there. You?”
“Mine is silly.”
“I’d still like to hear it.”
“I’d go to Disney World.” He smiles as I shrug. “I know, it’s not some big adult trip, but growing up, I loved all the princess movies and pretty much anything with a mouse on it. One time, a girl in my class said she went over summer break and they even got to do the princess dinner. I was like ten years old and discovered what jealousy really was for the first time.” I shake my head. “So, yeah, I would go to Disney and do all the things, especially the fireworks. I just think it would be magical.”
“I don’t think that’s silly. I hope you get to go someday.”
I take a sip of my drink. “Thanks. I hope so, too.”
“Marcus, I told you that the first time we hung out. That was like two years ago.”
His cheeks flush. “I know.”
I stand there, dumbfounded. He remembered that conversation from so long ago. It takes me a moment to settle the feeling in my chest, then I grab his cheeks, pulling his lips to mine. The kiss starts out airport-appropriate, but that doesn’t last long. My head tilts, and he slides his tongue in. I get lost in the feeling of him, the taste of his mouth, the feel of his stubble under my fingertips. We keep at it until we hear a loud cough behind me. I freeze and open my eyes to a devilish grin on Marcus’ face.
“Do you need help checking your bags?” the attendant asks.
I twist to look at him. “I think we got it. But thank you.” I wipe my lips and hear Marcus laugh behind me. The attendant nods and walks away.
“You’re going to get us kicked out of the airport, princess.”
I pinch his ass. “I didn’t notice you trying to stop me, prince.”
He grabs our luggage tags and boarding passes as they print out of the kiosk. “Come on, let’s go before they won’t let us through security.”