47. Garrett
47
Garrett
“ T his is a funny place to find you.” Her voice cuts through the yelling of the airport attendants and angry clamor of car horns.
I look up from my phone right as a black pawn captures one of my knights. She’s far more enjoyable to look at than the 2D graphics that I’ve been focusing on to distract myself. “Unemployment has given me plenty of free time.”
“And the airport arrivals area is where you’ve decided to spend it?” She crosses her arms over her chest, seemingly unimpressed. My heart races at the sight of her, the way it always does.
I considered running in, buying a ticket, and waiting at her gate. But there was a chance Quinn wouldn’t confront Evelyn with the truth. I don’t need to know what they said, but I know something happened or she wouldn’t be here. Evelyn needed to know her worst fears weren’t what she imagined them to be.
“You see, there’s this one girl I was hoping would come back to me and I wanted to be here in case she did. I told her to go when I really meant to tell her I wanted her to stay. But I knew if I asked her to stay then she wouldn’t have been able to talk to some very important people. It scared the shit out of me because there are about three things in my life that make me happy.”
“And she makes you happy?”
“Happy doesn’t begin to describe how I am with her.”
“How’d that turn out for you? Did she show up?” she asks, slyly as her eyes rove over me. “If not, I’m free right now. You’re hot enough that we could have some fun together.”
“Maybe you can help me find her. She wears these stupid T-shirts I can’t ever tell her that I love, and I’m pretty sure the only reason I love them is because she’s the one wearing them. She’s also a hopeless romantic and gets offended on behalf of happy endings,” I say, sweeping my gaze across the sea of people leaving the airport. My fingers itch with the need to reach out and hold her.
“I don’t see how that second one will help me.”
“You can see it in her eyes. It’s the way she sees the best in everyone,” I tell her. “Even me.”
Finally, she steps closer. Her shoulders shake in nervous, silent laughter. “You’re here.”
“So are you.”
“I had a flight to catch, what’s your excuse?”
“You.”
“Really, no other reason? I’m not sure I’m worth the drive.”
“As far as I’m concerned, you’re the best reason to do anything.” I say, then take a deep breath to steady myself. “Because I love you, Evelyn. I love you and the person I get to be because of you. I meant what I said, I’ll be here to support you through these moments, as many as you have, because there’s no limit to what I’ll do when it comes to you,” I tell her, freeing the emotion stored deep in my chest.
It took me far too long to learn that you can’t make someone love you. You can be everything they need and it doesn’t matter if you show up for them every time, they might never do the same.
Then one person finds you and their love is so loud you wonder why you craved anything quieter.
Evelyn chose me. And I get to choose how I love her. So, I’m going to love her out loud so there’s no doubt in her mind about how I feel.
“I love you. Dammit. I love you too. And it scares me, but I know that’s only because of how much I want this.” Tears start to well in her eyes and she falls into me, her face pressing in the fabric of my sweater. “And I really hope you mean all of that because I think my life is about to get very intense.”
My arms wrap around her, holding her and this moment as tightly as I can.
“Does that mean…” I let my words trail off.
“Yes, but I’d prefer that I don’t leak my secret at JFK in front of an audience,” she says, then pulls back from me to look around. Beyond the people in a rush, there are a few people waiting for rides that have definitely been listening in. “So, what if we go back to Hartsfall and talk?”
“I think that’s a good idea.”
Evelyn and I get her car from airport parking then drive it to the garage where she stores it so we can head back to Hartsfall together. We stay in the city for lunch, going to a Thai place she suggests. Under the table her leg stays pressed to mine. Each time one of us adjusts the other follows suit so we are always connected. She might have come back, but I don’t have any intention of stopping myself from touching her to remind myself she’s here.
“I’m pretty sure Thai is the sixth essential food group,” she muses between a heaping fork full of flat Pad See Ew noodles.
I nod as I spear a piece of broccoli. “Yes, next to pizza, off-brand cereal, unlimited breadsticks, street tacos, and pasta.”
“The USDA should hire us to make the newest graphic to show in schools.”
“Because we are very qualified to do so,” I agree.
“Exactly, now all I have to do is find the right email.”
“The youth of America depend on it.” My phone vibrates in my pocket. I put down my fork and I’m ready to silence the call and send a text that I’ll call them back later until I see the caller ID.
“Emily?” I ask cautiously.
“Hey, Garrett,” Emily’s light, almost airy voice comes through. “I’ve got Alina here and she insisted that I call to tell you that she followed through on her end of the deal, whatever that means.”
“Can you tell me how she is?” I ask.
“Yeah, she gave me permission to. Actually, she insisted on making sure you knew that it wasn’t life threatening and I quote ‘has done just fine without men telling her what to do.’ It’s a cold. I am suggesting vocal rest,” Emily says, not sounding all that happy about playing messenger.
“I bet she loved the sound of that,” I say.
“She was more compliant than you’d think, but after we got through that part of the discussion she told me to call. Oh, yes, the last bit of what she wanted me to tell you.” She goes back to her notes. “Call Pat and fill in for her tomorrow at the festival.”
“I appreciate how she found a way to make it my problem,” I grumble.
“She told me if you said that to remind you that’s what you like to do.”
“Of course. Can you send me a list of anything I should pick up for her from the store?”
My phone buzzes with the incoming list then we say goodbye. I hang up and pinch my brow. There always has to be something, doesn’t there? But at least now the most important things are taken care of.
“All good?”
“Alina might have just bribed a doctor to lie to me, or she’s actually sick. I don’t know which one is better.”
“Is that legal? Actually, wait, don't answer that, I don’t want to force you into accidentally lawyering.”
I let loose a laugh. “Even if it isn’t, I’m not sure that matters. If she wants something, she finds a way to get it. I need to call Pat and tell her the Love Letter Festival curse has struck again.”
“Go make the call, I’ll pay.”
I go outside and call Pat who answers immediately and is already in festival crisis mode. I explain the situation as traffic zips by. After being in Hartsfall for nearly two months the speed of the city is slightly disorienting. It’s hard to imagine going back to moving at that breakneck pace again.
“Oh, thank God.” Pat sighs with relief.
“Interesting choice of response,” I say.
“I mean, I’ve been waiting for something to go wrong. Everything going so smoothly up until now has been very concerning. You’ve got it handled?”
“Yeah. I have an idea or two.” I spare a glance toward the restaurant door.
“Let me know if you need anything to make it work. Just remember no pyrotechnics,” she says firmly. “I can’t have another tree catching on fire.”
“Wasn't that was ten years ago?” I ask, despite the fact that none of my ideas require fire.
“Yes, but Fletcher is still Fletcher.”
“True.” I’ll give her that. “I’ll let you know what I come up with.”
“Bye, kid.”
The door to the restaurant swings open as Evelyn pushes through. She tucks her arms tight to her body to brace against the gust of cool wind cutting through the air.
“Everything okay?” she asks when she's next to me.
“I think so,” I answer as I mull over what we can do now that Alina isn’t going to perform. “Evelyn, the fact that you’re here means you’ve decided what you want, right?”
“Yes, I’m planning on calling up Vincent after the festival and letting him know. Why?” Her brows pull up quizzically.
“Depends on if you’re willing to spend the rest of our day rehearsing classic love songs,” I start, inviting her into my train of thought.
She presses a hand to my chest and looks up at me through her lashes. “Only if I get to decide how to use our breaks.”
“I’m assuming we’ll be emailing a custom graphic to the USDA,” I say.
“Something like that,” she murmurs. “Actually, something completely different. With no clothes.”
“I was hoping so,” I say. I pull her closer and run my hands up and down her arms to warm her up.
“Good. Because I’m vastly unqualified to educate anyone’s children.”
“I wasn’t going to say anything but—” I start, but the rest of my words fall away as she kisses me on the sidewalk.
Mine. All mine.