Chapter 2
Chapter Two
Lorelai
“Are you sure you’ll be okay getting to the airport alone?” Aurora asked for the hundredth time as she wheeled her suitcase to the door.
“For the millionth time, yes. I’ll be fine.” I shoved a book into my carry-on for the flight.
“I still don’t understand why you switched flights at the last minute. We would have been seated together.”
“No, you’ll be with Dylan,” I muttered, knowing full well that she’d traded seats with Knox, which would have forced us to sit together. I shoved a slice of green pepper into my mouth and looked over at my friend. “Besides, I told you, I had some things to finish up for work, and this will enable me to make sure that I get those finished before leaving.”
“You’re on vacation, Lorelai.” Aurora said, frowning. “You deserve this time. Besides, you’ve been busting your ass ever since we got hired, working late, taking on more patients than you probably should, working weekends. A handful of days off won’t hurt anything.”
Ignoring her, I made my way over to the fridge and grabbed a soda just as a loud bang caused me to jump. I looked up as Aurora opened the door to our condo. Dylan poked his head around the corner, a huge grin on his face.
“Ready to go there, sexy?” he asked, stepping inside and immediately meeting Aurora’s lips.
Their infatuation with one another was enough to make me ill. I rolled my eyes and went back over to the stack of books I’d set aside and ran through them again, looking for another one to read while he examined her lips yet again. There was no way I was going to make it through the next few days if I had to watch these two the entire time.
“Sure am,” she whispered. “Oh, and I packed your favorite bikini and the items I brought home the other night that were in the brown paper bag.”
I felt my stomach turn and swallowed hard as I tried to ignore their public display of affection. This was another reason why I’d changed my flight. There was no way in hell I could sit on a flight for six hours and listen to these two go at it. They had no shame.
“God, I can’t wait,” he said, devouring her mouth once again.
“Get a room, would you?” I barked, shoving another sappy romance novel into my bag, which would probably make me hate my life even more than I already did.
“Hate to break it to you, but we are.” Dylan winked, taking hold of Aurora’s bags and pulling them into the hall.
“Alright, you’re sure you’ll—”
“Yes, I’ll be fine. I will see you tomorrow at some point,” I said.
Aurora came over and stood beside me, studying me.
“What?” I demanded.
“Love you. I’ll see you tomorrow. Safe flight okay.” She wrapped her arms around me.
I weakened at her embrace and almost instantly returned her hug. “I’m sorry I’m such a grump,” I muttered.
Aurora let me go and placed her hands on my shoulders. “It’s okay, I understand. You’re going through a lot right now. Just know that it will all work out, okay.”
I nodded, fighting back the tears that were threatening to fall. I hoped she was right, but I seriously had my doubts. She let me go, smiled, and then headed out of the condo.
Once she was gone, I took a moment to take a deep breath. I’d been so excited for my brother and for Candance, until the other day when I was going over the final list of confirmed guests. It was there I saw Hugo’s name, along with a plus one.
Yet another reason I’d changed my flight was because I knew most guests were on the flight leaving in a little under three hours, so aside from not wanting to watch Aurora and Dylan go at it for the entire six-hour flight, I also didn’t want to be on the same flight as my ex and his new love interest.
Not when I was flying solo because I was completely unlovable.
I hung my head and wandered down to my room, checking over my suitcase one more time, adding in two more bathing suits before I zipped it up and wheeled it to the door. Then I grabbed the plate of leftovers from the fridge, along with another soda, and made my way into our shared office. I sat down behind the desk and started finishing the reports I knew needed to be submitted before I left.
* * *
I woke with a start, the room slowly coming into view as I tried to figure out where I was. I laid there staring at the wall, and then lifted my head and glanced around the room. My computer monitor was on, and when I looked down at the pile of papers that I’d fallen asleep on, I noticed a puddle of drool.
“That’s attractive,” I muttered to myself as I wiped my cheek with my shirt.
Somehow, I’d drifted off while working on the last report I had to submit. I stretched, my body stiff from laying the way I was, and glanced at the clock on my desk.
It was almost two in the morning. Alarmed, I shot up from the desk and grabbed the phone, quickly calling a cab. Then I scurried into my room, stripped out of what I was wearing, and changed into yoga pants and a T-shirt, quickly grabbing my sweater from the closet.
I rushed into the bathroom, brushed my teeth, washed my face, and ran the brush through my hair, pulling it up into one of my clips. I was going to be late; I knew it. I’d miss my plane and then what would happen? They advised to be at the airport two hours ahead of time, and I’d be lucky if I made it there with an hour and a half left to spare.
The cab raced through the streets. Lucky for me, there wasn’t a ton of traffic at two in the morning, and I’d met the cab right when it pulled up outside the condo.
It seemed luck was on my side as I sailed through security. I guess it helped when you only took carry-on luggage. It skipped through the nightmare of checking bags. Once through, I stopped and grabbed a coffee and bagel and then made my way to my gate, where I got to sit down for twenty minutes before they started allowing passengers to board the plane.
I shoved my bag in the overhead bin and my other bag down on the floor in front of my seat and took my seat beside the window, glad I’d upgraded to business class. There was way more room this way.
I slipped my sweater on and pulled my neck pillow and headphones from my bag, along with my book. I had no idea if I’d be able to stay awake, but figured I’d get comfortable now as opposed to doing it when the plane took off.
I’d just gotten situated and opened my book when I heard a familiar voice.
“Well, I’ll be damned. It’s princess!”
I took a deep breath before lifting my head to see Knox Evans standing in the aisle, bag in hand. God wouldn’t be that cruel to me, would he?
Of all the seats on this plane, please don’t be sitting with me.
He chuckled, threw his suitcase in the overhead bin, and then placed his other bag on the seat beside me. He reached over his head and pulled his sweatshirt off. My eyes immediately fell to the bare skin of his stomach as his T-shirt lifted.
“What do you think you are doing?” I said, my jaw clenched as he sat down beside me, shoving his bag between his legs.
“Uh, same as you. Taking my seat.”
I frowned and looked around at the rest of the seats in the upgraded section. He had to be in the wrong seat. Only my hope faded as I looked around and noticed the last three seats were now being taken. I let out the breath I was holding.
“Is this some sort of joke?”
“Nope, don’t think so, princess. You are going to get all the Evans charm for the entire flight. Consider yourself lucky. Girls would kill to be in your position.” He winked, showing me his boarding pass and pointing to the selected seat.
“I don’t understand. Dylan said you were on the other flight.”
“That would have been true, but I had some things I had to take care of and would have been crunched for time. Which leads me to ask, why did you change your flight? Last I heard, you were on that flight as well.”
“I too had things to take care of,” I said, feeling irritated, so I turned my attention back to my book and tried to focus on what I was reading. Only I could concentrate because Knox was staring at me.
“What?” I finally demanded.
“Oh, princess, put a smile on that face of yours. Life isn’t so bad. We are on our way to one of the most beautiful destinations in the world.”
“It’s four in the morning. I’d be happier if I were sleeping in my warm bed at this hour.”
“You know, you need to learn to embrace this early hour. It’s honestly the best time of day!”
“Says you. I like my sleep. Now, I wanted a quiet flight, and I take it from the look on your face that won’t be happening now, will it?”
“That depends on you.”
“On me? How would it depend on me?”
“Well, you are the only one who is starting any conversation here. I was simply sitting here looking out the window.”
I closed my eyes and took a deep breath. Nothing had changed. He was the same old Knox. Same as he’d been all those years ago that night in the bar.
Aurora always wondered why I hated him, and I’d made up a stupid half-assed excuse, but it was far more than the reasons I’d given her about him teasing me about the crush I had on him. In fact, that hadn’t happened at all. I’d just made it up to get her to stop asking me because the truth was far too painful for me to want to remember.
I stared at the page in front of me, pretending to read while the memory of the night Knox became my mortal enemy flashed before my eyes. I swallowed hard to remove the lump that now sat in my throat.
It was Phil’s birthday, and I’d gone with him, Knox, and a couple of other teammates to a bar to celebrate. I’d had one too many celebratory drinks for being the designated driver, which is what happens when you try to keep up with a pile of hockey players.
I’d had a crush on Knox for a while now, and when I stumbled off to the bathroom, I’d decided that it was time to grow up and tell him how I felt. I stayed there until I was certain I had enough courage to confront him, and when I finally returned to the bar, it was like the universe was helping me along, Knox was there alone.
“The guys went out to get some air,” he said, sucking back his beer as I leaned up against the bar. “You want another?”
I nodded and smiled. More liquid courage was exactly what I needed. I was close enough to him as I stood there that I could feel the heat coming off his body and I could smell the scent of his cologne. I couldn’t remember a time in the last two years that he hadn’t worn this cologne. In fact, every time he was around, my hormones were in overdrive.
“Where did you say Phil went?” I questioned.
Knox turned his blue eyes on me and smiled. “He wasn’t feeling too well. The guys took him outside.”
I nodded as our eyes locked. Knox was older than Phil by three years, which put him almost ten years older than me.
As I stood there looking at him, I wondered what his lips tasted like and I zoned out, thinking about what they would feel like against mine. I’d heard he was an amazing kisser and wondered how true that statement was.
I jumped when the bartender placed two more drinks on the bar in front of us.
“Drink up,” Knox said, nodding to the glass.
“Trying to get me drunk?” I asked, looking up at him.
“No need to try. I think you are drunk.”
I closed one eye and thought for a second. “Maybe just a wee bit,” I said, holding my index finger and thumb together, giggling.
He kind of chuckled. “Is that why you’re looking at me weird?” he questioned, lifting the bottle to his lips and taking a mouthful of fresh beer as he watched me.
When he lowered the bottle, that was when I made my move. I placed my fingers under his chin, turned his head toward me, and kissed him. The instant our lips met, I felt a heat roll over my body. I wanted to live in that feeling forever, only it was over before it even started.
He pulled away and stood up. The look on his face wasn’t what I’d imagined it would be when I’d played this night over in my mind.
“Lorelai…”
“I really like you.” I sort of moaned.
“That’s nice, but—”
“So was that kiss,” I said, hoping he’d take me in his arms and make me his. Only when I took a step forward, Knox took a step back.
“It’s enough, Lorelai. Stop making a fool of yourself. I’m not even the slightest bit interested in you. You aren’t my type,” he barked and took off, leaving me standing there alone.
Immediately, I could feel the tears burn, and as I watched him walk away, the pain of rejection ran through my body. Don’t make a fool of myself? Was that what I’d done?
Embarrassment flooded me and I turned around and ran from the bar. I never wanted to see him again.
“Earth to Lorelai! God, she zones out like this all the time.” He chuckled.
“Is she okay? I can get some help if you think she needs it.”
I looked over at him to see him shrugging his shoulders, nodding his head toward the flight attendant, who held out a bottle of water to me.
“Did you want water?” he repeated.
I blinked, tried to laugh it off, and took the bottle of water. The same feeling of embarrassment flooded me again. Ignoring it, I opened the water and drank down half the bottle, trying to calm myself after revisiting that horrible moment in time. I could feel that same pang of rejection every time I thought of Hugo, along with every relationship I’d ever been in, which hadn’t been that many. It had been just enough to confirm to me I’d probably spend the rest of my life alone.
“Get a grip, would you?” Knox whispered in my ear.
I inhaled deeply, as that familiar scent of his cologne hit my nose. I stopped breathing and closed my eyes and held my breath as I tried my best to figure out how the hell I’d ever make it through not only this flight, but the next few days.