I can’t lie. Our talk last week had shattered me. But it had been cathartic in a way. When I look deep inside my heart, all I know is that the pain and anger may be finally seeping away. I’m still in love with Joseph Butler. I love him. But I am letting him go. We both need time to heal. If we find our way back to each other one day, we’ll have a chance. More than a chance, I hope.
Mom and I walk into the small airport terminal in Hilton Head. There’s one check in desk. Only one airline. I’ll change planes in Charlotte. I recognize the girl behind the counter as someone who’d been in school a few years ahead of me. She checks my passport, asks me about the contents of my bag, looks at my hand luggage, and then before I know it I have my boarding passes in my hand for the next three legs of my flight.
That’s when my heart starts pounding with nerves, prickling cold sweat breaking out across my neck and forehead.
There isn’t even a snack bar in the one room airport building. I could really use a shot or something. I can’t believe I’m really doing this.
“You got your camera?” Mom asks.
I pat my backpack and think about Joey’s gift in there too.
She walks me to the single metal detector that makes up the security section of the airport. I can see the small plane about two hundred yards away out the window. There are only nine or ten other passengers, and they are all sitting near the door out to the runway.
“Okay, Mom. I guess I’ll go through and sit down for a bit.”
“You’ll be sitting for the next thirty-six hours.”
“I’ll be sure to walk around while I’m in transit.”
“You do that.”
I draw my mom into a hug, holding her close and breathing into her hair. Her sweet floral perfume invades my senses. “I love you, Mom. Thank you for everything you did for me. For getting me here.”
She pulls back, tears filling her eyes.
“Don’t cry,” I admonish. “We promised.”
“I know.” She laughs and hiccups, the tears spilling over anyway. “It’s good crying. I’m so proud of you.”
“You know what? I’m proud of you too, Mom.”
We hug again.
“Jazz!”
I spin around and see Joey wrestling with a revolving door.
“What the hell?” I whisper.
“Is that Joseph Butler?” Mom asks.
“Yes. But I have no idea what he’s doing here.” He gets through the door, out of breath and smiling. Smiling? He’s wearing his jeans and dirty white Vans and a grey t-shirt. His hair is all over the place. He’s dressed up for the occasion, clearly.
He stalks toward us. “I fucking hate those doors.”
“An airport scene, Joseph?” I greet him. “Really?”
“Our love story needs one, don’t you think?”
“We have a love story?” I ask.
“Don’t we?”
“Ma’am,” says the Butler Cove High School girl. “You need to come through security. Oh hey, you’re Joey Butler.”
He grins at her. “Yeah, I am. Oh hey. Miss McCallister’s class. Missy, right?”
“Yes. Missy Meyer.” She laughs. “You moved back here?”
“Helloooo,” I interrupt. “Our love story, Joey?” Suck on that Missy Meyer.
“Oh yeah. Okay wait. This first.” He swoops forward and kisses me. Then just as abruptly lets me go.
“And then?” I ask bemused.
“You have to go through security for the next part.”
“What?”
“Just go.”
“Okay, but for the record that was the lamest last kiss ever.”
“Ugh, okay.” He rolls his eyes and steps into me. In classic Jay Bird style, he slips a hand around my waist and the other along my jaw and into my hair. He tilts my face up to his. His eyes are vivid and beautiful as his gaze roams my face. Then when my heart is pounding hard, and my lips tingling, he drops his mouth to mine. Immediately his tongue slips inside and I moan. Oh wow.
I return his kiss, winding my fingers up into his hair.
“You mother is standing right here, Jessica,” my mom’s voice breaks through my haze.
I reluctantly pull away.
Joey is smiling down at me.
“Why are you so happy? I’m leaving.”
“Because you’re coming back.”
“I am?”
He nods. “Go do your thing. Find your thing that matters. Take however long you need. But we’re not done yet. I’m going to give us a different ending.”
I close my eyes and a kiss lands on my nose.
He releases me and turns to my mom. “Hi, Mrs. Fraser. Sorry for my rudeness. I was in a time crunch.”
My mom pats his arm.
I shake my head and give her one last hug. I hurry through the security procedure. It’s also given by this Missy Meyer girl. Seriously. This airport. Then she heads to the gate to be the gate attendant too.
“Jessica Fraser!” Joey yells as soon as I’m through. He’s curved his hands around his mouth to really amplify his voice, even though we’re in, like, the smallest space ever.
Passengers turn around.
I glare at him, mortified. Seeing he has my attention he puts his hands around his mouth again.
“I love you!” he yells. “Come back to me one day!”
I hear audible swooning and sighing around me. Even from the male passengers.
Gah.
Then his hands drop from around his mouth, and he puts one on his chest. He just smiles. It’s blinding and beautiful and I’ll never forget it. I honestly can’t even believe this is the same cocky, distant, overbearing guy I grew up with. Who is this guy, laying his heart on the line in public?