Page 24 of Say It Isn't So

“Knox!” I shouted in an effort to confirm my suspicions. I put my hand in the air to get his attention, which, of course, also caught the attention of a dozen or so other people, none of whom, I assumed, were named Knox.

So, naturally it worked. He looked over at me and a smile colored his otherwise serious expression.

He adjusted the black leather backpack he had on his shoulder and walked toward me, all swagger and sex appeal, his large rolling suitcase following behind him.

Man, had he changed.

Just look at the khaki pants and crisp white button down shirt he was wearing. He looked so very New York, there was no other way to put it.

I stood as he approached me. “I can’t believe it’s you! I haven’t seen you in ages. Well, to be more precise, since you left the magazine. How are you?”

“Bianca,” he breathed my name, his arm already out to pull me into a hug.

I let him and breathed in his familiar scent. For all the things that had changed about him, he still had this earthy and woodsy smell that was his signature. It made me tingle with need every time I’d gotten a whiff.

When we separated, I couldn’t stop staring at him. Knox was the only man that could make my legs go wobbly just at the sight of him.

It felt so wild that he was here in one of the busiest airports in the country at the same time as me. And that I’d spotted him. “I can’t believe it’s you,” I said again. “What are you doing here?”

He shrugged and gestured to the chair next to me. “I’d imagine I’m doing the same thing you are—traveling.”

“Yeah, but I’m heading to London. You?”

His eyes grew wide, but he maintained his composure. “London.”

I turned in my seat, my hands resting on the arm of the chair now. “Stop!” I cried, then shook my head. “Yeah, but I’m going for fashion week.”

Smirking, he cocked his head to the side.

“Don’t say it,” I said, my hand in the space between us, stopping him. “Are you still working in the industry?”

The truth was, after he put his notice in, he really hadn’t said too much. He’d distanced himself from me and I’d been so busy trying to keep up and make sure I was making my parents proud, I’d let him. It was something I’d always regretted, but never had the nerve to do anything about, like look him up online. I’d figured it was what he’d wanted, whatever his reasons. And it was a big city, so our paths never crossed, and I’d believed that was just the way it was meant to be. Man, I was starting to sound like Allie with all that meant to be stuff.

I shook my head, pushing those thoughts aside. “Well?” I prompted when he didn’t answer right away about where he was working.

“I am,” he finally admitted, naming the fashion blog he worked for.

“I know them,” I said, stating the obvious. Let’s be real, I knew everyone in the industry. I slipped my high heels off and pulled my feet up under me, all notions of getting caught up on work flew right out the window. At least, for as long as Knox wanted to sit next to me and talk, I would.

I hadn’t realized how much I had missed him. We used to talk for hours, especially after Rina left, so getting to catch up felt kind of amazing.

Then he noted, “So I guess we’re on the same flight.” He named his and I nodded.

“That we are,” I said, practically giddy because nothing made me happier. “So, tell me, what have you been up to? Are you still in your apartment? Are you seeing anyone?”Only the most important question in the mix.“Are you still doing ad sales?”

* * *

Knox

Bianca Morelli.

I was sitting next to Bianca Morelli.

Not only was I sitting next to Bianca Morelli (she insisted the flight attendant bump her to economy and allow us to sit next to each other), but we’d spent the better part of the past two hours together, catching up as we’d waited to board our flight.

And I wasn’t a dead man yet. That had to mean only one thing—her father was nowhere to be found.

After we’d established that we were both single, doing the same job, and going to the exact same cities for the next few weeks, we’d moved on to any and everything else. Except one topic—why I’d disappeared two years before. But I knew it was coming. I had a keen sense for these things.

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