Page 5 of Cloudy With a Chance of Bad Decisions

I almost wished the embarrassment would come back—finding the flush and horror preferable to this.

To this…icy guilt.

Biting at my chest and fingertips.

Frostbite of the heart.

We’d been over for a year now, and yet, it still felt as though he loomed above me, casting his shadow over everything I did.

“At least you’re loyal,” I muttered to Neil without heat as I hunted past the back-up t-shirt I’d packed for a pair of socks. Nothing was in its correct place, unsurprisingly—again, because Missy had been the one to pack. Neil’s fat crown poked out of the fabric innocently, as if in agreement. “Even if you are an exhibitionist.” I was half-tempted to sneakily toss Neil in the trash so that I wouldn’t face potential future humiliation.

But…thatfelt disloyal.

And I couldn’t bring myself to do it.

So instead, I quickly and efficiently switched out my socks, relieved when the soggy bundle was shoved into a separate pocket and my feet were more comfortable. I was straightening the hem on my pants when I heard it.

The click of expensive shoes.

Like any sane introvert in a crowded space, I ignored their approach. It was only natural to hope the newcomer would find somewhere else to sit. Unfortunately for me, the footsteps didn’t stray or change course.

They steadily became louder as they headed straight for my gate.

With a sigh, I lifted my head, only to balk when I spotted a familiar stranger striding purposefully down the hallway.Oh dear god. Hell no.Once again, it seemed that life had decided to demonstrate how unfair it could be.

His sturdy thighs flexed as he walked, challenging the seams of his suit pants. He was so much more muscular than I’d realized during our brief encounter only twenty minutes prior. I figured that was probably a result of the fact that at the time I’d quite literally been dying of embarrassment. Therehad not been a lot of time to ogle his quads.

I shrank in my seat, quickly turning my attention to the water-speckled glass to hide that I’d been staring. A few incoming planes wheeled toward our section of the terminal.

There was no denying it was him.

The guy from security.

And he was headed my way.

Fuck. My. Life.

Tall, dark, and handsome paused at the end of my row.

The footsteps drew closer and closer.

Don’t sit by me.

Don’t-sit-by-me!

Don’t—

Fuck.

He sat by me.

A beat passed in silence.

When I was nervous, I had a bad habit of fixing my hair, even when I didn’t need to. That was no different now as my anxious fingers fidgeted with my half-ruined gelled-back waves, desperate for some semblance of control.

I swear to god my shirt collar was growing tighter by the second.

I suddenly regretted my decision to wear one of my casual powersuits to visit home. I’d hoped it would make me feel more confident. That it might make my mom smile—maybe influence more bragging to her friends. But…as I sat there in silence, yanking on my bangs, I didn’t feel more confident.

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