Page 52 of Banter & Blushes

Joe, who had somehow wandered into the restaurant again to “check on me” after our impromptu beach crashing plan, looked up from his phone and raised an eyebrow.

“You’re going to break something if you keep stomping around like that,” he said, not looking up from his screen. “What’s eating you?”

“I can’t let her go,” I snapped, turning to face him. “I just can’t, Joe. I’m... I’m a mess. I’ve already messed this up, haven’t I? She’s going back home, and I didn’t even get the chance to tell her what I wanted for us.”

Joe glanced up, his face completely deadpan. “Oh, good. You’re finally admitting it.” He slid his phone back into his pocket. “Took you long enough.”

I shot him a glare. “I’m serious, Joe. What if I can’t fix this? What if she leaves and I never see her again? What if I never get the chance to tell her?—”

“You can’t just sit around feeling sorry for yourself,” Joe interrupted, holding up a hand to silence me. “You’ve got to do something about it. Look, I heard her mention something about the flight being around noon.”

My heart skipped a beat.Noon.That was soon. Too soon.

I felt a cold rush of panic rise in my chest. She was really leaving. The thought of her getting on that plane, flying away, out of my life forever—it was unbearable.

I wasn’t just going to sit here and let it happen.

Without even thinking, I grabbed my jacket off the hook and practically ran toward the door. Joe’s voice trailed behind me as he called out, “Luca, where are you going?”

“I’m going to the airport!” I shouted, already halfway down the street. “I’m not letting her leave! I’m going for it.”

The airport was a blur of people, all rushing around with their luggage, checking in, heading to gates. My palms were sweaty, and my heart was beating so loud I was sure the entire airport could hear it.

I was nervous. I was panicking. But I couldn’t stop now. I had to find her.

I pulled out my phone and sent her a quick message:Please don’t go yet. I need to see you.

But I didn’t wait for a reply. There wasn’t time for that. I had to find her first.

I rushed through security and onto the terminal, my eyes scanning the crowd. Where was she? Where was Rebecca?

And then, through the sea of faces, I saw her. She was standing near the gate, looking down at her phone, her suitcase by her side. She was already so close to leaving. The thought gave me a painful visceral reaction.

I didn’t even think. I just ran toward her, weaving through the crowd, heart hammering in my chest.

“Rebecca!” I shouted, not caring who heard or what anyone thought. “Rebecca, wait!”

She turned, her eyes widening when she saw me coming toward her. She took a step back, her hands clutching her suitcase. “Luca? What are you?—?”

“I know I’m probably the last person you want to see right now,” I said, my voice frantic. “But I can’t let you go. I just... I can’t. You’re everything I’ve been looking for, and I don’t know what to do without you. I know I messed up. I didn’t say the things I should’ve said when I had the chance.”

Rebecca opened her mouth to speak, but I wasn’t done. I had to get it all out. There was no turning back now.

“Please, don’t leave,” I continued, desperation creeping into my voice. “I promise you, I will always take care of you. I’ll never let you be sad again. I’ll?—”

“What are you talking about, Luca?” she interrupted, her voice trembling. “I’m not asking for?—”

“No, I know you’re not. But I need you to understand.” I took a step closer, my hands trembling, my heart in my throat. “I’ve never felt this way about anyone. I know I’m not perfect. I’m not some prince charming or anything like that. But I swear to you, I will do whatever it takes. I just need you to give me a chance. I need you tostay with me.”

Her eyes were wide, the emotion in her gaze so clear that it almost broke me. She wastorn—torn between wanting to stay and wanting to walk away, between all the reasons she shouldn’t and all the reasons she felt she might want to.

“I can’t just throw everything away, Luca,” she whispered, her voice wavering. “This isn’t the kind of thing you plan, or even expect. I have responsibilities back home. Things I can’t leave behind.”

“Then let me take care of you,” I said, my voice cracking as I took another step closer as if her very presence carried its own gravitational pull I couldn’t resist. “I’m asking you to let me be the one to take care of you. Please, don’t go. Not like this. I can’t let you walk away and wonder ‘what if.’ I’ll spend my life wondering if I could’ve made it work. If you could’ve been happy with me.”

Rebecca’s eyes filled with uncertainty, and I could see her fighting the pull of my words, fighting the pull of everything she might want but couldn’t allow herself to have.

“I’m scared, Luca,” she said quietly, her voice barely above a whisper. “I’m scared it won’t work out. That we’ll both end up hurt. That we’ll just be... a short term thing.”

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