Page 16 of He Loves Me, He Loves Me Not

Hollyn’s always been pint-sized. Five-three, five-four, something like that. At nearly six-five, I stand about a foot taller. Besides the oversized sunglasses hiding her eyes, she doesn’t look much different than she did the day she graduated high school.

She glances around, probably looking for River. But instead of telling herI’mhere, I stand glued to the floor, mesmerized by her. How is she still this pretty? The freckles, the dimples, all of it makes me forget I can even speak.

Pull it together, Dax. You’re a grown man now. Not the once dorky Dax she used to humor with late-night conversations when you spent the night with her brother.

Finally, I lift the flowers into the air when she’s within hearing distance. ‘Hollyn.’

4

HOLLYN

On Hollyn’s Side of the Airport…

Longest. Night. Ever. The last twelve hours have felt as if they’ve taken a year to get through. I haven’t slept at all, and truthfully, I think I’m still a little drunk from last night. If I’m not careful, the cheesecake will make a comeback.

I walk past the bathroom, wondering if I should stop and freshen up since I haven’t seen my brother in a few years. Nah. It’s River. He’ll understand I’ve had the day from hell. I pull the prescription sunglasses from the top of my head over my eyes. Contacts weren’t even possible this morning after spending the night sobbing into a never-ending glass of champagne. My glasses are buried in my carry-on bag, so these are my only option. It’s a blessing, really; they hide my red, swollen eyes.

‘Hollyn.’

A guy saying my name stops me in my tracks.Whois that? He’s got a bundle of colorful daisies raised over his head, and he’s waving them in my direction like a flag flying in the wind.

‘Most annoying girl I’ve ever met?’ I read the sign in his hand aloud. ‘What?’

The sign reads like River, but unless he’s grown significantly and dyed his blond hair dark brown, that’s not him. I squint as I stare down the corridor, walking as slowly as possible while figuring out who this is yelling my name.

‘Hollyn Matthews,’ he calls again, a giant grin on his face.

‘Oh, man,’ I say under my breath with a sigh full of nerves.

Dark hair, short thick beard, I-work-out-but-not-every-day muscles, taller than nearly everyone around him, and a voice that could melt the panties off every woman in the room.

Damn it, River. You sentDax?

OK, so it’s not ideal considering my current situation, but at leastsomeoneis here to pick me up. I remember Mercy once mentioning Dax had finally grown up in a way she one day noticed, but I didn’t think much about it after that. She wasn’t wrong.

Here goes nothing. I plaster on a grateful smile and lift a hand as I exit the passenger-only area.

‘Hi,’ he says, an awkward grin on his face. He waves his sign my way with a laugh then offers me the flowers in his other hand. ‘These are for you.’

He brought me flowers? I can’t help but smile. And to think Tristan wouldn’t even buy me a single rose last night.

‘Thank you,’ I say, taking them from him. ‘I suppose they make up for the insult.’ I glance at the sign he’s now folding in half and tossing into a garbage can nearby.

‘I thought you’d enjoy that,’ he says with a smirk. ‘Let me take your bag.’ He removes it from my shoulder, throwing the strap over his.

‘I should have known River would hand this job off to you.’

Dax shrugs. ‘You know River, always doing five things at once.’

‘What is it this time? Kidney donation? TikTok needed his attention? Arrested in a Mexican jail since I talked to him last night?’

He bellows a laugh. ‘Donor meeting.’

I raise an eyebrow, more than confused.

‘Formoney,’ he blurts, ‘not organs.’ He touches the back of his neck uncomfortably, a shy smile on his face. ‘You know, the whole Penny Candy documentary he’s working on. He’s looking for funding.’

I’ve been here five minutes, and already there’s mention of my mom’s alter ego. A name she still goes by even though the eighties have been over for decades. Think Tiffany meets Mariah Carey, and you’ll have Penny Candy, the once famous pop star.

---