Page 85 of A Shore Fling
I shove my phone in my pocket as I hurry to the garage. I swing my leg over the bike, straddling the frame. “Please, God, just let me make it to Travis’ house in one piece,” I whisper. Ipush off with one foot, and the front wheel wobbles enough that I start to panic. But I hold on tightly to the handlebar grips and keep pedaling. Before I know it, I’m moving along at a decent and well-balanced clip.One, two. One, two.Each time I pedal, I do a two-count. One for each foot. I tell myself it’s like dancing, and I just need to keep the rhythm steady. So far it seems to be working.
Only one more street to go.One, two. One, two.I keep up the count until I pull in Travis’ driveway, and then I pretty much drop the bike and run up to the front porch. Rapping my knuckles against the blue-painted wood, I hold my breath until the door opens.
“Nina.” Travis’ eyes widen.
“Who else were you expecting?” I ask, smiling.
“One of my jackass brothers.”
“Can I come in?”
“Yeah, of course.” He steps back.
I take a shaky breath as I pull the door closed behind me. Travis stands just a few feet away, his eyes locked on mine, like he's trying to memorize every part of my face.
“You’re really here,” he says, his voice low..
“I’m here,” I whisper.
He moves in fast, arms wrapping around me before I even realize he’s stepped forward. I bury my face in his chest, pressing into the warmth and solidness of him, like it’s the only real thing in the room. His hand slides up into my hair and just holds me there.
“I thought something happened to you,” he murmurs. “I kept checking my phone. I didn’t know if you left because you needed space or because you were hurt or—” His voice hitches, and it guts me. “I didn’t know what to think when I didn’t hear from you.”
I pull back just enough to meet his eyes. “I’m so sorry I worried you. My sister left me a voicemail, crying hysterically, and asked me to come. I couldn’t refuse. And then everything happened so fast. I was on a flight later that night. Then I lost my phone in the Uber I took from the airport. By the time I realized, it was already gone, and I didn’t have your number written down. I finally called your office today, but the voicemail was full.”
His eyebrows rise. “You called my office?”
“Yes.”
“I’m firing David,” he growls.
“Or you could just tell him to delete some messages.”
He studies me for a long second, then tucks a strand of hair behind my ear. “God, it’s great to see you.”
I smile. “I know that feeling well.”
“Having you here is like a thousand-pound weight has been lifted from my chest.” He gently presses his forehead against mine. “I missed you, Nina. More than I thought was even possible.”
His words crack something open in me. I tried to bottle up my emotions when I left and keep them under control while I was gone. But now all that emotion inside me is rushing to the surface. “I was miserable in New York. Everything about it felt wrong. It’s too fast, too loud, too crowded. I couldn’t sleep. I kept thinking about you and my life here.”
“Good,” he says. “Because I was losing my damn mind without you.”
I smile, but my eyes sting. “I kept seeing reminders of you everywhere. I was walking through my sister’s apartment building, and someone was wearing a Patriots shirt, and I almost cried.”
He huffs a laugh, but I can see the emotion in his eyes. “You almost cried over the Patriots?”
“Don’t let it go to your head. It wasn’t the team. It was the guy who loves them so much.” I pause. “I hated being away from you. I hated the way it felt. I thought being home would help me get some clarity, but all it did was remind me that the city isn’t my home anymore.”
He stares at me, as if he’s weighing my words. “Where is home?”
I edge closer, eliminating every inch of space between us, and slip my arms around his waist. “I don’t know exactly. But I think it’s wherever you are.”
His arms go around me again, and this time, he doesn’t let go. His mouth brushes against my temple before he pulls back just enough to look at me. “Promise me something.”
“Anything.”
“If you ever need to leave again, go anywhere, for any reason, just tell me. I’ll drive you to the airport. I’ll wait for you. Hell, I’ll fly there with you if that’s what it takes. Just don’t disappear.”
