Page 79 of Sunset Tides
He waved at her before stumbling out of line.
“What are you doing here?” he asked when he reached her.
“I could ask you the same question,” she said, hands on her hips.
He grinned at her, probably looking like a total idiot. He didn’t care. “I’m going back home.”
“I need to talk to you.” She grabbed him by the wrist with surprising force. “Let’s talk over here.”
He was so dumbfounded that he’d left his bag behind for a few seconds. After retreating to grab it, he joined Lucy at a small table near a coffee shop.
“I can’t believe you’re here,” he said. It was as though he’d imagined her into being.
“I can’t believe I am either.” She shook her head. “They put me on aseaplane.”
His mouth dropped open. “They did what?”
She slapped a hand to her forehead. “It was all because this guy liked me at the airport and I didn’t know how to say no and – it doesn’t matter. But you know we landed on a lake? And then I – ”
“Hang on, youflewhere?”
She nodded. “I think I did. Yes.”
A smile spread across his face. “And you didn’t die?”
“Not this time, though I thought I was going to. I think I still might, actually.” She took a shaky breath and looked down at her hands.
“I think you’ll be okay.” He stared at her, studying the gentle curve of her lips and her slightly tousled hair. It felt like he hadn’t seen her in years. He was starved for every detail.
“So, going back to what you said. You got fired?”
He nodded.
“Because you sacrificed your very important career to save the hotel?”
“It’s not a very important career,” he said. “But yes.”
She sat back and crossed her arms. “Do you promise you’ll never do it again?”
He tried not to smile. As if he would ever consider it. “Of course.”
“Say it.”
He leaned forward. “I promise I will never try to use eminent domain on The Grand Madrona Hotel again.”
“Or anyplace else!” she said, holding up a finger.
“Or anywhere else.” He clasped his hands in front of him. It was too hard not to smile, but he was trying to be serious. “Those days are behind me.”
“You just changed your mind like that?” Lucy asked. “Are you sure this new plan isn’t just some…distraction?”
He could feel his face getting hot. He looked down for a moment, then back into her eyes. “I’m sorry I said those things. It was mean and petty – ”
She cut him off. “And true.” Lucy let out a sigh. “I think I do look for distractions, and I do run from things. You weren’t wrong.”
“Neither were you,” he said. “I’m a leech. Well, I was. Now I don’t know what I am.”
“You can only go up from there,” she offered.
