Page 9 of One Night Only
“Hada girlfriend,” I remind her. “You told me they broke up months ago.”
“Yes, but it was serious. They were practically engaged.”
“Practically engaged isn’t actually engaged. You’re too scared to say anything to him.” But she’s tuned me out, the glow from the screen illuminating her face as she opens her laptop again.
“He’s moving anyway,” she mutters. “So, unless you can teleport me to Seattle, that’s not happening.”
“I’ll work on it.” I lean against the doorframe, my own troubles momentarily forgotten. “If the guy from last night comes for his watch, I give you permission to flutter your eyelashes at him.”
I get a smile for that. A small one at least. “I wish I could come with you to Annie’s wedding. I bet there will be loads of single men there. Men with beautiful accents and sparkling eyes.”
“Sparkling eyes?”
“Because they’re so charming.”
“You need to get laid.”
“I know,” she says sadly. “Maybe I’ll ask your watch man.” She glances at me, narrowing her eyes. “What time are you leaving?”
“Four thirty.” I wince at the thought.
“I have to be up at six for my spinning class, so if you wake me when you leave, I will kill you.”
“Noted.” I leave the watch on her dresser and close her door. “See you next week.”
“Bring me back an Irish husband!”
I get to work on the mess I’ve left my bedroom in, knowing I won’t have the energy to clean it when I get back. I even put fresh sheets on the bed before I set my alarm. A few years ago, I would have stayed up, but I can already feel last night’s activities catching up with me and I climb into bed as my energy drops.
I turn my phone back on because I don’t know how to survive an evening without it but there are no more messages from my one-night stand.
To distract myself, I reread the email from Annie, flicking through the photos. Outside a siren wails and I glance to where my suitcase waits, packed and ready to go, and finally,finallyfeel the first stirrings of excitement.
Screw Grayson. Screw Matthias and Harvey and the beauty therapist who left my right eyebrow bleeding. Screw cocky watch guy and my 4 a.m. start.
My best friend is getting married. I am going on vacation.
And I’m going to enjoy every damn minute of it.
3
“Sarah!”
I come to an abrupt halt in the arrivals lounge of Dublin airport as my name rings out across the concourse. A sharply suited businessman behind me tsks but I ignore him, standing on my toes as I peer over the people in front of me. For a moment I’m convinced I imagined it. Then I glimpse a red sundress and shoulder-length blond hair as Annie emerges from the onlookers and then I can’t see anything at all because she’s right in front of me, pulling me tight against her until I struggle to breathe.
I can’t believe it. A few seconds ago, I was cursing everything about this journey. My four hours of sleep, my middle seat right by the restrooms, the three glasses of terrible red wine I drank against Claire’s advice. All of it bad. But none of it matters anymore because I haven’t seen my best friend in eight months and now she’s here and I’m here and soon everything will go back to normal.
“What did you say?” I ask as she mumbles something into my hair.
“You smell of plane.”
I push back against her bony shoulders, laughing as I adjust my grip to hug her properly.
“Look at you,” I say in wonder when we finally break apart.
“I’m crying.”
“You’re glowing.”
