Andrew parks the car so he can walk me inside the airport and say goodbye. He sets my bags on the floor and he pulls me into his arms. For a minute with both just hold each other in silence, both of us dreading what's to come.
"It's only three weeks. It's going to be a long three weeks but we can do it. We'll call, text and video chat the whole time you're gone and then I'm going to come visit you in Chicago as soon as you're home."
I pull back and look at him. He really is the most attractive man I've ever met. He's kind and funny and smart. He's the whole package and I'm going to miss him terribly.
"I'm still going to miss you."
He pushes the hair behind my ear and cups the side of my face.
"I'm going to miss you too." He rests his forhead on mine and closes his eyes. "So fucking much." Then he kisses me. We both get lost in the kiss and cling to each other as people walk all around us without us even noticing. Eventually, I pull back and place my hands on his chest.
"I have to go. I'll let you know when I land safe, okay?"
"You better."
I give him one more quick kiss and then I grab my bags and go before I change my mind.
The flight home is quick and uneventful. When I make it back to my house I set my bags in my room to be dealt with later and plop down on my bed. I pull my phone out and take a picture of myself to send to Andrew.
In the picture I have a sad face and type:
I made it home. Miss you already.
He answers almost immediately with a sad picture of his own.
Miss you too. Only 3 weeks. Glad you made it home safe.
We text back and forth for a few more minutes and then I tell him I better get going so I can pack for my trip in the morning. I promise to text him in the morning before I leave.
I take a minute to look around my home. I really do love this place with its exposed brick and all its charm. Even if I do decide to move to Cincinnati I think I'll keep this place. Between my parents life insurance policies, the sale of their home and the money I make from my photos I was able to pay off my house a while ago. I love Chicago and I know I would still spend plenty of time here. Plus my parents are buried here and I visit the cemetery regularly when I'm in town.
I still need to think about everything before I make any final decisions. Good thing I have plenty of time to do just that.
After I order some take out for dinner I spend the rest of the evening doing laundry and packing my bags for India. The temperatures there this time of year will be in the eighties for the highs and the fifties for the lows. So I'll need outfits to keep me cool during the day and some pants and sweaters for the evenings.
By the time I'm done and everything's packed and ready by the front door I'm tired and ready for bed. I strip down and crawl under the covers and I'm out cold within minutes.
The following morning I wake before my alarm and hop in the shower. I take my time and take an extremely long hot one because it may be awhile before I have another decent shower so I enjoy every minute of it. I get dressed and allow my hair to air dry as I make myself a big breakfast. I have a long day of travel ahead of me and I'll need at least one good filling meal for the day. Once I'm done I clean everything and take out the trash. Then I do one final sweep of the house to make sure I haven't forgotten anything. Once I'm sure I have everything I order an Uber and head out the door.
At the airport it takes a long time to get through security but once I finally do I find my terminal and sit down to text Andrew.
I'm at the airport now. I still have about an hour before we start boarding.
It only takes him a few minutes to reply.
Nothing beats sitting and waiting at the airport. I love to people watch and try to figure out people's story.
I do the same thing. It's not as fun alone though. It's better when you have someone to share your theories with.
One day soon we'll get to travel and people watch together.
I smile at that. I would love to travel with Andrew. I hope he's right and we get to one day soon.
He helps me pass the time for the next hour and then I tell him I have to go because we're boarding the plane. I promise to text him on my layover.
The first part of my flight is short, I'm only in the air for two and a half hours because I have a layover in Newark. I text Andrew again just to let him know I made it Newark and that I'll text him tomorrow when I get to India. I grab some food in the airport while I'm waiting for my next plane to board. The next leg of my flight is almost fifteen hours and I'm hoping I'll be able to sleep through a good portion of it.
Luckily I do sleep a good portion of the flight. We hit some tubulance at one point and there was no sleeping through that but the rest of the flight was smooth and quiet.
I finally arrive a little before ten in the evening on Monday. I text Andrew again just to let him know I made it safe and that I'm heading to my hotel where I'm going to take a shower and pass back out because even though I slept it wasn't restful sleep and I'm exhausted. My adventure will just have to wait until tomorrow to begin.
YOU ARE READING
Follow You (Second Chances Series Book 3)
Romance***Complete***Book 3 in a series involving the same group of friends** Andrew Miller had a difficult upbringing and as a result his friends are his family. He worked hard to build a life for himself and wants nothing more than to find someone to sha...
