Chasing You

Chapter 14

ADDIE

"Flight 298 with destination Paris is ready for departure. I repeat, flight 298 with destination Paris. We kindly ask all passengers of this flight to get on board. Gate 9. I repeat, gate 9."

I wish I were in Paris.

Could be fun. I could buy a latte in the morning, then cruise down the streets, admiring the many shops. I would stop in some, look at the clothes, the books, the vinyls. Maybe I would even buy myself a new sweater. Or a pleated skirt. Maybe even a book. Maybe even the latest book from my favourite romance author. "Love & Lattes" by Ane Enar. I swear, I could devour anything that girl writes.

Or, I wish I were in London.

I have always wanted to go there. Ever since I was little, every time the teacher would ask us where we see ourselves in ten years, and every other kid in my class would either say as an astronaut in space or a princess in a castle, I would just shout 'London'. My Dad would always joke he thought I should have been born in London, yet the stork brought me to him instead. When I grew older, some of my friends would say it excused my addiction with Harry Styles.

I still don't know the reason. Yet it has always been London.

I have watched as many vlogs and reels and read as many tour guides and reviews to be perfectly content if a plane now left me in London and never came back for me.

Truth is, I am dreading to go home anyway. It holds too many memories. Too much pain. Not to mention I still have zero clue about what I'll do with my life. For the last few years, my wish had only been F1 journalist. Now, I'm sure that ship sank.

I fucked up. I stuck with my morals, and I fucked up. I know I shouldn't feel some regret, but I do it. I would still have done it if I knew the consequences.

I could never do that to Astoria. Or Chris.

To tune out the thoughts, I take out my headphones and my book. I start playing my playlist and dive back into "Defying Him". One try to guess the author.

The messed up love life of the princess in the book as she falls in love with the bad boy she shouldn't want feels like a good place to start.

I let the words wash through me, let myself fall into the story, into the plot, forget this world for a while and travel somewhere far away, somewhere that only exists in my mind and from the pen of an author.

As someone starts shouting in the distance, I assume it is the protagonist's voice as he has to let her go.

"Addie", he shouts. "Addie!", and again. "ADDIE!"

I hate to admit, but the voice sounds a bit too real to belong to the crazy-hot man in the back. Sighing, I take off my headphones and look up.

And holy shit.

He does look like the man in the book. Brown curly hair cut short on the sides, chocolate eyes, a body shaped by muscles and kissable skin.

I begin to wonder if he is the man from the book or from my dreams...

"Addie", Chris says, coming to kneel in front of me, so he can look me in the eyes. Did I ever mention he is tall?

"Yes", I let out. My voice comes out way too exhausted. I should have slept through the night. I should have caught a nap during these hours waiting in the airport. But I haven't, and I haven't eaten anything since yesterday's breakfast, and I am surviving on a coffee.

"Fuck, Addie", Chris curses, standing up just so he can wrap his arms around me and pull me close to his chest. I had not expected that. He smells like toffees, I notice.

"I was so worried", he begins, his hand brushing through my hair as if to make sure I'm actually there next to him and not gone. "So very worried." He lets go just as much so he can cup my face between his palms and wipe away my tears. "Are you alright, Addie-Boo? Ezra told me what happened, I came as soon as I heard."

"They fired me", I let the built-up frustration of the last few hours out. "They fired me. I have nowhere to go, Chris. I don't- I don't know what to do next."

"Stay here", he almost begs me. "Stay here with me. With us. You don't have to leave."

"What do you mean?", I can't believe him.

"Toni read your article. It was good. Very good. He is willing to hire you to work for Astoria."

"What about Paul?", this is all new to me. And I know for a fact Paul is the one from the program who got to be media intern at Astoria.

"Paul would still be part of our team as a media intern. We are looking to offer you a full-time job. You'd travel throughout the season with us and be on our media team. You can either work on our website or our social media... Your choice. We'd take care of all expenses."

My head is spinning at his words. It's all I ever wanted. All I could ever wish for. Working for Astoria. Having the freedom to choose my content. Travelling the world.

It all seems too good to be true.

"You're joking, right?"

He must see that I'm shaking, for he takes ahold of my hand and gives it a squeeze. "I have Toni waiting with the contract in the garage. Say the word and the job is yours."

And I mean it. I mean to say yes. I just need to know one more thing first. "You read my article?"

He nods. "I think you have a way with words, Addie. One couldn't capture the essence of this team better."

"So you liked it?", a ghost of a smile fills my face.

"I loved it."

I don't know what the silence before my next few words was for. I already know my answer. "I'd like to take the job."

He chuckles, squeezing my hand once more. "Well, that's a relief. Toni would have cut my head off if I returned without you."

I don't mind as he helps me out, takes my bags and leads the way to his car. All I know is that the world seems to turn a little better again.