Into Thin Air Page 18

  He stands up and blocks me. “Please don’t go. I swear on my life, I’m not lying. I don’t know what kind of game she’s playing, and I’m sorry she said that. I haven’t spoken to her since we broke up. Frankly, I’m surprised she’s been so quiet because that’s not her personality. I told my agent and publicist to keep their eyes and ears open.”

  I know I should wipe my hands clean of this, but I can’t when it comes to Sam. He’s my drug, my weakness. I want or need him in a way I’ve never experienced before. Slowly we sit back down again.

  “Maybe what she said was innocent, not meant to make me mad. But I have a bad feeling about her, and I don’t like it.” My voice is louder than I intend. I slap my hand over my mouth.

  “What was your response?”

  “I didn’t answer her. I focused on her other ridiculous questions.” I place my cloth napkin on my lap and dry my sweaty hands on it. It’s so damn hot in here. “How is this world so small that I have connections with her through work and with you because of our chance meeting at the airport?”

  He shakes his head. “I’m sorry. I don’t know what else to say.”

  “The day I fainted, she questioned if we knew each other, and I don’t think it was because of the explosion.”

  “She said something similar to me after that day. I told her how we met and that it was only for a few minutes.”

  “Anyway, I tried to have Stephanie deal with her, but she had already left. Lucky me. If my manager were there, maybe I wouldn’t have even spoken to Jenny, and I wouldn’t be so pissed off right now.”

  “Please don’t let her ruin your weekend. Do you want me to talk to her?”

  “No way. It’ll make things more awkward if I’m reading too much into this.” Which I highly doubt because my instincts are always right. “Her mother is a client, and I have to interact with her for business purposes. I’m sure it’s not the last time I’ll have to deal with Jenny. But what I do on my personal time is my business.”

  “Good. Again, we’re doing nothing wrong. I’m no longer with her, so whatever she has to say isn’t our problem.”

  A waiter brings our menus and asks what we’d like to drink. I haven’t even thought about a drink, let alone food. I’m too riled up right now. I need to decompress. We both open our menus.

  Sam smiles at me. “I didn’t order a drink yet. I wanted to wait for you. We said we wanted to celebrate tonight. How about some champagne?”

  I do a mental facepalm. Celebrate. How could I have forgotten?

  “Champagne would be nice, but I’d be happy with a glass of wine, a martini, or even a shot at this point.” Or two or three.

  “Since we planned on celebrating but got sidetracked, let’s do it. I think you need a drink more than me.” His eyes beg me to relax.

  “Then order away.” I don’t have a clue what type of champagne to buy. It’s not like I’ve had anything to celebrate recently. But Sam and I did drink some in my dream.

  Sam orders the bottle he wants, and the waiter walks away after filling our glasses with water.

  “Stella, can we start this night over? Please don’t let Jenny ruin our time together. She’s not worth our attention. I feel horrible because she’s my ex.”

  “Yes, it sucks, but I met her before I met you. It’s not your fault, and that’s the last time we’re talking about her tonight. Okay? We aren’t allowed to say her name. Time to change the subject.”

  “You look beautiful,” he says a second later.

  I point at him. “Aren’t you the smooth one? Thank you.” I chuckle. My back and shoulders begin to loosen up. I remove my suit jacket and hang it on the back of my chair.

  “It’s true. When we met at the airport, you looked similar. A tough businesswoman. Of course, now I know you’re a lawyer. It suits you. I remember you wore the same colored shirt.”

  His flirtatious smile alone makes my heart sing. It’s impossible to stay mad. Jumping over the table to devour him sounds like a better way to relieve stress than champagne.

  I touch the bun in my hair. “I can’t believe you remember what I wore. This is the shirt I was wearing. It wasn’t damaged at all.” But why should I be surprised, when I remember what he wore too?

  He remains quiet, but his face softens. “I’d already noticed you in the LA airport that day. We were both in the executive lounge.”

  I lean forward on my elbow. “Huh. You were there? Were we on the same flight to Seattle?” I’m baffled.

  He nods. “It’s hard not to notice you. You’re unique with your red hair and sweet freckles. I was fascinated by you from the second I saw you.”

  I’m suddenly nervous. I search for the waiter. Where’s the champagne? My left knee bobs under the table.

  “I’m stunned. I had no idea.” I swear, I’m so clueless when it comes to this stuff. And I’m always so afraid of flying that I don’t pay attention to anything around me when I’m at an airport.

  “I know, and that’s what I liked about you. You have no idea how beautiful you are. But at the airport, I knew I couldn’t talk to you because of her.” He smirks. “I watched you from afar, wishing the timing were different.

  “Once we landed, I saw you again when you took that suitcase off the belt for that older woman. And that’s when I saw you smile for the first time. It’s something I’ll never forget. But instead of talking to you, I watched you walk away. My luggage took forever to come out, and I thought I’d never see you again.”

  Why is he telling me this stuff? I don’t want to get my hopes up. If he doesn’t stop talking, I’m going to fall in love with this Sam too. Again? I don’t know what I’m thinking anymore. I’m so glad he can’t hear my thoughts.

  “And then I fell on your suitcase. Were you watching me then too?”

  “I did see you, but you were facing away from me. I kept telling myself to walk right by, but suddenly you moved backward and landed on my suitcase. And then we met again, even after we were separated by the explosion.” He reaches for my hand.

  “Is the timing better now?” I ask softly, easing my hand into his.

  His eyes sparkle as they gaze into mine. “Perfect,” he confesses.

  Chapter 32

  Sam

  This was not my intention tonight. I don’t know why I told her that. No. I do. Because it’s her and I want to tell her everything. When she walked into the restaurant looking just like she did the first time I saw her in LA, it was a sign. Something clicked, but I’ll probably never tell her everything.

  I let go of her hand when the waiter arrives with the champagne. He fills the glasses, then leaves us alone again.

  We both raise our drinks. “Here’s to my new job and my future in Seattle.”

  “Here’s to timing. If we hadn’t met at the exact moment we did, I’m not sure we’d be here today.” We clink our glasses.

  “I would’ve found you somehow,” I profess through a whisper. Her eyes glimmer as she peeks over her champagne flute.

  I lift my menu to stop myself from talking. It’s too much. “Are you hungry?”

  “Starving. I haven’t eaten since lunch. I shouldn’t drink too much alcohol yet.”

  “Then let’s get some food in our stomachs.”

  The dishes are spectacular, and the glasses of champagne flow. I haven’t had this much fun in a long time. Well, not in real life anyway. But then we’re interrupted by a man who asks for my autograph and a picture. His youngest son is a big fan of mine, he says. He wants to surprise him tomorrow morning. It reminds me of who I am.

  Ellie takes a couple of pictures and then gives back the camera. The guy thanks us a million times and walks away. I don’t want to draw more attention to us.

  “Sorry about that,” I say as I pull my chair closer to the table.

  “Comes with the territory, right? You’ve already warned me. We forgot to wear baseball caps. Will it always be like this?”

  I shrug my shoulders. “I don’t know. I’ll just be a c
oach for a university now. There’s a big difference. Eventually, some new player will catch everyone’s attention and people will forget about me.”

  “I think you’ll miss it. Do you really think you’ll be that easily forgotten?” She rests her chin on her hands with a sweet grin. “You were the last person I saw at the airport, and you were the first person I thought of when I woke up. Definitely unforgettable.”

  And little does she know, it was the same for me.

  “My parents seem to forget about my sister and me. I got a voicemail from them when they heard I was in the hospital. Nothing more.”

  “Really? That’s horrible. Do they live in LA?”

  “Nope. They moved to Australia once Cass went off to college. I was already in my second year. And since they moved, they’ve pretty much been MIA. Cass and I take care of each other. She’s disappointed I’m moving, but she has her own life with her husband in Santa Monica. She’s sad and proud all together.”

  Her eyebrows crinkle and she tips her head.

  “What’s the matter?”

  “I don’t know. It’s a sense of déjà vu. Like you’ve told me this before.” She shivers. “Weird. Just forget it. Do you want dessert, or do you want to walk around again? I need to move a little after all that food.”

  Her mood has shifted without warning. What did I say?

  “I’m good to go. I’ll get the check.”

  ∞

  We walk along the Waterfront again. She hasn’t said anything for a few minutes. Her arms are wrapped around her waist. It’s as if she’s blocking me out.

  “Is everything okay? What are you thinking about?” I ask as we weave around a group of people.

  “I can’t think straight right now. The bond between us is so strong, almost too strong. I feel like we’ve known each other for much longer than we have. You tell me things I think I already know. I wish I could explain it better. I must’ve hit my head harder than the doctors thought.”

  “Do you want to call it a night?” I squeeze her to my side and kiss her temple. She wraps her arm around my lower back. “You’ve had a long day.”

  “If you don’t mind, I think I should. It’s all a bit too much for me right now.” She looks up at me. “Don’t be mad.”

  I stop walking and face her. “I could never be mad at you. Do you still want to go with me to see that apartment tomorrow? My flight leaves at four. I’ll have to leave right after for the airport.”

  “Definitely. I love looking at empty apartments. It’s fun to think about how to decorate them.” We resume walking with the full moon ahead of us.

  “I’m horrible with decorating, so I’ll need your advice. My current apartment has no style. I don’t entertain a lot. That’s why I say I won’t need to move too much. Of course, Cass has already said she wants to help decorate my new place.”

  “Are you nervous about your press conference on Monday?”

  “Not really. I try not to think about it. I’ve done hundreds of them before; this one just makes things more official. I want to get it over with and be open about everything.”

  Without realizing it, we’re already standing in front of her apartment building. I want to kiss her, but her body language is telling me no. She’s too wary about the entire situation, and I understand that because I am too.

  “Sam, let’s meet at the apartment tomorrow. It’s easier for you since you’ll have to go to the airport right after.”

  “Whatever you want.” I stroke her arms lightly, then lean my forehead against hers. We both sigh. “You have no idea how much I want to kiss you. You’d better go in before I steal one or more from you.”

  “Oh, I think I know,” she murmurs. She takes my hand. “I’ve been thinking about it too, since the first time I saw your lips.”

  I lean in a little closer, but she pulls away.

  “I’m not quite ready, Sam. Please understand.” She lets go and pushes the entrance door open. “Thanks for everything. See you tomorrow.” She steps through and lets the door shut behind her.

  I place my hand over my heart. Why does everything have to be so damn complicated? I want her, and she wants me. What else do we need? This is the one time I wish I weren’t Samuel Moore.

  Chapter 33

  Ellie

  My smudged glasses lie upside down on my desk as I massage my dry, tired eyes. I have this weird anxious thing going on right now. Before the explosion, my life was basic. Now it’s overwhelming. It had a rhythm, and I had control. Gale and my mom kept me occupied when I wasn’t at work. Then I woke up from my dream, and bam, my life hasn’t been the same.

  Oh! I perk up. I remember saying something like that in my dream—how nothing would be the same after vacation. I snag a Post-it and write it down for my book. I’ll have to figure out where it belongs in the story later. It’s 3:00 in the morning, and I’ve been typing like a maniac since I left Sam standing in front of my apartment building. Looking irresistible. It was utterly painful not to kiss him.

  The book has become a mixture of what happened in my dream and what is happening now. The best of both worlds. It adds a lot more drama.

  Maybe I should call him Sam No. 2, and the Sam from my dream No. 1. I still cry when I think about us then. The details are locked in, but the experience is slowly becoming more distant. Time is taking it away from me, and I don’t want it to. The stuff he said about his parents tonight was similar to what he told me in the dream. That’s why I cut myself off. It’s making me fucking batty and vulnerable.

  There’s not much of a difference between the two Sams. The biggest one is that we’re in the real world now. There are outside influences. Sam is famous, and he’s still one of the most eligible bachelors. It makes me question his sincerity when he says such sweet things to me. Did he talk to his other girlfriends that way? But Sam No. 1 spoke to me that way too.

  I’m fully distracted by Sam and want him as much as I ever did, minus the sex symbol or sports status. But he’ll never be without that status. Can I handle his lifestyle if things progress between us?

  I wish everything was out in the open. I hate feeling like we have to hide from the public or from Jenny. I guess Jenny’s kind of just my problem. Sam doesn’t seem to worry too much about it because he’s used to this crap. I wouldn’t care as much if she wasn’t connected to my job. But after tonight, I don’t think that’s the last time I’ll hear from her. Things might get messy when she finds out I’ve been spending time with Sam.

  The worst thing is, I don’t have anyone to talk to. Gale would lecture me, and Mom would be plain worried that I’ve gone off my rocker. I could confide in Christy, but I’m afraid she might tell Gale or someone at work. And I don’t know what’s going on between them, because I’ve been so preoccupied with work, Sam, and my book. Gale and I haven’t spoken about our little fight. It’s not fair, and it has to stop.

  Chapter 34

  Sam

  “So you found an apartment. Sorry, luxury apartment, according to the internet link you sent me. It looks awesome. Congrats. One less thing to worry about.” Jackson pats me on the back as we walk into his office.

  “Thanks, man. It’s a huge relief to have found something so fast. Now I need to pack up my condo and sell it, but SU will help with that.”

  He sits down behind his desk. “Are you ready for the press conference?”

  “I think so, but before we discuss that, tell me. Are there any rumors going around about Jenny and me?” Just as I ask this question, Diana walks in.

  “Sorry I’m late. Did I miss anything?”

  I tell her about my new apartment, and we joke around for a few minutes. I’m going to miss them when I’m gone. I wish I could take them with me. But there’s business to attend to now.

  I sit on the edge of my chair. “Diana, has anything come up about Jenny and me? She doesn’t seem to be telling people that we broke up. I haven’t said much because I’ve been preoccupied and I really don’t care.”

 
“Let’s talk about something else—or should I say someone else—first.”

  I raise my eyebrows. “What do you mean?”

  She pulls some pictures out of an envelope and tosses them on the desk in front of me. They’re of Ellie and me at the restaurant on Friday night. And there’s one of me leaning my forehead against hers.

  “Fuck.” I stand up and pace the office. I thought I saw a few flashes that night when we were standing in front of her apartment building, but I didn’t pay attention.

  “Yeah. That’s what I thought when I saw these,” Diana responds. She perches on the corner of Jackson’s desk.

  I lift the second picture. “This one was taken in front of her apartment building. Since it’s a close up and you hardly see the building in the background, do you think the paparazzi could find out where she lives just from this picture?”

  Diana takes it out of my hand and inspects it. “It’s hard to say. But most likely they’ll figure it out. They always do. The important question is when?”

  Jackson picks them up and looks through them. “Who the hell is she, and why didn’t you warn us?”

  “First of all, I never cheated on Jenny, if that’s what you’re thinking.”

  “I wouldn’t care if you had.” She drops down into one of the chairs as if she’s exhausted. “I’m just here to clean up your messes. But tell us who she is and what’s going on. Then I’m going to need an email from you with her full name, where she works, all that stuff. You know the drill.”

  “I don’t know where to start. The easiest way to say it is she was also involved with the airport explosion. I was talking to her when it happened.” For the next few minutes, I explain the situation and connection between Ellie and me, minus the dream. Then I explain that Jenny knows Ellie too. I have to constantly remind myself to call her Stella.