Total pages in book: 24
Estimated words: 22483 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 112(@200wpm)___ 90(@250wpm)___ 75(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 22483 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 112(@200wpm)___ 90(@250wpm)___ 75(@300wpm)
He cleared his throat and leaned toward her, which Holly thought was very brazen of him, considering they hadn’t seen each other in over a decade. “I’ve always wondered where you ran off to, and now, after twelve, well, almost thirteen years, I’ve found you in an airport in Miami, at Christmas, no less. How are you, Holly?”
Holly waited. She contemplated whether she wanted to acknowledge him. He’d broken her heart many moons ago, but she still felt the pain that came with the decision he made. He never saw her as more than a friend, and he wouldn’t now. Holly thought nothing had changed because he was married to that wretched girl from high school. Mean girls don’t suddenly turn nice. For a moment, Holly thought maybe Christian would see her in a new light. She had grown up. She was no longer the awkward girl from down the street—her words, not his.
Holly closed her magazine and shifted in her seat to look at him.
My God, he’s more beautiful up close.
Their eyes met, both seeking recognition of their familiar past. She set her hands on top of her magazine, the one that featured the photographs she had taken, and bit her lower lip. Slowly, a smile she wanted desperately to go away formed, as if her inner self was excited to see the man she’d been in love with since she was a little girl.
“Hello, Christian.” Her voice was soft, elegant. Nothing like the squeaky, high-pitched voice she had in her teen years. Long gone was the valley-girl dialect she had picked up when she was thirteen.
“Holly,” her name fell from his lips in a sigh.
God, how she wanted to kiss him. To feel his lips pressed against hers. Back in high school, before Skye moved to town, Holly had dreams of going to prom with Christian, where he would kiss her under the disco ball, and they’d dance to their favorite song and forget about the world around them. After, they would go to college and fall madly in love and laugh about how it took them years to realize what was right in front of them. Then, they’d show up at their ten-year reunion, and show everyone how happy they were.
Holly skipped her ten-year reunion. She had no desire to see Christian and Skye together. She’d seen enough to last her a lifetime. Holly looked past his shoulder, wondering where his wife was. Should she ask him? No, she wouldn’t. She’d soak up every minute she got with him now and then go on with her life.
“Wow,” he said. “I can’t believe it’s really you.”
Holly chuckled. “It’s really me. What’s it been—”
“Twelve and a half years, but who’s counting?”
Me, and apparently you.
“Really?” Holly played it off, acting as if she didn’t realize how many years had passed when she knew exactly how long it had been. She left the day after graduation and never looked back. She’d been homesick, missed her family and friends, but the alternative would’ve killed her. Holly had already died a little on the inside when Christian started dating Skye.
“I thought I’d see you at the reunion.”
I thought I’d marry you and have your babies.
“I think I had to work. I don’t really remember.”
Christian nodded. “I can’t believe you’re sitting next to me. In the airport in Miami, of all places. Are you heading to your parents’ place for Christmas?”
There was no point in lying to him since they were at the same gate. Before she could answer, the desk agent came over the loudspeaker to announce they would start boarding momentarily. Christian glanced at the gate and then back at Holly.
“I am,” she finally said.
“It’s been a while, right?”
Had he looked for her in town? At the store? As far as she knew, he hadn’t asked her parents about her, unless they didn’t tell her, which was also an option. They knew how she felt about him.
“Yeah, it has.” Only she hadn’t meant about going home.
three
Christian
The desk agent began the boarding process and panic set in. They would call for first-class passengers soon, and he was certain he hadn’t seen Holly’s name on the monitor earlier. He also wasn’t looking, but H. Saint would’ve stood out to him. Unless she was married. Was she? Christian hadn’t seen a ring on her finger, but then again, he wasn’t really paying much attention. He only saw her—the face of a woman he hadn’t seen in years.
Christian waited for Holly to say more, or for all the things he thought he’d say to her once he saw her again to come out of his mouth, but there was nothing between them except for an awkward silence. It seemed that whatever they had in the earlier years of their life had passed them by. Talking to her used to be the easiest thing in the world, and now, for the life of him, he couldn’t think of what to say. Telling her he had missed her didn’t seem right.