Chapters (48)
- 1. One
- 2. Two
- 3. Three
- 4. Four
- 5. Five
- 6. Six
- 7. Seven
- 8. Eight
- 9. Nine
- 10. Ten
- 11. Eleven
- 12. Twelve
- 13. Thirteen
- 14. Fourteen
- 15. Fifteen
- 16. Sixteen
- 17. Seventeen
- 18. Eighteen
- 19. Nineteen
- 20. Twenty
- 21. Twenty-One
- 22. Twenty-Two
- 23. Twenty-Three
- 24. Twenty-Four
- 25. Twenty-Five
- 26. Twenty-Six
- 27. Twenty-Seven
- 28. Twenty-Eight
- 29. Twenty-Nine
- 30. Thirty
- 31. Thirty-One
- 32. Thirty-Two
- 33. Thirty-three
- 34. Thirty-Four
- 35. Thirty-Five
- 36. Thirty-Six
- 37. Thirty-Seven
- 38. Thirty-Eight
- 39. Thirty-Nine
- 40. Forty
- 41. Forty-One
- 42. Forty-Two
- 43. Forty-three
- 44. Epilogue
- Afterword
- Also by
- Acknowledgments
- About Author
Finn and I walked down the ramp and entered the Aspen airport. I checked the time on my phone, noting it was half-past six in the morning. I followed him to the baggage claim, and we quietly waited in a line for our luggage to pop through. He must be as tired as I am. On the plane he wouldn’t shut up, but now he was radio silent. We would yawn here and there and make small comments, but mostly just swayed mindlessly like zombies. When my familiar white suitcase popped on the running belt, I sluggishly reached out to grab it. My bones were already sore from the cold, and I was more than ready to snuggle in my childhood bed with a warm blanket and ignore the world.
I turned back to Finn, whose luggage had yet to pop through. He was still holding my carry-on; I reached out to grab it, but he didn’t move.
“Come on, after everything we’ve been through. Let’s at least get a coffee or something.”
I was too tired for any comebacks. “Sorry, bud. I am exhausted, and I have to get home before everyone wakes up.” Thankfully, my house was a short thirty-minute drive from the airport. But it was going to be a drive I had been dreading for so long.
“Can’t I get your number or something?”
I considered it for a second. Finn seemed like a good guy: sweet, comical, handsome, charming. But, I had too many walls up for a man like that, and I wasn’t going to hook up for two weeks then fly home like nothing happened.
“Probably not a good idea. But it was nice meeting you. Maybe I’ll see you around.”
His shoulders sank, and he looked like a sad puppy denied a bowl of treats. I felt bad, but he was a big enough flirt that he would find a new toy by tomorrow. I grabbed my bag from him and placed it atop my rolling suitcase.
“Maybe. Bye, Olive.” His morning voice was deep and raspy, and I needed to get out ASAP, before my body overtook my mind. I quaked a quick bye and with no hug, handshake, or any physical touch as I walked away from my handsome new acquaintance.
Once I was comfortable in the cab with my sleepy driver and his multiple cups of coffee, I texted my mother that I had landed. Shortly after, my phone began to ring.
“Good morning.” My voice was monotone and cold, a mistake on my part for greeting my precious mom that way.
“Good morning, my sweet Olive! Are you so excited to be home?”