They sat there smiling at each other, her heart swelling again. Suddenly all of the day’s drama with Maddie seemed petty, silly in comparison. Everything she ever wanted for Stuart was happening for him. She didn’t think she could be happier for anyone.

“Fuck,” he said, checking his watch. “If I don’t get to this meeting, I’ll have to reschedule, and that’s the last damn thing I want.”

“Go, go,” she said, shooing him. “I have to pack, anyway.”

She followed him to the door.

“I sure hope we’re doing this for you sometime soon,” he said. “I can’t wait to plan your bachelorette.”

She laughed. “I bet. Okay. Call me when you’re done, okay?”

He waved, and she locked the door after him, sighing again. She wanted to lie down for a nap but made herself go through her clothes, realizing as she did that she didn’t have nearly enough of her work clothing with her here in Colorado. Ted, however, planned to meet her in London, and he had a key to her apartment. She took out a pad of paper and made a list of what he needed to pick up for her and packed what she could in her smaller carry-on. She wasn’t checking out of the hotel, so she decided to leave her casual clothing in this room’s dresser. Stuart was right. She needed to look like the boss bitch she was, or this whole deal would fall apart. She got her laptop squared away and double-checked that she had her passport with her. Except for the extra clothes she needed, she was as ready as she could be.

Ted finally texted her the flight time—tonight at eight thirty, which would get her into London a little after noon tomorrow. The first meeting was at three p.m. His plane would get there right before hers, and they would take a car into the city together, stopping at the hotel first if they had time. She responded, telling him what she needed from her apartment and realized then just how little time she had to get to the airport. Denver International was about an hour away, which meant she needed to be leaving here by five thirty for an international flight, which was less than forty-five minutes from now. She texted Stuart, waited five minutes, texted again, and then called him five minutes later. No response.

“Shit,” she said, now starting to panic. Ethel might be able to suggest a means of getting to the airport on her own, but she decided to try Jai. He picked up on the first ring.

“Hey there, pretty lady.”

“Hi, Jai. I’m sorry to rush, but I’m kind of freaking out here. I need a ride to the airport, and Stuart said he’d take me. Do you know where he is?”

“I think he’s in a meeting.”