One Way Ticket

by Melissa Baldwin

  Not to mention that, up until a few hours ago, I was wandering aimlessly around the airport in my wedding dress—the dress my mother made me wear. Believe me, it was beautiful, just not the style I would have chosen for the most important day of my life.

  I let out a sigh and took another sip of my drink. I had no doubt my photo was already plastered all over social media by now. As soon as the security guards saw my dress go through the scanner, they realized I was “the runaway bride.” Gossip sure traveled fast.

  I could already see the caption on the news: “Crazy runaway bride tears through the Dallas/Fort Worth International airport in wedding gown.”

  Thank goodness for Addi, the kind traveler who took pity on me and gave me a T-shirt and a pair of shorts so I could get out of that dress. I told her she was my guardian angel—and I truly believed it.

  “Can I get you something else?” Sheila the flight attendant asked, dragging me out of my thoughts.

  I looked at my almost empty glass. “Another, please,” I replied, holding it up.

  She nodded and quickly skipped away to welcome the new passengers who had joined us. The seat next to me was still empty, and I hoped it would stay that way. I leaned my head against the back of the seat and stared out the window. After hours of flight delays due to the huge storm, I was on my way to Florida, to live in a complete stranger’s home, running her florist shop.

  I pinched myself to make sure I wasn’t in some bizarre dream.

  To make matters worse, it was all my idea. Addi went along with it. I wondered if she was having second thoughts like I was?

  “Here you are,” Sheila said, handing me another drink.

  Wow. She certainly was quick. Now, I was convinced she would take me down if I tried to bolt. She must have noticed my uneasiness . . . or maybe my rising panic? I wasn’t quite sure yet.

  Either way, a few drinks, or several, should help to calm my nerves.

  I gave her a grateful smile and took a sip as I watched her and the other attendants make their final preparations for takeoff. Thankfully, the seat next to me was still vacant, so I took another sip and closed my eyes.

  A few seconds later, I felt someone sit down next to me. I peeked out of the corner of my eye and, sure enough, my neighbor for the next few hours had arrived.

  Crap.

  “Damn, that was close,” he said.

  I wasn’t sure if he was talking to himself or me. It was obvious he had been running, because he was still breathing heavily. This storm had sure done a number on air travel today.

  “Welcome, sir. You just made it! Can I get you something to drink before we take off?” Sheila asked.

  I listened as my neighbor ordered a vodka tonic. His voice was deep and soothing.

  “Of course. That will be easy to remember, since your seatmate is drinking the same.” I finally opened my eyes and turned toward him.

  When we made eye contact, he gave me a warm smile and nodded his head. “Hi there.”

  “Hi,” I replied, taking another sip of my drink, the alcohol finally helping me relax—which was a good thing. I still wished they would hurry up and close the plane doors, then I would have to follow through with this crazy plan.

  “I’m sorry about taking this seat. I’m sure you were looking forward to having the row to yourself.”

  I shrugged nonchalantly as I tried to play it off. “It’s fine. At least you made it.”

  He stretched back in his seat. “You have no idea. I just got off a flight from Seattle and had to run across the entire airport. I even tripped when I tried to perform the high jump over some lady’s rolling suitcase. Both the suitcase and me took quite a fall. She yelled at me, but I just kept running. And because that wasn’t enough humiliation for one day, I almost took out two little girls who were pulling the smallest pink suitcases I’ve ever seen. For all I know, Airport Security could be searching for me right now.”

  I bit my lip to keep from laughing, but I wasn’t very successful. As a giggle escaped, he gave me a funny look, and a few seconds later, we were both laughing.

  It felt good to laugh after the day I’d had.

  The flight attendant interrupted us to deliver his drink, and then the announcement was made, letting us know we were preparing for takeoff. I glanced at the door, now bolted firmly shut.

  There was no turning back now.

  “Cheers,” my neighbor said, holding his glass up. “To my unforgettable and embarrassing moments in the airport.”

  We clinked glasses, and I couldn’t help but cringe at the memory of me in my wedding dress a few hours before. “Oh, I guarantee I can top your embarrassing airport moment.”

  He cocked his head to the side, a smile on his handsome face. “Really? Are you sure about that?”

  I nodded. “Absolutely. Just a few hours ago, I showed up to the airport in my wedding dress.”

  He raised his eyebrows. I had no doubt he was wondering how many vodka tonics I had already consumed.

  And right at that moment, I drained my second glass.

  “Your wedding dress?” he asked, as he glanced around the plane.

  I wasn’t sure if he was looking for the dress, the groom, or maybe even a hidden camera crew? I thought of Addi. She had asked if I was part of a publicity stunt or some type of reality show.

  I frowned. “I didn’t have time to change, and I didn’t bring anything else with me.”

  He looked down at the T-shirt I was wearing, thanks to my new friend and guardian angel.

  “I met someone here who lent me these clothes,” I added.

  I could tell by the curious expression on his face he was both intrigued and confused by my admission. Not that I blamed him—I was beyond confused myself.

  “Forgive me for being so nosy, but why would you come to the airport in your wedding dress and without any luggage?”

  I sighed. “Are you sure you want to hear this? Believe me, it’s not pretty.”

  “Oh, I do,” he insisted, sounding intrigued. “My name is Ethan Carter, by the way.” He held out his hand.

  “I’m Sabrina Monroe. I’m sure you’ll be seeing me and my wedding dress plastered all over the internet very soon,” I said as we shook hands.

  Ethan smiled again, showing off his perfectly white teeth. He must use those teeth whitening strips. He was probably close to my age, maybe a few years older than me. I noticed a few tiny wrinkles around his blue eyes. He was definitely attractive.

  At that moment, the image of Todd waiting for me flashed through my mind, and I felt super guilty for even thinking it.

  I was startled as the plane began to speed up and race down the runway. I could feel the wheels lift off the ground, and then we were airborne.

  I was officially on my way to my new life in Florida.

  My whole body tensed up, and I grabbed ahold of the armrests as if my life depended on it.

  “Are you okay?” Ethan asked, sounding worried. “Are you afraid of flying?”

  I shook my head, looking at him. For the first time, I noticed how blue his eyes were. “No, actually, I’m not. I’m more worried about what’s going to happen when we land.”

  He gave me another curious look. I wish I were a mind reader so I could see what he was thinking. He was probably thinking I was crazy, like the majority of the people in the Dallas airport.

  “Do you live in Florida?” he asked.

  I chewed on my lip as I tried to think of the best way to answer his question. “Um . . . no, I’m going to be staying there for a while. I’m not exactly sure how long, but—” I paused. I decided telling a complete stranger my dramatic wedding tale couldn’t hurt. I was never going to see him again, anyway. I cleared my throat. “My home is in San Francisco, but I was getting married in Dallas.”

  Ethan stared blankly at me. “You live in San Francisco, you were getting married in Dallas, and now you’re staying in Florida?”

  I gave him a faint smile. I knew it sounded crazy. “That’s right.
”

  It was his turn to take a long sip of his drink. “Well, congratulations.”

  Congratulations? Oh—he means on my wedding.

  I sighed as I looked out the window. “I didn’t get married. I ran. I ran from my gorgeous outdoor wedding that my parents paid a fortune for, ran from the future everyone expected me to have. I . . . I escaped out of the window before the ceremony.”

  “You escaped through a window?” he exclaimed.

  I nodded as I swallowed to make my ears pop, the plane rising high above the clouds.

  “It was a bit tricky, especially with so many layers of dress and the veil. I thought I was going to get stuck, like Winnie the Pooh,” I told him with a wry smile. “My mother insisted on the full getup, despite my complaints. Wait until she finds out I left my dress on some random chair in the airport!”

  I can’t believe I just told this man all about my wedding dress. Although, to be fair, that seemed to be the direction my day had gone, with me unloading my issues on complete strangers.

  “Anyway, the last time I crawled through a window was when I snuck out of my room in high school to hang out with friends. It was much easier in a hoodie jacket and jeans than a full-length wedding dress.”

  “I can imagine,” Ethan chimed in.

  I played with the straw that was sticking out of my empty glass. “So, yeah, I escaped from my wedding and left Todd at the altar. I texted my maid of honor, Naomi, and told her what was happening. I couldn’t face Todd or my family.”

  Ethan was listening intently to me rambling on and on, so I continued my story.

  “Getting into the cab was a whole other ordeal. Poor Xavier had to help me by picking up my train and pushing me into the backseat. Although, I think he enjoyed touching my ass.”

  What the hell? Now I’m talking about my ass? I needed another drink . . . or maybe not?

  “Who’s Xavier?” Ethan interrupted.

  “The cab driver.”

  “Oh.” One corner of his mouth curled up into a smile, undoubtedly because of the reference to my ass.

  “Anyway, I took the cab to the airport, and as soon as I arrived, I made a beeline for the ticket counter and asked for the next flight out of Dallas. I didn’t care where, I just needed to get away. I was booked on a flight to Baltimore, and then the storm rolled through, delaying all the flights.”

  Ethan nodded. “Yep, which is why I was late coming in from Seattle. The plane wasn’t able to land.”

  Just then, the captain came over the intercom, letting us know it was safe to move about the cabin. I watched as three passengers got up and made their way to the teeny tiny airplane bathrooms.

  “Let me get this straight: you were supposed to fly to Baltimore? How is it that you ended up on a flight to Orlando? Did you suddenly decide you wanted to go to Disney World?” he asked with a wink.

  I shrugged. “Hmm . . . Orlando is certainly a more exciting destination, but while I was waiting, I met the woman who lent me these clothes. We had dinner together and got to talking—it turns out we have a lot in common. We’re both florists and have our own shops. She needed a break from her life in Florida, so we’re switching places. I’m going to Florida, and she’s going to my home in San Francisco.”

  Well, that did it.

  Ethan raised his eyebrows and proceeded to drain his glass. I could tell by his expression he must have thought he was seated next to a crazy person. And considering my brilliant idea to switch lives with a stranger, he was probably right.

  “I know how this sounds,” I insisted. “Believe me, we considered how crazy this idea is, but at the same time, I can’t help but think it might be fate. I think we were meant to meet and help each other in our time of need. I was very close to curling up into a ball on the floor in the middle of the terminal, and if it wasn’t for meeting Addi, I probably would have.”

  “I believe in fate,” Ethan said finally. “Still, I’m confused about how this is going to work—not that it’s any of my business, but just as an outsider looking in. I mean, other than the fact that this woman is also a florist, do you know anything else about her?”

  He had a point.

  “Well, we spent the past few hours together,” I replied defensively. “She told me all about her life, her family. She’s actually from New Zealand but moved to Florida for a relationship that didn’t work out. She’s trying to figure out her next step and so am I.”

  He nodded.

  “What about your fiancé?”

  I cringed. I really didn’t want to discuss Todd and what I had just done to him.

  “I’m going to be honest with him, but I need some time to gather my thoughts before giving him an explanation.” I paused. “I know how cowardly leaving him was.” I could feel the tears prick my eyes once again at the thought of Todd, all dressed up in his tux, waiting for me at the altar—and me, never showing up.

  “Hey, I’m not one to judge,” Ethan said softly.

  He had obviously noticed the tears in my eyes.

  “If I can offer you any advice today it’s that if you feel it isn’t right, then it probably isn’t. I was married for three years and I knew all along that we weren’t meant to be. Lucky for me, my wife felt the same, but neither of us wanted to speak up.”

  Wow. I had been so worried about my own feelings, I had no idea if Todd could have been having the same doubts as me. Sadly, our mothers kind of took over our wedding. At first I was okay with it, until a few months ago when I realized why I was okay with it.

  I didn’t care about the wedding because I didn’t want to get married.

  “Thank you for that advice,” I said as I stretched my arms up over my head. I started playing with my ponytail. “Once I get settled in Orlando, I’m going to reach out to Todd.”

  “Excuse me. Are you two ready for another drink?” Sheila interrupted, handing us each a bag of tiny pretzels.

  “I’ll have another drink,” Ethan exclaimed. He gave me a side-glance.

  “Can I have a water, please?” I asked. I decided against having another cocktail. I wanted to relax, not become completely wasted.

  I looked out the window while I munched on my mini pretzels. I had no idea what I was going to say to Todd. We had been engaged for three years while he finished grad school, and planning our wedding for almost two of those years. I’d had plenty of time to be honest with him about my doubts.

  Ugh. Guilt twisted my stomach into knots.

  Ethan cleared his throat. “So, you’re switching lives. What happens when you get to Orlando?”

  I started to fidget with my ring. Oh, my gosh, my ring!

  I glanced down at my hand. Somehow, I had forgotten all about it in my mad dash out the window. Todd and I designed our rings together, and as much as I loved it, I knew it wouldn’t be right to keep it.

  Not after what I’d done.

  “Well, the first thing I have to do is go shopping. I have no clothes other than what I’m wearing right now, and these aren’t even mine. Not to mention, I’m still wearing my super expensive wedding shoes. They don’t exactly go with my ensemble.”

  I noticed Ethan’s electric blue eyes skim along my legs and down toward my feet.

  “How tall are you?” he asked.

  “I’m five feet ten, but with these shoes I’m probably over six feet.” I chuckled to myself. “I thought once I lost the wedding dress people would stop staring at me. Unfortunately, Addi is not quite my height, so with her shorts and my heels—let’s just say I don’t think I can ever show my face in Dallas again.”

  Ethan laughed as he dragged his eyes from my legs back up to my face, where he met my gaze.

  I had no idea why I felt so comfortable talking to him, but I did.

  And speaking of height, I finally noticed Ethan’s knees were almost touching the seat in front of him. He was definitely tall—taller than me. I had always been self-conscious about my height. Todd was only slightly taller than me, so I didn’t wear super high hee
ls often.

  “What about you?” I asked. “Do you live in Florida?”

  He nodded. “I do. Well, for now. My company is opening an office in Seattle, and I will most likely be transferred. It’s a nice city. Very different from Florida, but I’m looking forward to it.”

  I could totally relate to that. As unsure as I was becoming about switching lives with Addi, I was looking forward to being in a new place.

  “That’s exciting. Congratulations,” I told him. I held up my glass of water. “It’s my turn to make a toast. To new experiences.”

  We clinked our glasses together.

  Ethan and I spent the remainder of the flight chatting off and on. Every so often, when there was a lull in our conversation, I would feel anxious about what was going to happen now that I’d made this huge, life-changing decision.

  Before I knew it, we were getting ready to land. I gripped the armrests once again as the plane touched down on the runway. Some of the passengers clapped, and I heard a few children cheering and talking about going to Disney World. A few seconds later, one of the flight attendants came over the intercom to welcome us to Orlando.

  My stomach was in knots, and my palms were starting to sweat. I took a few deep breaths to try to calm my nerves. When I opened my eyes, Ethan was already scrolling through his phone.

  I was absolutely dreading the idea of turning my own phone on.

  “Welcome to Orlando,” he said.

  I forced a smile. “Thanks.”

  We continued to taxi toward our gate.

  “If you want, I can give you my number, in case you need anything while you’re here,” Ethan offered.

  Both a feeling of relief and uncertainty washed over me. It would definitely be helpful to have a friend in this city, although I felt slightly guilty about how comfortable it was talking to Ethan, having just met him. And, I had to admit, I’d noticed he was very attractive, with his strong jawline and gorgeous smile.

  It seemed disloyal to Todd, somehow. Although I knew that was ridiculous, I’d just run out on our wedding, without explanation.

  “Um, okay. That would be great.” I reached for my phone and reluctantly turned it on. I sighed loudly as soon as I saw that I had fifty-six text messages. Fifty-six! I tried to put those out of my mind as I entered Ethan’s number.