She placed her bags in the cockpit of her boat, and then climbed aboard Mack’s. She opened the hatch cover with the key he’d entrusted to her, and went below.
Unprepared for the emotions that hit, tears pricked at Audrey’s eyes. The memories of their time spent onboard were strong, but the scent, subtle and illusive as it was, was even more powerful—the boat smelled like Mack. Whether his cologne, or soap, or what, she couldn’t put her finger on it, but she could almost sense his nearness, his presence, and she ached to be able to turn and find him there.
Her ringtone, Born to be Wild, broke the silence, and she pulled out her phone.
“Hey,” she said with a grin, “I knew you had to be here somewhere.”
“What?” Mack answered. “Where?”
“I’m on your boat making sure everything’s shipshape, and it smells like you. I could just feel you close to me.”
“And then I called?”
She could hear the smile in his voice. “Yep.”
“Cool. I wish I was there, sweetheart, I’d—”
Audrey laughed, cutting off whatever he was about to say, and sat on the couch in his salon.
After a pause, he asked, “Are you going for a sail today, or just hanging out?”
“Sailing. It’s beautiful. Crisp, cloudless, and the wind is blowing about twelve to fifteen knots.”
“Sounds great. How cold is it? What’s the temperature?”
“Mid-thirties. Wind chill probably takes it down to the mid-twenties.”
“Ouch! It’s upper seventies here.”
“I wish I was there,” they blurted out together.
There was a moment of shared quiet, and then Mack said, “I miss you, baby.”
“I could fly down for the weekend,” Audrey offered.
“I’m flying out to meet the fleet manager in Fort Lauderdale again, tomorrow,” Mack mumbled. “I get back Monday.”
Audrey sighed. “Maybe next weekend?”
“I hope so. We’ll figure it out.”
She didn’t see how. Their lives ran on divergent rails, and right now, both trains were running at break-neck speed and demanded their full attention.
“Audrey?”
“I love you, Mack.” A tear escaped. “I wish you were here to put your arms around me, because I need that more than I need a booming career, or great friends, or home, or anything.”
“Baby, I love you, too, and we’re going to find a way. Believe that. This is only the beginning, and we’ll look back on this and laugh about it someday.”
Audrey grinned and swiped at a second tear. “I like your choice of words. They sound downright commitment-esque.”
Mack laughed. “Oh, there’s nothing “esque” about it. This is full-on commitment, all right. And I’m going to need to be committed if I don’t see you soon.”
Audrey chuckled. “Hey, I’m just thinking…do you mind if I sleep onboard tonight?” She traced a finger along the galley counter beside her, suddenly feeling a bit shy. “I think it would do my heart good.”
“Onboard my boat?” Mack countered, his voice gravelly. “In my bed?”
“Yes.”
“Audrey, you’re killing me, here.”
“It would make me feel closer to you,” she said softly. “I could hug your pillow all night.”
Her statement was met with near total silence, the only sound several dull thuds.
“Mack?”
“Hold on, I’m knocking my head on my desk. It helps with the out-of-control visuals I’m getting.”
The poignant moment busted, Audrey laughed, and then continued in her most innocent voice. “Hey, do you want to Skype once I’m all tucked in?”
She heard a groan and laughed all the harder. “Hey Mack? Work be damned! I’m flying down next week no matter what.”
“Yeah, I think you’d better.”
Chapter Five
Wednesday, January 29.
Audrey sat with her back to the fire at Hector’s in Kirkland, in disbelief that her girlfriends openly mocked her. She took a sip of her Mack and Jack beer, and then swept her arms wide. “You don’t seem to understand, ladies. It’s been four full weeks since he left! You’re making fun of my pain, when you should be commiserating with me. I may have to shun you all. For sure I’m sticking you with the tab.”
They laughed at her—again.
“Eh,” Abby waved a hand, “don’t worry about it, Aud. If he’s as great as you say, this will all work out. You’ll be laughing at your current misery soon enough.”
“Have you Googled him?” Meg asked. “I mean, if he’s as great as you say, then why hasn’t he been snagged already? What’s wrong with him? Maybe he’s got a criminal record or something. I think you should have him checked out by a professional.”
“Oh Lord, Meg.” Audrey slumped into her chair, rolled her eyes, and then grumbled, “I need another beer.”
Kristen patted her knee. “It’s so good to see you all keyed up over a guy, although I’m not totally convinced he’s real.”
“Bite me.”
“Have you shown us a picture? No.”
Audrey stuck her tongue out
Kristen nodded in triumph. “Bingo! He’s a figment of your imagination.”
Grace, Meg and Abby laughed.
“Jeez, this is really getting out of hand,” Audrey said, as she flicked through images on her cell phone. “I have pictures.” She found her favorite and held it up.
“Whoa,” Grace breathed, her eyes locked on the image as Audrey panned.
“Oh, my God…” Abby sighed. “I think I’m drooling.”
“Is that…is he…he looks like David Gandy,” Kristen said, awe in her voice. “Oh, sheeeit, does he look look like Gandy? I mean…”
Abby smacked Kristen’s arm. “Don’t even go there, girl. You really don’t want to go there.”
Grace looked up at Audrey. “Is this real? Are you dating Gandy?”
“Oh my God, you’re all idiots,” Audrey laughed. She Googled Mack’s website, then proudly showed everyone the “Family Owned” page with a photo of his parents, brothers, and himself. “Personally, I think he’s better looking than Gandy, because yes, he’s real and he’s all mine, thank you very much.”
Kristen took one more look, then stood and raised her glass. “Audrey, I applaud you. I have no idea why you’re here with us, and not on the first plane outta here to Texas. I would not show such restraint.”
“I know!” Audrey wailed, stuffing her phone into her purse. “But what can I do? He hasn’t proposed, and it’s way too early for that, anyway. Even so, am I supposed to abandon my career, my home, and my life? If the tables were turned, would anyone expect him to drop everything and come here?”
“Your career is portable, Aud,” Grace chimed in. “You built it here in no time based on who you are, not where you are. You can build it down there, too.”
“And we can visit,” Abby added. “I could use some warm in the winter. You should go. Tomorrow. I’m serious.”
Audrey looked from one friendly face to another. They all nodded their emphatic agreement with Abby. She hadn’t heard from Mack since Sunday, and knew he was up to his eyebrows in work. They hadn’t been able to make any firm plans for the end of the week, but maybe, just maybe her friends were right. Maybe she should just jump on a plane and go down there.
Hi Mack! Surprise!
A slow smile crept across her face at the imagined reunion, and she raised her glass to return Kristen’s salute.
****
Houston airport was crowded and noisy as Mack finished his voice message, hit the End button, and then dialed his assistant at the office. He hadn’t been able to speak directly with Audrey since Sunday evening—before h
is trip to Fort Lauderdale got extended, before he got the emergency call to fly down to St. Vincent…before, before, before. He needed to let her know that getting together this week was out. He was about to board his connecting flight to Corpus Christi and wanted to talk with her before he had to turn the phone off.
The loudspeaker announced his section next, and he begrudgingly followed a line of passengers past the ticket scanner and down the ramp, listening as the uninterrupted rings told him he wasn’t going to connect with anyone at work, either.
Damn! He hit the End button once more, and stood in exasperated silence at the end of the ramp as the line backed up in front of him. He redialed, and this time voicemail kicked in.
Great.
He avoided eye contact with those around him, and kept his voice as low as possible. “Gina, is there some reason no one is answering the phone at the office? I’m boarding right now. I’ll be there in about two hours, but I need you to call Audrey and tell her this week is off. She’s not answering her phone, either, and I’m just frustrated enough to start thinking there’s a conspiracy or something going on.” He paused to rub his eyes. “Really, I need someone to answer the damn phone! Call Audrey, and then leave me a message that you’ve gotten this and done what I’ve asked. Thanks.”
He hit the End button again, and shoved the phone in his pocket. How much more satisfying it would be if he could slam an old-fashioned receiver down on its cradle!
Chapter Six
Thursday, January 30.
Audrey’s foot tapped a rapid beat against the leg of the seat in front of her. Nervous, exhausted, and anxious to be off this cigar-tin of a plane that flew her from Houston to Corpus Christi, she tried to catch a glimpse out the window to see if their endless taxying got them any closer to the terminal.
The pilot announced it was currently seventy-eight degrees outside. Blissful warmth—at least compared to frigid Seattle. She wore yoga pants, tennis shoes, a Seahawks T-shirt and matching hoodie, which she would tie around her waist as soon as she could get some elbow room. She wore her shoulder-length auburn hair in a ponytail for her seven-plus hour flight, although she wished she could look more alluring for her big surprise meet up with Mack. Unfortunately, she’d gotten out of bed at 4:00 a.m., knowing the arduous trip would not accommodate chic.
Audrey smiled. She felt fairly sure Mack would overlook her lack of style.
The plane finally came to a halt, the door opened, and Audrey stood to wait for her turn to depart. She felt a light pat on her forearm and turned to see the elderly woman who’d spent the trip sleeping in the seat next to her, nod at her with knowing eyes.
“Have a lovely visit, my dear,” she said, and smiled up at Audrey. “I’ll bet he’s a special fellow.”
Audrey’s eyebrows rose in amusement. “What makes you think I’m visiting a ‘special fellow’?”
The old woman laughed. “Easy. Seahawks clothing, so you’re not local. Nervous, so this is not a commonplace trip for you. And easiest of all, you’ve been smiling since we left Houston. So your uncommon visit must be very special.”
Audrey grinned. “Touché. He is special, and this is a surprise trip. We met at Christmas and haven’t been able to lock in a visit since then, so I just decided to come down.”
“You’re doing the right thing, my dear,” she said. “We’re only allotted so much love in a lifetime, and one mustn’t waste that time being separated, or angry, or proud. I’d take back every minute I ever spent being cross with my husband, or away from him for one reason or another. Time is far more precious that we realize.”
Audrey smiled and quietly pondered the woman’s wisdom as the line thinned in front of them. “Can I get a bag down for you?”
“No, thank you. I have everything right here.” She patted her purse and began moving down the aisle toward the exit.
****
Exhausted, frustrated, worried, and confused, Mack trudged through the Corpus Christi airport on his way to his departure gate. He’d come in from Houston only the day before, gone home, unpacked and repacked, showered, changed, slept almost not at all, and tried unsuccessfully to contact Audrey at least a thousand times since then. He’d spent a few hours at the office that morning, and Gina confirmed that all her efforts at contacting Audrey had, like his, gone straight to voicemail.
It was the same damn thing since Monday morning. Was something wrong? Could she be angry and avoiding him? He shook his head as he considered the possibilities. He was fairly certain she was not the “suffer in silence” type. If he’d made her mad, he was sure she wouldn’t mince words. That thought made him grin. He’d love to see her spitting mad. God, what a sight that would be—not that he’d want to be the cause, of course.
Suddenly, something caught his attention and the pace of his steps faltered. He could feel Audrey’s presence as though it were calling out to him. Mack stopped, closed his eyes, and inhaled. Was it her scent? Was somebody wearing the same perfume? No, it was more than that…more…
He opened his eyes, certain she would somehow materialize, and saw nothing but a sea of unfamiliar faces. Disappointment washed over him, and he reached for his phone one more time.
“Ahhhh—”
The screech came from just over his shoulder, and was quickly followed by thuds. He spun around to see a woman stumbling down an escalator, arms doing windmills as she tried to regain her balance, legs going everywhere as though their function were wholly out of her control.
He dropped his duffle bag and rushed to try and stop a hard landing. In a flash, she bowled into him, the impact knocking both of them to the floor.
“Oh, my God, I’m such a klutz,” she muttered. “I’m so sorry. Thank you. Thank you.”
There was some clapping, and a few people gathered their belongings together, but Mack stayed put, a grin of pure delight on his face. He waited for the “klutz” to open her eyes and see who’d cushioned her fall, see who she was sprawled across, see who loved her beyond words.
“I’m so sorry,” she repeated, and pushed at the remnants of a ponytail that covered her vision. She tried to maneuver off him, but he kept his arms locked around her waist.
“Would you please let me up,” she asked, and blew at a strand of hair.
“I love you, baby,” Mack whispered. “I’m so glad to see you. Are you okay?”
He could feel her body tense, and her hands landed on either side of his head as she pushed herself up to take a solid, startled look.
“Mack!” she screeched, obviously shocked, and then started pelting his face with kisses. “Oh, jeez. Oh, Mack, where’d…how’d you know? Oh, I love you, too. I love you!”
Mack released his hold on Audrey enough to allow both of them to stand, but refused to relinquish contact altogether. “Is this why you haven’t been answering my calls?” he asked, returning her kisses, albeit more slowly. “My God, it’s good to see you. Has Gina been holding out on me, because she deserves an Oscar if that was all an act.”
“Gina?”
Mack leaned back to scan her smiling face, and was rewarded with a blush when he said, “You’ve gotten prettier since the last time I held you.”
“I don’t know who Gina is, and…what are you doing here?” Audrey asked. “This was supposed to be a surprise. Did one of my girlfriends give you a heads-up?”
The first cloud of doubt crossed Mack’s mind. “Are you coming to St. Vincent with me? I assumed…”
Now it was Audrey’s turn to look doubtful. “St. Vincent? You’re not here to meet me?”
“Baby, I’ve been trying to call you all week, but your phone keeps going to voicemail. I must’ve left at least twenty messages.”
It broke his heart to see Audrey’s brows draw down into a frown, quickly followed by a glistening of tears she was trying valiantly to keep at bay. He grabbed
their bags and drew her to a quiet corner where they could talk more freely. “There’s an emergency on-site meeting in St. Vincent, one of Tradewinds’s primary sites for their rental fleets,” Mack explained. “When I saw you, I assumed the silence was because you planned to surprise me by coming along.”
Audrey shook her head, then rested her cheek against his chest and encircled him with her arms. “I would love to, but I don’t have my passport with me. I don’t know what’s going on with the phones. I couldn’t get ahold of you, either, so I decided I’d just barge in and see if I could convince you to take a few hours away from the office.”
Mack heaved a sigh. “I only got back from Fort Lauderdale yesterday. I would’ve gone to St. Vincent from there, had I known, but I didn’t get the meeting request until I landed in Houston. At least it allowed me to see you, if only for a couple of minutes.”
“When do you board?”
Mack checked his watch. “Twenty minutes.”
Audrey groaned. “How long are you gone?”
“I fly back Sunday.”
Another groan. “Me too. I can’t miss work Monday. Big meeting.”
“Baby, here.” Mack fished his keys out of his pocket. “Take my car. Go to my place and relax. At least you can get some down time, get to know the area a little bit, before you head back. You could have a look at the business, introduce yourself to everyone. They’re very anxious to meet you. You can leave the car at my place, and tell one of my brothers to pick me up.”
He scribbled his parking slot number and address on the back of a business card and gave it to Audrey, then lifted her chin and smiled. “This is fate, baby, a sign we’re doing things right. I mean, we couldn’t have planned this meeting better if we’d tried.”
Valentine Romance- The Best Short Valentine Romances of 2014 Page 8
