Stay or Go

by Kelly Wood

  A loudspeaker announcement asked for the driver of the white Lexus to move his car immediately. Jax and Peter looked over their shoulders at the car outside while I continued to stare at Stacy.

  “Is that your car?” Stacy asked.

  “Yes. Mine,” Peter answered, raising his hand in the air.

  Stacy picked up the phone again. This time the call was to security. She told the person on the phone the Lexus was involved with an emergency up front and not to tow it. She said he’d be out shortly. Once again, finishing with, “I promise,” as she ended the call.

  “Thanks,” I said.

  “Okay, I’ve got you checked in. The attendants at the gate will wait as long as they can.” Stacy labeled my checked luggage and placed it on the conveyor belt behind her. “I can’t promise your bag will make it.”

  “Will I?” I asked.

  “Fingers crossed. Did I see you limping when you came up?”

  “Yes. I fell earlier and hurt my knee.”

  “Then you’ll need an escort through security.”

  “No, I’m fine. I need to go.”

  “Miss, you’ll need an escort.” Stacy’s tone left no room for argument. She turned her head to the other agent. “I’m taking my break. I’ll be back shortly.”

  He nodded his assent, not even looking up from his computer screen.

  “Wait here.” Stacy disappeared to the back, emerging after a minute with a wheelchair. “Sit.”

  I hugged Peter and Jax goodbye and told them I loved them. They wished me well and promised me I’d email them as soon as I could. I sat down in the wheelchair with my bag in my lap. Stacy walked quickly to the security line. Peter and Jax watched as we went.

  “I’ll wait for fifteen minutes in case you miss the plane, okay?” Peter yelled. I waved over the back of the chair in acknowledgment.

  “What’s up with the wheelchair?” I asked.

  “Any passenger with special needs goes through security without waiting. We didn’t have time to wait for an official escort, so I’m taking you.”

  “Thanks, Stacy.”

  “Just promise me you’ll marry this guy. He must be worth it if you are going to all this trouble.”

  Chapter Fifteen

  6:24 P.M.

  I gulped at the thought of marriage. I’d only known Gray for two weeks. I ignored the fact that two weeks was long enough to run off with him.

  A TSA agent opened the temporary railing set up and let us pass through. I handed him my passport and ticket. He checked the information and handed it back never really looking up as he worked. Each step seemed to take a year. I sat on my hands to stop myself from motioning him to move faster. It also stopped me from glancing at my watch repeatedly. As my mother said, a watched pot never boiled.

  “Give me your shoes.”

  Stacy plucked the bag from my lap so I could bend down. I slipped both shoes off without untying them and handed them to her along with my watch. I stood to enter into the x-ray machine. I let my limp become more pronounced as I went through. Stacy walked around with the wheelchair and met me on the other side. I was seated again within moments.

  Stacy dumped my belongings on my lap after they came through their own x-ray. While she jogged through the airport pushing me, I slipped my feet back into my shoes. The tongue of my shoe caught and was wedged against my foot funny. I let it go for now, not wanting to waste any time trying to fix it.

  Stacy moved as quickly as she could, but she wasn’t strong enough to push me and keep up a good pace. I had less than ten minutes to make it to the gate.

  “Stop. Let me out. I’ll be faster.”

  “Are you sure?”

  “Yes. Thank you for all your help.” I jumped up and hugged her quickly. I pulled the strap of my messenger bag over my head so it wouldn’t slip down my shoulder while I ran. I turned away and headed off. I made it three steps before I remembered I didn’t know where I was going.

  “What gate?” I yelled over my shoulder.

  “C1. Go that way until it dead-ends then make a left. It’s the last gate.”

  Of course, it is, I thought. I started at a sprint but quickly had to slow down. The terminal was too busy for me to run full-out. I dodged people like a professional running back trying to take the ball home. I repeated ‘sorry’ and ‘excuse me’ as I ran past. The tongue of my shoe bit into my foot with each step. I could feel the skin rubbing away through my sock. I’d be blistered by the time I made it to the gate, but I never slowed down to fix it.

  My bag bounced against my hip with each step knocking me out of rhythm. I tried using my hand to hold it flat against my side. I jumped on the moving walkway between the B and C terminals but didn’t stop moving forward. People yelled and looked annoyed as I flew past them. At the end of the walkway, I jumped off, landing on my injured leg. Pain shot up my knee as it twisted from the impact. The stop in movement underneath me and the pain sent me down to my hands and knees.

  I didn’t even give myself time to recover. I pushed up with my hands and started to run again. I jumped onto the next moving walkway but with more care this time. The extra twisting of the knee was slowing me down even more. I gritted my teeth and kept moving. No way was I going to get this close and miss it.

  At the end of the walkway, I carefully stepped off and headed left. This was the final stretch. I was almost there.

  “Regan Harris, this is your final boarding call. The plane door will be closing.”

  I grunted and picked up my pace. People jumped out of my way as I barreled toward them. I stopped apologizing before long. I ran past looks of disgust at my behavior, ignoring all of them. Some people looked behind me to see if I was being chased.

  In the distance, I could see Gray standing next to the doorway leading to the plane. He looked down the hallway. I waved my arm to get his attention, but he turned away, not seeing me. I watched as he disappeared down the breezeway.

  “Wait!” I yelled. I waved my arm more to get the attendant’s attention. “Wait! Please!”

  The attendant started to close the door. I couldn’t let that happen. It was policy never to reopen it once it was sealed. I jumped over bags and people’s legs as I weaved through the seating area.

  “Wait!”

  The attendant stopped moving and turned in my direction. The door was still open halfway.

  “Wait. I’m here.” I spit out the words between gulps for breath. I ran every day, but for distance, not speed. This sprint was the hardest workout I’d had in years.

  “Regan Harris?” The woman looked irritated at me already. I wondered how many times she had called my name on the loudspeaker.

  “Yes. That’s me.” I handed her my passport and ticket. “Did I make it?”

  I bent at the waist, holding myself up with my hands on my knees. I could feel the swelling under my jeans. I tried to catch my breath.

  “Do you always cut it this close?” she asked. Her skin was the color of coffee and cream. A tone I’d always envied.

  “Not this close.”

  She handed back my passport and boarding pass with a smirk. “You’d better hurry.”

  “Thank you.” I turned sideways and eased through the opening. The walk took a lifetime after the mad-dash run I’d just done. My knee screamed with every step. I ran my hands down my hair, trying to smooth out any fly-aways. I straightened my shirt and cardigan, trying to look at least a little presentable.

  Two flight attendants greeted me at the door. They were welcoming even though their irritation showed through their smiles.

  I turned down the aisle and spotted Gray right away. He sat in an aisle seat in the fourth row, the last one in first class. His eyes were closed, and his head rested against the back. I shuffled over to him.

  “Hey, good-looking? This seat taken?”

  Chapter Sixteen

  6:38 P.M.

  Gray’s eyes flew open. His were the color of steel but softened as he took in the sight of me. He stood up. Bot
h of us faced each other and blocked the aisle. Passengers around us openly stared.

  “You made it.”

  “Barely,” I admitted. The world shrank around us leaving Gray and me alone. We stood inches apart, not touching, but the air was charged around us. We only had eyes for each other.

  “Yes. She made it. Would you mind sitting down, miss, so we can take off?” The flight attendant didn’t try to hide her irritation with a smile this time. Even with a scowl, she was one of the most beautiful women I’d ever seen.

  “Sorry.” Gray moved aside to let me in the row. His hand touched the small of my back, sending electricity through my body. Gray tossed my carry-on into the overhead compartment and sat back down.

  “I’m glad you came,” Gray said.

  “I would’ve been here sooner if I’d known we were in first class.” I winked at him, knowing full well it was first class the whole time. Gray took my hand in his. His thumb lightly caressed the back of my hand as he held it.

  “What changed your mind? I didn’t think you’d come based on your reaction this morning.”

  “You caught me off-guard this morning. I was prepared to wallow in misery at never seeing you again.”

  “I’m glad we put an end to that. You would’ve gotten wrinkles.” Gray smiled. “But, seriously, what changed your mind?”

  “Peter and Jax held a trip-tervention.” Confusion caused a crease to appear on his forehead. I smoothed them out with my thumb. “Now who’s going to get wrinkles?”

  “I’ll send them a thank you card. What is that? A trip-tervention?”

  “They basically bullied me until I relented and changed my mind.” While the flight attendant went through the emergency exit drills, I explained the events of my day to Gray. He laughed at the trials we went through to get me here.

  “Is this from tackling the thief?” Gray pointed to my leg.

  “No, I tripped over the couch or a box or the open door. Who knows?” Gray shook his head at my clumsiness.

  “We’ll get you some ice for the swelling.” Gray kissed the back of my hand before cupping it in both of his. “I just can’t believe you’re here. I’m glad, really.”

  “Me, too. Unless you turn out to be an ax-wielding maniac or a hitman for the mob.” The plane started to taxi down toward our runway. The flight attendants walked the aisle making sure passengers and baggage were secure.

  “You’re safe. Airport security wouldn’t let me check the ax.”

  “How rude.” We laughed together. I thought there would be some awkwardness between us, but there was none. I let all of the anxiety and strain of the day fade away. Finally, I felt free of it all. Even the depression of the last six months lifted. I leaned closer to Gray. As close as I could get with the armrest between us.

  “How long are staying? Do you know when you’ll go back?” Gray asked. His questions came out haltingly like he was afraid of the answer.

  “Well, that’s up in the air. Peter fired me, and Jax rented out my apartment. I don’t really have anything to come back to.” A smile broke across his face when he realized I wasn’t running back home.

  “Remind me to buy them both dinner next time I see them.”

  “Hey!” I poked his side. “I got fired.”

  Before Gray could respond, the flight attendant stopped at our row.

  “Miss, I’m sorry to interrupt your love fest, but you need to buckle up.” I looked down at my lap.

  “Oh, sorry. Bad habit of mine.” I smiled sheepishly at her. I fastened the seat belt. The flight attendant moved away. I watched her secure her own belt in her fold-down seat. The pilot announced we were next in line for take-off. There was no turning back now. Not that I’d want to.

  “Before I forget.” Gray placed his hand on the side of my face. He leaned forward and tilted his head to kiss me. I stopped breathing in anticipation. My excitement mounted when his lips touched mine. My body melted and my belly tingled. I wanted to throw myself at him.

  The kiss lasted longer than was appropriate for public, but I didn’t care. The cabin erupted in applause when we pulled apart, apparently a source of entertainment for the small group in first class. Gray waved and acknowledged the other passengers. The engines screamed, and the plane sped up, lifting us into the air. And into the unknown.

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  Did you love Stay or Go? Then you should read Profit and Loss by Kelly Wood!

  He proposed. She Ran. Right into a murder.

  Regan Harris lives her life based on adventure and experiences, but when her long-time love proposed she freaked out. She ran back to her favorite city of Chicago seeking friends and advice only to walk into a murder investigation and her ex-boyfriend. The one who broke her heart and soul.

  Regan is caught between love, friends, and murder. Who will she choose? And, will she be able to solve the mystery before her time runs out?

  Read more at Kelly Wood’s site.

  Also by Kelly Wood

  Regan Harris Series

  Stay or Go

  Watch for more at Kelly Wood’s site.

  About the Author

  Kelly Wood loves to write the kind of books she likes to read, light-hearted cozy mysteries. She likes to curl up with a good book or seek adventure. She has hiked active volcanos only to sled down them, jumped out of airplanes, hiked behind waterfalls, and run up the 700+ stairs at the Vatican.

  Kelly loves to travel. Her passport has 23 stamps and counting. She has backpacked through Europe and Central America, along with many other countries in between. She now lives in Northwest Indiana with her husband and can be found writing most days.

  Read more at Kelly Wood’s site.