Ash
I love you—will you marry me?
Dave x
She looked up at both of them, smiling like a Cheshire cat, tears streaming down her face.
‘He begged me for at least forty minutes to take his money and buy a ring then get it to you before you left… It was my lunch break and he explained the whole thing to me… I may not know you both, but he did not cheat on you and by the look on your face you love him as much as he loves you. If you don’t mind me saying.’
Ash jolted her head around, staring into Kelly’s eyes, feeling confused. She didn’t have enough time to think. How could she make a decision like this on the spot? What would her parents say?
It was as if Kelly were reading her mind. ‘Go, Ash, go!’
‘But—’
‘Ash, what is your gut saying right now? Don’t think about it! Just act on that feeling!’
Ash threw her arms around her sister, bursting into tears.
‘He is waiting outside W.H Smiths,’ the girl jumped up and down, excited.
‘Now go! Run! Be happy, little sis!’
‘I love you, Kell. Thank you so much.’
She thanked the girl who had stopped jumping now and who was nearly in tears as well, then ran as fast as she could down the long and now empty corridor, back towards the departure lounge following the exit signs. Her heart pounded in her chest. She pushed past anyone who got in her way, taking long, fast strides down the corridors and stumbling slightly as she negotiated the escalators, then back to security where she got stopped as she breathlessly tried to explain. But it was no good—she had to wait her turn, follow procedure.
* * *
The man at the boarding desk looked very displeased at the turn of events.
‘Well, I am afraid we cannot take her bags off this flight. We are delayed as it is.’
‘Oh stop being so blood grumpy and check me on. I can send the damn bags back to her myself.’
‘Fine, boarding passes please.’ He held out his hand, snatching the piece of card out of Kelly’s grasp. If Kelly had not have been so utterly happy for her sister she would have torn strips off him but what had just happened put everything into a different perspective.
As she walked on to the plane she sat down, looking at the empty seat next to her feeling overjoyed but slightly depressed at the thought of another seven hour flight on her own.
‘Sorry is this seat taken?’ an American male voice spoke from the aisle.
Kelly looked up at a tall, light-haired, well-spoken man dressed in jeans, T-shirt and a sand-coloured suit jacket holding a newspaper and laptop. Catching her breath at the sight of this fine specimen of a man, she swallowed, trying to find words.
‘Er… no.’
‘Would you mind? I got altercated a window seat, but I’m not such a good flyer.’
‘Er… no, no, please take a seat, I would be glad of the company. So you don’t fly a lot then.’
‘Oh no, all the time. I just haven’t ever gotten used to it.’ He laughed, sliding down into the seat.’
‘Whereabouts in America are you from?’
‘New York City.’
‘Oh so am I.’ Smiling to herself, Kelly was now very happy that the seat was empty. Perhaps this flight may not be so boring after all, Kelly thought, eyeing the stranger as he talked.
* * *
Dave looked down at his watch then back out in the direction he presumed Ash may come from. It had been over an hour since the girl had taken his money to buy the ring. Maybe she had done a runner; after all it was £2000 in cash he had just given to a young, probably underpaid airport worker, in the hope that she would prove that human nature was a sucker for romance. Another ten minutes passed; his hope started to fade. What if the girl had found Ash and she had turned him down, and the airport girl kept the ring, meaning he had lost the love of his life and £2000. Dave winced at the thought.
He decided reluctantly to give up the ghost. She wasn’t coming and the W.H Smith workers were starting to look concerned with his pacing up and down. With one more hopeless look across the airport, he walked away, feeling sick to the stomach at the thought of never seeing Ash’s beautiful face ever again.
As Dave neared the doors he turned back to have one last look before facing the fact that Ash had gone for good. Squinting, to his amazement he saw Ash standing outside W.H. Smiths looking around frantically for him.
His heart stopped, his hands started to sweat. There she was—a vision of pure happiness. Quickly he made his way back towards her, walking faster and faster, until he was only a few feet away.
Ash turned around, her stare interlocking with his, bringing him to a halt. She ran the last few feet, slamming her body hard against his, grasping the sides of his face kissing him with all the love she could muster. He lifted her up slowly, swinging her round in circles, inches from the floor, eventually putting her down, so he could look into her eyes, making sure this was really happening—she was really there. She had stayed for him and him alone.
‘Ashleigh Lands, will you—’
‘Yes… yes, I will, I will…’
About the Author
Qualifying as a dental nurse Victoria worked in Harley Street London, before moving into the world of real estate. She qualified as a mortgage broker and eventually opened her own real estate agency.
Reading was one thing that did not come easy due to dyslexia, causing much frustration. With a great deal of determination, Victoria progressed to where she is today, living in South London with her partner Jon and their two cats. Victoria sold her company to start a family and continue her successful writing career.
Table of Contents
Chapter 1
Chapter 2
Chapter 3
Chapter 4
Chapter 5
Chapter 6
Chapter 7
Chapter 8
Chapter 9
Chapter 10
Chapter 11
Chapter 12
Chapter 13
Chapter 14
Chapter 15
Chapter 16
Chapter 17
Chapter 18
Chapter 19
Chapter 20
About the Author
Gut Feeling Page 19