“He’s been expecting you,” the secretary told Lizzie, “go right in.”
He’d been expecting her? Why? Lizzie’s palms grew clammy. She tugged down her suit jacket to dry her hands without drawing undue attention and pursed her lips. She hadn’t checked her email since Saturday. She’d been living off the grid for four days. Up until that moment she’d loved being disconnected. No, she wouldn’t give in to her fears.
Smiling at the secretary, she walked through the open door. The secretary shut the door behind her and Lizzie turned to see Frank Cade, standing up behind his desk. He motioned for her to sit down at a chair opposite him. Was he going to fire her? What was with all the ceremony? Last time, he hadn’t even deigned to look at her when she entered the room. Did he want her to feel calm and comfortable enough that she wouldn’t start shrieking and make a scene?
Lizzie sat in the chair he indicated and crossed her legs. When she felt nervous, she typically started rambling and filled the silence with useless words. But she decided to let Frank do all the talking. Whatever was about to happen would happen and she wanted to save face for herself, if no one else. She refused to start ranting.
“Ah, Miss Shaw, Lizzie, thank you for coming in this morning,” Frank started.
Nodding her head, she didn’t offer any other reply.
“Ah, alright, so yes, yes. Great work at the event. Everyone keeps telling me how fundamental you were that night and I’m pleased to hear it. I think you’ve grown a lot in your role since…” Frank paused to take a sip from his coffee.
Lizzie fought to keep a straight face. She’d grown a lot in her role since…he’d passed her up for the job? In roughly seven weeks she’d somehow managed an amazing change? She couldn’t believe his gall. If Rose was here, I think she’d tsk him for me.
“And so I’m pleased to formally make you the Manager of Special Events for Jekyll Island. And you’ll have your work cut out for you too, there are only a few months before the next event.”
“I’m sorry, what?” Lizzie asked, furrowing her brow, her eyes darting about the room to look for the hidden camera.
“You’ve earned the job,” Frank replied.
Something in his tone didn’t sit right, he sounded almost sarcastic. Why was he offering her Mark’s job? She’d come in prepared to fight to get recognition and some help. She’d already decided to start sending him the emails of praise from her former clients to show how much work she did. She wanted two more planners. But then he offered her Mark’s job? I was hoping for a bump up in my salary. Not to force out Mark.
“Mr. Cade, I have earned the job. In fact, I should have been the Manager from the beginning. But to be honest, because I can’t seem to be anything else right now, we are better off as a team. Mark and I compliment each other. We each have strengths. Losing one of us means you’re sunk,” Lizzie ranted.
“Then we’re sunk. Mark left.”
“I’m sorry. I don’t think I heard you correctly. He left?”
“He left. He quit. He sent an email yesterday and didn’t give any notice. He’s gone.”
Grabbing her purse off the ground, Lizzie stood up to leave and walked to the door.
“Where are you going?” he asked.
Turning back to Frank, she registered the shock and fear in his eyes. For the first time, she had the upper hand. It felt good but she wouldn’t let herself smirk. She had no time for arrogance or conceit from anyone, least of all herself.
“I’m going to find out what happened and then when I get him back we are going to sit down as a team and figure this out. You need to hire another event planner for weddings. And I need a raise,” she told him in no uncertain terms.
Frank opened his mouth like he would reply, but then thought better and shut his mouth. He looked at her, assessing. She could feel his perusal down to her toes. After a long moment, he nodded. She’d finally passed some kind of test.
But she had no time to revel in the glory of the victory. She raced out of the office without a backward glance and launched herself down the hall, down the stairs and outside. She slipped out of her heels when she reached the grass. She could do a lot in heels, but running had never been an option. Luckily, she always carried an extra pair of flip-flops in her purse. She slid them on mid-step, hopping into them.
Lizzie got into her car and raced back across the island. She drove over the Torres Causeway so fast she felt sure she’d be pulled over for a ticket, but she had no time to waste. What was he thinking? Where was he going? Had she somehow pushed him to this? And had she missed him by taking off one day?
Lizzie slowed down as she reached the big traffic circle and got caught up in a bit of congestion near the airport. Now Rose’s words came back to her. When you found the man you were supposed to be with you, you didn’t want to waste a single second that you could have together. Lizzie did her best to piece together where he lived, remembering the route he’d taken from his cottage two mornings ago. Dealing with a hangover and massive headache that morning had compromised some of her memory and it took her three trips down his road before she recognized the little cottage.
The cottage didn’t have a garage or a driveway that she’d seen so she pulled in front of the gate to the very spot she remembered Mark parking. She swallowed hard against the lump forming in her throat. He couldn’t be gone. She hopped over the little fence, it barely skimmed her knees making the feat easy and the gate superfluous. She walked up the path, unintentionally slowing with every step. Did she want to do this? What would she say? Where would she start? Or worse, what if he was gone? What if he’d left without saying goodbye?
No, I’m not giving myself any more options. No more hiding. Not even for a day. She knocked on the door and pressed her ear flat against it. She strained trying to make out any sounds, even Scooter’s tail batting against a wall or the floor. She knocked again but heard nothing.
“No, not like this.”
If he was going to leave, then he had to face her first and explain himself. He owed her that. Lizzie’s chest tightened, tears stung the back of her eyes and the urge to shout filled her throat. She took in a deep breath and willed herself to calm down. She had to relax and think. Where would he go? She knew only one place in town, his buddy’s bar.
Lizzie ran down the path, her flip-flops loudly smacking against the bricks. She hopped over the fence and jumped back in her car. His stupid Barbie car would make for an easier getaway without the doors she mused as she drove back to the Pier Village. She parked her car in the public lot near the pier. Lizzie raced down the street, heedless of the cars that approached each crosswalk, nearly getting hit at several intersections. She didn’t care.
The door chimed overhead as Lizzie turned the knob and pushed it open. She hadn’t expected anyone to be in and the door banged against the interior wall. Lizzie flinched. The bar kept late hours, but she’d figured it would be worth a chance to see if it was open. She had no other ideas.
“Hello?” she called out.
She walked into the darkened room and shut the door.
“We aren’t open,” a voice called out.
Squinting as her eyes adjusted to the light, she followed the voice and the faint smell of hops. She found it in the back corner of the room at a door leading to a small back hallway. She stopped only a few feet away from the man and recognized him as the bartender who’d served her the other night. Mark’s friend.
“I’m looking for Mark,” she said without any preamble.
The man turned to face her and crossed his arms over his chest as he looked her up and down and frowned. “Why?”
“You don’t know me. You’ve served me drinks once and you’ve probably heard about me from your friend. I know who you are too. But we don’t actually know each other. Let’s take everything that’s been said with a grain of salt.”
The man snickered and rolled his eyes. Lizzie refused to let him intimidate her. Mark was too important. Everything was at stake for her s
he realized and she was ready to fight.
“You know why you should tell me? Because our idiot boss just gave me his job so I know he’s leaving. And I’m pretty sure you don’t want him to go either.”
“Why do you say that?”
“Because from what he’s told me, he doesn’t have any family. None. Except for you. And I’m guessing he’s pretty important to you too,” Lizzie said punctuating her words with a pointed finger.
Opening his mouth to speak, the man was saved a reply. Lizzie heard the unmistakable sound of a big, heavy tail hitting the ground upstairs. They both turned toward the noise.
“Is that Scooter?” Lizzie asked, her eyes growing wide. She took a few steps forward, but stopped when Phil crossed his arms over his chest. He would bar her entry, she felt certain. She had no intention of making an enemy out of someone who should be an ally. “Do you have Scooter? Is Mark here?”
“Scooter is here, Mark isn’t. He’s heading to a job in Miami,” Phil replied.
“What?”
Gasping, she put a hand to her stomach to massage out the physical ache of those words. She hadn’t let herself even consider the possibility that he’d left. No Mark leaving is too…wrong. He belongs here, with Scooter and his friend and… And with me.
Taking in a shaky breath, she suddenly longed to leave. She wanted to go home and soak in the tub and cry all night. He left. Just like her parents. Abandoned again. She wanted to yell and scream and be completely irrational in the safety of her own four walls. Which I guess, I get to keep now.
“Are you okay?” the man asked, reaching out to put a hand on Lizzie’s shoulder.
The touch softened his earlier, angry stance. Physical contact made him more human and not only a coil of anger ready to unfurl at any unfortunate person who stumbled into his path. Did he blame her for Mark leaving? Why? Should she?
Maybe him leaving is what he wants. I don’t want him to go, but I’m not privy to his life. Her shoulders rolled forward. She wanted to curl up into a tiny ball and pretend that he hadn’t left without an explanation or even a good-bye.
But then she thought about Rose. Rose wouldn’t just let someone walk out of her life. And Lizzie wouldn’t either. She found her backbone, pulled her shoulders back, and raised her chin.
“When did he leave?” she asked.
“Only about twenty minutes ago. He’s taking a flight in a couple hours out of Brunswick. You might able to catch him.”
“Thank you,” Lizzie replied and turned on her heel to race out of the bar.
She thought she heard him call ‘good luck’ to her, but she couldn’t be sure. She didn’t have time to waste.
Chapter Eighteen
Mark sat at one end of the bar in the airport and drank his iced tea. He usually didn’t like to buy drinks before making it through security. Trying to chug a water bottle before putting it on a conveyor belt, or worse, forgetting and leaving it in the bag to be yelled at by TSA were not appealing.
But he’d never flown through Brunswick Glynco before. Only one airline served the spotless, tiny airport. With only one security checkpoint in operation, it was not running constantly. Meaning that getting to the airport with two hours before his flight had been overkill. Luckily the restaurant/bar had been open. Mark felt silly sitting at a table when he had no intention of ordering food, but he decided it might be even more awkward to sit at the bar with a non-alcoholic drink. Besides, there were plenty of open tables.
“Need anything else?” the bartender/waiter came over to check on him again.
“Nope, this is great, thanks.”
The man grunted at him and turned away.
A few other customers sat the scattered tables, either with laptops open or with a companion. Mark had neither. This would be a quick trip, only one night and he’d packed a small carry-on. He’d forgotten entertainment. He’d been so preoccupied with his life for the past two months he hadn’t even thought about needing a book or music or a movie.
Mark took a long sip of the overly sweet tea and pursed his lips. He should have ordered half sweet and half unsweet tea. He usually did. But he wasn’t thinking today. He’d called up his contact at the hotel in Miami, agreed to finally take the job he’d been pressured about for the last three years, and quit the resort.
Everything happened so fast. He’d always been sure to network and maintain a professional online presence just in case the rainy day came when he needed a new job. But he’d never actually thought he’d do it. The short time between idea and implementation made him think anything could happen.
Like he could turn around and head back to the island and track down Lizzie. He could show up on her doorstep and kiss her. He could tell her everything he’d been thinking of since she’d kissed him. He could tell her how he felt about her and he might finally let himself be happy.
Lizzie made him happy. Her sweet, sunny, silliness gave him a lightness. Being with her was fun, even when they were working. He found himself lonely for the four days they were apart when he had a weekend and then when she had her weekend. He hated Saturdays now because it meant the start of their days apart.
But could he trust those feelings? Could he trust his instincts? They’d been dead wrong with his last relationship. Mark took a tiny sip of his too sweet tea, needing a distraction from his thoughts. He couldn’t run. He was forced to confront them.
Life with Cynthia had been comfortable but never romantic or passionate. He didn’t need to be with her. He’d never missed her when she was gone, even when they were broken up. He’d never understood family and never wanted one. His parents hadn’t supported him and he hadn’t appreciated that he could create a family where he would support and love his children. Phil had shown him what he was missing. When Charlie turned one and became such an adorable little boy, Mark realized what he was missing out on by dragging his feet.
The quiet of the restaurant/bar and the airport in general was deafening. Mark looked over at his companions again. No one seemed to speak above a whisper and even those at laptops managed to keep their typing to a minimum. Was he going to wait around for another hour and a half? Mark got up from the bar and walked out of the restaurant towards the small lounge in the very center of the building.
The automatic entrance doors, only several yards away, whooshed open. Mark caught a half second glimpse of her. He did a double take, seeing her here was so unexpected he froze.
“MARK,” she yelled and ran towards him, a broad smile spread across her cheeks.
Taking three big steps, he reached her and put his arms out, like he’d pull her in close. No, stop, what are you doing? You can’t grab her and hug her. You’re leaving, remember? He balled his hands into tight fists at his side. The smile fell from her face and shattered on the floor. Disappointment?
As he watched, he saw the smoke coming out of her ears. He’d never seen her mad before. He’d seen frustrated, upset, scared, and anxious. But he’d never seen true anger. Her cheeks glowed bright red and her hazel eyes looked stormy.
“Why are you here?” she asked, throwing her hands up to emphasize her point.
“I’m catching a plane. Why are you here?”
“To stop you,” she hissed, poking him in the chest with an index finger after each syllable.
With each prod, he flinched. Warmth radiated over him, the epicenter her fingertip planted squarely in the middle of his chest. Don’t get distracted. You have to leave.
“How did you find me?”
“We live on a tiny island, it’s not exactly tough to track someone down,” she replied, pulling her finger away. She remained only a few inches away.
“No, really. How did you find me?” Looking down at her, he watched her shrug and her eyes dart along the floor. Does she feel the pull between us too?
“When Cade gave me your job this morning, I tracked you down.”
“And you rushed to the airport?”
“Well, no. I went to your house and then went
back to your friend’s bar.”
“Really?” Mark shrugged. Because no one has ever put in so much effort before he wanted to say.
“Really. Why are you leaving?” Lizzie asked. The bite of her question lost its venom.
“It’s time Lizzie. I never thought I’d be here this long.”
“You’re leaving Scooter?”
“No, of course not. He’s coming with me. I’m just going down to get everything set up.”
Lizzie crossed her arms over her chest, raised her chin, and glared at him. “He’s going to hate Miami. It’s too crowded. It’s wrong to take him there.”
Mark frowned. Would Scooter hate Miami? Probably. But, he’s a dog he’ll adapt.
“What about your buddy, Phil? I’ll admit he’s not the friendliest sort, but still. He’s your friend. You’re leaving him?”
Phil isn’t friendly? Mark couldn’t even imagine that, although he probably had something to do with it, given everything he’d told Phil about Lizzie. His best friend would hardly be impartial, hearing very one-sided stories about her.
Mark sighed and put his hands in his pockets. “He has a life here. He wouldn’t move. Besides I’m not moving far.”
“Yes, you are. You’re leaving and you’ll never be back.”
“Lizzie, come on.”
“Well what about me?”
He swallowed, something lodged in his throat by his Adam’s apple. He pushed back against the swell of frustration and anger. He’d wanted Phil to yell and rant, but he hadn’t. He’d wanted Lizzie to show up at the office and change his mind yesterday. But now?
“What about you?”
“I don’t want you to leave.”
His breath caught at her words. He’d been waiting for her to get to the point. He cleared his throat and put his hands in his pockets. Struggling to keep his face hard, even as her soft and quiet words unsettled him. The sounds of a shuffle, the light flap of her flip-flop against the tile floor, snapped him back to the moment.
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