What was supposed to be a return around six turned out to be ten, and he was wiped. A quick shower, then he threw me onto the bed, wrapped his arms around me, and fell asleep.
When I awoke with the sun on Friday, he was gone.
Morning, beautiful. Didn’t want to wake you. I’ll call you later – Reid
The day was spent in the casino, more and more of the wedding party arriving every hour. The more people who arrived, the less of Sarah I had, but thankfully I had Reid to keep me company, even if it was through the phone. Nearly every hour I got a run-by kiss or text message, but barely a minute of his time.
“You’re still good to come, right?” I asked him on the phone as I stood outside the restaurant hosting the rehearsal dinner.
“Got my suit all out and ready,” he said.
“Good.”
“Only wish I could see you tonight,” I said. I missed him, very much.
“I’ll see you tomorrow.”
“I miss you.”
My heart clenched. “I miss you, too.”
Sarah stayed with me that night to keep up with the tradition of being separate from the groom. The next day was joyous and full of smiles. I’d never seen Sarah happier. She was so beautiful in her dress. The smile on Rob’s face couldn’t be contained as he watched her walk down the aisle to him.
The ceremony was beautiful. I’d never seen Sarah happier or with a bigger smile. Rob’s gaze was glued to her from the second he saw her, and it never left. Soon after, the festivities began and I still hadn’t heard from Reid, but I tried not to let it get me down.
My phone went off, and my heart skipped at Reid’s name on the screen.
“Hi! Where are you?” I asked, hoping he was close.
“Harper, I’m sorry,” he said. I could hear it in his voice—remorse.
I sat down, the light draining from me. “You’re not coming, are you?”
“I just got a call. They need me on set.”
“But you had tonight off,” I said, a whining edge to my voice.
“It happens. Things shift and move. I’m so sorry. I really wanted to go.”
Tears began to well in my eyes. “I understand.” And I did. I just didn’t like it.
“What time is your flight tomorrow?” he asked.
“Noon.”
“Maybe we can have breakfast?”
“Maybe.” There was no way I could hide the disappointment in my voice. I had undiluted access to him for almost twenty-four hours, but as soon as things resumed on regular schedule, nothing worked out.
“Have fun tonight. I was really looking forward to dancing with you, kissing you, being with you.”
“Me, too,” I sniffed. In the background, I heard a bunch of commotion, followed by his name being called over what sounded like a bullhorn.
He sighed. “I’ve got to go. Have a good night. Send me a pic.”
“Okay. Good luck.”
I swiped a tear away as I hung up. It hadn’t even been a week since we met, but it felt like so much longer. The depth of my emotions for him were so much more than I could ever have anticipated when I’d first bumped into him.
He’d been dead on when he said my competition was time, because there never seemed to be any for me.
I was so happy for my best friend, but inside I was a mess. Inside was an immense sadness I couldn’t even fathom.
“This is my day,” Sarah said, standing in front of my with her hands on her hips. “I’m the bride. You’re supposed to be happy and excited and joyous.”
“I’m sorry.” And I was. I wanted to be all those things, but my heart was somewhere else.
She sat down next to me and threw her arm over my shoulders. “I know I pushed for it, for you to go out with him. I just didn’t expect for you to fall for him so hard.”
I blew out a breath. “Neither did I.”
“Maybe him not coming is a good thing.”
“Good how?”
“The last few days, you’ve seen just how busy he is and how unexpectedly it can change. It gives you a realistic view of his life,” she said, her head tilting to rest on mine.
“I knew from the beginning it would never work past Vegas, but a part of me hoped.” That girlish hope for a fantasy I knew couldn’t be a reality. “The part of me that allowed myself to feel so much for him in such a short time.”
“At least now you know you can have feelings like that again,” she pointed out. “Jeremy didn’t take that from you. So, you had a rebound with one of the hottest actors ever. It gets you back out there.”
I shook my head, my brow furrowed. “The thing is, Reid isn’t a rebound.”
He was so very much more.
***
Good morning, beautiful. How was the wedding? – Reid
Are you still in the hotel? – Reid
Where are you? I just went to your room – Reid
Harper, please – Reid
Don’t leave until I see you – Reid
I stared down at the slew of text messages, each one breaking my heart further. Every ping I heard, every call ignored, but when I finally looked at the texts, there was no stopping the tears from flowing.
It was like a breakup, a true breakup and not just the end to a beautiful time together. The hit was harder to my system than Jeremy telling me I was nothing but a placeholder.
I’d gone down to the lobby to pick up a few souvenirs at the gift shop, including a deck of the casino’s playing cards. All that was left was to finish zipping up my bags and check out before heading to the airport.
“Harper!” I heard my name called out in Reid’s familiar voice. I tried to ignore it, tried to will the elevator doors open so I could jump in and blot out the sound of my name coming from his perfect lips.
A zing zipped up my arm, causing me to draw in a sharp breath as Reid touched me. I turned to him, but didn’t get to look at him before his arms were around me and my head was against his chest.
“Why are you ignoring me?”
My fingers fisted around the fabric of his shirt. It was hard to believe that the most wonderful week of my life was over, and it hurt worse than I could ever have imagined. “I have to get to the airport.”
“I know. I just.” He heaved a sigh. “I wanted to see you before you go.”
My chest clenched. It was the hard part after a dream-like encounter. Reluctantly I pulled away, stepping back. “That’s probably not a good idea.”
He was silent. “Why?”
“You know why,” I whispered. I couldn’t even look at him because my chest was ripping open.
“So this is it?” he asked.
“Yes.”
“I can’t believe you’re just giving up.”
I snap my head up to look at him. “It’s not easy, Reid.”
His eyes were filled with hurt and anger. “It sure sounds easy.”
“Well, it’s not. But I’m a realist, and the last two days have opened my eyes from this fairy tale. We live thousands of miles apart. How is that going to work?”
“You’re not even willing to try?” he asked, his brow furrowed. “You’re just fucking giving up?”
“If I don’t do it now, it’s going to hurt so much worse later. I like you. Far more than I should,” I admitted. If I didn’t do it now, I never would.
“I like you, too, and I’m not ready to throw in the towel.”
Silence stretched between us. My heart wanted to agree, but my head refused to let it. The pain I felt was already so great.
“I’ve got to get to the airport,” I said as I started to pull away.
“Let’s talk. Please. Let’s go to your room and talk. Just give me five minutes.”
I shook my head. “It’s not going to change anything. Thank you for a great week.” The doors slid open, and I took my first steps away from him.
“Harper!” He reached out and grabbed my hand, stopping me.
“Let me go,” I said, barely able to contain the sob
building in my chest.
“Don’t I get a say in this?” he asked.
I drew in a ragged breath and turned to him. His expression was begging, pleading, and I was unable to hold back a small sob, the tears filling my eyes falling to my cheeks.
“I really wish you nothing but the best, Reid. Goodbye.”
As soon as the elevator doors closed, I let loose the sob I’d been holding onto, not caring about the other people in the car.
When I returned to my room, I took a few minutes to settle myself before packing up the last few items and leaving. I checked out, and I grabbed a taxi to the airport.
Flights were fully back on track after the blackout, and thankfully mine was on time. I checked in and made my way to security.
My whole body felt subdued, weighted down by the loss in my heart. It was only a few days, but in that short amount of time, Reid had opened me back up. He made me feel things I never knew I could feel, but the reality of our lives stared straight at me in the form of a nearly four-hour flight, putting two thousand miles between us.
Miles that would always be between us, making it so our fledgling relationship could never take flight.
I slipped my shoes back on, grabbed my bags, and headed down the corridor.
“Sir! Excuse me, sir, come back here!” I heard a security agent yell out.
There were a lot of mumbles, and I could swear I heard Reid’s name, but I kept on the path to my gate.
“Harper!”
I turned to find Reid running toward me, shoes missing from his feet.
“Reid?” My heart thumped wildly in my chest. It wasn’t an illusion, a hope. He was there, TSA hot on his heels.
He was breathing hard when he stopped in front of me. “Tell me. If I wasn’t famous, would you want me?”
I shook my head. “That’s beside the point.”
“Answer the question.”
“Yes,” I whispered.
His lips crashed to mine, and the light that had slowly died over the last few days was as bright as the sun. “I’m not giving up on you, Harper.”
“What?” I asked, still stunned.
“We can make this work.”
“How?” My heart thumped wildly, taking over my negative thoughts and clinging to the dream.
“Let me worry about that. All you have to say is that you want me, too.”
“I want you.” There was never any doubt there.
He beamed at me. “I’ll contact you. Every day. I know we can work.”
“Sir! You need to come back to security, right now,” one of the agents said, but Reid ignored them. I heard them murmuring and talking. “Is that Reid Gallagher?”
“Why so much for me?” I asked.
He brushed a few loose strands from my face. “Because.”
“Because, what?”
“You’re special, Harper. Once upon a time, I got some advice from a producer that if I ever got this feeling, to chase it. Weston Lockwood chased it, and it gave him the love of his life. I can’t let this go until I know.”
My heart slammed against my chest. “Until you know what?”
“If you’re the one.” He cradled my head in his hands. “For some reason, I feel it in my gut, and it’s not constipation.”
My bottom lip trembled. “Why do you make me feel like this?”
“Like what?”
A tear slipped down my cheek. “Like everything I ever felt before was a lie. Like the only truth is you.”
He pulled me closer, his forehead resting against mine. “It’s the same for me.” He pressed his mouth to mine, lips parting for his tongue to meet mine. “Have a safe flight, beautiful. Let me know when you get in.”
He began to step away, but I grabbed onto him and pulled him back, crashing my lips to his. “Have a good day of filming.” One last soft kiss, then we reluctantly stepped back.
His smile was blinding as he backed up, and he gave me one last wink before turning toward the agents and holding his hands up. A few seconds later, agents were shaking his hand and getting selfies before leading him back to the security checkpoint.
I bit my lip, a huge smile on my face as I watched him walk away. Just as I was about to continue to my gate, he turned and cupped his hands around his mouth.
“Comets suck!”
I let out a laugh before yelling back. “And they rock your world!”
He grinned from ear to ear and nodded in agreement before disappearing from sight.
As I sat at the gate, warmth spread through me as my phone went off. It was a photo text from Reid looking all pouty.
Miss you already – Reid
EPILOGUE
“Hi,” Reid said.
“What are you wearing?” I asked.
Almost a month had passed since I last saw Reid in Vegas. It still seemed like a dream and I would have brushed it off, but he stayed true to his word and contacted me every day in some form. Sometimes it was just a “Morning, beautiful” text, other times it was a three-hour-long phone conversation or an email. There were pictures and video clips almost streaming in. A dozen stars had said hi to me on video chats. He even sent me three dozen red roses for Valentine’s the week before.
He chuckled. “Isn’t that my line?”
“Sexist much? I want to objectify you. I mean, I am dating one of Hollywood’s hottest.” Though I wasn’t sure dating was the right word since we never got an official date. But one night on video another actor asked, “Is that your girl?” and he replied, “Yep, my girlfriend, Harper.”
“Objectify away, baby. I’ll reciprocate when I see you.”
“And when’s that?” To be honest, the space had become grating. All I wanted, wished for, was even something as simple as the run-by kisses like we had at the hotel. Instead, I’d had to settle for a lonely bed and occasional phone sex.
Days off, like the one I was having, reminded me just how much he wasn’t in my daily life. Always so far away.
“Open your front door and find out.”
I froze, then craned my head toward the door, but there was no shadow in the obscure glass.
“Ha, ha, very funny.”
“You’re not going to check?” he asked.
“You were in Rome last night,” I reminded him. There simply was no way he was at my door.
“Are you sure?”
“Is that code for you lied to me?”
“There are great advantages to chartering luxury planes.”
I froze and stared at the door. If he was playing with me, I was going to smack his beautiful face the next time I saw him. I blew out a breath before flipping the deadbolt and pulling the door open.
My teeth mashed together as I stared out at nothing.
“You’re an ass,” I said as tears filled my eyes.
“There’s a car in your driveway, baby,” he said, knowing that calling me baby was enough to melt my agitation.
I walked around the front to find that there was a car, but Reid wasn’t in it. However, a man in a black suit stood at the hood.
“Miss Evans.”
I blinked at the man. “What’s going on?”
“Go back inside and pack a bag for the weekend. Think tropical. Then get in the car. He’ll bring you to the airport we’re about to land at.”
“Reid.”
“You told me last night you didn’t have work today and had no plans for the weekend.”
I didn’t, but it was so sudden that I was racking my brain trying to remember if there was something. “A full weekend?”
“Yeah.”
The excitement of seeing him again flooded in. “Really?”
“They don’t need me on set for a week. I couldn’t pass it up. Now, you have twenty minutes to get packed and get that sexy ass in the car.”
It was real. I was going to see him again. After so long, I wasn’t sure it would ever happen, and was afraid our days in Vegas was all I would ever get.
With time being limited, I hung up t
he phone and ran to the bedroom to pull my suitcase down. I dug through my closet for bathing suits, shorts, tanks, tees, flip-flops; all the warm weather gear I would need. I was still in my pajamas when he called, and I threw them off and slid on the outfit I wore the day we met.
A quick mental checklist of everything I might need, then I was throwing on my coat, locking up the house, and climbing into the back of the black sedan.
As we drove, my leg bounced. I couldn’t believe I was up and going on a trip. It was so spontaneous that I almost forgot to text Sarah and let her know. I wasn’t sure where we were going, but after a few minutes the car turned toward a small airstrip.
Six months ago I was buried in the wreckage Jeremy left, but after meeting Reid, I realized there were feelings deeper and stronger than I ever felt with him.
Jeremy didn’t destroy my life, he set it free.
We drove down the open airstrip toward a hangar. I couldn’t keep the smile from my face as I looked at the waiting plane and the man leaning against the stairway. As soon as the car stopped, I jumped out and ran across the asphalt before leaping into his arms.
“Hi,” I said when I pulled back.
“Hi.” He let out a nervous laugh, one that overtook me, and he pulled me back to his arms. “I missed you so much.”
I nuzzled into his large chest and let the warmth from his embrace soak into my skin. It was healing, and perfect on levels I couldn’t comprehend. All I knew was that it was right, and being away from him was wrong.
What we had was special. We both knew it. The feeling in my heart wasn’t false. Over weeks, we’d gotten to know each other on a deeper level.
He took my hand and we climbed up to the plane, my luggage taken care of by the driver. We were barely inside when I pulled him back down for a kiss.
“I don’t want to be away from you for that long ever again,” I said, a quiver in my voice. All my false bravado and strength washed away the second his arms were around me.
He stared down at me, his gaze bouncing between my eyes. “Move in with me.”
“What?”
“Move to L.A. Live with me. Travel with me. Become a physical therapist for actors.”
I blinked at him, at what he was asking. It wasn’t an off-the-cuff comment. He was serious. All rational thoughts that should have been there were silenced by my heart.
Blackout: A Romance Anthology Page 102