by Lia London
“But then you didn’t need to quit,” said Guy.
Parker licked her lips and cradled the phone closer. “Yes. Yes, I did. I don’t belong there anymore. Not after Orcas Island. Not … after you.”
“I-I don’t know what to say!” Guy’s voice transformed from shaky to elated.
“What about you?” Parker wanted to shut out all things related to Star Power Studios. “What crazy thing did you do?”
“I flew down to Los Angeles to pick you up.”
“You what?!”
The driver swerved at her volume, and she grunted an apology. She held the phone tight to her ear. “Where are you? Stuck hiding in a public restroom at LAX?”
“No, no. I flew the Clay Pigeon down. I’m at Whiteman Airport. It’s for small craft.”
“It’s almost two o’clock in the morning!”
“I know. I was a little wired up.”
“Why?”
“Slick Patton.”
Parker’s mouth fell open. “How did you know?” She shuddered at the memory of Slick’s breath on her cheek.
“He creeped me out, the way he talked to the blonde girl, and about you.”
“No kidding. And anything you guessed was probably dead accurate. He confessed as much to me.”
“Ew.”
“Double-her-age ew.” Parker tapped the driver’s shoulder. “You heard of Whiteman Airport?”
“Yeah.”
“Get me there, stat.”
He squinted at her reflection in the rearview mirror. “But lady, you said—”
“You said I was crazy,” she retorted. “Drive. I’ll tip you well.”
“But you turned down a huge contract. You have money?”
“I still received my bonus. For the love of airbags, drive faster!” She turned her attention back to the phone. “Guy, are you okay?”
“Are you coming?”
“How fast can you get us there?” asked Parker, pounding on the back of the driver’s seat.
“Us?”
“Me. You.”
“You having a baby or something?”
Parker smacked her forehead. “Do I look like I’m ready to pop a kid?”
“Or a vein,” muttered the driver.
“How long?!”
“An hour, maybe more.”
“Get me there in 45 minutes, and I’ll give you an extra $100.”
“Yes ma’am!” The driver changed lanes and sped up.
Parker gripped the phone tighter. “Guy, you still with me?”
She could hear the smile in his voice when he answered, “I will be soon.”
For the remaining thirty-eight minutes it took her to arrive at Whiteman Airport in the outlying area of Pacoima, Parker called to cancel her flight to Seattle and the rental car she had planned to drive from Seattle to Anacortes. She wouldn’t be taking the dawn ferry over to Orcas, either.
When she got out of the taxi, she tipped the driver $200. “Be true to yourself. That’s my tip. The cash is to help you on the way.”
He looked over his shoulder at her with wide eyes. “Wow, ma’am. Thanks! Am I supposed to recognize you? Are you famous?”
She chewed the inside of her cheek thoughtfully. “I probably could be, but I don’t think it’s what I should be.” She thumped the roof of the car. “Thanks again. Happy Thanksgiving!”
He flicked the meter with his finger. “I will now, lady. Thanks.”
Confident she looked much better than when she last saw Guy, she scanned the barren parking lot for the VW van before remembering he had flown. She frowned and adjusted the backpack draped over one shoulder. The place wasn’t big, but she hadn’t exactly worn walking shoes to go in search of him. In the blackness of the wee small hours, she suddenly felt very alone and bewildered.
“Miss Daisy?”
A bark sounded to her left, and she turned towards it to see Guy and Booster standing under a street lamp in a grassy patch beside the terminal.
A rush of joy propelled her into Guy’s welcoming arms. “It’s so good to see you again!”
He held her tightly, saying nothing.
“You okay?” she whispered.
“Hold me a minute. I’ll be all right.”
“Gladly. I’ve got all night.” She caressed the back of his head with her fingers, enjoying the thick, soft feel of his hair. Tilting his face so she could meet his gaze, she smiled. “Hey, you. That was mighty brave.”
“You rode a small plane all the way to L.A.”
“And apparently, I’m riding one back, unless we’re staying in town.” She brushed her thumbs over his cheeks. “You can, you know. We don’t have to do anything fancy.”
The nature of his embrace changed as he snuggled closer. “Hence your high heels and make-up?”
“You noticed.” She beamed up at him. Though travel-weary and unkempt, he’d never been more attractive. “You came to the big city.”
“Sort of. And it’s the middle of the night.”
“Don’t undermine your own success by not recognizing it.”
“I couldn’t wait to see you.” In the stillness, his whisper soared straight into her heart. “I guess I finally have motivation to take some bigger steps.”
“Me, too. Steps off the beaten path.” She leaned in, letting their cheeks rest against each other. “Are we completely crazy?”
“Probably.” He combed his fingers through her hair in a gentle caress.
“How’d I get so lucky for you to want me?”
His eyes rested on her, skimming slowly back and forth as if studying each contour. “You like maple bars and can eat half of one in a single bite. Your rode up Mt. Constitution like a beast. You stepped in dog poop and had a sense of humor about it. You’re smart. You’re funny. You have an abiding affection for peanut butter which I haven’t quite figured out yet. You have an adventurous spirit. You love my music and my art.” He stopped and sucked in a breath. “Add the fact that my whole being comes alive when you kiss me…” He shook his head. “I just don’t want to say good-bye to that … ever.”
Parker felt her mouth hanging open, but she couldn’t move more than to blink. Without reference to any of the things on her resume, he had made her feel exceptional. “This is the part of the scene where the hero says, ‘I love you.’”
“That won’t scare you away?”
She shook her head, smiling.
“Then yes, Daisy Parker. I love you. With or without a script.” His eyes shone under the lamp light. “Will you let me prove it to you?”
“I take back everything I ever said about your improv skills. You just rocked that line.” She giggled, brushing her cheeks against his and snuggling closer. “And I love you, too. It makes no sense, but I do.”
Guy drew a deep breath and looked deep into her eyes. “You’re the director. Tell me how this scene goes.”
“The handsome prince kisses the sleeping princess and wakes her from the nightmare she thought was reality, and they fly off into the sunrise.”
His soft laugh tickled her, and then his kiss overtook all her senses. Passion and peace, desire and hope filled her, and as the kiss deepened, she bid farewell to the stressed-out Parker of the past. Each tender touch of his lips or caress of his fingertips assured her that she could take the time to be herself and be truly loved.
She breathed in the happiness of being in his arms. “Shall we go make some mashed potatoes for the Thanksgiving dinner?”
“It’ll take us three hours to get to my kitchen. Are you sure that’s the first thing you want to do?”
Parker gave him a seductive smile. “Let’s talk about all the options while we’re in the air.”
“All the options?”
“We’re creative types.”
“Mmm.”
His flirtatious lilt made her shiver with delight. “Fly fast. And make sure your mic is turned off or the tower will get a very interesting earful.”
“Oh?” He reached down, playfully captur
ing her earlobe between his lips.
Parker gurgled with surprise. “Don’t start anything now or we’ll never get off the ground.”
“What are you talking about?” He took her hand and led her towards the plane. “I’m already flying.”
Northwest Locations Mentioned in Getaway Gone Wrong
Although the events in this story are fictitious, the places are real. Orcas Island in the San Juan Island chain is one of my favorite vacation destinations on the planet. Let me give you a run-down of a few of the must-see sites mentioned in the story.
Friday Harbor ~ This is on San Juan Island itself. It’s the largest town in the islands and full of picturesque views, yummy restaurants, quaint hotels, and shopping.
Lime Kiln Point State Park ~ This state park has a charming little light house, a seasonal interpretive center, and front row seats for viewing whales. Pods of orcas live in the area year-round and really do go drifting by on a predictable schedule every day. I was amazed to see people kayaking out there with them!
Mt. Constitution ~ This peak is about half a mile up with a gorgeous forested road winding back and forth to the top. Cyclists are common, and the ride to the top is a grueling challenge. I’m proud to say that my husband and son both made it to the top without putting their foot down to rest even once. My son, like Parker, had a little trouble on the way back down!
Moran State Park ~ This stunning acreage was donated to the State of Washington by Mr. Moran in part because he didn’t want his children fighting over the land, and in part because he loved natural beauty and wanted it preserved for the common people to enjoy. It’s the fourth largest state park in Washington, and it features many miles of hiking trails and several lakes for fishing, swimming, and boating.
North Beach Inn ~ Though never named in the novel, this is where we stay every time we go to Orcas Island. It’s a fantastically restful location with cozy cottages and scenery that will lower your blood pressure within the first hour. It’s glorious! I would totally live there year-round if I could. (And we’ve never had a problem with a water heater there. That was completely fictitious.)
Rosario Mansion & Resort ~ This is my daughter’s favorite place to be. The architecture is fascinating, the ghost stories are entertaining, the recital given by Christopher Peacock is brilliant, and the amenities are top-notch. The museum portion is open to the public for free, and the setting makes it a luxurious outing even if you don’t take in the spa or fine dining options.
Special Thanks
Liwen Ho and Cynthia Port gave me critical feedback that helped me improve this story, both in terms of humor and romance. I am grateful to have such amazing writer friends, and I encourage you to take a look at their work on Amazon.
More Sweet Romances from Lia London
Hopefully, you already read the first Team Northwest Sweet Romance, entitled Who Needs Reality? If not, now’s your chance! Book 3 should be coming out in spring of 2018, and is entitled Amaya’s Dance. Follow me on Amazon for notification of its release, or visit LiaLondonBooks.com.
I also have a stand-alone sweet romantic comedy called Her Imaginary Husband. New teacher, Nikki Fallon, tries to ward off unwanted advances from a lecherous colleague by pretending she’s already married. The plan backfires when he doesn’t care, but she decides she wants to be single after all!
If you enjoyed this book, please consider leaving a review for it on Amazon or Goodreads. For independent authors like myself, word-of-mouth recommendations make all the difference. Thank you for your time.