Ten first dates, p.33
Ten First Dates, page 33
“Then that’s what we’ll do.”
Three hours later, there was a beautiful sunrise, and as they came to their feet, Arianna knew this was their goodbye. Will still had to drive her back to her apartment, but…she didn’t want to say all the things she needed to say while they were parked in front of her building.
Will’s arms and blanket were wrapped around her, and she had a feeling she looked like a fright but didn’t care. “I want you to know that yesterday was the most amazing day. Every moment was simply the best.” Tears stung her eyes and she was mortified. She never cried. “Thank you for giving me such an incredible day.”
He pulled her close, almost like he didn’t want to let her go. “Thank you for accepting the dare to come over and talk to me. You have no idea how much I needed that.”
Arianna wanted to ask him what that meant, but…now wasn’t the time.
Their time was over.
“Will?”
“Hmm?”
“Truth or dare?”
He chuckled. “Dare.”
Pulling back, she gave him a watery smile. “I dare you to kiss me one last time. And make it count.”
And he did.
As Will tossed his luggage into the trunk of his rental car, all he felt was a deep sense of exhaustion. He’d dropped Arianna off a little over two hours ago and he already missed her.
“Story of my damn life,” he muttered. “Crappy timing on everything.”
The morning traffic sucked, but fortunately, returning the car was a breeze. After that, it took every ounce of strength to get through security without falling asleep. Staying up all night wasn’t new to him, but the emotional angle was.
What are the odds I’d meet the girl of my dreams and only get twenty-four hours with her?
Yeah, that was just beyond unfair.
The security line seemed to go on forever, but once he was through it, his main goal was to grab himself a cup of coffee and stay awake until he was on the plane and in his seat. After that, he had a little over four hours until the layover in Atlanta and knew he could get in a seriously decent nap that way. It wasn’t like there was anything else he wanted to do. Even with the upgrade to first class, and all the amenities, all he wanted was to get some sleep. When they landed, he had a very short layover and would likely have to sprint through the terminal to catch his connecting flight.
No biggie. He knew the risk when he booked the flight.
Walking through the terminal now, however, he spotted a Starbucks and groaned at the long line. A little farther down, there was a café-slash-market type of thing, and while the line was long there too, it wasn’t nearly as long as the one at Starbucks. While waiting, he pulled out his phone and checked his emails, the weather, and the airline’s app to ensure the flight was still on time.
A few minutes later, with his coffee in hand, he made his way to his gate, found a seat in the corner, and got comfortable. They should start boarding in the next few minutes, and he knew he needed to stay awake and alert. With nothing else to do, he sipped his drink and watched everyone walking by, but his mind was still on Arianna.
They weren’t going to see each other again. They had said their goodbyes, and…that was all there was.
But did it have to be?
Next weekend, he was supposed to meet up with a Marine buddy in North Carolina. They were both heading back to base at the same time, and after talking about it, they made arrangements to make the drive together. Liam – his buddy – had some sort of family party he was going home for, but after that, they had to return to duty. Will’s stop in D.C. was just to confirm his potential next assignment if he re-upped.
That was all still up in the air. Or it was until he met Arianna. Now all he was thinking of was fulfilling the final year of his contract and settling down someplace. A small smile played on his lips as he imagined settling down with her in some nice little town and finally having the life he always wanted.
As if he’d conjured her up himself, he spotted a tall blonde walking by and sat up a little straighter. He and Arianna never discussed airlines or anything specific about their travel plans, but…it was possible they were traveling on the same airline. The crowds were heavy, and he was tempted to get up and go after her—if it was her—but…to what end? They’d said their goodbyes in the park. Closing his eyes, he could still see her sadness and knew it would almost be cruel to go after her and make them say goodbye again.
When he opened his eyes, she was gone.
Again, if it actually was her.
“Flight 792 to Atlanta would now like to welcome our first-class passengers on board!”
The announcement was like an answer to a prayer because Will knew if he had to sit here much longer, he would have been sorely tempted to walk farther down the terminal in hopes of one last glimpse of Arianna.
Arianna. He didn’t even know her last name. Why had they been so damn vague with one another?
What difference would a last name make? You aren’t going to have time to keep in touch with anyone for at least another year.
Oh, right. That.
Being in the military had been his life for the last eleven years and he had one more to go. He considered making a career out of it at one point, but lately, he’d just been completely disenchanted with the whole thing. He wanted out and a quiet life where he could have a home and a garden and just decompress for a while.
At least, that was what he was hoping for.
He still had no idea where he would land once his contract was up, but he had another twelve months to figure it out.
Joining the line of passengers waiting to board, he pulled up his boarding pass and kept telling himself he’d be able to sleep soon.
“Thanks for traveling with us, Mr. Jameson,” the gate attendant said with a smile. “Have a good flight.”
“Thanks,” he murmured and walked out onto the jetway.
Five minutes later, he was seated in his window seat with all his stuff stowed away. He lowered his ball cap to cover his eyes and made himself comfortable. There was no way he could recline his seat yet, but he had a feeling he wouldn’t need it. Yawning, he crossed his arms and simply relaxed.
Sleep was about to claim him when he felt someone sitting beside him and seriously hoped they weren’t the kind who liked to chat. All he wanted was a little peace and quiet so he could sleep.
“Oh, dammit,” they said from beside him, and Will was instantly on alert.
He knew that voice.
“Excuse me,” a soft, feminine voice said, perhaps to the flight attendant. “I seemed to have forgotten my earbuds. Do you happen to have any?”
Will wasn’t paying attention to their response. He pulled his hat off, straightened, and got hit in the face with a blonde ponytail. Her back was to him, but he knew.
He knew.
She was oblivious to him for a solid minute as she got situated in her seat, and he couldn’t believe his good fortune again.
Maybe the universe doesn’t hate me…
Gently, he cleared his throat, hoping to get her attention without startling her. And when she looked at him, her eyes lit up.
“Oh my gosh! Will!” Before he could respond, her arms were around him, and she was kissing him.
For the second time in twenty-four hours, sleep became the farthest thing from his mind.
CHAPTER FOUR
After spending a solid hour crying after Will had dropped her off, Arianna had given herself a stern talk about how it just wasn’t meant to be. And yet…here he was!
“How did you know this was my flight? Did you change your travel plans? I mean…I can’t believe you found me!”
The look on his face told her she had it all wrong, and her hands slowly slid from his face and back to her lap.
“Oh,” she said, feeling utterly ridiculous. “This is just a wild coincidence, isn’t it?”
He nodded even as he reached for her hand. “But not a bad one,” he quickly told her. “Believe me, I’m just as happy as you are that we’re on the same flight!” He squeezed her hand. “It gives us a few more hours…together,” he added before yawning broadly.
She wanted to smile but ended up yawning too. “How much is it going to suck if we have these few hours together and spend them fighting to stay awake?” On her way to the airport, the thought of sleeping her way to Atlanta was the only thing keeping her sane. But now, she would gladly drink a gallon of coffee if it meant staying awake for Will.
“I think we’ll find a way to power through,” he said, leaning in and kissing the tip of her nose. “I grabbed a cup of coffee before going to the gate and only drank half of it. Once we get in the air, they’ll start beverage service, so I’ll order more.”
“Okay, good. Whew.” Gently, she pulled her hand from his and finished getting settled. With her seat belt fastened and her purse tucked under the seat, she was more than ready for them to take off.
As she’d finished packing this morning—and after her mini-breakdown—Arianna had let her mind wander to ways she could ever see Will again. The fact they not only ended up on the same flight but sitting next to one another, told her that this man was possibly her destiny.
“You want to know something wild?” she whispered to him.
“Sure.”
“My original ticket had me sitting practically in the back of the plane. When I arrived at the airport this morning, I took a chance and asked if there were any upgrades available, and there were! I mean…I just can’t believe we’re here together.” She knew she was rambling and yet she couldn’t help it. Part of her wanted to jump up and tell everyone on the plane just how amazing this all was.
Of course, she wouldn’t do that, but in her head, she was shouting it from the tallest rooftop.
They sat in companionable silence as people continued to board and listened to all the preflight safety instructions. It wasn’t until they were taxiing to the runway that Will reached for her hand and held it in his.
“How do you feel about flying?” she asked him.
“It’s almost second nature to me. I travel a lot for my job, but this is the first time I’m traveling with a beautiful girl whose hand I could hold during takeoff.”
Arianna felt herself blush. Seriously, this man was almost too good to be true.
How did I get so lucky?
“I’ve never had a strong, handsome man to hold my hand during takeoff, so this is a first for me too,” she said, resting her head on his shoulder. They stayed like that all through takeoff, and as soon as their flight attendant came over to ask about a beverage, they both eagerly ordered coffee.
All day yesterday, Arianna told herself to keep things casual and that she shouldn’t ask anything overly personal because…well…it was only supposed to be one day.
But now, here they were, and while she had no idea how a long-distance relationship would work, it was obvious that the universe wanted them to be together. He was in D.C., and she was in North Carolina. The drive was just a little under four hours, so while it wasn’t ideal, it wasn’t impossible.
It wasn’t until they each took their first sip of coffee that she broached the subject.
“Hey, Will?”
“Hmm?”
“Truth or dare?”
Beside her, he chuckled. “Considering the confines of the airplane, I’m gonna go with truth.”
Smiling, she asked, “Would you want to see me again after we land?”
His eyes went a little wide, but he immediately reached for her hand again. “Arianna, you have no idea how much I want to say yes, but…I’m going to be traveling a lot over the next year. It wouldn’t be fair of me to start something. I wouldn’t ask that of you.”
“But you’re not asking,” she quickly corrected. “I am. And I’m starting a new job, and my life will be hectic and chaotic, and I’m not going to have a lot of free time for a while either. All I’m saying is maybe we keep in touch. Even if you’re traveling, we can video chat or text or…you know…anything.”
Will looked down at their hands and she didn’t take it as a good sign.
With a small sigh, she went to pull her hand away. “I didn’t mean to put you on the spot like that. I mean…we both knew we only had one day. It just felt like we were getting another chance by ending up on the same flight like this, so…I’m sorry.”
“You don’t have to apologize. And I didn’t say I didn’t want to try.” Pausing, he brushed his thumb softly over her knuckles. “There’s just a lot about me that you don’t know. My life’s kind of up in the air right now, and it’s hard enough for me to try to figure things out when I just have myself to consider. If there was you…”
“I get it,” she said before he went any further. The last thing she wanted was to be a complication for someone. Especially Will. “I just hate the thought of this being all there is.” Her eyes met his, and she saw the same defeat she felt there.
“Me too.” With a weary sigh, he rested his head back against his seat.
Several things hit her at once. First, she was someone who thrived on a challenge. She rarely took no for an answer and always went after what she wanted. So why was she backing down?
Taking a sip of her coffee, she twisted slightly in her seat to face him. “Okay, here’s the thing. I think we’re worth it,” she said earnestly. “I think we owe it to ourselves to at least try. I’m not asking you for a big commitment or to profess our love to one another; I’m just asking that we try. We can start with a once-a-week video chat or a quick text just saying hello.” Her shoulders sagged a little. “I feel like there’s a reason we ended up sitting here together today.”
Looking over at her, Will gave her a lopsided grin, and her heart practically soared. “I’m not usually someone who believes in fate or anything like that, but with you…it’s hard not to.”
It was hard not to jump out of her seat and crawl into his lap, but that’s what she wanted to do. Instead, she cupped his face in her hands and kissed him as if her life depended on it. When they broke apart and momentarily caught their breath, Arianna felt like she could finally ask him all the things she’d been dying to know since yesterday.
“Now that that’s settled,” she began as she got comfortable again, “tell me about this job that has you traveling so much.”
With a curt nod, he began to really talk about himself. “I’ve been in the Marines since I was eighteen. My father was a Marine, who died in a training accident when I was ten. For years it was just my mom and me, but I always knew everyone expected me to follow in my dad’s footsteps and go into the service. Last year, my mom died while I was deployed. I was able to come home for a few days to bury her but then had to immediately go back. One of my aunts was handling her estate, but there were things I needed to sign and a few details I needed to handle personally, so I was able to get the time off to take care of all of it.” Pausing, he shrugged. “Now it’s time to go back.”
“Oh, Will. I’m so sorry.” Her heart broke for him because he was truly all alone in the world. Arianna came from a big family and her parents were the absolute best. Even if she lost them both, she still had her four siblings to lean on. He didn’t have anyone.
“Anyway, I’ve been toying with the idea of retiring and returning to civilian life, but…I don’t even know what that will look like. Basically, I’ve been spending a lot of time in my head trying to figure out what I want to do and where it is I want to be.”
With me. You should be with me.
Of course she didn’t say that, but she really wanted to.
“What do you think you want to do?”
“I love building,” he replied. “I think I’d enjoy going into construction. I’ve got an architectural degree, and I think it’s something to look into, but…” He shrugged. “I wouldn’t even know where to begin.”
“Sadly, I have no idea on that sort of thing either, but I’m guessing you should look up jobs in construction or positions as an architect and go from there.” Pausing, she let out a small laugh. “I know I’m oversimplifying, but it seems like a logical first step.”
Nodding, he reached for his coffee. “It does.”
“Do you want to build commercial buildings or residential?”
“Residential. Definitely residential. I’ve seen enough industrial and commercial buildings to last a lifetime. I want to design homes for low-income families so they don’t have to live in run-down houses and apartments. We did a lot of that after my dad died, and I just always remember how much I wished we could afford something better.”
If she wasn’t already falling in love with him, this would do it.
“You’re incredible, you know that, right?” she whispered.
Shaking his head, he went to disagree, but Arianna stopped him.
“Shh…yes, you are. Tell me more about these houses you want to build.”
Will felt like he was dominating the conversation, but every time he wanted to ask about her life, Arianna had yet another question about his.
They had just finished dinner, and both seemed to be losing the battle with sleep. They decided to set the alarm so they could nap for an hour. He swore he was asleep before the timer started. Then he swore he had just closed his eyes when the alarm went off. But Arianna softly kissed him awake, making him realize he didn’t care how long he’d slept because their time together was almost over.
Their flight attendant freshened their drinks while Arianna went to the restroom, and when she got back, Will decided it would be time to learn a little more about her. When she sat back down and smiled at him, he knew he’d need to speak up before she started asking questions about him again.
“So what job are you returning home to?” he asked, figuring it was the best way to get started.
“I am now officially a radiation therapist.”
“And that means…?”
Laughing softly, she patted his hand. “The short answer is that I administer radiation doses to patients with cancer or other serious diseases. The long answer is I will work with the oncology team and operate machines, such as linear accelerators, to deliver concentrated radiation therapy to the region of a patient’s tumor. I will explain treatment plans to the patients and answer their questions about them. Then, once we get started, I will determine the location of tumors to ensure the correct positioning of patients for administering their treatment.” She paused for a moment and took a sip of her drink. “I’ll have to calibrate and operate the machines for treatment, monitor the patients for any unusual reactions, and keep detailed records of their treatment.”
