Page 42 of Crashing into Love

“No, I can do that.”

“So I can tell Gia that you’re okay,” Selma added.

“Right. Sure. Yeah,” Drew confirmed.

“Because she’ll worry about you.”

“That’s nice of her; to worry, I mean.”

Selma cleared her throat then and said, “Well, you’re all checked out. I sent the receipt to your email, but do you need a paper copy?”

“No, email is fine,” Drew replied.

“The airport shuttle is outside. It’s about ready to leave, so you should go unless you want to wait thirty minutes.”

Drew thought about that. She could wait another thirty minutes. She had time before her flight. But she also knew that she shouldn’t. Selma was working, so it wasn’t like they could sit and talk for thirty minutes. On top of that, Gia could come back down any minute, and they’d already said their goodbyes per Selma’s request. Drew wanted to respect Selma’s wishes where the kid was concerned.

“I’ll go, but I’ll text you later.”

“Okay. Yeah. Safe flight, Drew.”

“Have a good day, Selma.”

Drew grabbed her roller bag and turned to find that an employee was carrying her other bags for her out the door. She smiled one more time at Selma, turned, and left.

???

Her apartment was as she left it, which shouldn’t be a strange thing; no one else lived there. But whenever Drew left for any kind of trip, she half-expected to come home and find her apartment changed. Instead, she still had an empty glass of water sitting on a coaster on her coffee table, a cactus in the corner because she couldn’t keep any other kind of plant alive but wanted something living to take care of, and an empty fridge.

Drew tossed all of her dirty clothes into the washing machine and started it so that she could throw them in the dryer later and worry about taking them out tomorrow. She usually did that when she got home to wash any hotel or airport smells or germs out of her clothing, but after that, she moved to lie down on her bed and stared up at her ceiling. She didn’t know what to do. She would be back to training tomorrow and should get a call very soon about whether or not Team USA wanted to take a chance on her again, but tonight, she had nothing to do, and it bothered her in a way that it never had before.

Drew Oakes: I’m home safe. Just wanted you to know so you could tell Gia.

She hit to send the text before she could think too hard about it and waited. When nothing came in response for a minute, she tossed her phone on the bed and reached for the TV remote, planning to put on some show she could maybe fall asleep to later. Then, her phone dinged, and she launched at it so fast that she dropped the TV remote in her hand.

Selma Driscoll: I’m glad. Gia’s glad, too. Did you get all your luggage okay?

Drew smiled because that was an opening. She’d half-expected Selma to say something like, ‘Okay. Good. I’m glad you’re safe,’ but not to ask her a question that Drew could then answer, keeping their conversation going.

Drew Oakes: They didn’t even damage my board or my skis, so I’m feeling #blessed right now. How was your day?

The three bubbles appeared instantly.

Selma Driscoll: Okay. Busy, but I’m finally at home. Gia passed out early tonight, which was good, so I got to change into my pajamas and get to bed early myself.

“She’s in her pajamas in bed?” Drew asked herself, thinking about what Selma’s pajamas would look like.

Selma Driscoll: How was your flight?

Drew decided to take a chance.

Drew Oakes: Call?

Selma Driscoll: That bad?

Drew Oakes: No, just easier.

Selma Driscoll: Okay.

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