Page 4 of Understanding Fate

He’s here? Where?

I begin typing back into the text message.

You’re here? Where? I don’t see anyone.

The response is immediate.

No one is there to get you? How long have you been waiting?

I check the clock and see it's 8:06 pm.

About half an hour.

Hang on, Firefly, I’m sending a car.

Firefly? Wtf.

I look again and see it hasn’t been Ethan I have been messaging, but Cain.

I mentally smack my forehead.

Shit.

Don’t worry about it. I’m grabbing an Uber. See you when I get back.

Damnit.

Switching out of his messages, I pull Ethan’s text to find it has been read, but there is no response.

I guess I really am going to call an Uber.

“Ms. DelaCourt?” a deep voice interrupts my inner chastising. I look up to find a man in an impeccably tailored black suit.

“Yes?” I respond hesitantly.

“I’m Sebastian. I’m here to give you a ride to your hotel.” He smiles, and the action lights his entire face, giving him a non-threatening, easygoing vibe.

Ethan had someone here, after all.

“Thank you, Sebastian.” I stand, gathering my carry-on as he reaches for my suitcase.

“May I take your bags?” he asks as if this is a routine question.

“Oh, um, of course, I’m sorry,” I blurt, quickly retracting my arm.

He gathers the items and heads for the exit, and I follow closely behind him.

Cold air assaults my lungs the moment we step outside, and I see a light dusting of snow on everything. My inner childsmiles. Las Vegas hardly ever gets snow, so seeing it in real life brings me so much happiness, and I mentally add a point to the “move to Boston” pro/con list I’ve created in my head. I fight the urge to lie down and make a snow angel.

Get it together, Bri. You’re a professional.

We weave through the traffic outside the airport and end up at a black SUV parked in the business section of the lot. While Sebastian loads my bags, I take in the Massachusetts view.

The tall buildings line the horizon, and lights dance off the water. Coupled with the blanket of white, the whole scene looks like a snow globe. There’s magic to it that I just can’t place.

Wrapping my arms around myself as the chill seeps in, I wonder how much shopping I’ll need to accomplish to survive in cold like this. It’s early winter for them, only mid-December, and the bite in the air is already more than I have ever had to endure.

Sebastian clears his throat, pulling my attention to the door he holds open for me. Taking a deep breath, I climb in the backseat, settle my backpack on the opposite side, and latch my buckle. I notice how dark the tint is on the windows.

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