Page 100 of Sack

“Where am I heading, Mr. Colton?”

Colt pulled his nose from his phone. “C2C terminal.”

The cabbie took the next exit ramp and navigated the twists and turns of the airport’s convoluted road construction like a pro NASCAR driver and even managed to hold a conversation. “Heard about the crash on the news. You know someone on board?”

“Yeah.” Colt’s eyes were aimed out the side window. Emergency vehicles, creating a sea of flashing lights, could be seen in the distance.

“I hope they’re safe.”

Traffic was backed up in front of the terminal entrance. Not wanting to wait, Colt tossed the cabbie his credit card, telling him to add the tip, and high-tailed it out of the taxi, running full speed to reach the parting glass doors. He stopped in the entrance only long enough to find Ivy’s gate number.

Security was tight, and for once, Colt was happy for his fame. And he exploited that shit, getting into the terminal with record speed. The place was a madhouse of spectators and hysterical family members there to greet their loved ones, never thinking they’d be facing such a tragedy.

The wreckage couldn’t be seen from the large-paned windows, but the view was still scary as fuck—flashing emergency lights barely seen through a wall of dense smoke. It brought home the reality of the situation far greater than any news story. Enough so, Colt’s stomach rolled, and he fought the urge to be sick. It was one of the two times in his life he’d felt completely helpless, where all he could do was stand there deep breathing through his panic and wait for news like everyone else.

Time stretched as he stared out that window, looking at everything and nothing. Ivy was outside that glass, possibly hurt, possibly dying, and he could do nothing. Fists clenched, barely breathing, he berated himself for the millionth time. He’d been so stuck in his damn head, working so hard to honor a ghost, he’d forgotten what it felt like to live.

But no more. If by some miracle he was given a second chance with Ivy, he wasn’t going to squander it.

Colt?

At first, he thought it was his imagination, something he conjured in his mind because he was wishing for it so badly.

“Colt!”

Ivy’s voice.

Craning his neck, he looked above the crowd. And there she was, jogging toward him.

His heart skipped a beat and then started pounding. Relief left him lightheaded, and his world tilted for an instant as he took his first step toward her.

Time seemed to move in slow motion, but then in a blink, he was taking her into his arms, clutching at her tighter when he realized his whole body was shaking. Her arms gripped at him, holding him together, giving him his life back.

He never wanted to let her go.

He buried his face in her hair, feeling wetness smear across his cheek as he breathed in her scent. “I thought I lost you.” His words were as thick as the throat they struggled to come from. He swallowed down the lump as more moisture managed to squeeze past his tightly sealed lids.

They clung together until he got his emotions under control. Then, needing to see she wasn’t hurt, he took a small step back but still held on to her upper arms. He couldn’t bear to part from her.

He scanned her for injury, stopping once he reached her face. There, he cataloged every exquisite feature down to the tiny beauty mark below her right eye, promising himself he would never forget this moment.

He pulled his eyes from her beautiful grays and looked around. No one else in the terminal had loved ones they clung to. Unbelieving, he asked, “How are you here?”

“I missed my flight.”

If someone had told him half an hour ago—hell, five minutes ago—that he’d be smiling right then, he’d have called them a fucking liar. But that’s exactly what he found happening as his lips tipped into one. “I know you hate being late, but for once, can I just say how fucking happy I am that you were.”

“I was panicking, thinking I was going to miss the game, but luckily they were able to get me on a flight that left only thirty minutes later. I didn’t hear the news about the accident until I landed.” She looked around at the grieving crowd. “It’s all so surreal. I almost feel guilty for being safe and sound when so many people may be hurt.”

“Well, I sure as fuck don’t and you shouldn’t either. No one filled your empty seat.”

She nodded. “I guess that’s true.”

He shook his head. “I still can’t believe you’re standing here. When I saw the news…” His voice broke, but it didn’t matter, he didn’t have the words to finish his thought.

Ivy filled his gap. “I knew you’d be worried. I tried to call, but you didn’t answer.”

He removed one hand from her long enough to pull his phone from his back pocket. Sure enough, he had one missed call. He wasn’t sure how he hadn’t heard it.

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