Page 52 of Me and Mr. Just Right

She rolled her eyes. “Of course you were coming! This is the airport-chase scene.”

“Right?” Bennett said, and the two high-fived.

“I liked the ‘squealing into the parking lot’ move. That was a nice touch,” Rosie said. “I could hear it all the way in the trailer.”

Their teasing conversation faded as Haydn’s heart sank. He’d been too slow. He’d missed her. Why did it take losing someone to realize how much you wanted them in your life? He wished he could go back in time, to the conversation they’d had around the seals’ shell pile, and react differently to her telling him who she was. He’d pull her into his arms and kiss her like he’d never let her go. Let her decide if they could be together, instead of pushing her away before she could reject him first.

Rosie took his arm in hers and dragged him farther away from the reporters, so they were well out of hearing distance. Haydn turned his back to them. He didn’t think they’d recognize him from his profile picture, but these internet sleuths were intense.

“Let’s get in the truck,” Bennett said.

They all eyed his tiny truck, and Rosie shook her head. “We’re taking mine.”

They picked up some takeout—even though Haydn’s stomach was churning too much to eat—and took it back to Rosie’s shop. It was closed for the day, so they would have all the privacy they needed to talk. She moved a few things off her art table, and they sat around it with their burgers.

Rosie didn’t waste any time. “Well, you botched the romantic gesture—big shocker—so we’d better start thinking of another one.”

“Is there another plane going out today?” Bennett asked.

Jules shook his head. “I checked before we left the airport. That was the last one today. The next flight isn’t until tomorrow. And even if we got in the boat right now and headed over to Ketchikan, we’d miss the next one out there too.”

“I just googled her address,” Bennett said, looking up from his phone. “I can’t find an exact address—she must have bought it under some sort of company name—but she’s definitely in Nashville. And they have those tours that show you where people live. We fly out there, hire one, and show up at her house.”

Haydn looked at him incredulously. “No, Bennett. That’s so creepy.”

“It’s romantic,” he argued.

“To basically stalk someone?”

“I agree with Haydn,” Rose said, putting an end to that line of thought. “We’ve got to do something different. Something with more finesse.” Her voice drifted off, and he could see her thinking. He’d never been so grateful for his evil genius sister. Which, speaking of …

“How did you manage to get Lia to the airport without being seen?” he asked her.

“Oh.” Her cheeks turned slightly pink. “Well, I stuffed her in my rolling art case. I use it for bigger commissions. Then I just rolled it up to the parking lot and used my ramp to put her in the back of my truck.”

“She rode in a suitcase in the back of your truck all the way to the airport?” Jules barked.

“Yep. And then into the airport’s trailer too.”

Haydn groaned. This was so bad.

Rosie continued. “Mary Anne was working the desk, so I told her what was up, and she rolled Aurelia to the back room to check her in and do her security screen. Then they covered her as she got on the plane. No one saw a thing.”

“Where’s your case?” Bennett asked.

“Mary Anne’s going to drop it off tonight. She was very excited about Lia, but she promised not to say anything to anyone.”

Of all Rosie’s friends, Haydn was glad Mary Anne was the one working the airport today. She had a steady head on her shoulders and had always been a stabilizing influence in Rosie’s life. If she said she’d keep it quiet, he believed her.

“So what’s the plan, Rosie?” Bennett asked.

Rosie turned to Haydn. “I have a plan. But I need you to answer one question first. How do you feel about Lia?”

Haydn felt his face heat up, but there was only one answer to this. “I know it doesn’t make sense, and we only knew each other for a short amount of time, but I think I love her.”

Rosie clapped her hands together and held them under her chin. “Good. Because I think she loves you too. She was devastated when she thought you’d sold her out.”

“Maybe she won’t even want to see me, then.”

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