Page 2 of Knot Really Engaged
The thought fills me with a sense of warmth and anticipation, momentarily pushing aside my worries.
Who knows, maybe he’ll propose soon, andnext year, we’ll be getting married. That’s how relationships work, right? You meet, you click and then you create a life together. This will make Mom so happy. She’s proud of my accomplishments, but always asks when I’m going to find the love of my life and marry him.
Well, I met Ben and we’ll marry sooner rather than later, hopefully.
A dreamy smile plays on my lips at the thought, and I can’t help but let out a soft, wistful sigh. However, the smile quickly fades as I glance at the clock again, my brows furrowing with concern.
“Come on, Ben. Don’t let me down now.”
But he wouldn’t, Audrey, don’t be ridiculous,I remind myself, shaking my head slightly. He’s a very dependable person who only promises what he knows he can do. And he promised me he’ll come along and meet everyone who matters to me because . . . Well, he didn’t give me a reason, but we’re happy together, right?
Not that it matters. Right now, I need to focus on where the fuck he is.
As they call for my flight, which will be boarding shortly, my heart stutters. He has like twenty minutes to arrive if we’re lucky. I was already nervous thinking of my parents’ reaction to meeting him. I’ve never brought a guy homebefore, but I’ve got a good feeling about Ben. They’re going to love him.
With every announcement that blares over the PA system, my heart skips, mimicking the countdown that’s been running through my mind. I keep texting him and he’s still not responding.
Boarding time for my flight inches closer, and I feel a cold sweat breaking out on the back of my neck. It reminds me that this might go from the best day of my life to an atrocious disaster.
My family is going to believe I made up Ben. I don’t know what’s worse, if I should wait for him to make sure he’s alright or leave without him. Either way, it’s a lose-lose situation for me. I bite my lip, my eyes darting between the boarding gate and the airport entrance, desperately hoping to catch a glimpse of him.
The prospect of facing my parents and siblings without Ben by my side unnerves me, and I feel a knot forming in the pit of my stomach. I can almost hear the concern in my mother’s voice, the slight tremor that betrays her worry.Maybe, because I’m still the same awkward child who liked to bury herself in a book and ignore everything around her. That girl who would go as far as to make up friends and stuff, who’s not as perfect as her cousins.
This could be compared to the time I made up a friend at camp because I didn’t want them toworry about me. The thing was that at band camp, everyone is an introvert, and it’s hard to meet new people. Yet, I was still having a blast, getting lost in the music. But Mom was expecting me to make new friends, have a pen pal or just something juicy to tell her sisters about me.
Having a child that was a music geek wasn’t as cool as saying I was popular at camp.
But this time I do have a real-life-flesh-and-bone boyfriend. A faithful, loving boyfriend who, at the moment, is missing in action.
Damn it, Benjamin,I mutter under my breath, my fingers clenching into fists at my sides. I can feel the frustration and anxiety building inside me, threatening to spill over. I take a deep breath, trying to calm my frayed nerves, but it does little to ease the tension throughout my body.
Suddenly, a woman strides purposefully yet hesitantly as she makes her way toward me. Something about her—maybe the way she scans the crowd with a mixture of determination and uncertainty—tells me she’s looking for someone specific.
When her eyes lock onto mine, a flicker of recognition passes through them, followed by a steely resolve. Once she’s right in front of me, she asks, “Are you Audrey?” Her tone is sharp. “Audrey McCallister?”
I straighten, a flutter of unease tickling myspine. “Yes, I’m Audrey. Can I help you?” My response is cautious, my voice wavering slightly.
Is she going to serve me with a lawsuit? My mind races with possibilities of why she’s here and who could be suing me. I can’t think of any reasons. I’m a good person, pay my rent on time and never loiter.
The woman takes a moment, as if gathering her thoughts or perhaps courage. She draws in a deep breath, her shoulders rising and falling with the effort. Then, she launches into an explanation, her words tumbling out in a rush. “I’m here because of Ben.”
“Is Ben okay?” I ask, my brows furrowing with concern. A cold knot of fear forms in the pit of my stomach, and my hands tremble slightly at my sides.
She scoffs, her lips twisting into a bitter smile. “Now, yes, when I’m done with him, not so much.” Her angry words send a chill down my spine.
“Who are you?”
Chapter Two
Audrey
I stareat the very angry woman, confused.
Who is she?
Did she kidnap Ben and is waiting for a ransom?
I almost laugh out loud at the thought. Good luck with that. My salary barely covers my rent and the essentials. With alaughably meager three dollars and twenty-three cents weighing down my pocket, it’s all I have to offer to save my boyfriend from this . . . this very strange woman. But somehow it’ll have to do—the plane is about to board, and we need to leave pronto.
