Page 79 of The Now in Forever
I set my coffee down. “Holy shit. When did this all happen?”
She sets her coffee down, gesturing wide with her arms. “It’s nuts. I saw the Facebook post on the fourth, and then I messaged her at the airport on my way back home—which isn’t home anymore. By the time my flight had landed, I had an offer for the position in my inbox.”
“I can’t believe you let me blather on about my stuff when you’re moving to an island!”
She shrugs. “I wasn’t the one crying.”
I sip my coffee, still trying to wrap my head around it.
Anh sits up. “You should go to LA.”
“What?”
Anh’s eyes are bright. “Just for like a weekend or something. You two need to talk, really talk.”
“Oh…I don’t know… He’s so busy…”And he didn’t invite me.“Plus, it’d be so expensive.”
Anh waves a hand. “I have so many miles from work trips.” She scrolls her phone and taps the screen. “There’s a flight that leaves in a couple hours. You could be in Ed’s arms by tonight.”
My whole body reacts to that thought, a whoosh of excitement thrumming through my body, but it’s short lived. The tension knots in my muscles, replacing it. “I’m not sure. I should call him.”
“Do you have the address where he’s staying?”
“Nathan does.”
“Surprise him.”
Yes.It’ll be romantic, impulsive, adventurous. Excitement bubbles up in my chest. “Okay.”
Anh beams and taps the screen on her phone. “Done. The tickets should be in your inbox.”
I hop up. “Eee! Wait, when do you have to leave for Orcas Island?”
“Not for a week. Your return ticket is for Tuesday.”
“I have to pack; I have to go.” I run to the house but quickly turn back and throw my arms around Anh. “Thank you.”
She squeezes me back then turns me around, giving me a little push. “You're welcome. Go.”
It’slate afternoon and sweltering while I wait for my Lyft outside LAX. The drive from Portland, the plane ride… Everything has gone so smooth, it’s like I’m always jet setting about. I’m waiting for a white sedan—me and about fifty other people at the taxi station—reading each license plate as it comes until finally there’s my white Prius.
Throwing my small carry-on in the back, I get in. The inside of the car is freezing, the air conditioning cranked all the way up. Goose bumps instantly cover my legs, exposed in my cut-off shorts. I pull out a cardigan from my bag and wrap it around my torso. The driver is already driving toward our destination, Top 40 pop blaring from the stereo.
“There are waters back there. Help yourself.”
I grab a small bottle and can’t quite twist the cap off. Wrapping my sweater around it, I really crank it, right as we swerve around a car stopped in the middle of the road with their flashers on. The water spills all over my white shirt, not only soaking it, but also making it completely see-through. I let out a small, shocked scream.
So much for being a put-together jet setter.
He lets me out on the corner of a cute white stucco house with a rounded blue front door. I double check the address. I don’t know why I was expecting an apartment, but this is adorable.
It’s so hot, I want to take my sweater off, but I’m also soaked, and my pale-blue bra is on full display through my wet shirt, so I keep it on. I take a deep breath and knock on the door. Nothing. I give it a few minutes and then knock again. There’s no answer. Shit. He’s not home.
I walk back to the sidewalk. Should I wait? Should I text him? No, I’ve come this far. I want to surprise him face to face. I pull up the map on my phone. There’s a coffee shop about half a mile from here. I’ll get a coffee, sit in the sun and dry off, then try again.
The walk is nice, the neighborhood darling. When I pictured LA before, I thought about mostly palm trees, which there are, but I pictured big buildings, high-rise apartments, not these cute houses, with terracotta tile roofs and colorful gardens.
The coffee shop is just as cute as the neighborhood, with big windows and lots of plants. I order an iced oat milk latte and a brownie.
