Page 4 of Last Second Chance

“Oh...uh, I’m great,” the man replied. His surprised reaction made me think that he was rarely asked that question. He sounded pleased.

“Awesome. Can I get an economy car for the next five days?”

I was a few steps away, but I stopped at her words and looked back. The regretful look on the attendant’s face confirmed what I was worried about. Not having a reservation for a car was a problem.

“I’m so sorry, but we don’t have any available.”

Poppy’s brow knit together. “Well...it doesn’thaveto be an economy car. Just whatever you have available would be fine.”

The attendant was already shaking his head before she finished speaking. “You don’t understand. We havenothingavailable. All of our cars have already been reserved.”

I headed back to the counter as Poppy’s shoulders slumped.

“Come with me,” I said impulsively, even as she frowned. “We’re going to the same place anyway, right? The hotel? It makes sense that I take you.”

I could see the conflict playing out across her face, but what option did she have? I knew that Ben’s flight wouldn’t arrive for another four hours. I doubted there was much of a ride share option on this island.

“Would you mind moving aside?” the attendant asked. He still sounded regretful. “I have a lot of people waiting.”

“So, what’s it going to be?” I asked as Poppy shuffled closer to me to get out of the way of other customers. “Are you going to hang out at the airport for hours waiting for Ben just to avoid me?”

“No, I’m not,” she said, lifting her chin in a gesture that I associated with her headstrong ways. She didn’t give in easily, no matter the circumstances. “I’ll go with you.”

She said it like she was doing me a favor, and I had to fight a smile that wanted to spread across my face.

I just shook my head and led us to the door. “You know, some people might try saying something like ‘Thanks for the ride.’”

She didn’t reply as she followed closely behind me. I found the car quickly and walked around it with the parking lot attendant before signing the paperwork, acknowledging that there was no damage to the vehicle.

“Are you going to need a second set of keys for your girlfriend?” he asked when he saw Poppy lingering nearby.

Hearing her called that made my heart sink. I missed her being my girl, and no matter how angry she was with me, I wished that it was still true.

“No thanks,” Poppy said, flashing him a small smile as she put her suitcase in the backseat.

I slid into the driver’s seat and adjusted the mirrors while Poppy settled into the seat beside me. The silence was tense as I pulled out onto the road, and I couldn’t stop thinking about Ben’s plan to get us back together.

Start with small talk.

That was what he said. He really thought that it was that simple.

Oh, what the hell. I might as well try it.

“So...how have you been?” I asked casually. “I hear you’re about to start a new job.”

“Did Ben tell you that?” she asked, and I knew I’d probably just gotten him into trouble with her.

“Yeah. He’s really proud of you.” I was at a stoplight so I glanced over to see her expression soften.

“I landed a job at a big medical center,” she said as she turned to look out her window. “I’m replacing an acupuncturist that just retired.”

She didn’t offer up any more information, and I cast my mind out for a topic that might be more engaging. I would have rather discussed the issue between us, but I knew her well enough to know that she wasn’t ready for that and I didn’t want to completely alienate her right off the bat.

“Are you living in the city again?” I asked.

The big misunderstanding between us never would have happened if she hadn’t been away at college. Not that I blamed her for that. She was getting an education, following her dreams. But I had to work. So, I was in the city, too far away from her. It had been hard, but I was a patient man. I never thought that she’d dump me before I got the chance to be with her more.

“Yeah,” she said.

---