Please. Now is not the time, Ascend.
“Hold on, baby. Let me get that.” I slid out from under the covers and ran over to pick up the phone.
“Hello?” I answered.
Dre sat on the side of the bed silently. It was my manager.
“Sorry to bother you on a Sunday evening like this, but we need you on a flight out to Denver as soon as possible,” she stated.
“As soon as possible, meaning?”
“In two hours. I need you at the airport in two hours.”
“Okay. I’ll be there.”
My manager ended the call, and my heart sank. I didn’t want our weekend to be over. I didn’t care if it was the last day of it.
“When do you have to leave?” Dre asked before I could even find the words to tell him.
“I have to be at the airport in two hours.”
He stood and put on the pair of joggers that he had on earlier. “This shit can’t keep happening if we’re going to have a successful relationship.” He huffed.
“What does that mean?” I quizzed.
“It means exactly what the fuck I said. I love you. I swear I do, but this job of yours is getting in the way of us.”
“This isn’t just a job. It’s my career, Dre, and I thought you understood that.”
“I do.” He stared down into his phone.
“Can you look at me while I’m talking?” I shot back.
“I’m cancelling our dinner reservations I made for later tonight. A private car will be here for you in forty-five minutes.” He stood and put his phone in his pocket. He took a fresh black tee out of his luggage and threw it on. “I’m going for a walk.”
Dre said nothing else and left the room. I was hurt and offended at the same time. I sat down on the bed and allowed myself a few minutes to feel my feelings. I showered, packed my weekend bag, and waited for the car to arrive. Dre had sent a car for me twice before, so they had my contact information to call me when they arrived.
Because I had to get straight on a flight, I put my uniform on before I left the resort. I hated I even had to keep my uniform with me at all times just in case. I couldn’t help that it came with the territory.
I hoped Dre would walk through the door to at least see me off, but I couldn’t gauge him. I knew he was upset, though, and probably needed space, so I tried to respect it.
I sat on the side of the bed for a minute while I toyed with the bracelet Dre had gotten me. I sipped the last of the last champagne we shared from earlier to knock me out of the slump I’d been in since the phone call. My phone vibrated as soon as I placed the empty glass on the bedside table. It was the car service. Scanning the room once more to make sure I hadn’t missed anything, I pulled my luggage toward the door and walked out.
By the time I was able to decompress, we’d made it to the airport. Once I got my things, I walked into the airport. My personal feelings had to be put on hold for the time being. I continued to the gate that my manager sent me.
“Lyra!” Chanel waved me down. I slowed down so we could talk for a moment.
“Hey, boo!” I said. I tried like hell to sound cheerful, even though I wasn’t in a cheerful mood at all.
“Where have you been? We haven’t been on the same flight in a minute now. I miss you!”
“I miss you, too, boo. I’ve been around, though. You know I’m out the way.”
“Mhmmm. You seem to be out the way more than usual these days. Did you ever link with that man we saw a while back that morning?” She smirked.
I smirked right back at her and giggled.
“Oh, so that’s why I haven’t seen you. You got a man! You got to spill the tea.”
