"I wanted to at least drive you to the airport," he said for the fifth time, his voice caught on the last word. She had refused to let him, saying he'd done more than enough and that she didn't want to be a burden. She'd never be a burden—this woman was like sunlight and water to him. Absolute necessities.
Frankie’s hazel eyes welled up as she pinned him with her gaze. Her lips quivered and she sniffed, swallowing hard. "No, it should be like this. This is clean and quick."
He had no idea what she meant by that, but his brain wasn't in the right place to argue.
"I'll never forget you, John. No matter what happens, whether we decide to stay in contact or not, I'll always remember this time with you."
He gulped around the baseball-sized lump in his throat that refused to be dislodged. Watching her walk away was killing him.
John nodded glumly, fighting to keep the sorrow off his face. "You'll probably need to call a few times to just work the kinks out of that strategy,” he replied, his voice carefully monotone.
Frankie bobbed her head several times and a lone tear escaped, tracking slowly down her cheek. "Yes, yes. I'm sure we'll need your guidance on the plan you made for us. Thank you for that. Thank you foreverything."
John jolted back a step as she barreled into his chest, her arms wrapping around his waist and squeezing. He smoothed his hands up and down her back, drawing her in further as his cheek rested on top of her head. He soothed himself while he tried to calm her. He tilted her chin up with a finger, holding her watered gaze. "We'll see each other again. I know it."
She raised on her tiptoes, crushing her lips to his. He cupped her face, holding her in place as he took over, his mouth ravaginghers. He wanted to give them both a kiss to remember, and this was it.
The awkward clearing of a throat had John pulling back. He glanced to his left to find the driver watching them, his hands clasped at his waist.
"Sorry to interrupt, John. But we'll need to leave soon if she wants to make her flight," the man said.
John waved. "Got it, Toby. She's ready."
"Right. Yes." Frankie swiped at the tears that continued to fall. She planted a hand on his chest, her eyes earnest. "I lo—" She cut herself off, biting her lip, and gave her head a shake. "Goodbye, John."
With one farewell pat to his chest, she hurried down the porch stairs and jumped into the car. John stared at her silhouette, waiting for her to look back and wave, but she never did.
And he watched as his heart drove away.
***
Frankie chewed her thumbnail mercilessly on the drive to the Green Bay airport, her common-sense warring with her heart. She sniffed again, wiping away more tears. The thought of walking onto that plane made her want to scream. But what would she even do here?
I don’t know, maybe you could run the foundation he wants to start? He practically gave you the answer wrapped with a pretty pink bow.
Frankie grimaced. When had her subconscious become so sarcastic?
When you decided to blow the opportunity of a lifetime. Or maybe when you decided to throw a chance at true love away like it's yesterday's trash? Pick one.
Damn, she was a salty bitch today, that one.
Frankie steeled herself with a firm breath and opened her backpack, pulling out a folder. Thumbing through the pages, she smiled as she reread the reforestation strategy John had typed for her the night before. This would work—she knew it. It would be the final piece they needed for success. But now…
Now she wasn't so sure that she wanted to be part of this solution any longer. What if she wanted to live in a verdant forest with a tall, blue-eyed lumberjack, working by his side to envision his dream?
Frankie gritted her teeth and squeezed her eyes shut, trying to clear her head.
It'll be just like Sharon said. I'll get home and everything will feel normal again. My desire to stay will be forgotten and I'll get into my old routine. It'll all be okay then.
But would it? How could she ever forget John and his picturesque cabin in the woods? Or even Angus? And what exactly was so exciting about her routine? Was Sharon right?
Frankie blubbered out a laugh. Her emotions were fragmenting like broken glass.
"Ma'am, are you okay?" Toby's voice was anxious, and his eyes darted between the road and the rearview mirror. "Do I need to pull over?"
"No." She waved a hand toward him. "I'm all right. It's just been a busy week and I'm tired."
He nodded and met her gaze in the mirror. "Hopefully you can get some sleep on the flight. How long is it?"
