A blue Prius pulled into the driveway.
“Hope your suitcase will fit in the back of that thing,” Sara teased.
“Me too.” Before Kelly got to the car, the driver, Josh, jumped out of the front seat.
“Hey, Kelly. I can’t believe I’m running into you again so soon.”
She hadn’t even made the connection when the name Josh had popped up on the app. The picture was small, and she hadn’t looked at it that close. Josh was a friend of Andrew’s. He’d been at the party the other night. Of all the luck.
Luckily her bag fit in the car and they were off to the airport. She pretended to be doing something on her phone in hopes he would take the hint and not start a conversation on the forty-minute ride.
“Where are you off to?” he finally asked.
“Orlando. A work thing.”
He nodded. “Are you and Andrew going to try to make things work again? He seemed pretty happy to see you the other night.”
She shouldn’t be surprised that people were speculating about her and Andrew, but her insides twirled just the same. There were still so many unanswered questions between them. She was afraid to trust her heart again. Either way, she didn’t need those rumors running rampant in Bailey’s Fork while she was away, so she shrugged nonchalantly and said, “Not a chance. Andrew is quite happy living abroad.”
“Lucky me, then. Think you’d like to grab dinner sometime?”
I didn’t see that coming. “You know, I don’t really have much time to date. But thank you. That was really sweet of you to ask. Made my day.”
His posture slumped a little.
Great. I hurt his feelings. Well, at least it might slow down the idle chitchat.
It had done more than that. He didn’t speak another word all the way to Raleigh. “Which airline?” he asked.
“American.”
He pulled in front of the American departure door and got her bag out of the car.
“Thanks for the ride. It was good seeing you again.”
“Yeah, have a good trip,” he said, although he didn’t really sound sincere.
She lugged her bags into the airport. All of the machines and counters were a bit overwhelming. She made her way over to the American Airlines counter and stopped at one of the electronic kiosks. A welcoming message displayed on the screen. Touch here to begin. Easy enough. She tapped on the screen and fumbled through the instructions.
Finally, one of the airline associates came over and rescued her. “Sometimes these things are finicky. I can help you with this.”
“Thank you so much. It’s my first time flying.”
“How exciting.”
“I’m a little nervous, and confused on what to do and where to go.”
“No worries. I’ll get you all checked in here.” Her bright red fingernails tapped in a clickety-clack against the keys of her computer. “Checking one bag to JFK?”
“In New York, right?”
The attendant smiled. “Yes. JFK is one of the New York City airports.”
“Then yes. Thanks.”
“Here’s your license and boarding pass. I put your claim ticket for your bag on the back of your boarding pass for you. You’re all set. Just follow the signs to security.”
She looked over her shoulder and then trekked toward the escalator. The security line was long, snaking through a maze of webbing. She got in line, shuffling along in the crowd, like cattle on auction day.
By the time she got through security, her flight was already boarding. She took her seat, thankful when the pilot announced it would only be an hour and fifty minutes to New York.
She stepped off the plane, excited to share her first experience flying with Mom, but when she got into the terminal she was immediately overwhelmed by the size of the airport compared to their airport at home. People rushed by, and she got swept along as if she’d been caught in a riptide. She hoped the current was headed toward baggage claim.
In a panic, she pushed her way to the edge of the crowd and headed for help from a gate agent.
“I’m so sorry to bother you,” she said. “This is my first time flying, and I don’t know where to go to get my bag. Can you help me?”
“You’re here at the busiest time of the day. Don’t worry.” She motioned to someone dressed in all blue. “Can you put her on the next cart with our young flier?”
“Sure. Here’s the next one now. Follow me.”
Kelly raced alongside them toward an extra-long golf cart gizmo. The attendant and the boy she was escorting sat in the middle seat, leaving one open seat on the back for her next to a well-dressed older woman. She scooched over as Kelly sat down. “Hi.”
“Hello.” The lady’s bright red lipstick matched her nails. “Will you look at all these people rushing around? Do you hear a single excuse me or sorry?”
Kelly had to listen closely to understand her accent. Awl? All, she decided.
“No.” The woman shook her finger in the air. “No. You don’t. I’ve been sitting here watching them.” She swung her head around and locked eyes with Kelly. “Where are you from?”
“North Carolina,” Kelly said with a smile. “A small town. Bailey’s Fork. Not all too terribly far from Raleigh. It’s my first time to New York.” To anywhere.
“My Henry owns the best diner in Manhattan.” She rummaged in her purse coming up with a card and a tissue. “Tell him I said you have to try his cheesecake. It’s to die for.”
“You don’t have to do that.”
“I know. See, I’m just nice that way. Don’t let people tell you New Yorkers aren’t nice. That’s just a nasty rumor some southerner made up.” The woman shoved the card into her hand. “Seriously. Stop in. He’s always there. I might even be there. Are you married?”
“No, ma’am. Not yet. I own a business. It’s hard to fit in time for a relationship.”
The woman cast her a look of judgment. “What kind of business do you have, dear?”
“It’s called The Cake Factory.”
The woman slapped her big shiny purse. “Oh. My. Word. Not
