Angie takes a step forward and holds my head in her hands.
“You sure this is what you want?”
“I’ve never been more sure of anything in my life.”
I see her think about it for a second.
“Fine, I guess I’ll be your girlfriend.”
Her face breaks out into a smile. And then I know that everything is going to be okay. Only then do I exhale.
Applause erupts in the waiting room. Sniffles fill the air. I jump up and press my lips to Angie’s. Only after our kiss do I start to breathe again. It’s like I have a new lease on life. I guess it’ll have to be a post NFL life, and I can live with that.
“Come on, Angie, we have to go.” Kaylee says.
Angie and I both look at her quizzically.
She breathes out, exasperated. “Okay, Romeo. Fill her in, quickly. You’re out of time.”
“What is she talking about?” Angie asks me.
“The Eagles audition. My last chance. The plane leaves at four.”
Angie looks down at her watch. “Oh my God, Jake. You only have fifteen minutes.”
“I’m not leaving without you. Not again. Not ever.” I kiss her again.
As soon as we break the kiss, I see the adorable worry line on her forehead. “What are we going to do, Jake?”
“There’s only one thing to do,” Fi says.
“What’s that?” I ask turning to her.
“Kaylee, grab your keys.”
“What’s happening?” I ask. “There’s no way we’re going to make it.”
Angie grabs my hand and bolts for the door. “You’ve never driven with Kaylee, have you?”
“Wow, she’s that bad?” I ask, and no matter what happens with the plane, I now have a huge grin on my face.
“Oh, her driving style can only be described as a cross between Nascar and Mad Max.” Fi answers.
“Stop it,” Kaylee interjects, “I’m blushing already. Now get your asses in the car, all of you.”
I don’t object. I dash with the others into Kaylee’s giant Escalade. “Oh, now I understand why I couldn’t find you guys. Nice new wheels, Kaylee.”
“Thanks,” she says as the engine roars to life, “now buckle up.”
Kaylee guns the engine and we’re off. I have to fight the car’s momentum in order to get my seat belt buckled and then find Angie’s is already done. I look at her questioningly.
“When you drive with Kaylee, you buckle up before she turns the engine on.”
“Got it. Okay.”
Kaylee screeches out of the intersection on a red light to a chorus of horns honking and breaks squealing and smoke.
Holy shit. Right up until now I was sure that the girls were exaggerating about Kaylee’s driving, but now I’m convinced.
The minute we’re on a straightaway she guns it. Like ninety miles an hour through traffic guns it. And now it’s like she’s playing Frogger on an Intercoastal highway.
I risk looking down at my watch. There’s only ten minutes left. Even if we were there right now, I still wouldn’t have enough time to make it through security and get my boarding pass.
Kaylee’s not letting up, though. We come upon a red light and she barely taps the brakes. In fact, all of us give a little scream as she flies through the intersection.
“It was clear, you bunch of babies,” Kaylee says, “I checked.”
I turn to Angie. “Is she always like this?”
“No, this is way worse” Kaylee answers, “she’s doing this for you.”
“Thank you, Kaylee,” I say, “but I think you can ease up now.”
“Why?” Kaylee asks. “What are you talking about? We’re not there yet.”
“It’s three minutes till four. The plane is probably closing up right now. We’re still five minutes away and there’s still security and check in and boarding. I appreciate it. I really do. But it’s over.”
To my surprise, Kaylee ignores me completely and continues on to the airport. “Did she hear me?” I ask Angie.
“I heard you,” Kaylee says, pulling the car into an airport parking spot a couple of minutes later while still going thirty miles an hour and coming to a stop touching the front wall.
Once the car stops, we all lurch forward into our seatbelts. I’m not going to lie; I feel a very serious relief at finally coming to a stop. Whew. Am I a little sad that I missed my flight? Absolutely. I’m also incredibly relieved that we’re all here and safe and in one piece.
There’s only one thing I don’t understand. “Why did you keep driving to the airport after I missed my flight?”
“Chase just flew in from Rome.”
“Huh,” I say to Angie.
“That means his private jet is available. You’ll be in Philadelphia in plenty of time. Now, let’s go. My fiancé is waiting!”
All of us follow Kaylee as she weaves her way around the airport like a pro until we’re in a private back area where access is restricted. Apparently, nothing is off limits to Kaylee.
And then she breaks into a run, almost tackling a tall, well-dressed man with brown hair who looks somewhat familiar to me. They kiss passionately.
I turn to Angie. “Is that who I think it is?”
“Chase Covington. Kaylee’s fiancé.”
“I’ll be damned.”
Kaylee gestures for us to join them. “Chase, this is Jake Mann, Jake Mann, this is Chase Covington.”
I spring forward to shake his hand. “Nice to meet you.”
Chase smiles broadly. “Hey, Jake Mann. You’re the football player, right?”
“Guilty,” I say.
Kaylee jumps in. “Hey, Chase, if he’s not in Philadelphia soon, he won’t be able to try out for the Eagles.”
Chase leads me and Angie down a hallway and knocks on a door. When it opens, I see a guy in a Captain’s uniform. Chase leans forward and whispers to him.
The Captain then pulls out a radio and talks to his ground crew.
Chase turns to us with a big grin. “You’re all good. The plane’s getting refueled, you’ll be in the air in no time.”
“I don’t know how to thank you, Chase.”
“You can go kick ass.”
“Will do.”
The Captain leads me down a hallway to an air bridge. I take two steps onto it before realizing that
