I nodded, and with Turner at my side, I took in the stark interior of the building. The front of it was made of a wall of glass. All I could think to myself was, the better to see you with, my dear.
There were a couple of metal chairs in the corner opposite the side door we entered. Otherwise, it wasn’t very inviting.
“Are you headed back to Galway, Angus?” Fergus asked. The other guy nodded. “Is this your last run of the week, or should I expect you back?”
My eyes found the guy behind the counter waiting for Angus to answer.
“No more runs this week. I’ll have to take Jonas up on his dinner offer another time.” They traded some more banter before he added, “Do you have my invoice for the month?”
“Aye. Let me go get it in the back.”
A plan began to form inside my head. I walked over to the counter.
“Angus,” I said, getting the guy’s attention.
“What can I help you with?” His accent was clearly Irish.
“Are you taking on any passengers back to Galway?”
“No,” he answered hesitantly.
I gave him my best smile. I knew the moment I’d won. “Can we catch a ride with you?”
One of his fingers pointed at me as a grin spread over his face. “I usually don’t take on passengers I don’t know. I have a small plane…”
I appreciated his honesty. He probably didn’t want to feel weird or forced to take people he didn’t know. But I was desperate.
“We’ll pay,” I said confidently. Unfortunately, I didn’t have any currency other than U.S. on me. But I had debit and credit cards. It might not have been wise for me to use them, but it was a price I was willing to pay.
He looked around, for what I didn’t know. There wasn’t much to see. “How do you know Jonas?”
There were complicated ways to explain that. I took the easy way. “I’m a friend of the family.” It was roughly the truth.
He nodded. “For Jonas, I’ll only charge you for the extra fuel I’ll have to use in order to take the both of ye.”
We shook on it. Fergus walked back in with something in his hand. He looked between Angus and me before Angus strolled up to take the proffered invoice.
“I’m going to get my plane ready for takeoff.”
I wasn’t sure who Angus was speaking to and didn’t try to find out.
“Let me get you set up with the room.”
I shook my head. “Thank you for offering. But I’ve made other plans.”
Twenty-Two
The mirror didn’t reflect me. The sadness that leaked from my eyes did nothing for the grim curve—full of fake cheer that was planted on my face. Yet it was my reflection.
I took in the black and wondered if it would ever come out. The semi-permanent hair dye that Kalen had brought for me to the community had come in handy.
“Whoa,” Turner said when I stepped out of the bathroom.
After we’d arrived in Galway, Angus had suggested a friend of his who had an Airbnb when I’d asked for hotels nearby. Turner had insisted on paying and here we were in a two-bedroom apartment with kitchen and laundry. The amazing thing was it faced the sea.
I’d woken to the sounds of crashing waves and it relaxed some of my troubled mind.
“If someone was searching for me, they’ll be looking for a redhead,” I said absently.
“Good idea, but maybe I have another option.”
I faced away from the amazing view to meet Turner’s eyes.
“I used the Wi-Fi on my phone and there’s still time for us to get to Africa and join the habitat team.”
Time for truth.
“You should go,” I said.
Sadly, he didn’t seem at all surprised by my response.
“Is this about him?”
“No,” I admitted.
“But you’re in love with him.”
“Yes,” I said, being honest out loud for the first time. “That doesn’t mean I don’t love you. I do. So much so, it wouldn’t be fair to either of us if we were together not knowing if it’s because I’m not with him.”
There, I said it.
I held my hands in a tight ball as his eyes found the ground.
“You could still go,” he said quietly.
“That would never work. I would give in to the pull of you, and I think it’s time I stand on my own. There has always been a man in my life. I need to figure out who I am without one and what I want.”
When he couldn’t look at me, I walked over to him.
“I’m not saying no forever. I’m saying no for now.” I drew him close and pressed my cheek to listen to his heart. “I will always love you.”
He pressed his chin to the top of my head.
“I don’t like leaving you.”
I hated what I had to say next.
“As I hated leaving you all those years ago. This is something you want. You should grab it and be happy.”