“What are you doing here?” I hiss and yank back on my wrist.
“We need to talk,” he growls.
The man occupying the aisle seat has disappeared.
“You keep saying that, but what do we need to talk about?”
“Are you fucking kidding me? Where should I start?”
Seriously?
“Well, you can start with answering the question. What are you doing here?”
“I gave you two days to call me, or else. This is the ‘else’.”
“You got on a plane that’s going to Colorado because I didn’t call you?”
“Not just that. If I got another one of your fucking fake ass texts telling me you were ‘super busy’ and we’d ‘catch up soon,’ I was going to punch something. This shit has gone on long enough.”
“I am busy!”
“Devon, don’t throw your sass. I live with your brother. If you have three hours a week to fill him in on everything from your school project to your latest failed date, you have ten minutes to spare for me.”
“You listen to our conversations?”
“If I can. It’s the only way to know how you are. The monotone texts with the repeat message give me nothing.”
“So, you fly to Virginia to get on a plane with me, to then turn around and fly another three thousand miles across the country?”
“Drastic measures.”
“That’s the most ridiculous thing I’ve ever heard!”
“It was a last resort to get you to listen to me. Now, I have almost six hours with you alone.”
“Then what?”
“Then I share you with the rest of our families for the next ten days.”
“What!?” I screech a little too loudly, because the woman in front of me turns around and looks at me warily. I nod apologetically.
“Yep, I’m delivering you safely to Aspen, where we’ll meet our families.”
Dread washes through me. There is no way I can be around Bryce for the holidays. Even though I’m doing better, seeing him makes old feelings resurface—feelings I thought were gone but obviously just repressed. Then it hits me like a ton of bricks. My breath picks up, and I start to wheeze. My vision becomes spotty as tears pool in my eyes.
“Hey, Devon, what’s going on? Breathe, baby girl.” Bryce’s arm wraps around my shoulder and tugs me into his shoulder.
“Holli?” the word slips out and my voice cracks.
His face melts, and he lifts my chin so I have no choice but to look at him. “There is no Holli. If you’d have responded to my texts or returned my calls, you would know that. She’s been gone a while now, Devon.”
The confusion I’m feeling must be transparent because he chuckles and laces his fingers through mine, holding my hand tightly. He motions for the flight attendant, who disappears into first class and comes back with my original seatmate.
Bryce shakes his hand and thanks him then stands. He gets my bag and pulls me behind him.
There are two empty seats in the back of first class, and he motions for me to take the window seat again. The flight attendant brings him a beer and me a Diet Dr. Pepper.
“I’m not really in the mood for a soda.”