Looking around the apartment one last time, my eyes got misty. Come on Deborah! No time to be emotional! I silently said goodbye to the place before locking the door and beginning the first step of my new life.
***
Having been at the airport for two hours, I officially lost what was left of my patience. Will wasn’t answering his phone or his texts. I was sure he regretted giving his cell to the crazy woman he asked to move in.
“Where are you?” I asked the phone. “You said you’d be here.”
Frustrated, I texted him again. Where are you? I stood at the gate looking at the Hargrove’s large private jet. Noticing an attractive woman with brown hair pulled back in a pony tail wearing a red uniform the same color as the Hargrove’s logo approaching me, I knew my time was up.
“Miss Hansen, you really should board now,” the flight attendant said to me.
“Alright, alright,” I said looking at my cell phone and willing it to ring or beep or do anything to indicate a message from Will.
She grabbed the handle of the roller bag and I followed her through the doors and outside. As we walked on the tarmac to the plane, I kept looking around hoping Will would magically appear. I hated leaving without saying goodbye.
Climbing the steps to board, I had to hold onto my skirt as it blew around me. Once I got to the top of the steps, I turned and looked around one more time, silently praying for even a few moments with him. Nothing.
My heart ached. I wondered if he just wanted to sleep with me and that was it. Maybe it wasn’t as good for him as it was for me. I really thought we had something though. And what about “with love”?
Sighing deeply, I entered the plane and it immediately reminded me of Will’s limousine except with caramel leather seats. It even had a row of seats connected together like a long couch.
As the flight attendant rolled my bag to the back, I saw Mr. Hargrove was already on board and probably pissed for having to wait for me. His back was towards me but he immediately reminded me of Will. That’s it, I’ve lost it! Now I’m seeing things!
He wore a navy suit that looked like the Tom Ford suit my Mr. Sexy tried on before I knew him as Will. He had his hands in his pants pockets in a way that showed he wore suits so often, he was comfortable in them. It wasn’t something I noticed in a lot of men. Lastly, he had on a fedora that matched the suit perfectly. The hat was rakishly tilted a bit to one side as if it had a personality all its own.
I couldn’t tear my eyes away. Standing in an aisle, I set my bag down and stared. Positive I was certifiably insane and going to spend my time in Paris seeing Will in every man wearing a suit, I texted him one last time. I really hoped to see you before I left.
Within seconds Mr. Hargrove pulled his cell phone out and I dropped mine. It couldn’t be. He would’ve told me. He should have told me.
“Will?” I choked out. He turned around, his lips in that crooked smile I suddenly wanted to hate. “Are you…?” I couldn’t even say it. I didn’t want to even think it.
He walked down the aisle and stood in front of me. As he gently touched my cheek, I felt all my anger slip away. No! I should be angry!
“Deborah Hansen,” he said as he looked into my eyes and I tried very hard not to melt, “allow me to introduce myself. I am William Hargrove King, the third.”
“How could you do this to me?!” I pushed him away as another flight attendant closed the door.
“What are you talking about?” He asked.
“You lied to me! We’ve been dating for months and you never thought to tell me? You knew all along that I was a contestant in the Hargrove’s Designer Challenge and you never once told me who you really were! I should’ve known I didn’t win on my own. I only won so you could fuck me!”
“No! Its not like that at all. I’m not even involved in the contest. I’m only here because I wanted to go away with you.”#p#分页标题#e#
“Don’t talk to me! I have to get off this plane.”
“I’m sorry Miss,” the flight attendant said. “We’re cleared for takeoff. You need to sit down and buckle up. Now!”
“How could you, Will? I can’t show my collection now. I’m a fraud! I can’t get off this plane and have everyone know I’m the owner’s fucking girlfriend. Am I even that?”
“Calm down. You’re making a bigger deal out of this than needs to be,” he said as he sat next to me.
No! Go sit somewhere else. I don’t even want to see you right now. You have no idea what you did! Everything I worked for. I thought I did all of this on my own and all I did was flirt with the right guy. Please, just leave me alone.”