Дебби Макомбер - Starry Night

“So?” Sophie said eagerly, shifting her arms back and forth, “what’s the next move?”

“I don’t know.”

“What do you mean you don’t know? I thought you had this all planned out.”

How Carrie wished that were true. She knew what she had to do, but the rest was up to Finn.

The next day Carrie sat at the O’Hare Airport gate, waiting to board her flight to Seattle, when her cell chirped. She didn’t recognize the number but saw that it was an Alaska prefix.

“Hello,” she answered hesitatingly.

“Carrie, this is Sawyer O’Halloran.”

“Sawyer?” She couldn’t imagine why he would be calling her, unless something had happened to Finn. She gripped hold of the phone with both hands, instantly alarmed. “Is everything all right? Has Finn been hurt?”

“Yes … He isn’t in the hospital or anything, if that’s what you’re wondering. What happened between the two of you, anyway?”

Carrie relaxed a bit. “You’ll need to ask him about that.”

“You’re joking, right? He hasn’t been himself since he returned from Chicago. I’ve never seen him like this. He disappeared for a couple of days, showed up drunk as a coyote, which is surprising, because he isn’t much of a drinker. He isn’t talking to anyone—well, other than me, but it’s difficult to understand what he’s saying. Furthermore, he isn’t eating or sleeping.”

Carrie exhaled and whispered into the small receiver. “Frankly, I’m not doing much better myself.”

“You two had a falling out?”

“You could say that.”

“Listen, before we go any further, Finn doesn’t know I’m contacting you. If he finds out about this, he’ll have my head.”

“How’d you get my personal phone number?”

“Easy. I waited until he passed out and then checked his cell.”

“He was that drunk?” This didn’t sound anything like Finn. It didn’t make her feel any better knowing that he was miserable. All Carrie wanted was for this foolishness to be over.

“No, he wasn’t drunk, but practically dead on his feet. I don’t know the last time he slept. He kept mumbling something about giving you a shot at what you wanted, and you rejecting that. Don’t know what that’s about, but I figure you must.”

Carrie simply shook her head. “If he wants to talk to me, all he needs to do is call.”

“I’m not telling him that.”

At this point, Carrie suspected Finn wasn’t listening to advice from anyone.

“I have a feeling this all goes back to that article you wanted to publish. The one Finn asked you not to write.”

“I’m afraid so. At first he was adamant I not write the piece, and now it seems he’s had a change of heart. He’s giving me what he thinks I want, but it isn’t. What I want is him.”

The line went silent. “I’m confused. He’s giving you this opportunity because he loves you and you’re turning it down because you love him? Have I got that right?”

“You do.” Her flight was announced, and the boarding process had already started. “Listen, Sawyer, I need to get off the phone, but I want you to tell Finn something for me, if you would.”

“I’m not letting him know we had this conversation. I value my head, which he’d bite off if he got so much as an inkling that I’ve contacted you.”

“Fine, I understand, but if the opportunity comes up and he finds out we chatted, tell him that before I will agree to write a single word, he will need to sit down with me face-to-face; otherwise, it’s no deal.”

“That’s your final answer?” Sawyer wanted to know.

“Yes.”

Carrie disconnected the call and felt better than she had in almost three weeks.

Chapter Fourteen

Carrie’s flight from Chicago landed at Sea-Tac Airport on time. It would be good to be with family over the Christmas holiday. She needed the comfort of their acceptance and love. Not a moment passed when Finn wasn’t in the forefront of her mind.

She exited the plane and automatically reached for her cell, turning it on. Either her mother or father would be waiting in the cell-phone waiting area for her text message. As soon as it powered up, she typed in the information that she’d landed safely, and then headed toward the exit signs. She would go directly to baggage claim and meet them at the curb for pickup.

Dragging her carry-on behind her, she was following her fellow passengers onto the escalator when her phone beeped, indicating she had a text message. Assuming it was one of her parents, she didn’t immediately check. About halfway up, she glanced at her phone and saw that the text was from Finn. It shook her up so badly that she dropped the phone. Carrie watched in horror as it went tumbling down the escalator steps. “Please, someone grab that for me!” she cried out in a panic.

“Got it,” a woman at the bottom shouted back to her.

As soon as Carrie reached the top, she hurriedly circled around and leaped onto the opposite escalator, racing down the steps, unwilling to stand and wait. The woman remained at the bottom and handed the cell back to her.

“Thank you,” Carrie whispered, grabbing hold of it. “Thank you so much.”

Her heart raced at a frantic speed as she opened Finn’s text.

Why won’t you write the article?

Her fingers moved in a blur as she typed her response. I would be happy to.

Good.

Once you give me a face-to-face interview.

His response was immediate. Not going to happen.

Then get someone else.She didn’t expect Finn to be thrilled with her stipulation. Seeing her again was the last thing he wanted, because it was sure to be difficult to answer her questions, and, even more so, to send her away.

She waited for a response, but none came.

Having collected her bag, Carrie was standing in the cold outside the airport, waiting to be picked up by her mother, when she heard the ping indicating Finn had responded. Why are you so stubborn?

An involuntary smile came over her as she rushed to answer. Because you lied. You love me.

Finn didn’t deny or confirm her text, not that she’d expected he would. After a couple of moments, Carrie placed her phone inside her purse. The ache in her heart was back, stronger than ever. This could quite possibly be the last communication she might ever have with Finn. The thought sent her Christmas spirits spiraling downward.

Her mother pulled up to the airport curb, and after sticking her bags in the backseat, Carrie climbed inside the vehicle.

“I’m so glad you’re home,” her mother said, and they briefly hugged.

“I am, too,” Carrie assured her. They drove off, heading to the family home, where her brother, his wife, and his children would be waiting. Soon they’d all be gathered around the table, and there would be laughter and conversation. Finn had never known this, and Carrie hungered to share her family with him.

“You okay, honey?” her mother asked, as they merged into the heavy freeway traffic. “You don’t look so well. It’s Finn, isn’t it?”

Carrie nodded.

“How much weight have you lost?”

Carrie shrugged. “A few pounds is all.”

Reaching over, her mother gave Carrie’s hand a gentle squeeze. “Mark my words, it will all work out.”

Carrie desperately wanted that to be true. Everything seemed so hopeless at the moment.

“Time is the great healer,” her mother assured her.

She’d spent an hour on the phone with her mother shortly after her breakup with Finn, pouring out all her hurt and fears. Patty Slayton hadn’t offered empty reassurances or reminded Carrie of her own concerns over this relationship; instead, she’d simply listened. At the end she’d said, “You really do love him, don’t you?”