Friday finally rolled around, and Aurora managed to get off work early after speeding through her work at an inhuman speed.
She was almost late until Rhett peeked into her office and told her to take the rest of the day off and enjoy the weekend.
She thanked him with a smile and went straight home to help Grandma Maggie pack because her flight was in only two hours.
Just as they were wrapping up, a loud horn came from outside the house.
It was Amber, who was going to help drop off Grandma Maggie at the airport.
“Coming!” Aurora yelled when Amber continued to honk impatiently.
She pulled the small trolley she had packed for Maggie while Grandma Maggie held on to her a small carryon which was packed with homemade snacks that she wouldn’t leave behind no matter how much Aurora begged her to.
They finally got into the car, and Amber pulled away from the kerb, driving straight to LAX.
Maggie sat in the back seat, her suitcase sitting besides her while the small pack of snacks was clutched on her lap.
She wore her best and most expensive coat and her favorite vintage pearl earrings.
“I still think this is too much,” she said.
“It’s a whole weekend; what am I supposed to do with all that time?”
“Relax, sleep, eat island food,” Aurora said.
“And watch hot guys surf on the beach.” Amber suggested smugly.
Aurora rolled her eyes while Maggie choked on air.
“I think what Amber is trying to say,” Aurora started, shooting Amber a pointed look, “is that you could enjoy the ocean.”
“I do love it when it’s with you guys, not in a resort full of strangers,” Maggie grumbled.
“Mrs B, just enjoy and let loose; you’ve earned it,” Amber said from the driver’s seat.
Maggie didn’t argue further.
They finally arrived at the airport, and the two girls walked her through the terminal, past baggage check and security.
The microphone squeaked, and the female announcer started, “Attention, passengers. Flight 728 to Catalina Island is now boarding. Passengers in groups A through C are to proceed to gate 24 for boarding.”
“That’s you,” Aurora said, handing Maggie her trolley handle.
Grandma Maggie took it, but she hesitated to walk away.
Her eyes drooped by the side as she stared at her granddaughter.
Jude had wanted to come with to the airport, but he had a study group session that he couldn’t afford to miss with his exams around the corner.
He’d kissed Maggie on the cheek and made her swear to only rest at the resort instead of worrying about them.
“Are you sure you can manage? I don’t like leaving you two alone.”
“Maggie, we are two grown adults. I promise we will be alive when you come back.” Aurora squeezed her hand.
“What is that supposed to mean, ‘alive’?” Maggie’s eyes went slightly wide.
“Stop worrying, or you will miss your flight, Mrs B. I will take care of your grandchildren; worry not.” Amber said with a confident smile.
“That is not reassuring at all. The last time you came for a sleepover, you almost burnt the house down trying to make a s’more,” Maggie said with a deadpan look to Amber.
“Only because your granddaughter here didn’t get the extinguisher on time,” Amber complained.
“Okay, enough! Maggie, please go; we will be fine. Don’t forget to call us when you land,” Aurora said.
“Fine, take care of yourselves.” Maggie pulled Aurora into a hug.
“And no s’mores,” she warned, sending Amber a look, to which she flashed her a goofy grin.
Grandma Maggie only sighed before she grabbed her trolley and went on her way through the gate.
“Now about those s’mores…” Amber started with a smug grin.
Aurora nudged her in the side, making her snort a laugh.
“Quit terrorizing my grandma,” Aurora said, her eyes watching till Grandma Maggie disappeared through the gates.
“Don’t look, but your boss just walked in,” Amber said in a low-pitched voice.
Aurora instantly turned in the direction.
“I said don’t look!” Amber grumbled, slapping a hand over her mouth.
Aurora ignored her, her eyes watching as Cassian Black walked towards the same boarding gate that Grandma Maggie had just gone through.
He was clad in an all-black casual outfit, nothing like his usual, sleek and crisp suits.
Something about him looked more human today.
His shoulders were more relaxed, and his eyes were sharp and cutting like they usually were.
Instead, he looked tired.
“Who is that?” Amber whispered, nudging Aurora by the shoulder.
Aurora’s eyes darted to where Amber was staring to find Jaxon walking behind Cassian, rolling a trolley.
His tablet, on the other hand.
“Who? Jax?”
“Jax is a cool name, I like it.”
“Amber—” Aurora started.
“What? He’s cute. And he doesn’t look half as murderous as Mr Grumpy over there,” she nudged her head in Cassian’s direction.
“Cassian!” A high-pitched voice belonging to a female rang through the space, floating above the airport chatter and cutting Aurora off before she could respond.
Both of them whipped their heads in the direction the voice came from.
It’s a young woman about their age, jogging towards Cassian, in her perfect kitten heels.
She was tall, stunning, and dressed in designer clothing from the bare look of it.
She was conventionally attractive, and Aurora instantly felt conscious of her lazy airport outfit.
As if that wasn’t enough, the blonde woman launched herself onto Cassian, latching on to his arm like some koala.
The action felt like Aurora had been impaled through the heart.
She wondered why she felt that way, not that she should care who hugs Cassian Black.
If anything, it’s better if he gets involved with someone else so he can get off her back.
She had no reason to wonder if this woman was his girlfriend, ex-lover, or sister.
She simply mustn’t care.
But she can’t bring herself to look away.
She wants to see what would happen next.
Cassian looks down at the woman, his expression still blank and unimpressed.
But that was how he usually looked at everyone.
What she is wondering is why he hasn’t pushed this woman off his arm.
Even as she smiled up at him brightly, spouting words animatedly that Aurora and Amber couldn’t catch amid the noise.
“Who’s the chick?” Amber muttered under her breath.
Just then, a kid sitting nearby starts to scream, the sound piercing through the chatter and turning heads in their direction.
“Shit, he’s going to see me!” Aurora yelped, grabbing onto Amber’s arm.
“Be invisible!” Amber pulled Aurora’s hoodie over her head and looped their arms together, dragging her towards the exit and into the crowd.
Aurora turns back, her eyes still looking between Cassian and the woman.
He still hadn’t pushed her off.
The thought lingered even as they jogged back to Amber’s car.
“So that was interesting,” Amber said when they finally got in the car.
“Who do you think she is?”
“I don’t know.” Aurora shrugged, though her eyes were distant.
“Maybe his sister, I don’t know.” This chapter was taken from g.com without permission.
“Do you hope that she’s his sister?” Aurora could hear the smile in Amber’s words.
And she turned to glare at her best friend.
“What? Sisters don’t hug their brothers like that,” Amber offered.
“What do you mean? Me and Jude hug all the time,” Aurora argued.
“But not like that. That was not a sisterly hug. That was more of a lover’s hug, if you ask me. Though he didn’t seem that into it.”
“Whether or not he is into her is none of our business.” Aurora folded her arms tightly over her chest and stared forward.
If the woman was his girlfriend, then where was she all this time, and did she know about the one-night offer from Cassian?
She sighed, running a hand through her hair.
“You’re jealous,” Amber stated, and Aurora’s head whipped in her direction, her eyes going wide.
“Me? Jealous of Cassian Black? Pfft, he wished.”
“Then why do you seem bothered?”
“I am thinking about how hot it is in here, Amber.” Aurora rolled her eyes.
“It’s 10 degrees outside,” Amber deadpanned, not buying Aurora’s excuse.
“Do you want those s’mores or not?” Aurora grumbled, pulling her hood down all the way to the bridge of her nose.
She isn’t jealous.
It would be ridiculous of her to be jealous of a man who tried to manipulate her into his bed.
“I do, but first the mall – there’s a sale on those shoes I have been wanting to buy.” Amber ignited the car and started for the mall while Aurora sulked besides her all the way.
But before they drove far, the plane leaving for Catalina flew ahead of them, and Aurora stared at it till it disappeared behind the clouds.
Wondering if Cassian had boarded the same plane as her grandma.
“So tell me more about Jaxon, would you?”
“I thought you were done with men after your last breakup.”
“It’s been long, I want to get back in the game.”
“It’s been two months, you shameless girl.” Aurora shook her head while Amber just laughed.
“He’s Cassian Black’s secretary, but they seem closer than just that, probably his friend as well,” Aurora explained.
“Hmm, do you think he’s single?”
“I have talked to him, maximum ten times, Amber. I do not have that information.”
“I guess we will have to do an expose on him tonight at the sleepover.” Amber smiled as she slowed into the parking lot of the mall and turned the engine off.
Aurora reached for the door handle when her phone began to buzz in her bag.
She pulls it out, looking down at the screen, and she freezes for a beat.
It was Astrid.
Just then, last night’s news came flooding back.
Astrid’s father-in-law had gotten arrested for tax fraud.
She wondered what she was calling her for.
“What?” Amber asked, noticing Aurora’s tense shoulders.
“It’s Astrid.” Aurora angled the phone towards Amber, whose cheery expression dropped to serious.
“Don’t answer it.”
Aurora’s finger hovered over the screen, and just as the call was about to cut, she swiped it up.
“Hello?”
“Rory. I need your help.” Astrid’s voice shook from the other side.