Chapter 43

43

ALAINA

" C ome on, boy," I encouraged Beau, who was moving a little slow this morning.

It was the cold air. It fired up his arthritis. I gave him an extra pain pill with his breakfast, which made him a little groggy. With a little extra effort, I got him in the car. I ran back inside to get my suitcase and his—yes, Beau had his own suitcase with his food, dishes, meds, and his favorite stuffy.

I was going to be dropping Beau off with Cate for the weekend while I was in Florida. I got in the car, my mind buzzing with the final preparations for the trip. I still had to come home and pack the rest of my stuff, but I wanted to get Beau taken care of first. When we got to her building, Beau perked up, like he remembered living here. I carried his bag and let him lead the way. Beau was sniffing around excitedly, clearly thrilled to be at Cate's place.

Cate had bought him a new bed and a few toys.

"Aww," I gushed when I saw what she did.

"Don't make a big deal of it," she muttered. "I don't want him on the couch, so I bought the bed."

"Sure," I teased.

I knew Beau would be in good hands. She loved him almost as much as I did. Beau found his way to his new bed and was making himself comfortable. "He likes it," I said. "Thank you for watching him. I put the list of his meds in the bag. I gave him an extra pill this morning, so he's going to be a little groggy."

My phone rang. I glanced at the screen and saw Roan's name. My heart did a little flip. "Just a second," I said to Cate.

"Hey, Roan," I said, trying to sound casual.

"Alaina, I have some bad news," he began, his voice filled with frustration.

"What's wrong?" I asked with concern.

"I just got called into a last-minute meeting in New York. I won't be able to fly to Florida with you guys tomorrow. I'll have to meet you there."

"Oh," I replied, trying to mask my disappointment. "That's okay."

"I have a huge favor to ask," he said. "Say no if you can't or if it's inappropriate."

"What is it?"

"Can you pick up Rafe?" he asked. "David can get him to the airport but I don't want Rafe wandering around O'Hare on his own."

"Definitely not." I laughed. "I mean, yes, I will pick him up. I don't want any of my students wandering around on their own."

"Are you sure? I hate to put you out like this."

"Absolutely. It's no trouble at all," I assured him. "You know I like hanging out with Rafe."

"Thanks, Alaina. You're the best. I'll make it up to you, I promise."

"Don't worry about it," I said. "Is he at home?"

"Yes, he's with the nanny. She's getting him packed and he'll be ready."

"Okay, I'll be there in about an hour," I told him, already calculating how much time I was going to have to finish my own packing before I rushed to Roan's house. I was going to be cutting it close, but I didn't mind.

I turned to see Cate watching, arms crossed and a teasing smile on her face.

"How's it going with your billionaire boyfriend?" she asked, her tone light but with an edge of genuine curiosity.

"He's not my boyfriend," I replied, rolling my eyes. "And his billionaire status has nothing to do with anything."

Cate raised an eyebrow, clearly not convinced. "But you're hooking up, right?"

I nodded reluctantly. "That's crude."

"I'm sorry, you're having sexual relations with him," she said.

I rolled my eyes. "Yes. We have had sex a couple of times."

"But he's not your boyfriend?"

"You need a hobby." I shook my head at her.

"I'm just seeing how things are going," she said. "I'm trying, believe it or not."

"It's complicated. We haven't really talked about what we are. He's just… busy, and we're taking things slow. But I have to go. I have to pick up Rafe and take him to the airport with me."

Cate looked thoughtful. "Slow is good, but don't let slow turn into stagnant. If he's not making his feelings clear, you need to ask him. You deserve to know where you stand."

I sighed. "I know. It's just a little weird. I don't want to push him. We have the green light from Trudy, but there are just some other factors."

"Alaina, you're worth pushing for," Cate said firmly. "Don't forget that."

"I won't," I said and gave her a quick hug. "Thank you. I'll text and check on him."

"I can handle your dog," she said.

"I'll miss him," I said with a wave as I rushed out the door.

Her words stuck with me as I drove home. I knew she was right. I needed to have a real conversation with Roan about us, about where we were headed. But with the trip looming and his last-minute meeting, it wasn't the time. Maybe after the convention when things were a little more settled.

I packed for the trip filled with nervous energy. As I tossed in clothing, I knew with certainty I had fallen for Roan. It had been fast and hard. I wasn't sure if I should tell him just yet. What if he wasn't ready to hear it? What if it changed things between us? I shook my head, trying to focus on folding clothes and packing my suitcase.

"Later," I muttered.

I didn't want to forget anything. With my suitcase finally zipped up, I grabbed my keys and headed out the door. I got to Roan's house and didn't even have a chance to ring the doorbell. Rafe jerked it open. "I'm going with you!" he declared.

"Yes, you are." I laughed.

His bag was waiting by the door. Rafe was bouncing on his toes, clearly thrilled about the trip.

"I'm so excited! Are you excited?"

"I'm very excited, Rafe," I replied with a smile. "We're going to have so much fun."

David, Roan's driver, pulled up a few minutes later.

"Roan called and said it would be easier if you left your car here and David can take you guys to the airport," the nanny said.

"Oh, that's a good idea." I nodded, already relieved I wouldn't have to park at the airport and rush inside. David took my bag and Rafe's and loaded them in the car. We quickly climbed into the back. I had never been chauffeured anywhere. Cabs and Ubers weren't the same.

Rafe chattered excitedly about all the things he wanted to do at the convention. His enthusiasm was infectious, and I found myself laughing and joining in on his excitement. David glanced at us through the rearview mirror, a knowing smile on his face.

"You're really great with him," David said as we hit a smooth patch of highway. "Rafe talks about you all the time."

"Thanks, David," I replied, feeling a warm blush creep up my cheeks. "He's a great kid."

We pulled up to the airport with plenty of time to spare. Rafe and I hopped out, and David helped us unload our bags. After a quick check-in and trip through security, we found ourselves waiting at the gate. The area was filled with other students, parents, and teachers. The kids were all bouncing around, filled with excitement.

While we were waiting for our delayed flight to be called, I got a text from Roan. Just landed in NYC. Meeting starts in an hour. I'll let you know when I'm on my way. See you soon.

Safe travels. We'll see you soon. I replied.

Soon, our flight was called. Rounding up the kids was a little hectic, but we managed to get them all in line. Rafe and I boarded the plane. He immediately took the window seat, pressing his face against the glass to watch the planes on the tarmac. I settled in next to him. "I've never been on a big plane," Rafe said.

I frowned. "You've never flown before?"

"We fly all the time, but not in a big plane. On my dad's plane."

I laughed. Duh. Of course Roan had a private plane. "Well, this is going to be a fun experience, like taking the bus that day."

Rafe's face lit up with excitement. "Yeah! Just like the bus!" He turned back to the window, his eyes wide as he watched the ground crew preparing the plane for takeoff.

"Ms. C?" Rafe piped up after a few moments, his voice much more subdued.

I turned to face him, noting the slight worry etched onto his young face. "Yes, Rafe?"

"Dad said flying is safe, but what if…"

"It's okay to be nervous," I interrupted gently, knowing where his worries were leading. "Flying is very safe. Your dad is right. And you know what? I'll be right here with you every moment. It's a pretty short flight. Takeoff is a little scary, but I'll be right here. I can hold your hand if you'd like."

Rafe nodded and smiled, before returning his focus back to the window. His hand crept toward mine and squeezed it reassuringly, a gesture that warmed my heart.

Rafe was fascinated by everything, from the safety video they played before takeoff to the seatbelt sign above our heads. His excitement was contagious and I found myself just as thrilled with the small details of air travel that I had always taken for granted.

"Look!" Rafe said, pointing at the sky outside the window as our plane finally took off. The city beneath us quickly shrank until it was nothing more than a hazy blur. He watched, his eyes wide with amazement, as we soared through the sky. I couldn't help but smile at his delight.

The flight passed quickly with Rafe's endless conversation. His energy was a welcome distraction. Soon we were landing in sunny Florida. Once again, myself and the other teachers and parents were doing our best to keep the kids together as we made our way to baggage claim.

After collecting our bags, we headed outside to catch the bus we arranged to take us to the hotel. Rafe was practically bouncing with excitement. The warm Florida air was a welcome change from the chilly weather back home.

At the hotel, we checked in and went up to our room. Rafe immediately claimed the bed by the window and started unpacking his things. I imagined this was also a new experience. He was probably used to penthouse suites when they traveled.

"Can we go meet the other kids?" he asked.

"Yep." I nodded. "I'm going to change. Do you want to change into something cooler?"

"Oh yeah! It's not winter here!"

"It's winter, but winter in Florida is a little different than Chicago."

Rafe nodded enthusiastically, rummaging through his suitcase for a pair of shorts. I did the same, counting myself lucky to have packed a lightweight sundress. Rafe was already out of his jeans and into his shorts by the time I had unpacked my dress.

I quickly grabbed my phone from my purse to let Roan know we had safely made it and were looking forward to him arriving.

Rafe was sitting on the bed, staring out of the window with a thoughtful expression on his face.

"What are you thinking about?" I asked as I walked over to him.

"Are we gonna see an alligator?" he asked

"I don't know." I laughed. "I'm not sure I want to."