22. Cole

CHAPTER 22

COLE

C ole wheeled his suitcase along the line for the check-in desk, but his mind was anywhere but on the upcoming trip. Bella had always said their relationship would end, but Cole hadn’t quite believed her, not when things had seemed so good between them. And to do it the way she did… She’d just walked away. Left the diner without a word. At first, he thought she’d gone out to get some air—after all, finding a guy semi-conscious on the bathroom floor would have been a shock for anyone—but then she hadn’t come back. Hadn’t replied to his texts. Hadn’t answered his calls.

A couple of women in the diner had noticed his distress and offered advice, suggested he give her space, and the redhead who’d been in the bathroom with her told Cole not to worry. Said Bella would come around eventually and see what was missing.

But two days later, she was still on radio silence.

He’d even tried going to her apartment, but she hadn’t answered the intercom, and when he tailgated a neighbour inside and knocked on the door, she hadn’t opened it. He’d sat in the hallway and waited until a different neighbour came out and threatened to call the cops if he didn’t leave. The guy had also said he didn’t know anyone named Bella, which was strange, but hadn’t she said she only moved in a month ago?

Perry was quietly freaking out at the thought of managing the Galaxy for a month, and Cole almost stayed in Vegas because he was freaking out about Perry running the place too. In the end, they’d decided against telling the rest of the staff where he was going. Cole worried that if they knew he was flying to San Gallicano, they might think he was deserting a sinking ship. Better to say he was ill and recuperating at home than admit he was sailing around the Caribbean. Nancy would back up Perry as well as taking care of Tinkerbell while Cole was away. When Cole had talked the strategy through with Bella, she’d said it was a smart move, and that was one more thing he missed—having someone to bounce ideas off.

Anyhow, it was too late to cancel the charter. Few boats in San Gallicano had the crane needed to launch Dr. Blaylock’s self-designed two-person submersible, plus a compressor for refilling air cylinders, plus comfortable accommodation for five people. Most of the vessels that fit the criteria were in full-time use by dive schools. Those that weren’t were operated by locals, and few locals would venture near Skeleton Cay, which was the area Dr. Blaylock had earmarked for part of this year’s survey.

Cole couldn’t let the man down. It wasn’t just the money or the fact he was a good customer. The marine surveys he carried out were important from an ecological standpoint. Cole’s first love had been marine biology, and gaining a greater understanding of the world’s seas and oceans was important. His foray into the leisure industry was nothing more than an unpleasant distraction .

He finally reached the front of the line and heaved his suitcase onto the conveyor. The bag was a little heavier than it should have been thanks to the gifts he was taking back for Frankie and Yolanda, but he hoped that if he smiled and spoke politely, the check-in agent might let it go.

“Just the one bag, sir?”

That was all coach class allowed without paying an exorbitant amount on top.

“Yes, only one.”

She studied his passport, then his face, then his passport again. Beamed at him. Printed a tag for his suitcase.

“After you pass through the security checkpoint, take the Blue Line to the D Gates. Board the escalator, then follow the sign for gate D33, and you’ll find the lounge right there.”

“The lounge?”

“The business-class lounge.”

“Folks can go in there with a coach-class ticket?”

The agent giggled. “Of course not, sir.”

“But—” He glanced at the boarding pass she’d handed him. Business class? No way. “But I booked a coach-class ticket.”

Cole had scrolled and scrolled until he found the cheapest flight available. Las Vegas to Ilha Grande with a four-hour layover in Miami.

“Sir, your ticket is for business class.”

“Can you hurry things along?” a woman called from behind him. “Some of us have flights to catch.”

Maybe he had booked a business-class ticket? He didn’t recall any mention of a special deal, but he’d sleepwalked through the booking process after a long day at the Galaxy, so it was possible he’d overlooked something.

“Thanks for your help,” he told the agent.

He half expected to be thrown out of the business-class lounge, but instead, he was offered the choice of beer, wine, or a soft drink and pointed in the direction of the buffet. Well, it was about time he had a bit of luck. First he’d inherited the Galaxy, which some might see as a windfall, but he viewed as a noose around his neck. Then he’d met a woman he could see himself spending a lot more time with, and she’d walked out on him in the middle of breakfast. Perhaps he shouldn’t have pushed for more? But then she’d have left anyway, so all he’d lost was two more nights with her.

And damn, he’d wanted those nights.

Cole piled a plate with pastries and then regretted it because he didn’t have much of an appetite, plus there would be food on the airplane. Rather than eating, he slumped into an armchair and pulled out his phone. Still nothing. Should he send another text? Bella would probably block him soon, but he had no other way of telling her how he felt.

Cole

I really fucking miss you. And I really miss fucking you.

He hit “send,” then regretted it.

She’d been clear about what she wanted. It was he who’d tossed that promise aside and pushed for more, and now he was turning into a stalker. Sighing, he pulled up her number on his phone and stared at it. His thumb hovered over the “delete” button for a long moment, and then he pressed it.

Gone.

It was over.

From now on, Bella was nothing but a memory.

A woman sat next to him and tried to make conversation, but he wasn’t in the mood. He brushed her off—politely, because he wasn’t that much of an asshole—then scrolled mindlessly through BuzzHub until the departures board changed to “Boarding.”

Time to go back home.

Out with the new, in with the old.