Chapter Seven

Bianca

Bianca: Is it possible they made the departure lounge at JFK even nicer?

Allegra: Good morning, sunshine! What happened? Why didn’t you wake us up before you left?

Perla: I’m not upset about it. I needed the extra sleep. You guys kept me up too late last night.

Bianca: Do all married women become grandmas?

Maria: I’m going to ignore that and address the JFK comment. Now, I love their lounges! I can’t wait until I join you just to sit in it.

Allegra: Don’t worry, Bibi, I’m shaking my head at her. She’s pretending not to see me, but I am.

Maria: Whatever. Have a good flight!

Perla: Yeah, we love you!

Allegra: Send pictures.

Bianca: Someone make sure to check in on Dad while I’m away, please.

Maria: On it. Dom is taking him out to dinner tonight.

Bianca: Like on a date?

Allegra : Nah, Maria would be too jealous.

Maria: Bye!

Shaking my head, I looked around and was about to pull out my laptop to go over my notes when I had to do a double take.

In walked a man.

Not just any man, though.

I knew this man.

At least I was pretty sure I did. He looked different. Older, more handsome, more sophisticated.

“Knox!” I shouted in an effort to confirm my suspicions. I put my hand in the air to get his attention, which, of course, also caught the attention of a dozen or so other people, none of whom, I assumed, were named Knox.

So, naturally it worked. He looked over at me and a smile colored his otherwise serious expression.

He adjusted the black leather backpack he had on his shoulder and walked toward me, all swagger and sex appeal, his large rolling suitcase following behind him.

Man, had he changed.

Just look at the khaki pants and crisp white button down shirt he was wearing. He looked so very New York, there was no other way to put it.

I stood as he approached me. “I can’t believe it’s you! I haven’t seen you in ages. Well, to be more precise, since you left the magazine. How are you?”

“Bianca,” he breathed my name, his arm already out to pull me into a hug.

I let him and breathed in his familiar scent. For all the things that had changed about him, he still had this earthy and woodsy smell that was his signature. It made me tingle with need every time I’d gotten a whiff.

When we separated, I couldn’t stop staring at him. Knox was the only man that could make my legs go wobbly just at the sight of him.

It felt so wild that he was here in one of the busiest airports in the country at the same time as me. And that I’d spotted him. “I can’t believe it’s you,” I said again. “What are you doing here?”

He shrugged and gestured to the chair next to me. “I’d imagine I’m doing the same thing you are—traveling.”

“Yeah, but I’m heading to London. You?”

His eyes grew wide, but he maintained his composure. “London.”

I turned in my seat, my hands resting on the arm of the chair now. “Stop!” I cried, then shook my head. “Yeah, but I’m going for fashion week.”

Smirking, he cocked his head to the side.

“Don’t say it,” I said, my hand in the space between us, stopping him. “Are you still working in the industry?”

The truth was, after he put his notice in, he really hadn’t said too much. He’d distanced himself from me and I’d been so busy trying to keep up and make sure I was making my parents proud, I’d let him. It was something I’d always regretted, but never had the nerve to do anything about, like look him up online. I’d figured it was what he’d wanted, whatever his reasons. And it was a big city, so our paths never crossed, and I’d believed that was just the way it was meant to be. Man, I was starting to sound like Allie with all that meant to be stuff.

I shook my head, pushing those thoughts aside. “Well?” I prompted when he didn’t answer right away about where he was working.

“I am,” he finally admitted, naming the fashion blog he worked for.

“I know them,” I said, stating the obvious. Let’s be real, I knew everyone in the industry. I slipped my high heels off and pulled my feet up under me, all notions of getting caught up on work flew right out the window. At least, for as long as Knox wanted to sit next to me and talk, I would.

I hadn’t realized how much I had missed him. We used to talk for hours, especially after Rina left, so getting to catch up felt kind of amazing.

Then he noted, “So I guess we’re on the same flight.” He named his and I nodded.

“That we are,” I said, practically giddy because nothing made me happier. “So, tell me, what have you been up to? Are you still in your apartment? Are you seeing anyone?” Only the most important question in the mix. “Are you still doing ad sales?”

* * *

Knox

Bianca Morelli.

I was sitting next to Bianca Morelli.

Not only was I sitting next to Bianca Morelli (she insisted the flight attendant bump her to economy and allow us to sit next to each other), but we’d spent the better part of the past two hours together, catching up as we’d waited to board our flight.

And I wasn’t a dead man yet. That had to mean only one thing—her father was nowhere to be found.

After we’d established that we were both single, doing the same job, and going to the exact same cities for the next few weeks, we’d moved on to any and everything else. Except one topic—why I’d disappeared two years before. But I knew it was coming. I had a keen sense for these things.

Who was I kidding, I had no sense. The truth was, she’d started to ask the question, but was interrupted by the flight attendant as she came around, asking if we wanted anything to drink. So it was definitely going to come up again, that much I knew. What I’d say, though. . . that was still up in the air. I mean, what could I say? Your dad forbade me from ever speaking to you again, let alone seeing you, and I let him because I thought I was doing the right thing. Yeah, I didn’t think that would go over well.

So I’d decided not to let her ask me that question. Yes, that question. Instead, I sat back, crossed my arms, and asked, “So did you ever decide between chocolate chip and banana nut?”

That had to be a million times better than thinking about her dad, right?

Wrong!

Her eyes became narrow slits as she turned to look at me closely. “A muffin. You want to talk about a muffin? How about what happened when you ghosted me two years ago?”

Oh, brother, was that a mistake. I had inadvertently led us right where I didn’t want to go. “Uhh,” I hemmed and hawed. “Are you mad about that?” I asked, not only buying myself some time, but also genuinely curious.

She shook her head. “No, of course not, it’s your life, but I’d like to know.” Her hands gripped the armrest, her knuckles turning white as she did so.

I couldn’t stand the way she was anxiously clutching her seat, so I laid a hand over hers and rubbed the back of one of them. Man, her hand was so soft and small, just the way I remembered them being. I wanted to turn her hand over and lace my fingers through hers. I wanted to hold her hand and never let go. And now I sounded like a creeper, didn’t I? Yeah, so clearly time apart didn’t do anything for the way I wanted her. Which was bad, by the way. I mean, what man wouldn’t? A man that didn’t have blood pumping through their veins, that was who.

I shrugged. “I was stupid.” There, I said it. “Why’d you let me?” I countered, decidedly giving her a hard time.

She shrugged as though she hadn’t the slightest clue. “I don’t know.”

Good enough answer for me.

So why did I feel so bad about not telling her the truth about why I’d left.

“So, London Fashion Week, eh?” she asked, changing the subject.

* * *

Bianca

Nine hours later, after a few naps, lots of talking and clearing customs and immigration, we were finally sitting in the car I had waiting for me at the airport.

Did you notice my distinct use of the word “we”? Yep, I’d convinced Knox that it only made sense to travel into the city together. So here we were.

But I also wasn’t ready for him to disappear again. I still wasn’t exactly sure I understood what happened two years ago, but it was his business. For now, I was enjoying his company and figured if we’d only ever have London, then so be it.

“ Where are you staying?” he asked me as the driver exited the airport.

I named my hotel and Knox raised an eyebrow. “What?” It wasn’t like we were staying at the same one. That couldn’t be the case, right?

“Me, too,” he answered. Never mind. “Weird, that’s all I’m saying.”

Weird. . . . Or maybe Allie was right and things like this could be destiny. I reached down into my bag at my feet and pulled out my laptop. “All right, but the real test is comparing which shows we’re attending. I don’t have my itinerary memorized, do you?”

He nodded. Of course he did. That was Knox for you—prepared.

Shrugging, I conceded, “Fine, but I still have to consult my notes, so let’s see.”

I knew I was going to several shows and presentations, had meetings with several buyers and designers—some at flagship stores, others their studios or workshops. As my eyes scanned the list, I recognized every single one of them by name. Except one. She was new, and this was her first presentation. Either way, I read them aloud and Knox pointed out when we’d be at the same ones.

“So you’re basically going to every single one?” he asked, laughing. “Figures.”

Laughing with him, I shrugged and smirked. “What can I say, you don’t show and not invite Bellissima .”

As our driver navigated the streets of London, we continued talking about fashion week and our schedules. We both had teams that would be joining us, but not quite yet. My own would be popping in next week, but mostly, it was just going to be me. Knox had two girls who were supposed to join him, but they were at a conference in the states for the next couple of days.

I pointed to the list still up on my screen. “What do you know about this one?” I placed the tip of my finger in between my teeth and looked at him out of the corner of my eye. I was trying to be discreet, okay? But it seemed cruel to the rest of the male population for Knox to look like carnal sin.

He leaned in closer and I forced my gaze back to the screen. I’d sincerely wished he would be distracted by the amount of cleavage my blouse was showing off, but nope. His eyes were glued to the screen. Wandering eyes, was that too much to ask for? Men had them all the time. I forgot, Knox didn’t. He never had—much to my dismay.

I could tell when he came across the name Rina Levana, because he furrowed his brows. “Not much, actually. There wasn’t much I could find online about her.”

Who isn’t online these days? I raised a brow and turned to look at him. “It’s funny, that name—Rina. I couldn’t help but think of your Rina.”

He leaned back again and I immediately wished there was something else I could show him that would make him come close again. I supposed I should have just thanked my lucky stars we were even sharing this ride given the amount of time it had been since we last saw one another.

He shook his head. “She’s not mine. Not anymore. And don’t say her name too loud, she might hear you.”

He couldn’t be serious. Laughing, I smacked his arm beside me. “Stop it! Seriously, you didn’t think about her when you saw that name? How could you not?”

He pulled my laptop to his lap. “The last name is different, and when I searched this Rina back in New York, all I found was that she’s a redhead with a wicked fashion sense.” He passed it back to me with the screen up to an article—the only article mentioning Levana apparently.

I scanned it. “Hmm. . . interesting. Well, I guess it’s not her.” It couldn’t have been. Rina Blum wanted to be a fashion designer, but the similarities ended there. That answered that then. I shut my screen and slipped it back in my bag.

“Thankfully,” he remarked and turned to look out the window.

Meanwhile, I couldn ’ t help myself, I watched him from the corner of my eye again and laughed. This was the Knox I’d missed, the easygoing guy. This was why I wasn’t prepared to let him go his own way. Not yet.