How It's Going To Be [h.s.]

Chapter 51

A flight attendant strolled up the aisle reminding passengers to return their seats to the upright position and fasten their seatbelts. The pilot's voice came through the speakers with surprising enthusiasm given how late it was. He rattled off the current time and weather of the city below us.

The plane circled the city as we lost altitude. The fact that it was night kept me from seeing the aerial view of Milan. Instead, I was taken by how the lights of the city looked like diamonds spilled out over black velvet.

After what felt like an eternity, the plane landed and began taxiing down the runway toward the gate. The pilot's voice rang out again as he reminded us to keep our seatbelts fastened until the plane came to a complete stop. He announced that it was now safe to use our electronic devices. I took my phone out and turned it on. I had eight new messages waiting for me from Harry alone.

"Ladies and gentlemen, benvenuti a Milano. Welcome to Milan!" the pilot sang happily as the plane stopped.

____________

As soon as Eli and I stepped off the plane, he was making a phone call to let Harry's security know we had landed. Harry had arranged to meet me at the airport when I landed in Milan. I had taken the redeye flight from London and it was just after two in the morning, leaving the airport nearly empty. With few people around, the conditions were perfect for Harry to pick me up.

"Thanks, Nick," Eli quipped as he hung up the phone. "Harry's waiting for you."

A flood of giddiness enveloped me. I felt my cheeks redden just at the mention of Harry's name. I was like a schoolgirl getting butterflies from seeing her crush in the hallway. I bit back a grin as we rushed out of the terminal to the area Harry and his security was waiting.

It had been over six weeks since I had seen Harry. Despite my rushed departure from Stockholm, I missed him terribly. Phone calls and FaceTime didn't do our relationship justice. Not even late night text messages could soothe the gaping hole I felt with his absence—even if the message contained the three little words we had started exchanging regularly.

After a short stop in customs, Eli and I navigated through the mostly empty airport to the baggage claim where our luggage would arrive. Words alternating between Italian and English flashed on a sign over the metal carousel where suitcases were appearing,  indicating the bags were from our flight.

"There's Nick," Eli pointed toward the wall where clocks displayed times in nearly a dozen time zones. "Go with him. I'll get our bags."

Nick stood coolly in a black collared shirt and light-wash jeans. His tough guy persona cracked when I approached him with an uncontrollable smile. "Hello, Kate. How was the flight?"

"It was fine," I shrugged.

"Tired?"

"I know what you're doing," I smirked at Nick. "You're stalling. I cannot wait another minute. Take me to my boyfriend."

"You got me," he laughed. Nick turned and opened a door behind him. The sign above it had words written in Italian and then translated in English below: VIP Waiting Area. "He's in here."

I walked in the waiting area and let out a breath I didn't realize I had been holding. Standing just a short distance in front of me with blazing eyes and a crooked smile was my love, my Harry.

He was a vision in a Marc Jacobs top, Paige Denim, and Saint Laurent boots. He looked like the epitome of perfection and I almost didn't want to touch him at the risk of flawing what was clearly flawless. But the temptation of having him in the same room as me for the first time in weeks dismissed the feeling.