After All

Chapter Twenty

Clearing my throat, I continued on. "My car is waiting for me, so I have to go. My roommate is still here so you don't have to worry about locking up."

He got up out of bed, his rippled stomach distracting me. "I had a good time last night. Can I call you later?"

"Why don't I call you?" I answered, hoping he didn't remember that he hadn't given me his number when we met at the bar. "Bye, Tyler," I rushed quickly out of the room.

"It's Travis," he called back.

I ignored both him and the look of amusement Cassie threw at me off the couch.

"Send my congrats to Rebecca and Keith," she said as I opened the front door.

"I will." I waved my hand to her and headed downstairs.

The car ride to the airport, and all the extra traffic we encountered, allowed me a little time to tie up some last minute issues at work. With both Rebecca and I out of the gallery for a few days, I wanted to make sure everything was covered.

But the moment we pulled up alongside the drop-off curb, a vision of Ryan flashed through my mind. I rubbed at a spot on my chest, feeling that familiar ache of pain I felt whenever I thought of him. Every time I was at an airport, all of the hellos and goodbyes we'd had in our relationship flashed through my mind. They say time will heal all wounds, but in the past five years, mine seemed to intensify, not dull. I thought of him much more infrequently, weeks; sometimes months would go by without a passing thought. But when he did invade my mind, the wounds were ripped wide open again.

I pushed all thoughts of him away to concentrate on navigating through the airport. Newark Liberty International buzzed around me. It was the most complicated airport I'd flown in or out of yet, and I needed to make sure I was focused, so I wouldn't get turned around. Thankfully I sailed through security and expertly wound my way to the appropriate gate. For the first time in months, I let myself simply relax as I waited to board, flipping through the trashiest tabloid magazine I could find. I couldn't remember the last time I'd taken off so much time from work and I planned to enjoy every second.

"Excuse me miss, can I get you a drink?" the flight attendant asked. She seemed genuinely friendly. I couldn't imagine I'd have the same attitude after being stuck in a flying tube with irate and inconsiderate passengers day after day.

"Just some water please." I thanked her as she handed me a bottle. I hoped to land without looking bloated and dry-skinned, as I would be heading straight to the 'Welcome to Our Wedding' reception. I notoriously looked feral whenever I exited a plane, and I hoped to ward that off this time.

Over the past few years, Rebecca had become one of my closest friends in New York. Always second to Cassie of course, my college roommate's words, not mine. She managed the small art gallery I'd worked at since graduating from the School of Visual Arts. I still hoped to one day showcase my own work there, or another gallery, but I was still new to the business and learning a lot from her. She was poised and always dressed to perfection, money and experience oozing from her pores, despite the fact she was only a few years older than me. My initial impression had been one of dismissal. In my experience, girls like that normally cared more about social climbing than anything else. But Rebecca was quite the opposite. Despite her privileged upbringing, she really was the sweetest, most generous woman I'd met. It was after my first meeting with her that I really tried to refrain from judging anyone until after I'd gotten to know them better.

She had met Keith two years ago at the bagel shop down the street from the gallery. They'd both ordered an everything bagel with cream cheese and jelly, and had pretty much been inseparable ever since. She was from North Carolina originally, and was inspired to have the wedding on the Outer Banks. Since Keith's family and most of their friends had to travel for it, she decided to make a huge weekend event out of it. Welcome reception tonight, bachelor and bachelorette parties tomorrow, rehearsal dinner on Saturday, all leading up to a late-afternoon wedding ceremony on the beach Sunday. Knowing Rebecca and her exquisite taste and attention to detail, it was going to be a beautiful, flawlessly executed weekend.