E

idiots zooming in every direction with n

ghter as we navigate around a couple shari

onto me," Elise complain

o get separated. Rememb

ix," Eli

l escaped like fricking Houdini. I don't want

e have less than ninety minutes until our flight bo

lahoma City airport, Belle.

ver been at the

nvenience, slight, or annoyance. I've seen it countless times since she moved in with

ower and you've never been t

se to me, okay? I don't have time to look fo

t. W

se isn't with me anymore. She's screeched to a halt in the middle of

izing to the man as we go. He grumbles something

leash," I mutter. "Come on,

ng in disgust. "Roger, as in the guy who made you work

rply. "How d

hin," she says dismissively. "

face. "I should have h

ety. But after a night of shitty sleep and now, the threat that my half-sister will say something damning in front of m

el with that creep,"

t's why I'm bein

her head. "He's paying y

it's my job.

t have come with you if I knew he was going to be here. You should re

to say things like "sexual harassment." When I le

changed s

'm leaving you alone in the apartment for a wee

ke care o

coming with me and you're going to

e not

taking notice. If I was her mom, I'd grab her hand and drag her af

ster. Yet I'm the one here dealing with her

whole host of regrettable things sitting o

al in his company headshot. Nothing like the red-faced mouth breather with tentacle-

y from Elise. "Sorry we're late. We

the background. It sounds like he's in some kind of clu

es the airport

't. I'm not at the a

if I'm still sleeping. If so, this is a weird anxiety dream. "We're l

ily. "You're going on your own. You don't

ight at the office butt their way

eed a recommendation," Roger had told me, his han

from his touch.

e coming back

n audit on my own

a fighter my whole life. God knows I've over

. "First time for ev

trying to decide if I should cal

s up next to me.

he facts in my

d thi

to watc

hates

coming wit

eorgia is always telling me I need to focus more

We're on our own." I pivot and star

nking positively. Because now, I'm p

es and calm the twist of anxiety in my gut. It was almost w

the air, I can usually relax. But now, the screen in front of me is fl

I mutter to myself. Elise is in the row behind me, so there's no hand

ere about to be seated directly in the middle of a rowdy bach

f gratitude. "I'm on a work trip and things aren't going th

y my emotions that she pre

y back and whispered in my ear, "

xt to me has on a velvet sweatsuit with a satin eye mask. Everything f

o cell phones" rule the rest of us peasants have to obey. I don't see anything beyond a broad shoulder and s

are forced to fend for ourselves on some desert island, then