Fake Engagement, Real Temptation

He scooted closer.

“I know you’re not over me. Making up the fake boyfriend really showed me how much you love me. Maybe we can talk. After the gallery opening one night next week. Wendy is okay with me staying late.”

Oh. My. God.

Carrie had to slap herself from thinking this was really happening. Was he trying to make her the new mistress?

“Are you out of your mind?” she said. “I don’t love you, and no matter how things started with Blake and me, it’s none of your business.”

“Well, from where I’m sitting, they ended. And we both know that you and I will never end.”

“Oh, we have ended. Good-bye, Kevin.”

She got up to leave. In shock of how narcissistic he really was.

“Good luck avoiding me at work.”

She turned around and clutched her drawing book tight.

“I quit,” she said with the last shred of dignity she had left. “Peddle your own purple shit from now on.”

And with that, she rolled her suitcase and her ass out of there. Thanked God that Kevin was on a different flight.

She stood taller, liking the way her backbone felt.

Chapter Fifteen

Finally, Carrie was in her seat, on her flight, ready to go home.

And there was the empty coach seat next to her. At least it was only a two-seat row, so she’d be alone for the flight. The long flight. The flight that had been so different coming in.

The ding sounded, and a member of the crew addressed the plane through the speaker.

“Good evening, ladies and gentlemen,” he stated. “I want to thank you for flying with us and tell you about our in-flight entertainment tonight. First up, is a…” The voice paused then continued around an awkward cough. “First up is a stupid jackass that gave up the woman he loves because he was an idiot that got scared.”

Carrie’s eyes snapped up.

It couldn’t be…

“It’s true,” came a familiar voice through the speaker. “I am the jackass that hurt the most beautiful woman in the world.”

Carrie leaned out to see down the long aisle and found Blake, at the front of the plane, holding the mic up and speaking into it.

The plane quietly booed him.

“I know, I deserve that,” Blake said to the crowd. “But I’m here to win her back.”

The crowed clapped and nodded.

“How?” one woman yelled.

“Yeah, you better have something damn good,” another one said.

Blake smiled and locked his eyes on Carrie.

“I was going to start with begging,” he said, and the crowd cheered. Blake got on his knees and said, “See, I hurt her in front of a crowd. I said something that wasn’t true. I said our relationship was fake. But it wasn’t. From the first moment I saw her, everything was real. It just took me a while to figure that out.”

“Jackass,” a woman called out.