An hour and half later, we were stepping into a sleek private charter jet.
The co-pilot welcomed us on board. “I’m sorry sir, we don’t have an onboard steward at this time. We’ve been looking—”
“No problems. Just get us back to San Diego.”
“The kitchen and bar are fully stocked. Simply help yourself,” he said.
“Thanks.” Twenty minutes later we were up in the sky heading east to California. “It’s late and we have a long flight. There’s a bed back there. You can take it,” I told Andi.
“Where will you sleep?” she asked.
I nodded toward the couch. “If I get tired, I’ll lay down there. I have some work I need to do.”
“For the company?”
I glared at her. “No. It’s my own project. The one you think I’m wasting my time on.”
She looked at me with sad eyes. “Noah, I was—”
I held up a hand. “There’s no need. I knew this would happen. Well, not this but I knew that pursuing you would end badly.”
“I’m sorry.”
I shrugged and opened my laptop, not wanting her sad face to sway my feelings. She’d hurt me. I didn’t want her to make me feel bad for being angry at that by having to see her regret and shame.
“C’est la vie, eh?”
She watched me for a moment and then headed to the back of the plane to the bedroom.
I started to work on my new project but wasn’t in the right frame of mind to deal with it. Annoyed that Andi had taken even that away from me, I pushed it aside and stared out the window. It was dark except for a bright moon. What I’d do to fly there and get away from all this bullshit.
“Noah?” Andi startled me.
“What? Is something wrong?”
She nodded and only then did I notice tears in her eyes. She’d been crying.
“What?” I stood, worried that Chen had done something nutty or she’d heard that maybe Gran was sick.
“Me.”
I frowned. “What’s wrong? Did you hurt yourself?” I scanned her body looking for signs of injury wondering how she’d have gotten hurt in bed.
“Yes. Worse, I hurt you.”
I stilled as I realized she wasn’t injured. She was feeling guilty. While I appreciated that she recognized what she’d done, that didn’t mean I was ready to forgive her.
I shrugged. “I always knew you didn’t think much of me—”
“That’s not true.”
“You’re tired. Why don’t you get some rest?” I said, not wanting to have this discussion. I was angry, but I also hated seeing her in such distress. I knew it would impact me. It might even cause me to forgive her.
“I can’t. Not until you let me say my side of the story. I know it won’t change anything, but I need you to hear it. Please.”
I blew out a breath and leaned against the back of the seat crossing my arms. “Alright.”
“I was wrong. I didn’t believe it really.”