The elevator climbs to the top floor, taking my pulse along with it. Phoebe is here. Somewhere in this building is the love of my life.

And she hates me.

I trusted you.

I laid awake all night trying to think of three other words in the English language more devastating than those. She trusted me and I betrayed that. I don’t think I’ll ever forget that look on her face for as long as I’ll live. I’ll spend the rest of my life making sure she never makes it again.

Let me rephrase that.

We will spend the rest of our lives making sure she never makes it again.

The elevator doors open on a sea of empty cubicles.

“Over there,” Max says, pointing to the office at the far side of the room.

I follow his lead as a smile stretches across my face. My girlfriend runs this place. I feel the pride in my chest. Phoebe Pink is incredible.

I’ll have to remember to tell her that.

We spot Jackie standing over her desk outside of the office. She throws her purse over her shoulder and flicks the desk lamp off.

“Hey, Jackie,” Max greets her.

She looks up and instantly blinks at us in surprise. “Hello, gentleman.”

I gesture to the closed door behind her. “We need to talk to Phoebe. Is she in her office?”

“No,” she says. “She’s not here.”

“Mind if we wait until she comes back?” Max asks.

“Uh… okay, but…” She chuckles. “You’re gonna be waiting for a while.”

“How long?”

“About two weeks.”

I look at Max as a rock plummets through my gut. “Two weeks?”

“Or a fortnight,” she winks, “if you will…”

Max stands taller. “Jackie, where is she?”

She drops her smirk and crosses her arms. “She’s at the airport. Non-stop flight to New York leaves in about an hour.”

My lips twitch, torn between shock and even more pride. “She got the promotion?”

“She got a promotion,” she says. “Not the one she wanted but it’ll do. She’ll be there for training and she gave me some time off, so, if you’ll excuse me, I have a silver fox waiting for me at my apartment…”

We slam together as she tries to squeeze between us.

“So, she just left?” Max asks.

“Seemed pretty eager to get out of town for a while.” Her eyes narrow at us. “I wonder why.”

Max glances at me, looking as crushed as I feel. She’s taking off and she didn’t bother mentioning it. So much for her cooling off at all in the last fifteen hours. Between the two of us, we’ve broken a lot of hearts. Can’t say anyone’s ever fled three-thousand miles to get away from us before, though.

Two weeks. We could be patient until she gets back. She wants her space, but…

I shake my head. This can’t wait two fucking weeks.

We’re getting our woman back.

“What’s her flight number?” I ask.

She arches her brow. “Seriously?”

“Jackie…” Max leans forward. “Please.”

Her eyes roll as she reaches for the pink post-it note stuck to her desk. “Flight 23—”

I snatch it from her hand. “Thank you.”

“Are you guys really gonna do that thing?” She sneers. “You guys gonna race to the airport, bolt past security, and get chased to the gate to stop her and confess your love at the last minute? Both of you? Seriously?”

We turn around, running on pure adrenaline.

“Thanks, Jackie!” Max shouts back at her.

“So fucking unfair.”

I slam my open palm against the call button and the elevator opens.

“She said about an hour, right?” Max asks as we step on.

“Yep.” I nod. “Gonna cut it pretty close.”

“How close?”

I reach into my pocket for my phone. “May need to hitch a ride in a DeLorean close.”

He sighs. “Are you calling her?”

“She’d never answer,” I say, swiping open my contact book. “No. I have a better idea.”