Departure Day

Usually, I looked forward to the mornings, another day to get shit done and make something out of myself.

But this morning, I dreaded watching the sun rise over the mountain, another beautiful day in Colorado. Our last.

Angel stirred beside me and I laid a hand on her shoulder, not wanting to wake her just yet. Today we would part ways, go back to home and back to reality.

It fucking sucked.

Sighing, I brushed a hand over her hair, thinking about our last night together and how much time we'd spent in each other's arms, not to mention the time spent in each other. She and I had christened every surface in the suite, called for room service, and then did it some more until we were both too exhausted to move. Then talked, her in my arms, until the darkest hour.

I knew every plane of her body, every freckle on her skin, tasted every inch of her soft flesh with my tongue. And it still wasn't enough.

“Is it morning already?”

I looked down to see her staring back at me, sleep hazy in her beautiful eyes. "Yeah, it is."

“Darn,” she whispered, reaching up to touch my cheek with her hand. “I guess we should get up and get going then. When’s check out?”

I leaned down and pressed a kiss to her lips. “We could stay you know. I think I could foot another week or so.”

She smiled against my lips, nibbling at the corner of my mouth. “I don’t think a week will be enough, and we’d be in the same predicament by the end of it anyway.”

No, it wouldn't be enough, I agreed. We kissed and held onto each other for a little while longer, and made love for the last time while our bodies were warm and sleepy.

It would've been so easy to pull the covers up and blot out the world. But soon enough the real world would come knocking.

With a sigh, I released her, watching as she climbed out of bed and swayed on dozy feet to the bathroom. A week definitely wouldn’t be near enough, and I doubted I could come up with a number that would suffice. Would forever be enough?

Something had changed inside me because of her, something that was feral and possessive, wanting to load her up with my luggage and take her back to Minnesota with me. I wanted a future with her.

Fuck, my married brothers were wearing off on me.

I forced myself to get out of bed as well, gathering my clothes for the plane ride home feeling the anger start to well up inside. I was going to have to go home, just as she was. We were going to have to split, no matter how much we didn't want to.

Angel didn't say anything once she emerged from the bathroom, already dressed. I took my turn in the shower wishing I could somehow slow down time. Then together we finished packing our stuff and making sure that we didn't leave anything behind.

“Ready?” she asked as she parked her suitcase at the door, giving the living room a once over.

“No.”

She winced and stroked my face. "You've been my favourite Valentine, but we knew it had to end."

“I know,” I said unable to look at her. A bitter laugh escaped my lips. “Look at you being all sensible and brave.”

“Who knew, right? Come on, let’s get some breakfast before we go. Ready?” she said again, this time squeezing my hand.

“Yeah,” I answered, slinging my bag over my shoulder. “As ready as I will ever be. But I don’t think I can eat.”

The sad smile on her face didn’t help the situation, but she bravely walked out of our little haven, the suite where we’d made so many memories, leaving me to shut the door. I wanted to say something meaningful to her, something that would make her feel better about us going our separate ways, but I couldn’t find anything that would do our time together justice. Any words would be inadequate, any promises made would be said in vain. We both knew long distance relationships rarely worked.

After nibbling on half a bagel that tasted like sawdust, I put it down and instead watched Angel eat her fruit salad. She moved a syrupy cherry from one side of the bowl to the other, eating around it until the very end. We sat in polite silence, stealing glances every few seconds.

We checked out together and then climbed aboard the lodge shuttle, making our way to the airport in even more deafening silence, my heart thudding the entire time, urging me to leap into action. I checked my flight info on my phone. My plane was irritably on time.

“Looks like I will be sprinting to the gate.”

She looked over, a thin smile on her lips. “I have an hour wait if that makes you feel any better?”

“It doesn’t,” I replied, shoving my phone in my pocket and reaching for her hand. She didn’t resist, interlocking her fingers with mine. “What’s the first thing you are going to do when you get home?”

"Check some emails, order some Chinese. Wallow," she answered. "I have until Monday before I have to return to work."

“Lucky,” I answered, rubbing my thumb over her hand idly. “I have to catch up with my brothers, call my mom before she disowns me.”

Angel laughed at that. “We can’t have that now, can we?”

The shuttle pulled up to the airport before I had a chance to answer, and the next few minutes we spent getting our bags and walking into the terminal. I stopped right before the security checkpoint, shouldering my bag. "Well, this is me."

Angel pointed down the corridor. “I’m down there.”

I cleared my throat, running a hand through my hair. “I had a fucking awesome time with you, baby. Unforgettable.”

Her eyes softened, welling up, and she nodded, looking at her feet instead of at me. “I did too, Nick.”

“Are you sure you can’t come to Minnesota? You’re more than welcome to.”

“I’m sure. I can’t drop everything, Nick. I have a life, a job…”

I reached out and pulled her against me, pressing a kiss to her lips. Hoping it could last forever. “Be careful going back to North Carolina. Please, take care of yourself.”

She hesitated, toying with a button on my shirt. "I'm going to miss you so much. I'll never forget you."

I leaned my forehead against hers. “I’m going to miss the hell out of you too, Angel.”

She shuddered and pulled away, pressing a piece of paper in my hand before walking off without another word. I watched her go, feeling my heartbeat match every step she took. It would do neither of us any good for me to go after her. What was done, was done, and we had no other choice. Our fleeting romance would have to be enough.

Turning, I looked down at the paper in my hand, my lips curving into a smile. It was her cell number along with her address, a sign she wasn’t done with me yet.

That had to count for something.

There was still hope and the ball was in my court if I was brave enough to take the leap.