Chapter 14: Two Years Ago

Dean stepped over the rope and came straight at us.

"Welcome to Boston, baby," he said, and held the roses out in both hands.

Shelby raised her phone higher.

People coming off the flight slowed down to watch.

A woman with a toddler on her hip stopped beside me and stared at Dean.

I felt Giles move.

I put my hand flat on his arm, and he stayed.

"I got here first so you wouldn't be alone," Dean said, loud enough for the whole hall.

"Everybody makes mistakes, Tillie. I made mine. You made yours, with the wedding."

"We can fix both of them. Come home, and we'll call it even."

Shelby chimed in from behind the phone.

"He took a six a.m. flight for you. Do you know how romantic that is?"

I looked at the camera.

"Keep filming," I said.

Shelby blinked.

"Dean Kittredge priced me at one cent in front of three hundred people last Saturday."

"He took my savings and put them in this woman's account."

"I have a husband now, and a ring that belonged to his father, and a flat in this city I have never even seen."

"I'm not coming home, and I'm not coming back on Sunday."

Dean's smile held on, but his cheek twitched.

"You're upset."

"I'm done."

I took the roses out of his hands.

I turned and handed them to the woman with the toddler.

"They're yours," I said. "He doesn't need them."

She laughed out loud.

Somebody near the escalator started clapping, and then a few more joined.

An airport officer in a yellow vest walked over and asked whether there was a problem.

"No problem," Giles said. "We're leaving."

He picked up two of the quilt bags in one hand and my elbow in the other.

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