The Wrong Name, The Wrong Love novel · Chapter 1 of 24
Chapter 1: The Wrong Name
Louisa is turned away from a VIP gate and then from a flight, and learns her boyfriend's passport is older than the first mistake.
The usher at Gate C scanned Brianna's phone and the light went green.
Then he scanned mine, and it went red.
"Wingate, Louisa?" he said, scrolling. "I don't have a Wingate on the VIP list, miss."
There were forty people stacked up behind us in the line.
Brianna slapped her forehead. "Oh my God. Lou, I am so sorry."
She had bought the two VIP tickets herself, for my birthday, and I had not been allowed to see the receipt.
"I typed Connor's info in the second slot," she said. "I must have been half asleep."
I looked at her.
I had known Brianna since we were fifteen.
She was holding my blue notebook against her chest, the one where I copy out my favorite singer's lyrics, because I had lent it to her for the playlist.
"So change it," I said. "Call someone."
"It's a hard lock. They said no changes after purchase." She winced. "But the VIP line is a waste if the seat sits empty. Connor loves live music."
Connor did not love live music.
Connor had asked me in the car that week which one Eli McCarthy was, the singer or the drummer.
"Let me just call him," Brianna said, already dialing. "He's right around the corner."
He was at the gate in six minutes.
He was wearing a clean black tour shirt with the price tag still tucked into the collar.
"Lou, babe, I'm so sorry," Connor said, and kissed my cheek. "I'll record all of it for you."
The usher scanned his phone.
The light went green.
Brianna squeezed my arm. "I'll make it up to you. I promise. Next time it's just us."
They went in together, her hand on his sleeve.
I stood outside Gate C with a ticket that did not work.
I listened to the whole concert through the stadium wall.
Fifteen days later, I was standing at the airline counter with my suitcase and my passport.
The trip was Brianna's other present: four nights in Lisbon on Eli's European leg, and I had already paid her $1,150 for my share of the flight and hotel.
I had taken the days off at the clinic months ago.
The agent typed for a long time.
"I have a Pelham and a Banning," she said. "No Wingate."
Brianna gasped.
"No. No, no. I did it again." She turned to me with both hands pressed to her face. "I put Connor's passport details on every booking. I'm the worst."
Connor set his bag on the scale.
He did not look surprised.
"Lou, you've been to Europe," he said gently. "Twice. I've never left the country in my life."
"I paid $1,150," I said.
"I'll Venmo you," said Connor.
"You can't Venmo me for a seat on a plane I'm not on."
"Don't make it a thing, Lulu." Brianna put her hand on my wrist. "You'd hate Lisbon anyway. I'll bring you a magnet."
She had my blue notebook in her tote again.
The corner of it stuck out of the bag next to two tour lanyards.
The agent held out her hand for Connor's passport.
He gave it to her.
She flipped it open on the counter, turned toward the scanner, and the photo page faced me.
His face was on it, grinning.
Under his face, in small black print, was the date it was issued.
I read it twice.
Brianna was still talking.
"It's just a trip, Lou. You always make things bigger than they are."
I held out my hand to Connor.
"Keys."
"What?"
"My apartment key. It's on your ring."
He laughed, because he thought I was joking.
I waited.
The line behind us had gone quiet, and the agent had stopped typing.
Connor twisted the brass key off his ring and set it in my palm.
"Your things will be in the hall by Sunday," I said. "The couch is mine. So are the dishes."
"Louisa, come on."
"Enjoy Lisbon."
So I stepped out of the line.
Behind me, Brianna called my name twice, high and bright, with the whole line listening.
I did not turn around.
I was thinking about the date on his passport.
It was three weeks before the concert.
Connor had known there would be a first mistake before it happened.
Want to keep talking to characters like these? Chat with AI romance characters: AI Boyfriend · AI Girlfriend · Dark Romance · Fantasy Romance · BL (Boys’ Love) · Billionaire Boyfriend · Mafia Boyfriend · Possessive Boyfriend · Hockey Boyfriend · Older Boyfriend · K-Drama Boyfriend · Anime Boyfriend · Vampire Boyfriend · Werewolf Boyfriend · Demon Boyfriend · Fae Romance · GL (Girls’ Love) · Anime Girlfriend · Goth & Alt Girlfriend · Gamer Girlfriend · Tsundere Girlfriend · Fantasy Girlfriend