Chapter 8

Fiona had just waved off her fiancé at the departure gate, standing still until the final boarding call echoed and the glass doors slid shut behind him. She remained there a little longer than necessary, arms folded across her chest, eyes fixed on the runway beyond the tall windows, waiting for the familiar surge of relief that always came once the plane lifted off.

Only after she was sure his flight had taken off did she turn and merge into the steady flow of travelers heading out of the terminal.

The airport was busy, as always. Rolling suitcases bumped into heels, voices overlapped in different accents, and announcements floated overhead. Fiona weaved through the crowd, her mind already shifting to errands she needed to run immediately after heading home.

Then she saw him.

It was only a glance at first, nothing deliberate. Just a passing flick of her eyes. She turned away instinctively, took two more steps… then stopped cold.

Her heart skipped.