Flight (8 page)

“
Jess…”

“
Just drop it. Please?”

“
Okay,” I barely whispered. “You want a ride to the airport?”

“
No. You have to work. It’s bad enough I’m quitting. I’ll call a cab.”

“
You sure? I really don’t mind. And stop worrying about work, it doesn’t matter.”

Jess nodded. “Really, I’ll take a cab.”

“
I’m going to miss you!” I sniffled, wiping away some of my own tears. It was all happening too fast. I couldn’t believe she was leaving.

“
You’ll be fine. Don’t let what happened to me keep you from Levi. I think he might be just what you need.”

“
Whatever. I really couldn’t care less about Levi right now.”

“
Just don’t completely write him off. I think he’s good for you. You seem to work.”

“
If you say so.”

“
Good. Now go to work.”

“
Don’t you at least want help packing?” I asked.

“
No, really, I just want to be alone.”

“
All right. I get it.” I gave her another hug as I headed out. “Bye, Jess.”

***

It wasn’t until hours later when I went back up to our room after work that the reality of Jess leaving hit me. She might have been annoying at times, but she was my friend, and now I really was on my own. Dad had left me a message to let me know he’d be gone at least another week.

Feeling sorry for myself and really sad for Jess, I decided to just spend the night vegging out. I changed into lounge pants and a racer back tank, waited for the carrot cake I ordered from room service, and opened up the latest chick lit on my e-reader.

I jumped up from the couch when I heard a knock on the door.

Expecting my dessert, I quickly opened the door and moved back as Levi smiled at me from the hallway.

“
What are you doing here?”

Levi pushed his way into my room as I awkwardly sidestepped him. “Did you forget we had plans?”

“
Plans? Oh yeah, coffee, I forgot.” I tried to keep my voice even but I was so upset and angry. I walked over to the couch and pulled my knees up to my chest.

“
Hey, what’s going on Allie?” Levi knelt down in front of me.

“
You’re calling me Allie?”

“
Whoa, now you are annoyed at me for calling you Allie? Can a guy ever get a break?”

I shrugged.

“
Seriously, are you okay?”

“
I guess, but this summer has turned into a disaster.” I’m not sure what made me open up to him, but once I started I couldn’t stop. “Jess left and my dad still hasn’t come back. So yeah, great, I get to spend the rest of the summer all alone. Just what I needed.”

“
Hey, don’t say you’re alone. Don’t I count for something?”

I looked up at Levi’s million-dollar smile. I couldn’t help it; I smiled back.

“
That’s what I was looking for. It’s going to be okay. But why did Jess leave?”

“
It’s—” I started to say it was because of Jared but thought better of it. “It’s personal”

“
I’ll take that, but on one condition?”

“
What?”

“
Come out with me tonight. I promise I’ll cheer you up.”

I needed a distraction and Levi was being uncharacteristically nice so I agreed. “Sure, just let me get changed.”

I was about to walk into the bathroom when there was another knock on the door—room service. “Just leave it, here you go.” Levi quickly took charge and I never even saw who delivered it.

He opened the Styrofoam container. “You want to eat cake first, or do you want to get changed?”

“
I’m not in the mood for it anymore. You can have it or just put it in the fridge.”

I took my time getting ready. Washing my face, I stared at my reflection in the mirror unable to ignore the flush I saw there. Levi had such a physical effect on me. I had never been so attracted to a guy in my life. I changed into a pair of dark jeans and a tank top. It was hot out, but I wanted the comfort of my favorite jeans. I dug out a pair of Mary Janes from my closet, needing a break from sandals.

As I brushed my hair and put on some makeup,
my cell phone rang in the living area. I thought about running out to answer it, but I wasn’t in the mood to talk to anyone. I dropped my brush when I heard Levi’s voice from through the closed door.

“
Hello.”

Anger flared. Had he actually picked up my phone?

“
No, Allie’s not available right now, she’s getting changed.”

“
Who am I? The name’s Levi. Well, hello Toby, but I’m sorry I think Allie would have mentioned a boyfriend before she spent the night at my place. Are you sure you don’t mean ex-boyfriend?”

I froze with my hand on the knob. My first reaction was to grab the phone from him, but maybe this was what Toby needed to finally take the hint that it was over.

“
No, I won’t go to hell, but I’ll take a message.” Levi laughed and I hesitated a little longer.

“
You can come out now, I’m off.”

I pushed open the door. “How’d you know I was listening?”

“
I heard you breathing.”

“
You heard me through the door?”

“
You didn’t really think you were fooling me, did you?”

“
Whatever. I can’t believe you answered my phone.”

“
You could have stopped me at any time. Something tells me you have no problem with what I told Toby.”

“
You’re right.”

“
I’m sure I am, but about what exactly?’

“
That I don’t mind what you said. He’s my ex-boyfriend. We broke up a few months ago and he hasn’t really accepted it.”

“
I can’t say I blame him.” Levi watched me, not bothering to hide his blatant evaluation of every inch of me.

“
So, aren’t we going out?” I asked, uncomfortable talking about Toby with Levi. It just felt wrong.

“
Yes, the night awaits.”

I followed Levi out into the hallway, noticing the empty cake container on the table before letting the door lock behind us.

***

Coffee with Levi was surprisingly relaxing. Maybe he felt bad for me or possibly he figured out the other tactics weren’t working, but Levi was actually polite and an interesting conversationalist. He had me laughing which was something I didn’t expect to do again for a while. He also showed me a slightly more serious side to him.

“
What really brought you down here this summer?”

“
What do you mean? Working at the hotel…”

“
That’s what you say, but couldn’t you have gotten a job back home?”

“
What does it matter?”

“
I’m just trying to figure you out.”

“
Figure me out?”

“
You have to be the hardest girl to read.”

I laughed. “I can’t be that hard to read.”

“
We have a girl with a few months before leaving for college and instead of staying home to enjoy time with her friends, either bumming around or working some silly part time job, you drive across the country to work at a hotel for a dad who has been here all of one day since you arrived.”

“
Get to the point.” I wasn’t sure where he was headed.

“
Either this is all an elaborate effort to get away from your ex, or you’re running from something else.”

“
I’m not running from anything.”

“
So it’s all Toby?”

“
No, it’s not.”

“
Okay, so what is it?”

“
Can’t there be a third choice? I wanted to try something new.”

“
Isn’t college trying something new already?” He gazed at me as if challenging me to contradict him.

“
Yes, but that’s different.” I struggled to find the words to explain it, because I didn’t completely know why I did it myself.

“
Different?”

“
Yeah, I don’t know, it just seemed like an adventure.”

“
An adventure? You’re looking for an adventure huh? Where do I sign up?” He wriggled an eyebrow.

I laughed. “Stop, I just mean no one would ever expect me to spend a summer in New Orleans. It’s different and it was so last minute. I actually quit another job at the last second so I could come here.”

Levi fake gasped. “What? How could you?”

“
Well, I guess it wasn’t quitting because I didn’t quite start, but I was supposed to be a lifeguard at a local beach. I changed my mind when my dad called to invite me down.”

“
Then I propose a toast.” Levi lifted his to-go coffee cup.

“
A toast? With coffee?”

“
You can toast with any beverage.”

“
Sure, why not?” I raised my cup as well. “But what are we toasting?”

“
To Allie’s great adventure.”

I laughed as he tapped his cup to mine and dramatically finished the rest of his coffee.

My phone rang. “It’s Jess. Do you mind if I get this?”

“
No, not a problem.”

I answered. “Hey, are you home?”

“
Yeah, I got in about ten minutes ago. I wanted to apologize for leaving like that. I didn’t mean to ditch you.”

“
It’s okay, I completely understand.”

A group of people walked into the coffee shop talking loudly.

“
Hey, where are you?” Jess asked.

“
Out getting coffee.”

“
With who?”

“
Umm, can I call you later?”

“
Wait, are you with Levi? You are, aren’t you?”

“
Maybe.” I noticed Levi watching me, trying to figure out what was going on in our conversation.

Jess laughed. “Okay, good for you. Call me tomorrow.”

“
I will. Have a good night.”

“
You too.”

I hung up, putting my phone into my back pocket. I hadn’t bothered with a purse, stuffing my phone, ID, and a credit card in my jeans.

“
Jess made it back?” Levi asked.

“
Yeah, she just got home.”

“
Anything else going on?” He was obviously fishing for information.

“
Nope.”

Thankfully, he dropped it.

It wasn’t quite 9:30 when I finished the last of my coffee. “This was actually fun. Thanks, I needed it.”

“
My pleasure. See, giving me a chance wasn’t so bad, was it?”

“
Hey, don’t read too much into it. We had coffee. End of story.”

“
Does it have to be the end?” Levi gazed at me intently.

“
What else do you have in mind?”

“
Want to meet up with my friends? I bet Hailey will come if she knows you are. I think she has a girl crush on you.”

“
A girl crush? What are you, like three?”

“
No… it’s just funny. She talks about you almost as much as I do.”

“
I think she’s pretty cool too. Definitely different from my other friends.” I let the whole talking about me a lot part slide.

“
Different is good, right?”

“
It can be.”

“
Are you up for hanging out more?”

“
Yeah, okay.” The thought of going back to my empty room made the decision easy.

We walked through the French Quarter slowly, and I tried to take it all in. The music, the crowds, and the atmosphere still felt surreal. Music spilled out of the endless bars and clubs.

“
Wow, are those people seriously dressed up as vampires?” I asked, looking in at a dark bar on the corner. Inside I watched a man and woman holding up a chalice and smiling with fangs showing.

Levi laughed. “If you think those people are weird, you’d be freaked out by the real thing.”

“
The real thing? Very funny.”