Longing For The Beach Billionaire Daddy
Chapter 28

*Shelby*

The wheels of my suitcase got stuck in the gravel at the end of the driveway. I sighed and pulled harder, having no idea how I was going to get to the airport from here. The suitcase was too heavy; it was crammed full of all of the clothes that Michael bought for me.

I realized I had not thought my escape plan through. I didn’t want to do the messy goodbyes with anyone in the house, and I figured I would be able to replace a taxi eventually, but my first priority was to get as far away from the mansion as possible.

However, it seemed I was going to be stuck at the end of the driveway forever.

The crunching gravel surprised me, and I turned around; just as a black Cadillac pulled up in front of me. The window rolled down, and I was relieved to see Reggie sitting in the driver’s seat.

“What are you doing, Shelby?” Reggie asked me as he took off his sunglasses. He looked so confused at me standing there; suitcase stuck in the rocks.

“Um. I am trying to get to the airport. I have a flight in a couple of hours,” I said, shrugging my shoulders. I didn’t want to tell him the truth, but I figured it was better to be upfront with him. Besides, he was one of the few people at the house I knew for certain I could trust.

And… he obviously had a car.

“Did you plan on walking all the way there?” he asked through the window.

“Maybe not my best idea,” I said and looked back at the mansion. I hoped no one was watching. I had to have the record for the worst escape attempt. “I was hoping to catch a cab or something, but I’m guessing this is’t the best place for that.” I looked around and didn’t see or hear another vehicle.

Reggie got out of the car and came around to me. He grabbed my bag without another word and put it in the trunk. He returned to open the passenger door for me.

“Well, I am not letting you walk. Get in; I’ll drive you,” Reggie said with a crestfallen smile.

I hesitated, not sure what his expression was meant to convey. Should i just try my luck with a cab after all?

Seeing my lack of commitment, Reggie grabbed my hand to help me into the car. Finally accepting the situation, I slid into the passenger seat and felt my body sink into the expensive leather. I was starting to understand how people could get used to this amount of luxury in their daily lives.

But I couldn’t get used to it–I was leaving. Who knew when I might experience this type of lifestyle again? Not until I earned it for myself as a lawyer, most likely.

Reggie closed the door behind me and returned to the driver’s side, and started down the narrow, winding driveway. I couldn’t help but look back for one last time at the colonial-style mansion. In a few days, I was sure it would feel like a dream that I was ever here at all.

“Why didn’t you just ask for a ride to the airport? Michael would have sent for a car; he probably would have even driven you himself.” Reggie’s tone was more questioning than it would’ve been if he didn’t have a hint that something was going on between Michael and I.

“I didn’t want to bother anyone.” That was the truth–more or less.

“You couldn’t possibly bother anyone, Shelby.”

We sat in silence as we passed rows of beautiful mansions along the shore. I kept seeing Reggie glance at me out of the corner of his eye. I knew he was wondering why I was leaving so hastily.

As we drove further inland, the mansions got smaller and smaller until they turned into charming bungalows. Each bungalow was painted in a pop of color.

“When you say you didn’t want to bother anyone, you really meant you didn’t want to say goodbye, didn’t you?”

“How did you know?” I asked, surprised he had picked up on that.

“You seem upset, and the fact that you were so ready to leave that you were going to drag your suitcase all the way to the airport… I just put two and two together.”

“You’re right; I didn’t want to say goodbye.”

“Do you want to talk about it?” Reggie asked, looking over at me directly this time as we came to a stop at an intersection.

“Not really. Lauren and I just got into a fight. She told me she wanted me out of the house.”

“Oh, I thought it might have something to do with you and Michael,” Reggie said as the car accelerated again.

I didn’t know how to respond to Reggie, so I opted to say nothing instead. The truth was, I didn’t know how to say goodbye to Michael after all that had happened.

How do you thank someone for a beautiful vacation, stolen moments of happiness, and a whirlwind romance while also apologizing for causing a scandal?

We rode the rest of the short drive without talking more. I was thankful that Reggie didn’t press me for more answers. And I found I couldn’t stop daydreaming about Michael.

I wanted to k**s him again and finish what we’d started in the water that day. I knew I shouldn’t, and that I probably wouldn’t get the chance. But that did not stop the longing one bit.

We pulled up to the airport, which was tiny. I guessed I should have expected it to be small, considering we were on an island. Reggie got out and got my bag for me. I stood awkwardly on the sidewalk next to the car.

“Thank you for driving me, and thank you for being a friend to me,” I said as Reggie handed me the handle of my bag.

“I hope you really mean that, Shelby. I would consider myself lucky to be counted as one of your friends.”

I leaned over and gave Reggie a small hug, “I really mean it, Reggie.”

He grabbed my hand before I pulled away, leaving a business card in my palm.

“Please reach out if you need anything from me. We will all be back in New York again in a few weeks. I would love to see you when we make it back,” he said, with a puppy dog look in his eyes.

I nodded and put Reggie’s business card in my back pocket, next to Michael’s notes. I gave Reggie a small wave and turned away from him as I walked into the airport.

Why couldn’t I have fallen for someone like Reggie? That would have made the whole trip a lot less complicated.

After going through security, I looked at the time on my phone; I had a whole hour to fill before my flight left, and there wasn’t much to do in such a tiny airport.

I slipped a crumpled bill into the vending machine and selected a lemon-lime soda. It wasn’t quite the same as getting a latte from an airport cafe, but it would have to do. I selected a hard plastic chair next to the terminal and pulled out my phone to wait.

Shelby: I made it to the airport! It is absolutely tiny. I have about an hour until my flight leaves, and then three more on the plane. I can’t wait to be back home.

Lin: I will be there to pick you up when you land.

Aubrey: We can’t wait to see you!

Shelby: I owe you both so much for this. I am taking you two out for drinks as soon as I sleep off this nightmare of a vacation.

Lin: You could pay me back by packing the rest of my stuff in the apartment.

Shelby: Lin, we are moving in less than two weeks! Get on it!

Aubrey: I have been telling her that the entire time you’ve been gone, but she decided that binging rom-coms is a better use of her time.

Lin: I still think my logic is sound.

Shelby: Save some of those rom-coms for when I get back. I need something to ball my eyes out over.

Aubrey: What happened with Michael? Did things end badly?

Shelby: Beyond badly. I don’t want to get into it over text, so I will tell you both all about it when I land.

Lin: I am so sorry Shelb. I’ll make a stop for some ice cream before I come to get you.

Aubrey: Does this require more than ice cream? Maybe Margaritas?

Shelby: I love you two so much! I can’t wait to see you. It looks like they are finally going to let me board the plane. I will see you both soon.

I handed the flight attendant my ticket, and she directed me to my seat. I got settled in by the window and gazed out at the scene of swaying palm trees and the blue ocean in the distance.

Part of me wished I could have stayed and enjoyed a few more days in this gorgeous place. I likely wouldn’t have the time or money to come back in a long time.

My phone vibrated against the seat; I expected a last-minute text from Lin or Aubrey, but an unknown number flashed across my screen. Was it Michael? Had he finally found out I left without saying a proper goodbye?

I opened the message to replace the picture of Michael and me in the cove. My heart stopped beating against my chest.

I zoomed in and was slightly relieved that my face was more than half covered by my hair. It would be hard for someone who didn’t know me to replace my identity with this picture.

However, anyone who was with us on the yacht would know exactly whose vibrant-colored hair was in the picture. Lauren would know immediately what had happened, well, technically almost happened, between her dad and me.

“Ma’am, I am going to have to ask you to turn your phone off for the duration of the flight,” the flight attendant said as she walked down the center aisle.

“Of course,” I responded in a shaky voice.

I held the power button and watched the screen go black, taking the picture into blackness.

I wished it would disappear altogether, but I knew it would be there as soon as I turned my phone back on.

“Is this your first time flying?” the flight attendant asked. She must have mistaken my shock for a fear of flying.

“Yes,” I offered meekly, not wanting to explain.

“Well, don’t worry. Everything will be okay. We will be back on the ground before you know it.”

“Everything will not be okay,” I mumbled as she walked away.