Double Dating

Chapter Eighteen

The airport could not be any busier.

I arrived twenty minutes early to get a parking spot and now, more than half an hour later, was just pulling into the parking lot due to an insane amount of traffic around the airport. I called Graham to warn him that I would be late and he informed me that his flight actually landed early, which is the first time I've heard of that. In my experience, it was a blessing if a flight was on time.

The boys decided not to attend -what would have been- an awkward meet and greet.

Once parked, I began walking into the airport lounge where I knew he was waiting at the Starbucks. He told me not to bother coming inside but he didn't know I was here yet so I wanted to surprise him.

Once through the thick crowd, my eyes zeroed in on his familiar leather jacket that I don't believe he's taken off since our early college years. We attended two semesters at the same college before he split off and headed to the city to 'find himself'.

I crept up to the cafe even though his back was turned to me. I saw him continuously glance at his phone and take a sip of his latte between checking texts.

"Boo!" My hands shot out to grab ahold of his shoulders and shook him, making the metal chair he was in rattle on the uneven tile.

He. Didn't. Even. Flinch.

Graham tilted his head up from his latte and smiled wide, "Cellphones have the best reflections. I spotted you the second you walked in. Take a seat! Wow, you haven't changed a bit. Same boring attire. You should really come to New York and get some life pumped into your soul."

"Hello to you too..." I grumbled as I plopped down across from him, still upset that I wasn't able to scare him. Then I looked down to my outfit and scowled at him. "It's business casual. I own a business now, thank you very much. And I could say you haven't changed either, damn hipster."

His smile only widened at my sour tone. "How'd you come across a business to run?"

"My dad, he left it to me and I only just found out about it. One of the many things. But that's a conversation for another time, do you want to get in the car and go somewhere else? This place is overcrowded," I glanced around at the bustling people. "And it kind of smells."

"Smells? I love that airport smell!"

My eyes narrowed, "You're such a freak. Bring your latte along, come on."

I placed my hands on the table and used the leverage to stand, giving him a deadpanned stare, and started towards the doors with him scurrying behind me. Today I took Nico's BMW M3 that had a silver matte finish, he wanted me to drive in style. And it had his cologne stained into the seats so that any guy who entered the car would know that it belonged to another man.

The lights flashed when I pressed the button to unlock the doors and then I popped the trunk for him to put his luggage. I had my hand on the driver's door when I caught him still standing a few feet away from the car, looking between myself and the car.

"What? Get in, let's go." I had plans today and having him stare at the car was not on the list.

He threw his stuff in the trunk and climbed into the passenger's side as I got behind the wheel. I was thrilled to see that there was no traffic currently leaving the airport, just flooding into it.

"It's busy around here during the holidays." He commented when he looked over to the other side of the highway. "Guess people are picking up those who want to escape the winter weather up north, can't say I'm any different. So, what are we hurrying to get to?"

"Only our most favorite place in the world!"

Now it was his turn to go all sour, "No."

"But—"