The rain poured down in sheets and lightening crashed from the gray clouds. The droplets poured against the windshield mixed with tiny pieces of hail. Even on high power, the windshield wipers could not keep up with all the water falling from the sky.
Ryan Lavery sat behind the wheel of his car oblivious to the storm outside. His body was tense as he leaned forward, gripping the steering wheel tightly in his hands. His blue eyes were fixed on the road ahead of him.
In a way, Ryan was grateful for the storm. Most people had pulled off the road or opted to stay inside. Traffic was very light and Ryan was making it through the streets in record time. He was doing about seventy-five, a dangerous speed during safe road conditions. But Ryan wasn’t concerned. His life depended on him making it to the airport before it was too late.
The radio newscast had said flights were being delayed because of the storm. Ryan took that as another good sign in his favor. He had to get there before the plan took off. If he didn’t stop her…. Ryan didn’t want to think about those possibilities.
He still didn’t know how they had gotten to this point. Everything had become so screwed up. Ryan knew most of that was his fault. He had wanted to do things so differently. He realized now that he had assumed they would have another chance. Now, he wasn’t sure that was going to be possible.
Ryan pressed down harder on the accelerator. He had to get to her. They had been through too much together to let things end this way. He glanced at the letter that was lying on the seat beside him. He had been sick inside when Hayley had presented him with it. Reading those words, and feeling the pain that Gillian was going through had torn him apart. He had never meant to hurt her, but that was all he ever seemed to do.
His thoughts drifted back to their wedding night in the hunting lodge. She had looked so radiant and beautiful in her white dress. She had taken his breath away. Ryan had spent many nights thinking about what it would be like to make love to Gillian…to feel her soft skin and her silky hair in his hands. The few times he had tasted her sweet lips had left him yearning for more.
His fantasies had been nothing compared to the real thing. Ryan had never in his life experienced such passion and ecstasy like he did when he was with Gillian. It was like their bodies had been molded to fit together.
Ryan recalled holding Gillian in his arms afterwards. He had never been the type of guy who cuddled women, but he hadn’t been able to let Gillian go. He stared down at her beautiful face as she gently stroked his chest.
“Are you as sure as you were at the chapel?” Gillian asked.
“Light years from where I was.” Ryan gently kissed the top of her head. “What about you? When you were with Scott…was it…”
“Scott, who?” Gillian asked with a laugh.
Ryan smiled too.
“You think we did the right thing?” Gillian asked.
“Anything that feels this…amazing…has to be.”
At the time, Ryan had no idea what being married to Gillian would be like. He had been so arrogant and sure of himself. He thought it would be a piece of cake coasting through life married to a wealthy princess.
Ryan had been completely blindsided by his love for Gillian and the love she showed him. Before Gillian, he hadn’t known he was capable of love. He had still been uncertain at Christmas time.
Gillian had given up so much for him. She had abandoned her family and her comfortable home to live in a tiny room with an accused rapist. She had told Ryan over and over again how much she loved him. But her words were nothing compared to her actions. Every time Ryan had needed her, Gillian had been there without him even asking her to be.
Confessing his love to her had not been easy for him. Ryan knew he probably wouldn’t have done it if it hadn’t been for Myrtle’s encouragement. Going back up to their room and taking Gillian in his arms had been the best decision Ryan had ever made.
The promises they had made to each other afterwards had been made with the best of intentions.
“I’m never going to make you mad again,” Gillian promised.
Ryan ran a trail of soft kisses along her arms and then kissed the top of her head as he lay down on the bed.
“You and I, we’re not perfect. We’re no Hayley and Mateo,” he said.
“They’re not perfect. They’re just the way they are like we’re the way we are,” Gillian said.
Ryan nodded. “Well whatever happens, a fight, or whatever, and it probably will,” he said with a laugh. “Maybe if we’re just a little easier on each other.”
“And you won’t run away?” Gillian asked.
Ryan shook his head.
But he had run away. The going had gotten tough and he had left as fast as he could. He had deserted Gillian and their love and their chance at happiness.
He had been a fool.
Despite everything, Gillian still hadn’t given up on him. Ryan’s mind drifted to the opening night at SOS. Hayley had thrown them together for the first dance, and he had gotten to hold Gillian in his arms again. Having her body pressed against his and staring into her eyes had made everything right with the world. Ryan knew he couldn’t let Gillian go. He had been prepared to tell her that too. The passionate kiss in the alley had confirmed that for him.
“I know I am not supposed to do that,” Gillian had said.
Then she had hit him with the news that she was planning on filing for divorce. It had hit him like a ton of bricks. He knew then that his princess was gone and there wasn’t anything he could do to change that.
Until tonight, Ryan thought as he squinted to see through the rain. Even discussing divorce hadn’t prepared him for the possibility that Gillian would be out of his life forever.
Ryan glanced at the letter lying on the seat beside him and prayed it wasn’t too late. He had to get to Gillian.
* * * * *
Gillian Andrassy Lavery waited anxiously for the pilot to tell her the flight was taking off. Dimitri had been kind enough to loan her his private jet for the flight back to Hungary. Gillian wanted to get going before she did something stupid like call Ryan. It was very tempting since the pay phone was only a few feet away.
“I cannot call Ryan,” Gillian told herself firmly. She didn’t realize she had spoken out loud, and she ignored the curious stares from the people around her.
She had wanted to see him one more time, even if it was only a brief glimpse. But she couldn’t put herself through that. She had to cut all ties to Ryan and to Pine Valley. The sooner she got on the plane, the sooner she would be able to do that.
“Mrs. Lavery?”
“Yes?” Gillian quickly turned to face the pilot. He was a small man and she towered over him in her high heels.
“The storm is slowing down, Mrs. Lavery. We’ve been cleared for take off in twenty minutes,” he explained.
Gillian expected to feel relieved, but instead a wave of sadness rushed over her. This was it. Once she stepped onto that plane, she would never see Ryan again.
“Thank you,” she managed to mutter. The tears began welling up, but Gillian refused to let them fall. She was going to be strong. She had to be strong.
The pilot picked up her luggage and carried it towards the gate. With a heavy heart, Gillian started to follow.
“Gillian!”
The sound of Ryan’s voice had her turning around in a split second. She would have thought she was imagining it or it was some kind of wistful thinking. But when she turned around, Ryan was rushing towards her, dripping wet from running through the rain.
He stopped a few feet away and just stared at her. Gillian’s eyes locked with his and for a brief moment, they were the only two people on earth.
“Ryan,” Gillian muttered, he voice barely above a whisper.
