“That would be creepy,” he said.

“Right. So I wasn’t spying.”

“Curious?”

“Concerned.”

“That’s even better.”

Erin closed her eyes. “Matt—”

“It’s okay, Erin. I get it. I kissed you and you liked it enough to make you think. Which I’m totally good with. I want you thinking about me.”

“You’re pretty sure of yourself.”

“Am I wrong?”

Oh, how she wanted to call him on his words.

Instead she said nothing.

“Exactly,” he concluded. “I just want you to know that I’m thinking about you, too.”

She liked the sound of that . . . much as she hated to admit it.

“Let me take you out.”

“No.” Her response was instant. Autopilot. “I mean. I’m not in a good place right now.” The line was so practiced it started to sound stale, even to her.

After a few seconds of silence, Matt said, “Okay. I won’t push.”

Exactly what she wanted to hear. But why did her chest ache? “Okay.”

“I’m not giving up. I just won’t push.” His words were so light and full of sunshine the pressure in her chest lifted instantly.

“You’re something else.”

“Yeah. I know. And I have to go.”

“Be careful,” she said.

“Erin?”

“Yeah?”

“Nothing. I just like saying your name. I’ll call you later.” And he hung up.

Before she could wake her brain up from the conversation, her phone buzzed.

You’re something else, too.

She stared at the screen. “Oh, Erin, what are you getting yourself into?”

Erin stood beside the doorway by the terminal exit. She was on pickup duty at the airport. Since the place was congested as usual, she opted to park her car instead of driving in circles waiting to get a call from Parker that they were ready at the curbside. Like anytime she went to a public place as big as LAX, she wore a ball cap and sunglasses. Blend in and not be seen. Especially in an airport.

Desmond had traveled a lot. His work demanded it. Or so he’d told her. She assumed he had several affairs he was juggling. Either way, he left town a lot, which gave her time away from him. Just thinking of him had her ducking her head closer to her chest and hiding her eyes, which were no longer safely behind sunglasses, since wearing them indoors made people look closer.

More times than she’d like, she wondered if he hit the women he kept on the side. Surely she wasn’t the only one. If only he’d hit the wrong one and she managed to put him behind bars. Then maybe Erin could have kept her other life.

Much as she tried to push the thoughts from her head, the familiar noise of travelers rushing about an airport sparked many memories, most of which included him.

A man wearing a business suit moved to stand beside her and for a second, she froze. From the corner of her eye she caught a digital tablet bearing the name of a traveler. Only then did she glance over to confirm that the man bore no resemblance to her husband.

Matt didn’t wear a suit. At least she’d never seen him in one.

The thought of him helped her speeding heart slow to a normal pace.

A wave of travelers walked out of the secure area of the airport and forced her to focus. She scanned the crowd, looking for the happy couple. Five minutes went by and they emerged exactly as she’d pictured them. Tan, smiling, and way too relaxed for anyone to miss how they’d spent their holiday.

Parker squealed when she saw her, ran up, and shoved her hand in Erin’s face before saying hello.

The ring was even more beautiful in person. “Well done, Colin,” Erin said to him before opening her arms for a hug from each of them.

“I may have taken a hint.”

“Congratulations.”

Parker was giddy all curled up next to Colin as they walked to baggage claim. “We have so much to do. Nora is already planning an engagement party.” Nora was Colin and Matt’s mom.

“Your life is about to become something you don’t recognize,” Erin told Colin.

“Yeah, I’m starting to sense that.” The smile on his face said he didn’t mind. Erin had been a bridesmaid twice before getting married, and each one of her friends had acted the same as Parker. Their fiancés were just as laid-back. She had no reason to think it would have been different for her. But Erin had been wrong.

“You could have picked us up curbside—hey, you okay?” Parker was standing in front of Erin and saying something she’d missed.

“I’m sorry, yes. What were you saying?”

Parker tilted her head. “Nothing.”

The two of them stood back while Colin reached for one of their bags moving down the carousel.

“How is Matt?” Parker asked.

“That’s a loaded question,” Erin said.

Parker chuckled. “I can’t wait to hear all about it.”

Erin leaned closer, lowered her voice. “Not with Colin in the room. Those two tell more secrets than thirteen-year-old girls at summer camp.”

“Girls’ night.”

“When is that?”

“Thursday. Colin suggested it on the plane. Said I needed wine, chocolate, estrogen, and bridal magazines.”

She watched as Colin found their second bag. “He’s so thoughtful.”

“Yeah. I’m lucky.”

Erin placed an arm over her friend’s shoulders. “He’s the lucky one.”

Colin rolled both bags in front of them. “Are you done talking about me?”

Parker shook her head. “Not even close.”

Their happiness was contagious. “Ready?” she asked.

They turned and headed for the exit, and that’s when she heard it.

Her name.

“Maci?”

It was far away. A woman’s voice. One that wasn’t familiar. Her steps faltered, and it took everything in her not to turn around to see who called her.

“Did you trip on something?” Parker asked.

“Maci? Is that you?” Still far away and behind them. Coming from inside the baggage claim area.

She picked up her pace and wove through the mass of people exiting the airport. The light at the crosswalk was flashing the countdown with only nine seconds left. “We can make it.” And without waiting, she moved into the street and expected Parker and Colin to follow.

She dug her sunglasses out of her purse even though it was dusk and hid behind them as they walked into the parking garage.

“Someone’s in a hurry.”

Erin listened for her name, the one she no longer used, and didn’t let up on her pace. “Sooner we’re on the road, the better.”

“Why?” Parker asked. “Do you have a hot date? Oh my God, you do, don’t you? Are you and Matt going out tonight?”

Now that they were safely in the garage, Erin dared a look behind them.

Nothing. No one followed. Maybe she’d been mistaken.

Maybe someone was calling out to another Maci.

“It’s Tuesday. No one goes on a hot date on a Tuesday.” Erin looked over her shoulder and popped the trunk of the car open with the remote.