I Love You Today by Julie Navickas

Author:Julie Navickas
Language: eng
Format: epub
Tags: Opposites Attract, Second Chance Romance, Baseball, Chicago, Chicago Cubs, Chicago Baseball, Friends to Lovers
Publisher: Inkspell Publishing
Published: 2022-11-08T00:00:00+00:00

Chapter FIFTEEN

Austin

“Do you want a coffee?” Casey dropped her neon-pink bag onto an empty stretch of faux leather seats at gate 3B.

“Umm, yeah. Thanks.” Austin dumped his stuff on the floor and settled into the block of seats. Through the smeary window, his gaze sought the empty tarmac, the minutes ticking away as their flight to California loomed. With a sigh, he yanked his computer from his bag and opened it across his lap. The device powered to life as his stomach twisted, each knot tightening in his chest.

“Okay, be right back,” she announced and marched away.

His eyes followed her through the crowd, a smile spreading across his lips as she stumbled where the carpet met the tile of the walkway. Casey disappeared into the sea of hurried passengers, her flip-flops slapping away across the floor.

Austin released a heavy exhale, rubbing the muscles in his neck. His heart hadn’t quite repaired from the blowout fight they shared a week prior, their relationship strained and tested for the first time. I owe you an apology, Cinderella... He shook his head and dropped his gaze back to his computer, focusing on the spinning pinwheel as the airport’s crappy wi-fi network appeared.

You called me on the very thing I hate most about myself, Casey girl. And none of it is fair to you.

“Dammit, Mavis,” he muttered as the internet connected. His eyes closed as he dropped back in his seat to allow the memories of last year to flood his brain. Her voice reverberated in his soul, her admission of love squeezing the air from his lungs. “You loved me back,” he whispered, dragging his hands along his cheeks. “You really did...” A moment of epiphany rippled through his body. I watched you struggle, Mavs, torn between me and Josh. He snorted, realization gripping his heartstrings. And now here I am in the same struggle. You or Casey?

The day he moved to Chicago rebounded in his memory as he turned again to stare out the window. The plane pulled up to the gate as a smile tugged at his lips, the recall of Casey crashing into his battered heart, unknowingly helping him navigate his conflicted sense of self. He hung his head. “You deserve better, Casey girl...”

I owe you something better.

Blowing out a breath, Austin opened the mayor of Chicago’s webpage, Casey’s information pre-populating into each box. His heart lurched as he reviewed the materials he’d secretly pieced together for her over the last week, praying she’d change her mind before the deadline to apply.

Her butt hit the chair beside him, the scent of fresh coffee wafting to his nose.

“Here you go.” She pushed the coffee into his hands.

“Thanks, Case,” he murmured, angling his laptop away. He leaned over and pressed his lips to her forehead as a field of invisible lilacs overpowered the coffee and stale air of the airport.

“I’m sorry,” he whispered.

She shook her head as her free hand squeezed his knee. “Don’t, Austin...” A frown tugged at her lips. “Come on, we already talked about all this.

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