The Build Up (91)

Porter put his hands in his pocket, taking a deep breath. “No. From when I saw you on the train, heading to your first day. And the lady with the tiny dog...and the coffee cup...”

I looked at him, totally bewildered. “Say what?”

“I was on the train that morning. My car was at the mechanic’s, remember? The moment I saw you, my heart stopped. Then you were in my office. It was fate.”

I felt faint, as if I was going to do a ballroom style death drop to the floor. “You... You saw me earlier that morning? Why didn’t you say this before?”

Porter shrugged. “I don’t know. I guess I was waiting for a more romantic moment. Like, when I proposed. Or on our fiftieth wedding anniversary.”

The gate agent began her last calls for the final boarding zones. I looked at Porter, panic-stricken. The last of the passengers were slowly making their way onto the plane.

Porter grabbed both my hands. “Ari, I have a ticket for the next flight to Madrid. If you want me, if you love me, I’ll come with you. If you don’t, I’ll turn around and go home with a broken heart and a non-refundable plane ticket. I’ll try to move on with my life, but I’m telling you now, I won’t be able to because my life means nothing without you. Ari, you’re my destiny. Since day one.”

What the entire fuck was happening? When had my life become a rom-com? Was I secretly Queen Latifah?

As Porter held my hands, I felt the prickly heat between his hand and my own. The sensation pulsed through my veins. No. I can’t do this. I let his hands go.

“Did you make partner?” I asked, hesitantly. “I mean, before you quit.”

Porter looked at me, then pinched the bridge of his nose. “No. They gave it to Greer. They were never going to make me a partner. Even if they offered it to me, I wasn’t going to take it.”

Stunned, I put a sympathetic hand against his cheek. Porter gently removed it, kissing my palm, pressing his warm lips into my hand. Tears pricked my eyes.

“Baby, listen to me. All your career you’ve sacrificed yourself. Let someone else sacrifice for once. Just say the word.”

Slowly, I inched my hand away. “I’m sorry, Porter, but I have to go.”

I turned and walked toward the gate agent who was doing last calls for the flight, handing her my boarding pass again. The agent, giving me an annoyed side-eye, took it and swiftly scanned it. As I walked toward the gangway, my feet felt as if they were filling with lead. I tugged my hands on the sides of my skirt. I mean, I was heading to Spain. Without Porter. Was I making a mistake?

I stood frozen, halfway between the airplane and the door to the gate. Late passengers pushed past me as I stood like a statue in a garden.

“Ma’am? Ma’am? Is something wrong?” said the flight attendant, peering at me from the door of the plane. “Do you need assistance?”

“It’s all wrong...” I said out loud to no one. “I got to go...”

I ran back toward the door, lugging my oversized tote bag. I made it to the door just before the agent was closing. I could hear the woman cursing just as I made it back to the terminal. I scanned the gate, looking for Porter over the crowds making their way through the busy airport. I finally found him standing next to the coffee kiosk, scrolling dejectedly on his phone.

I walked behind him, holding my tote close to me. “I mean, I guess my luggage will get there before I will.”

Porter turned around, eyes wide in disbelief. “But... I thought I saw you get on the plane?”

“I got halfway down the ramp and turned around. I sprinted back before they closed the door. The agent was calling out to me, but I didn’t care. You made me run. You know I hate running.”

Porter put his hands on my face, pulling me closer to him. Our lips met and we kissed without regard to the crowds around us. I’d missed his kisses, the warmth of his breath, the fullness of his lips against mine. Porter deepened the kiss, moving his hands to my hips and me into him, where I was fully aware of his erection, growing slowly in the airport. I pulled back, the taste of his lips lingering. Porter let out a satisfied moan.

“You’re stuck with me,” I whispered.

“And I’ll follow you to the moon and back. Or in this case, Madrid.”

Porter kissed me, pushing his body closer to me, and gripping my ass through the fabric of my skirt. The firm grip of his hands made me smile against his lips.

“I’ll pay for the ticket change for both of us,” Porter whispered into my ear, finally coming up for air.

I threw my head back, laughing. “Oh, I know you will, Trust Fund! And it better be first class. I’m not flying to Madrid in coach.”

We kissed again, deeper and with more urgency. We pulled back, desperate for air. Yet, wanted to still drown in each other.

“I love you, Ari.”

I looked into his seafoam eyes. They were pooling with tears. Wetness rolled down my own cheeks. Porter took an index finger, sweeping the tears away.

“And I love you too, PJ. But I have a question?”

“Ask me anything, baby?”

“So, when did you kick Greer in the balls? Before or after you quit?”

Porter smiled. “You know me so well, Mon Coeur. But it was more like a punch to the face. My knuckles are still sore.”

My face slowly crept into a smile as I looked down at Porter’s swollen knuckles. I lifted his hand and kissed the deep purple bruise. “Well, you’ll have to tell me all about it on the flight over to Madrid. In the meantime, let’s get some ice for that hand, Champ.”