AllFreeNovel
Share Us
“I don’t have my bag,” he said.
“What a pity.” Sakura looked up at him. “Maybe you’ll actually go home and let Daphne handle this.”
His jaw set. “I understand you’re angry—”
“You abandoned her. Abandoned both of us, if I’m being blunt. If you’d seen how freaked out she was in the car—” Sakura headed for the door. “Never mind. You obviously don’t care.”
“Hey!” He ran in front of her. “I do care. That’s why I came back.”
“And saved the day?”
“I screwed up,” he said.
“Royally.”
“But I’m going to fix this.”
She headed for a taxi. “Like you fixed it tonight?”
He pulled a face as she climbed into the cab. Then he started around to the other side… just as the taxi rolled forward.
“Hey!” he said. “I need a ride to the train station!”
“Then get it yourself,” she called out the window. “Better hurry!”
The chance of getting a taxi in time was nil, but Chris lucked out and got a rideshare. He then promised the driver fifty bucks cash if she could get him to the train station in twenty minutes. She made it in twenty-four, but the train was still in the station, so he handed her the money and ran.
In the movies, running for a train was easy, especially if you were running to catch it before the love of your life left forever. The train was right there on the tracks, and you ran straight to it. In reality, especially in a big city, the process was somewhat more complicated. He had to race into the station and then out again, ignoring someone who shouted at him that he needed to show his ticket.
He made it to the platform just as the train jerked forward. He shouted “Wait!” aware even as the word left his mouth that it would do no good. The conductor wasn’t conveniently leaning out an open window to overhear him.
Chris ran faster as he scanned for an open door he could swing through. Again, that was Hollywood, not modern trains that probably wouldn’t budge until all the doors were secured.
He could still do this. The train was barely moving. He just had to get someone’s attention.
No, he had to get Daphne’s attention.
She’d be in first class, which was conveniently labeled on the side. It was the car right behind the engine.
Chris bore down and ran faster. Finally he spotted her dark head leaning against the window, as if exhausted. Because she would be exhausted. Because he’d screwed up.
No time for that now. He’d make it up to her, starting with this. Running to catch her train with nothing but the clothes on his back.
Lungs burning, he summoned one last burst of energy, ran full out, leapt at the side of the slow-moving train, and smacked Daphne’s window.
She startled and turned… and he found himself looking into the face of a stranger, her eyes wide with surprise. Then she grinned and waved, as if a random guy had leapt at her window to say hi. Chris motioned frantically that he needed the train to stop. The woman kept smiling and waving… as the train picked up speed and pulled out of the station.
Chris reached the row of rental-car kiosks inside the station. All but one had shut down for the night, and that last one was closing.
“I need a car,” Chris wheezed as he collapsed at the counter. “Rental. I need to rent a car.”
“We’re closed, son.”
“Please. I have to catch that train.”
That made the man pause, and Chris pushed on. “My girlfriend is on it. I was supposed to be—I have a ticket.” He waved the electronic ticket on his phone. “But I didn’t get here in time. We had a fight, and now she’s leaving.” Technically true. “It’s all my fault.” Definitely true.
The man eased back, eyeing Chris head to toe. “Caught you stepping out on her.”
