- 17 minutes ago
Never Again | New Movie 2026 | Up Dating Full 29 Eps
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00:00and said i'm getting engaged don't make this difficult i didn't cry just smiled perfect
00:05timing i'm leaving tomorrow two years later i thought i'd never see him again until i walked
00:10into my new job and found out he was my boss i didn't expect him to be here rowan hail
00:15at the
00:16head of the room the man who just bought our company he looks exactly the same my manager
00:20grabs my arm rin go this is your moment my fingers are cold around my glass she pushes me forward
00:27anyway mr hale this is our head of strategy ivy league top of her class he looks up his eyes
00:34pass over my face pause move on is that so i know what he sees the same girl wrong shoes
00:40wrong zip
00:41code wrong everything go ahead toast mr hale i reach for my glass that won't be necessary his voice
00:48quiet she's allergic to alcohol my chest tightens junior year a party someone shoving drinks at
00:55rowan and me stepping in without thinking one glass my face went red in 30 seconds he tilted my chin
01:00up
01:01almost laughing idiot that's an alcohol allergy you don't drink when i'm not around understood
01:07my manager stares mr hale you two know each other rowan says nothing for years of a secret neither of
01:14us is going to explain it here i smile same university old connection i lift my glass and drink it
01:20down in
01:20one go to you mr hale his jaw tightens just barely i've had five years to build a tolerance the
01:26allergy
01:27isn't the point anymore he looks at me for a moment then turns away wearing can be difficult hope she
01:32hasn't caused you trouble not at all she's one of our best i don't wait for the rest i find
01:38the hallway
01:38i breathe my colleagues materialize out of nowhere how do you know him isn't he engaged to isla
01:44mitchell same school that's all i glance back through the glass doors five years he still
01:49doesn't have to try some things don't change
01:54seven years ago in the fall i met rowan for the first time he came to our small town with
01:58his
01:59father for a development project that same week my father got drunk tore through my school books
02:03and told me i was done with school i ended up sitting on the curb with my books pressed to
02:08my chest
02:08trying not to cry where anyone could see then i looked up and saw a boy at the gate he
02:13was beside a
02:14black car frowning at me like he had no idea what to do with someone like me his shoes were
02:18spotless
02:19he looked impossible in that dusty street like he had stepped out of a different life i looked down
02:23at my own stuffed shoes and tucked them under me i had never seen anyone so beautiful the rich boy
02:28from
02:28every book i had ever borrowed from the library he was real out of pity or kindness or maybe something
02:34in between his father let me stay with the hales so i could finish school i rode with them from
02:38our
02:38small town to the city rowan frowned the entire way he looked annoyed like i was one more problem
02:43someone had dropped into his life he didn't know money could open a door without making you feel
02:47welcome inside on my first day there he tossed a pair of sneakers at me don't track dirt all over
02:52the floor they were pale and pretty and half a size too small i wore them anyway one painful step
02:57at a
02:57time rowan was a star at school smart confident and ridiculously good looking we moved in parallel
03:03same space never touching when our paths crossed
03:08i walked faster he liked the cheer captain islam mercer bright perfect and from the right family
03:14even teachers praised them as the golden couple i stayed in the dorm and only returned to the
03:18hail house during breaks the room beside the staff wing was mine every day i tried to stay invisible
03:23while helping rowan i ran errands did laundry cooked meals i wanted to show value but not get noticed
03:29school was precious i feared angering him and being sent away i felt like a thief peeking at a life
03:34that
03:34wasn't mine rowan had everything looks status family everyone adored him then one day i saw him
03:40sneaking smoke in the attic i caught him watching things he definitely shouldn't have been watching
03:45he wasn't untouchable one time his friends saw me they asked who i was i help around the house
03:50someone stared at me rowan raised his fist get lost he shouted it was the first time i saw him
03:56angry
03:57it wasn't about me isla had left for college overseas rowan was expected to stay behind and become
04:02exactly who his family needed him to be he was miserable that night he stayed in the attic for
04:07a long time i knocked carefully the room was dark he stared at me do you want to kiss me
04:17it was never supposed to be more than once then it was twice then it stopped being counted the
04:22library after midnight his car the roof of the humanities building got he would kiss me in all
04:26those places he changed slowly he asked if i was tired he asked what gifts i wanted sometimes he
04:32would touch my hair and say by the time we went to college we were in the same city without
04:38the
04:38hail house watching us we almazette looked like a normal couple he started bringing me to things
04:43parties dinners i let myself think it meant something then one night his friend pulled him aside and
04:48said loud enough for me to hear man are you actually into her rowan laughed she's easy to be around
04:54i'd miss her
04:57my dad would kill me though i woke from my fantasy no matter how hard i tried i couldn't change
05:03the
05:03truth i wasn't the kind of girl who could step into his world after that i stopped using the gifts
05:08he
05:08gave me he noticed you never wear any of it what do you actually want a gold bracelet he laughed
05:14that's so practical i want something real he thought i was joking he bought it anyway i put it in
05:20the
05:20bottom of my bag under everything else the thing about gold is it holds its value i've learned early
05:25pretty things depreciate pretty things can be taken back gold is different gold you can keep
05:32senior year his family started making calls the right family the right name the right merger i knew
05:38before he said anything the last time i saw him was at his apartment he was in a good mood
05:42that night
05:43after he leaned against the headboard and lit a cigarette i'm getting engaged i was already reaching
05:49for my clothes my hand slowed just for a second i knew isla was back the mercer family had been
05:54bleeding money for years they made the first move don't make this difficult of course i won't be a
06:01problem he came up behind me kissed my cheek that easy i reached past him and slipped the gold
06:07bracelet into my bag i got into stanford i leave next week the room went quiet since when he'd been
06:13busy dinners with his friends nights with isla he hadn't asked about me in months when who said you
06:18could leave i turned around rowan did our arrangement ever require permission something moved across his
06:25face then he laughed short and hard fine good actually four years i was getting bored anyway he
06:30dressed slammed the door i tidied up after him took everything of mine left no trace that was five
06:37years ago two years of grad school three years of building something over 1800 days things expire
06:42things lose value people come and go the bracelet doubled in price then doubled again my phone buzzed
06:48it was a message from my boyfriend joel i took my phone away and waved to my colleagues as i
06:53walked
06:53out at the corner of the hallway a hand grabbed my wrist i was pulled into a dim corridor i
07:00couldn't see
07:01his face but i knew the smell rowan pressed me against the wall faint alcohol on his breath where
07:06are you running he stared at me like he was trying to find something mr hale let go you're drunk
07:11i
07:12couldn't pull free his hand found my waist rowan still so sensitive a low laugh did you think about me
07:19these past five years he was smiling now that smile he pressed a key card into my palm i missed
07:24you one
07:24time i looked up at him same face same certainty five years and he still assumed i'd come if he
07:30reached out i shook my head sorry i've changed my preferences is that right someone new colleague
07:37client what's he worth in his mind that was my ceiling him the highest i could ever reach he used
07:43to say people can't earn beyond their own understanding same logic same world nothing impressive just a few
07:49years younger than mr hale his expression shifted i tucked the key card back into his jacket pocket
07:55it's not that you're not enough rowan i just don't date anyone over 20 anymore something dangerous
08:01crossed his face joel was waiting downstairs engine running heat on the seat was warm when i got in
08:07did you drink he turned to look at me one glass he handed me a cup of hot milk the
08:12mug warm in my hands
08:13i took it and sipped looking down he held my other hand warming it slowly you're freezing it's cold
08:19out there looks like it's going to snow the words were barely out before a horn sounded behind us
08:24short sharp a maybok pressed close to our car the headlights were on full blinding the mirrors
08:29someone tapped on the window i rolled it down rowan was standing outside move please you're in the way
08:35i smirked sure mr hale right away his eyes fell on our joined hands and lingered for a moment boyfriend
08:41huh
08:42i didn't deny it joel leaned over and waved hi sir rowan didn't respond he turned and walked away
08:47that was weird the road's completely clear why did he need us to move i didn't say anything i knew
08:52why rowan was curious he'd always assumed that without him i wouldn't find anything better but
08:57when he saw joel he froze for a second no fame no wealth just young and good looking joel was
09:0319
09:03eight years younger than rowan when i first met him he was a restaurant server
09:08when i first met him he was a restaurant server quiet careful he noticed when i occasionally held
09:14my stomach and would replace my cold water with hot tea from the kitchen i left him a 50 tip
09:19he
09:19froze a little flustered too much you you should give less he stammered i smiled how old are you
09:2719. so young and not in school he looked down i had a sports scholarship
09:33knee injury i had to take a leave i thought about rowan the first time he saw me a girl
09:38crying on the
09:39street someone to pity i recognized the look the story that followed was simple i paid for his
09:44recovery then we became a couple with rowan i had always looked up to him but joel treated me like
09:49an
09:49idol he opened doors handed me hot milk and offered his shoulder when i was down i wasn't sure what
09:54to
09:54do with that at first being looked after not owed anything in return rowan took over the company and
10:00started cutting things apart i'll give him this he was sharp he saw problems no one else had named yet
10:05right after a meeting isla arrived with coffee whispers filled the office
10:11so this is the boss's fiance god she's stunning they look like a magazine spread but soon islam
10:16knocked on my office door didn't expect to see you here she sat down across from me still smiling
10:23i remember you from the hail house you were the scholarship girl right the one his father brought
10:29up from where was it i looked at her didn't answer four years i was away thanks for keeping him
10:34company a small pause in another era maybe that makes you a mistress but i think the modern word
10:40is slut isn't it i let her finish then i smiled your imagination is impressive miss merson when rowan
10:47and i were together you two had already broken up when you came back we were already done that's not
10:52a
10:52triangle that's just a timeline her smile tightened together you were together you're right that's
11:01generous we were sleeping together four years then we weren't she stared though the fact that you went
11:07back to a man who kept a four-year hookup i'd call that its own kind of dedication miss mercer
11:12she stopped recovered well you've certainly changed
11:19you used to barely say a word people grow up you haven't changed much though still walk into rooms like
11:26you own them her face went still she remembered i could tell freshman year my desk being the name
11:32she got the whole floor to call me i remembered too the door opened rowan walked in isla linked her
11:37arm through his immediately i was just catching up with win she's done so well for herself hasn't she
11:43he didn't say anything oh my friend is looking to move companies i sent you her resume last week
11:49i was thinking rin's position would be a good fit for her rowan looked at me briefly the match is
11:53reasonable perfect and rink we go way back right we can find you something with a lighter load sure
12:01whatever you think i kept my face neutral kept my voice even kept everything in
12:07i knocked on his door mr hale i'd like you to consider my record three years in this role
12:13a plus every review cycle he didn't look up miss cole personnel decisions are based on operational fit
12:18the company has its process i didn't push he was covering for isla he wasn't going to consider
12:23my position it was snowing by the time i got downstairs joel was waiting at the entrance
12:28umbrella already open hey he saw me and started forward i was halfway to him when a hand closed
12:33around my wrist rowan he pulled me behind one of the columns out of the light upset i pulled my
12:38arm
12:38back mr howe let go he didn't win your numbers have been strong for three years the regional manager
12:45appointment went out last week you didn't check your email he hadn't moved her friend into my
12:49position he promoted me out of it his eyes moved past my shoulder does he know about us
12:56what's your point he smiled i couldn't read it something between amusement and something else
13:00entirely nothing just remember the detail on the henderson project i need you to stay late
13:06a pause tell your boyfriend not to wait
13:10i texted joel he replied with a thumbs up no questions asked we worked until nine then rowan
13:16said the team should eat together at the table somewhere between the appetizers and the main course
13:20my drink was replaced with juice mr hale you're so careful with rin she can handle herself i've seen
13:27her drink a whole bottle of red to close a client deal rowan set down his fork is that right
13:32he looked
13:32at me showing off he said flatly the table laughed i didn't respond i felt him still watching checking
13:39something like he was trying to figure out how much of me he no longer recognized the snow was still
13:43coming down when we filed out joel hadn't left he was standing under the street light umbrella white
13:48with snow hands in his pockets when i turned rowan was at the top of the steps snow on his
13:54coat is it
13:55just because he's younger a short laugh it's not like you haven't been with someone young before we were
13:59eighteen four years after that we worked rowan i stopped him you ended it you knew exactly what you
14:07were doing so what is this silence snow falling between us quiet and steady i want you back he said
14:15all these years being with you was the easiest thing i've ever had i smiled you're not an option
14:21anymore he looked at me curious almost what does he have that i don't he shows up i said he
14:26listens
14:26he's there when i need him i can give you more than that us the way it used to be
14:31better everything
14:32better i looked at him for a moment then shook my head before i needed what you could offer the
14:37stability the connections the way forward i don't need any of that now do you understand he went very
14:44still like someone had hit him and he hadn't seen it coming so that's what it was you were with
14:49me for
14:50what i could give you what else would it have been love his expression shifted rin you never felt
14:57anything did you i asked wasn't that exactly what you wanted someone easy someone who wouldn't ask
15:04for more than you were willing to give closed around my wrist whatever you want tell me i can
15:09give it to you i looked at him the snow was heavier now coming down fast marry me then i
15:14said he was
15:15quiet of course he was i'm joking rowan i never wanted that some people are born in rome his family
15:23had
15:23been on the printed and money magazines for as long as i could remember his future wife was already
15:28decided by the logic of his world the right name the right background the right everything a girl
15:33from nowhere ohio on a full scholarship that was never going to be me joel was still there i took
15:41his hand it was cold all the way through i'm sorry you waited so long i had time he turned
15:48the heat
15:48up without being asked the car was quiet warm air windows fogging at the edges he didn't ask about
15:53rowan didn't ask why my eyes were red he drove me home came upstairs that night he was gentle and
15:59then he wasn't after he lay on his side with his arms around me i stared at the ceiling joel
16:03doesn't
16:04your team have an overseas training camp the one in the spring yeah apply i'll cover the cost silence
16:10then he pushed himself up his eyes were red baby is this about him his voice was tight are you
16:16asking me
16:17to go it has nothing to do with him we agreed at the start either of us could end it
16:22no hard feelings
16:25rin i actually joel i looked at him gratitude isn't love when you feel like you owe someone
16:31that's not the same thing as wanting them you know that he didn't speak you're young you should be out
16:37there training applying building something not stuck in something that's costing you more than it's giving
16:41i've been happy with you but things at work are changing i'm going to be busy i won't be able
16:46to show
16:46up the way you deserve get your application materials together ask me if you need help he
16:51didn't say anything i turned to look at him he was watching me eyes wet just one word quiet okay
16:59i was ready to submit my resignation just as i stepped into the office eastlaw stormed in the
17:04slot landed before i could react the whole floor went quiet you slept your way up here and you think
17:09you
17:10can take him from me you're nothing you were always nothing if i hadn't left he never would
17:16have looked at you twice crowds gathered whisper spread is that the original girlfriend i always
17:22wondered how wink made regional manager so fast that's why he's not going to throw away his whole
17:28future for her i looked at eastlaw then i hit her back she stumbled hand over her face staring you
17:34hit me
17:35you hit me first i said if a dog bites you you bite back i'm rowan's fiance i'm this company
17:43you're
17:43his fiance not a queen and i signed an employment contract not a deed of ownership she couldn't find the
17:51words the crowd split rowan walked in he saw my face grabbed eastlaw by the arm and pulled her back
17:56what are you doing eastlaw's eyes filled she crumpled to the floor rowan i waited five years
18:04and now you're ending our engagement for her you left that's why we broke up rin had nothing to do
18:11with it you haven't married anyone in five years it's because of her isn't it she looked up at him
18:17shaking but it doesn't matter they'll never let you be with her she'll never be someone you can stand
18:22next to in public rowan didn't respond to that he walked over to me you hurt he reached for my
18:28face
18:28i stepped back mr hale please handle your own affairs if this happens again i'm calling the
18:34police his hand stopped in the air it won't happen again i took the resignation letter out of my bag
18:39and held it out he looked down at it his hand tightened around it rin don't do this over one
18:43incident one incident i almost laughed you let this whole office wonder about us you let her walk in
18:49here and hit me and now i'm the one everyone thinks broke something up it's always been like this
18:54i'm the one who pays his face shifted something like guilt rin i'm sorry i'll have isa apologize
19:00to you personally rodent i cut him off i don't want to see you anymore i turned to go his
19:06hand caught my arm
19:09don't you ask me if i ever felt anything i didn't answer but i do i did his hand was
19:16shaking
19:16i just didn't know it until too late he looked at me after you left i don't know how to
19:22explain it
19:22the apartment felt wrong i couldn't sleep you didn't leave anything behind not one thing
19:28and somehow that made it worse his voice dropped i used to think you would just comfort that anyone
19:34could have filled that space i was wrong it was only ever you give me time i'll sort everything out
19:42we can do this properly in the open i listened until he finished then i pulled my arm free rowan
19:49if i hadn't left five years ago if i'd stayed and kept reaching for you
19:53would you still want me he opened his mouth couldn't answer you wouldn't i said you would have gotten
19:58tired of me you would have stopped seeing me altogether you don't miss me you just can't
20:03stand that i stopped caring you're not used to it something that was always there suddenly out of reach
20:09that's not i lied i said quietly that night on the stairs when you asked if i ever felt anything
20:17i liked you for years so many years i didn't know what to call it i just knew i couldn't
20:22stop
20:23watching you i was like a thief watching you fall for someone else living in a house that wasn't mine
20:29thinking if i had been born into this maybe i could have kept up with you when you first kissed
20:36me i
20:36felt cheap and then i felt something worse grateful like i'd finally gotten to hold something i'd wanted
20:42for so long those four years were the happiest and the most painful of my life i kept telling myself
20:47there there was no future and i kept going back anyway cutting away at something that kept growing back
20:55even after i left i'd wake up in the middle of the night and it would just hurt right here
21:01i never want to feel that again he was quiet his eyes were red rowan love is something i can
21:08take
21:08or leave now it could be anyone but it won't be you he didn't speak i'm sorry don't be i
21:15shook my head
21:15i don't hate you i don't blame you if anything thank you without you i wouldn't have had the chance
21:20to
21:20study to become this to get here i looked at him one last time let's not see each other anymore
21:26and please don't reach out again i turned around and walked one step then the next i didn't look
21:35back behind me very quietly i heard i started a company with a few friends quitting my job had
21:41been planned for a while over the years my ambition had grown i was done working for others i wanted
21:46to
21:46build something of my own during my two years abroad i met many talented people we talked for nights
21:51shared ideas and decided to start together on the day we invested i brought half a box of gold bars
21:57to the office rin are you secretly rich did you rob a bank one of them picked up a bar
22:02weighing it in
22:02his hand this is real i smiled but said nothing about where they came from people say diamonds mean
22:07love to me gold was something you could actually hold not long after isla asked to meet this time
22:13she wasn't arrogant rin i'm sorry i lost control last time my family still needs the hell family
22:20i'll be honest a family like theirs won't accept you as his wife but you can still be with him
22:25he can take care of you i won't interfere i almost laughed i won't be with rowan
22:33she looked at me shocked you don't want to marry him is roadie my only option i asked she lowered
22:39her
22:39head after a while a bitter smile on her lips she took a breath but he only wants you now
22:44i was angry
22:46frustrated he used to like me we were fine then i went abroad and you appeared i thought when i
22:52came
22:52back things would go back to how they were but they didn't he never loved me she let out a
22:57small laugh
22:58i was away for four years he never visited me once but when you were at stamford he flew there
23:04every month
23:04my hand tightened you didn't know did you he's been watching you all these years
23:09he even fought his family and took over his mother's business he won't admit it but i know why
23:14he wanted more control more freedom for you he delayed marriage all these years i asked if it was
23:22because of you he denied it but everything was for you she smiled tired hearing this you must feel proud
23:29he cares about you that much i didn't answer the coffee had gone cold so he had loved me in
23:35his own
23:35way but the wound had already healed over the storm was already over showing up with an umbrella now
23:40didn't change the fact that i'd walked through it alone the company was doing well my partners were
23:47all experts in their fields our product gained attention in the market during the second round
23:51of funding i met rowan's father at a conference ten years had passed he looked older streaks of gray at
23:57his temples his position had risen even higher but his eyes were the same sharp assessing after the meeting
24:03he asked to see me you've done well you proved that knowledge can change fate i nodded thank you for
24:08helping me back then he smiled slightly i know about you and rowan i never approved but he's my son
24:13i couldn't
24:14change his mind he pushed a document toward me you can be together i won't interfere except for marriage he
24:21can
24:21give you everything if you have a child they can carry the hail name there will be a family trust
24:26no need he looked surprised men are unreliable money is not you should understand that i stood up i do
24:33like
24:33money i work hard for it but i earn it for freedom not to become someone's attachment i walked out
24:39making
24:39my own money felt good living for myself felt even better rowan kept his promise he never contacted me
24:45again even when our companies crossed paths he sent others instead isla later married into another
24:52family the man was known for scandals her wedding photos were everywhere she looked perfect in them
24:57i realized then being ordinary wasn't so bad on my 30th birthday i received a pair of glass slippers
25:03i didn't throw them away i didn't wear them either they sat in my closet gathering dust later when my
25:08company went public i wore them to ring the bell from a small town to nasdaq from broken shoes to
25:13perfect
25:14words it took me 14 years at 32 the company's value had grown 10 times work became even busier one
25:21night a colleague came to me excited hey ren there's a super handsome athlete downstairs seriously
25:27really handsome then go for it i teased her no chance she sighed placing a photo on my desk he's
25:34here
25:34for you the man in the photo looked young clear eyes a faint smile joel a knock came at the
25:40door he
25:40walked in wearing a professional team jersey broader shoulders now stronger moonlight fell across him
25:45young alive full of energy ring he stopped in front of me and smiled ren long time no see
25:52three years joel looked the same old friends catching up just dinner i'm in the city for a week old
25:59friends
25:59i turned the words over once then smiled back sure my treat the restaurant was downstairs from my office
26:06the server arrived with our food out of habit joel reached for my plate ready to cut my steak for
26:11me
26:11the way he always had i pulled it back i've got it i said he stopped i can do it
26:15myself i'm not
26:16i've been cutting my own steak for years a short silence i know you always could he set his knife
26:22back down on his own side of the table i just wasn't sure if i still had the right to
26:27try dinner was
26:28quieter than i'd expected joel told a few teen jokes i laughed he looked relieved then we went back to
26:33eating joel refilled my water i thanked him we both looked back at our plates it wasn't awkward it was
26:39just the line was there the meal ended the bill came i got to it first next time's on me
26:44sure i said
26:45neither of us said when next time would be the air outside was colder take care you too then i
26:53turned
26:54and walked seven steps maybe eight then fast footsteps behind me i barely started to turn when joel came
26:59around in front of me stopping a few feet away between me and wherever i was going he looked
27:04at me opened his mouth then seemed to decide against whatever he was going to say then he
27:08leaned in and kissed me i went still for a second then i kissed him back after the kiss joel
27:13rested
27:14his forehead against mine and pleaded softly please let me stay this time okay we didn't sleep joel had
27:22energy to spare so did i by the time light started coming through the edge of the curtain it was
27:27almost
27:27morning joel kissed the corner of my mouth voice still rough i'll make breakfast sleep a little
27:33longer i made a sound heard him get up heard the bedroom door close i was most of the way
27:37back to
27:38sleep when the knock came i didn't move joel got it then silence i opened my eyes rowan was standing
27:45in the doorway i didn't know when he'd come in joel was behind him one hand still on the frame
27:50his
27:50expression out of my line of sight rowan's suit was creased like he'd come straight from a flight without
27:55stopping anywhere first he looked at me looked at the marks on my shoulder my neck his eyes went
28:00slowly red he made himself look away then he reached into his pocket took out a small box and walked
28:06over he crouched down beside the bed opened it a ring my grandfather gave his blessing rowan said low
28:12rough at the edges he said i should marry whoever i wanted he looked up at me rin i know
28:17you have every
28:17reason to say no i'm asking anyway marry me no rowan didn't stand up is it because of him not
28:24a
28:24question if i'd come one day earlier rowan i sat up pulled the covers around me you don't go back
28:29and
28:29buy a dress you wanted when you were 18. these past few years i think of joel sometimes i paused
28:36but i
28:37genuinely never thought of you the room was very quiet it's not me you love it's the girl i was
28:42at 18.
28:42the one who had eyes for no one but you who lived under your roof who waited for you to
28:46notice her
28:47who could be happy for days over something you said without thinking his throat moved where did
28:52she go she grew up she left i'm sorry don't be he walked to the door and stopped didn't turn
28:58around
28:58i heard the front door open close joel moved quietly in the kitchen like he was pretending he hadn't heard
29:04any of it i leaned back against the pillow and looked at the ceiling we didn't go anywhere that week
29:08not for lack of plans the plans just kept getting derailed we'd say we were going to that new
29:13brunch place in the morning and not make it out until noon one afternoon he bought groceries and
29:18announced he was cooking then burned the rice on the seventh day i drove him to the airport
29:25he traveled light one large bag one carry-on we walked to the barrier outside security and stopped
29:30the flashes hit more than last time everyone talking at once joel who is she is this the same
29:36woman from before are you too official joel can you give us something i turned instinctively angling
29:42my face away joel didn't he turned toward me instead he took my hand fingers laced through mine
29:47and didn't leave me room to pull back then he kissed me in front of everyone in front of all
29:52of it
29:52unhurried not hiding anything he lifted his head looked at me first then turned toward the cameras
29:57the person i love most he smiled at me picked up his bag walked toward security i stood there for
30:03a moment a reporter moved in can i ask if you two are no comments i said thank you i
30:08turned and
30:09walked i'd walked most of the way back to my car before i noticed the corners of my mouth were
30:13still
30:13up i realized on the second evening the last message was two mornings ago training starting
30:20talk later and then nothing i sat in my office for a moment looking at my phone then i opened
30:25the
30:25flights app the team's training facility was on the east side of the city not hard to find i got
30:30there
30:31in the afternoon a few coaches buses outside staff moving in and out i went to the front
30:35desk and said joel's name the person at the desk paused joel's on leave he said he's not with the
30:41team right now got it thank you you want to leave a number i can pass it along does this
30:45happen often
30:46people coming to find him joel's the most popular guy on the roster a pause he never takes any of
30:52the
30:52numbers though i smiled no need but thank you he shrugged and headed back inside i checked my watch
30:5840 minutes enough time to make it back for the meeting i turned and left when i got to my
31:05building i stopped outside for a second took a breath then pushed the door the lights came on
31:10not because of me roses the whole apartment red ones pink ones on the couch standing on the floor
31:16balloons against the ceiling their ribbons drifting in the draft from the door joel was in the middle of
31:20the room one knee down a small box held open in both hands you're home where were you these past
31:28two
31:28days here he looked at me more serious this time i was going to wait for a better moment until
31:34you
31:34were more used to this until i'd figured out what to say a pause but i couldn't i kept thinking
31:39you
31:40might get on a plane and come find me and then i thought someone who would do that what am
31:44i waiting
31:45for i looked at him how did you know i'd come i didn't i hoped you would i walked over
31:50took the ring
31:51out and put it on myself next time don't take leave without telling me joel stood up awkwardly and
31:57rubbed the back of his neck from now on you'll always know where i am i'll tell you everything
32:04good boy i stood on my toes and kissed him i went first this time
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