- 8 hours ago
Never Again | New Movie 2026 | Up Dating Full 29 Eps
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Short filmTranscript
00:00and said i'm getting engaged don't make this difficult i didn't cry just smiled perfect timing
00:05i'm leaving tomorrow two years later i thought i'd never see him again until i walked into my
00:11new job and found out he was my boss i didn't expect him to be here rowan hale at the
00:16head
00:16of the room the man who just bought our company he looks exactly the same my manager grabs my arm
00:21wren go this is your moment my fingers are cold around my glass she pushes me forward anyway
00:27mr hale this is our head of strategy ivy league top of her class he looks up his eyes pass
00:34over my
00:35face pause move on is that so i know what he sees the same girl wrong shoes wrong zip code
00:41wrong
00:41everything wren go ahead toast mr hale i reach for my glass that won't be necessary his voice quiet
00:49she's allergic to alcohol my chest tightens junior year a party someone shoving drinks at rowan and
00:55me stepping in without thinking one glass my face went red in 30 seconds he tilted my chin up almost
01:01laughing idiot that's an alcohol allergy you don't drink when i'm not around understood my manager
01:08stares mr hale you two know each other rowan says nothing four years of a secret neither of us is
01:14going to explain it here i smile same university old connection i lift my glass and drink it down 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 rank 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
01:5410 years ago in the fall i met rowan for the first time he came to our small town with
01:58his father for
01:59development project that same week my father got drunk tore through my school books and told me i
02:04was done with school i ended up sitting on the curb with my books pressed to my chest trying not
02:09to cry
02:09where anyone could see then i looked up and saw a boy at the gate he was beside a glossy
02:14black car
02:14frowning at me like he had no idea what to do with someone like me his shoes were spotless he
02:19looked
02:19impossible in that dusty street like he had stepped out of a different life i looked down at my own
02:24stuffed shoes and tucked them under me i had never seen anyone so beautiful the rich boy from every book
02:29i had ever borrowed from the library he was real out of pity or kindness or maybe something in between
02:34his father let me stay with the hale so i could finish school i rode with them from our small
02:38town to
02:39the city rowan frowned the entire way he looked annoyed like i was one more problem someone had
02:44dropped into his life he didn't know money could open a door without making you feel welcome inside
02:48on my first day there he tossed a pair of sneakers at me don't track dirt all over the floor
02:52they were
02:53pale and pretty and half a size too small i wore them anyway one painful step at a time rowan
02:58was a
02:58star at school smart confident and ridiculously good looking we moved in parallel same space never
03:04touching when our paths crossed i walked faster he liked the cheer captain islam mercer bright
03:12perfect and from the right family even teachers praised them as the golden couple i stayed in the
03:17dorm and only returned to the hail house during breaks the room beside the staff wing was mine
03:21every day i tried to stay invisible while helping rowan i ran errands did laundry cooked meals i wanted to
03:27show value but not get noticed school was precious i feared angering him and being sent away i felt like
03:33a
03:33thief peeking at a life that wasn't mine rowan had everything looks status family everyone adored him
03:39then one day i saw him sneaking smoke in the attic i caught him watching things he definitely shouldn't
03:44have been watching he wasn't untouchable one time his friends saw me they asked who i was
03:49i help around the house someone stared at me rowan raised his fist get lost he shouted it was the
03:56first
03:56time i saw him angry it wasn't about me isla had left for college overseas rowan was expected to stay
04:01behind and become exactly who his family needed him to be he was miserable that night he stayed in
04:07the attic for a long time i knocked carefully the room was dark he stared at me
04:11it was never supposed to be more than once then it was twice then it stopped being counted the library
04:22after midnight his car the roof of the humanities building dot he would kiss me in all those places
04:27he changed slowly he asked if i was tired he asked what gifts i wanted sometimes he would touch my
04:33hair and say by the time we went to college we were in the same city without the hail house
04:39watching us
04:40we almazette looked like a normal couple he started bringing me to things parties dinners i let myself
04:45think it meant something then one night his friend pulled him aside and said loud enough for me to hear
04:50man are you actually into her rowan laughed she's easy to be around i'd miss her
04:58my 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
05:20it in the bottom of my bag under everything else the thing about gold is it holds its value i've
05:24learned early pretty things depreciate pretty things can be taken back gold is different gold you can
05:30keep senior 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
05:48reaching for my clothes my hand slowed just for a second i knew isla was back the mercer family had
05:54been bleeding money for years they made the first move don't make this difficult of course
06:01i won't be a problem he came up behind me kissed my cheek that easy i reached past him and
06:06slipped the
06:07gold bracelet into my bag i got into stanford i leave next week the room went quiet since when he'd
06:13been
06:13busy dinners with his friends nice with isla he hadn't asked about me in months rin who said you
06:18could leave i turned around rowan did our arrangement ever require permission something moved across
06:25his face 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
06:58i was pulled into a dim corridor i couldn't see his face but i knew the smell
07:02rowan pressed me against the wall faint alcohol on his breath where are you running he stared at me
07:07like he was trying to find something mr hale let go you're drunk i couldn't pull free his hand found
07:13my waist rowan still so sensitive a low laugh did you think about me these past five years he was
07:20smiling now that smile he pressed a key card into my palm i missed you one more time i looked
07:25up at him
07:26same face same certainty five years and he still assumed i'd come if he reached out i shook my head
07:32sorry i've changed my preferences is that right someone new colleague client what's he worth in
07:40his mind that was my ceiling him the highest i could ever reach he used to say people can't earn
07:44beyond their own understanding same logic same world nothing impressive just a few years younger than mr
07:50hale his expression shifted i tucked the key card back into his jacket pocket it's not that you're not
07:56enough rowan i just don't date anyone over 20 anymore something dangerous crossed his face
08:03joel was waiting downstairs engine running heat on the seat was warm when i got in did you drink
08:08he turned to look at me one glass he handed me a cup of hot milk the mug warm in
08:13my hands i took it
08:14and sipped looking down he held my other hand warming it slowly you're freezing it's cold out there looks
08:20like it's going to snow the words were barely out before a horn sounded behind us short sharp a
08:25maybok pressed close to our car the headlights were on full blinding the mirrors someone tapped on the
08:30window i rolled it down rowan was standing outside move please you're in the way i smirked sure mr
08:37hell right away his eyes fell on our joined hands and lingered for a moment boyfriend huh i didn't deny
08:43it
08:43joel leaned over and waved hi sir rowan didn't respond he turned and walked away that was weird the road's
08:49completely clear why did he need us to move i didn't say anything i knew why rowan was curious
08:54he'd always assumed that without him i wouldn't find anything better but when he saw joel he froze
08:59for a second no fame no wealth just young and good-looking joel was 19 eight years younger than
09:04rowan when i first met him he was a restaurant server when i first met him he was a restaurant
09:11server quiet careful he noticed when i occasionally held my stomach and would replace my cold water with
09:16hot tea from the kitchen i left him a 50 tip he froze a little flustered too much you you
09:22should
09:22give less he stammered i smiled how old are you 19 so young and not in school he looked down
09:30i had a
09:31sports scholarship knee injury i had to take a leave i thought about rowan the first time he saw me
09:38a girl
09:38crying on the street someone to pity i recognized the look the story that followed was simple i paid for
09:44his recovery then we became a couple with rowan i had always looked up to him but joel treated me
09:49like an idol he opened doors handed me hot milk and offered his shoulder when i was down i wasn't
09:54sure what to do with that at first being looked after not owed anything in return rowan took over
09:59the company and started cutting things apart i'll give him this he was sharp he saw problems no one
10:04else had named yet right after a meeting isla arrived with coffee whispers filled the office
10:11so this is the boss's fiancee god she's stunning they look like a magazine spread but soon isla knocked
10:16on my office door didn't expect to see you here she sat down across from me still smiling i remember
10:24you from the hail house you were the scholarship girl right the one his father brought up from where
10:30was it i looked at her didn't answer four years i was away thanks for keeping him company a small
10:35pause in another era maybe that makes you a mistress but i think the modern word is slut isn't it
10:41i let
10:42her finish then i smiled your imagination is impressive miss merson when rowan and i were together you two
10:48had already broken up when you came back we were already done that's not a triangle that's just a
10:54timeline her smile tightened together you were together you're right that's generous we were
11:02sleeping together four years then we weren't she stared though the fact that you went back to a man
11:08who kept a four-year hook-uck i'd call that its own kind of dedication ms mercer she stopped we're
11:14covered 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
11:25rooms like you own them her face went still she remembered i could tell freshman year my desk being
11:31the name she got the whole floor to call me i remembered too the door opened rowan walked in
11:36isla linked her arm through his immediately i was just catching up with when she's done so well
11:42for herself hasn't she he didn't say anything oh my friend is looking to move companies i sent you
11:47her resume last week i was thinking rin's position would be a good fit for her rowan looked at me
11:52briefly the match is reasonable perfect and rink we go way back right we can find you something with
11:59a lighter load sure whatever 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
12:12a plus every review cycle he didn't look up miss cole personnel decisions are based on operational
12:18fit the 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 umbrella
12:28already open he saw me and started forward i was halfway to him when a hand closed around my wrist
12:34rowan he pulled me behind one of the columns out of the light upset i pulled my arm back mr
12:39howe let
12:40go he didn't when your numbers have been strong for three years the regional manager appointment
12:45went out last week you didn't check your email he hadn't moved her friend into my position he'd
12:50promoted me out of it his eyes moved past my shoulder does he know about us what's your point
12:57he smiled i couldn't read it something between amusement and something else entirely nothing just
13:02remembered a detail on the henderson project i need you to stay late a pause tell your boyfriend
13:08not to wait i texted joel he replied with a thumbs up no questions asked we worked until nine then
13:15rowan said 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 ren she can handle herself i've seen
13:27or 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
13:43still coming down when we filed out joel hadn't left he was standing under the streetlight umbrella
13:48white with snow hands in his pockets when i turned rowan was at the top of the steps snow on
13:54his
13:54coat is it just because he's younger a short laugh it's not like you haven't been with someone young
13:58before we were 18 four years after that we worked rowan i stopped him you ended it you knew exactly
14:06what you were doing so what is this silence snow falling between us quiet and steady i want you back
14:15he said all these years being with you was the easiest thing i've ever had i smiled you're not an
14:20option anymore he looked at me curious almost what does he have that i don't he shows up i said
14:26he
14:26listens he's there when i need him i can give you more than that us the way it used to
14:31be
14:32better everything better i looked at him for a moment then shook my head before i needed what
14:36you could offer the stability the connections the way forward i don't need any of that now do you
14:42understand he went very still like someone had hit him and he hadn't seen it coming so that's what it
14:48was you were with me for what i could give you what else would it have been love his expression
14:55shifted rin you never felt anything did you i asked wasn't that exactly what you wanted
15:01someone easy someone who wouldn't ask for more than you were willing to give closed around my wrist
15:07whatever you want tell me i can give it to you i looked at him the snow was heavier now
15:11coming down
15:12fast marry me then i said he was quiet of course he was i'm joking rowan i never wanted that
15:21some
15:21people are born in rome his family had been on the printed and money magazines for as long as i
15:26could
15:26remember his future wife was already decided by the logic of his world the right name the right
15:31background the right everything a girl from nowhere ohio on a full scholarship that was never going to be me
15:39joel was still there i took his hand it was cold all the way through i'm sorry you waited so
15:46long
15:46i had time he turned the heat up without being asked the car was quiet warm air windows fogging at
15:52the edges he didn't ask about rowan didn't ask why my eyes were red he drove me home came upstairs
15:57that night he was gentle and then he wasn't after he lay on his side with his arms around me
16:02i stared at
16:03ceiling joel doesn't your team have an overseas training camp the one in the spring yeah apply
16:09i'll cover the cost silence then he pushed himself up his eyes were red baby is this about him his
16:14voice
16:15was tight are you asking me to go it has nothing to do with him we agreed at the start
16:20either of us
16:22could end it no hard feelings rin i actually joel i looked at him gratitude isn't love when you feel
16:31like you owe someone that's not the same thing as wanting them you know that he didn't speak you're
16:36young you should be out there training applying building something not stuck in something that's
16:40costing you more than it's giving i've been happy with you the things at work are changing i'm going
16:45to be busy i won't be able to show up the way you deserve get your application materials together
16:49ask me if you need help he didn't say anything i turned to look at him he was watching me
16:54eyes wet just
16:55one word quiet okay i was ready to submit my resignation just as i stepped into the office
17:03eastlaw stormed in the slot landed before i could react the whole floor went quiet you slept your way
17:08up here and you think you can take him from me you're nothing you were always nothing if i hadn't
17:15left he
17:16never would have looked at you twice crowds gathered whisper spread is that the original girlfriend
17:21i always wondered how wink made regional manager so fast that's why he's not gonna throw away his
17:27whole future for her i looked at eastlaw then i hit her back she stumbled hand over her face staring
17:33you hit me you hit me first i said if a dog bites you you bite back i'm rowan's fiancee
17:42i'm this
17:42company you're his fiancee not a queen and i signed an employment contract not a deed of ownership she
17:50couldn't find the words the crowd split rowan walked in he saw my face grabbed eastlaw by the
17:55arm and pulled her back what are you doing eastlaw's eyes failed she crumpled to the floor
18:02rowan i waited five years and now you're ending our engagement for her you left that's why we broke
18:09up rin had nothing to do with it you haven't married anyone in five years it's because of her isn't
18:15it
18:16she looked up at him shaking but it doesn't matter they'll never let you be with her she'll never be
18:22someone you can stand next to in public rowan didn't respond to that he walked over to me he
18:26reached for my face i stepped back mr hale please handle your own affairs if this happens again i'm
18:33calling the police his hand stopped in the air it won't happen again i took the resignation letter out
18:38of my bag and held it out he looked down at it his hand tightened around it rin don't do
18:43this over
18:43one incident one incident i almost laughed you let this whole office wonder about us you let her
18:49walk in here and hit me and now i'm the one everyone thinks broke something up it's always
18:53been like this i'm the one who pays his face shifted something like guilt rin i'm sorry i'll have isa
19:00apologize to you personally rodent i cut him off i don't want to see you anymore i turned to go
19:05his hand
19:06caught my arm don't you ask me if i ever felt anything i didn't answer but i do i did
19:15his hand
19:15was shaking i just didn't know it until too late he looked at me after you left i don't know
19:21how to
19:22explain it the 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
19:33comfort that anyone could have filled that space i was wrong it was only ever you give me time i'll
19:41sort everything out we can do this properly in the open i listened until he finished then i pulled my
19:47arm free rowan if i hadn't left five years ago if i'd stayed and kept reaching for you would you
19:54still
19:54want me he opened his mouth couldn't answer you wouldn't i said you would have gotten tired of me
19:59you would have stopped seeing me all together you don't miss me you just can't stand that i
20:03stopped caring you're not used to it something that was always there suddenly out of reach that's not
20:13i lied i said quietly that night on the stairs when you asked if i ever felt anything i liked
20:17you for
20:18years so many years i didn't know what to call it i just knew i couldn't stop watching you i
20:24was like
20:24a thief watching you fall for someone else living in a house that wasn't mine thinking
20:30if i had been born into this maybe i could have kept up with you when you first kissed me
20:36i felt
20:36cheap and then i felt something worse grateful like i'd finally gotten to hold something i'd wanted for
20:42so long those four years were the happiest and the most painful of my life i kept telling myself there
20:48there was no future and i kept going back anyway cutting away at something that kept growing back
20:54even 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 or
21:08leave now it could be anyone but it won't be you he didn't speak i'm sorry don't be i shook
21:15my head
21:15i don't hate you i don't blame you if anything thank you without you i wouldn't have had the
21:20chance to study to become this to get here i looked at him one last time let's not see each
21:25other anymore
21:26and please don't reach out again
21:30i turned around and walked one step then the next i didn't look back behind me very quietly i heard
21:38i started a company with a few friends quitting my job had been planned for a while over the years
21:43my ambition had grown i was done working for others i wanted to build something of my own
21:47during my two years abroad i met many talented people we talked for nights shared ideas and decided
21:53to start together on the day we invested i brought half a box of gold bars to the office
21:57rin are you secretly rich did you rob a bank one of them picked up a bar weighing it in
22:03his hand
22:03this is real i smiled but said nothing about where they came from people say diamonds mean love
22:08to 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
22:40head 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 stanford he flew there
23:04every month my hand tightened you didn't know did you he's been watching you all these years he even
23:09fought his family and took over his mother's business he won't admit it but i know why he wanted more
23:15control more freedom for you he delayed marriage all these years i asked if it was because of you he
23:22denied it but everything was for you she smiled tired hearing this you must feel proud he cares
23:30about you that much i didn't answer the coffee had gone cold so he had loved me in his own
23:35way but the
23:36wound had already healed over the storm was already over showing up with an umbrella now didn't change
23:40the fact that i'd walked through it alone the company was doing well my partners were all experts
23:48in their fields our product gained attention in the market during the second round of funding
23:52i met rowan's father at a conference 10 years had passed he looked older streaks of gray at his
23:57temples 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 prove 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
24:14i
24:14couldn't change his mind he pushed a document toward me you can be together i won't interfere
24:19except for marriage he can give you everything if you have a child they can carry the hail name
24:25there will be a family trust no need he looked surprised men are unreliable money is not
24:31you should understand that i stood up i do like money i work hard for it but i earn it
24:35for freedom
24:36not to become someone's attachment i walked out making my own money felt good living for myself felt
24:42even better rowan kept his promise he never contacted me again even when our companies
24:46crossed paths he sent others instead isla later married into another family the man was known for
24:53scandals her wedding photos were everywhere she looked perfect in them i realized then being ordinary
24:59wasn't so bad on my 30th birthday i received a pair of glass slippers i didn't throw them away i
25:04didn't
25:05wear them either they sat in my closet gathering dust later when my company went public i wore them to
25:10ring
25:10the bell from a small town to nasdaq from broken shoes to perfect words it took me 14 years at
25:1632
25:16the company's value had grown 10 times work became even busier one night a colleague came to me excited
25:23hey ren there's a super handsome athlete downstairs seriously really handsome then go for it i teased her
25:31no chance she sighed placing a photo on my desk he's here for you the man in the photo looked
25:36young
25:36clear eyes a faint smile joel a knock came at the door he walked in wearing a professional team jersey
25:42broader shoulders now stronger moonlight fell across him young alive full of energy ring he stopped in
25:48front of me and smiled ren long time no see three years joel looked the same old friends catching up
25:56just dinner i'm in the city for a week old friends i turned the words over once then smiled back
26:02sure my treat the restaurant was downstairs from my office the server arrived with our food out of
26:08habit joel reached for my plate ready to cut my steak for me the way he always had i pulled
26:12it back
26:13i've got it i said he stopped i can do it myself i'm not i've been cutting my own steak
26:18for years
26:18a short silence i know you always could he set his knife back down on his own side of the
26:23table
26:24i just wasn't sure if i still had the right to try dinner was quieter than i'd expected
26:29joel told a few teen jokes i laughed he looked relieved then we went back to eating joel refilled
26:34my water i thanked him we both looked back at our plates it wasn't awkward it was just the line
26:39was
26:40there the meal ended the bill came i got to it first next time's on me sure i said neither
26:46of us
26:46said when next time would be the air outside was colder take care you too then i turned and walked
26:54seven steps maybe eight then fast footsteps behind me i barely started to turn when joel came around
27:00in front of me stopping a few feet away between me and wherever i was going he looked at me
27:04opened
27:05his mouth then seemed to decide against whatever he was going to say then he leaned in and kissed me
27:10i went still for a second then i kissed him back after the kiss joel rested his forehead against mine
27:15and
27:15pleaded softly please let me stay this time okay we didn't sleep joel had energy to spare so did i
27:24by the time light started coming through the edge of the curtain it was almost morning joel kissed the
27:28corner of my mouth voice still rough i'll make breakfast sleep a little longer i made a sound
27:34heard him get up heard the bedroom door close i was most of the way back to sleep when the
27:38knock came
27:39i didn't move joel got it then silence i opened my eyes rowan was standing in the doorway i didn't
27:47know when he'd come in joel was behind him one hand still on the frame his expression out of my
27:51line of
27:52sight rowan's suit was creased like he'd come straight from a flight without stopping anywhere
27:56first he looked at me looked at the marks on my shoulder my neck his eyes went slowly red he
28:01made
28:01himself look away then he reached into his pocket took out a small box and walked over he crouched down
28:07beside the bed opened it a ring my grandfather gave his blessing rowan said low rough at the edges he
28:13said i should marry whoever i wanted he looked up at me rin i know you have every reason to
28:18say no
28:18i'm asking anyway marry me no rowan didn't stand up is it because of him not a question if i'd
28:25come one
28:26day earlier rowan i sat up pulled the covers around me you don't go back and buy a dress you
28:30wanted when
28:30you were 18. these past few years i think of joel sometimes i paused but i genuinely never thought
28:38of you the room was very quiet it's not me you love it's the girl i was at 18. the
28:43one who had
28:43eyes for no one but you who lived under your roof who waited for you to notice her who could
28:47be happy
28:48for days over something you said without thinking his throat moved where did she go she grew up she
28:54left i'm sorry don't be he walked to the door and stopped didn't turn around i heard the front door
28:59open close joel moved quietly in the kitchen like he was pretending he hadn't heard any of it i leaned
29:05back against the pillow and looked at the ceiling we didn't go anywhere that week not for lack of
29:09plans the plans just kept getting derailed we'd say we were going to that new brunch place in the
29:14morning and not make it out until noon one afternoon he bought groceries and announced he was cooking
29:19then burned the rice on the seventh day i drove him to the airport he traveled light one large bag
29:27one carry-on we walked to the barrier outside security and stopped the flashes hit more than
29:32last time everyone talking at once joel who is she is this the same woman from before are you two
29:38official well can you give us something i turned instinctively angling my face away joel didn't he
29:44turned toward me instead he took my hand fingers laced through mine and didn't leave me room to
29:48pull back then he kissed me in front of everyone in front of all of it unhurried not hiding anything
29:54he lifted his head looked at me first then turned toward the cameras the person i love most he smiled
30:00at me picked up his bag walked toward security i stood there for a moment a reporter moved in can
30:05i
30:05ask if you two are no comment i said thank you i turned and walked i'd walked most of the
30:10way back to
30:11my car before i noticed the corners of my mouth were still up i realized on the second evening the
30:18last
30:18message was two mornings ago training starting talk later and then nothing i sat in my office
30:23for a moment looking at my phone then i opened the flights app the team's training facility was on the
30:28east side of the city not hard to find i got there in the afternoon a few coaches buses outside
30:33staff
30:34moving in and out i went to the front desk and said joel's name the person at the desk paused
30:38joel's on
30:39leave he said he's not with the team right now got it thank you you want to leave a number
30:44i can pass it
30:44along does this happen often people coming to find him joel's the most popular guy on the roster a pause
30:51he never takes any of the numbers though i smiled no need but thank you he shrugged and headed back
30:57inside i checked my watch 40 minutes enough time to make it back for the meeting i turned and left
31:04when i got to my building i stopped outside for a second took a breath then pushed the door the
31:09lights
31:09came on not because of me roses the whole apartment red ones pink ones on the couch standing on the
31:15floor balloons against the ceiling their ribbons drifting in the draft from the door joel was in
31:20the middle of the room one knee down a small box held open in both hands you're home where were
31:26you
31:27these past two days here he looked at me more serious this time i was going to wait for a
31:33better
31:33moment until you were more used to this until i'd figured out what to say a pause but i couldn't
31:39i
31:39kept thinking you might get on a plane and come find me and then i thought someone who would do
31:44that
31:44what am i waiting for i looked at him how did you know i'd come i didn't i hoped you
31:49would i walked over
31:50took the ring out and put it on myself next time don't take leave without telling me joel stood up
31:56awkwardly and rubbed the back of his neck from now on you'll always know where i am i'll tell you
32:02everything good boy i stood on my toes and kissed him i went first this time
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