Chapter 63

The incessant beeping of my alarm clock jolted me awake at an ungodly hour. I groaned, fumbling to silence the irritating noise. As consciousness slowly seeped in, I remembered why I'd set it so early. California. The trip. Roman.

Ugh.

My phone lit up with a new message from Amelia.

"Hey Jess, slight change of plans. Roman might be delayed. I'll meet you at the hotel. Sorry!"

I stared at the screen, irritation bubbling up inside me. Of course he'd be delayed. Why did I expect anything different from that man?

"No worries," I typed back, though my clenched jaw said otherwise. "See you there."

Grumbling to myself, I dragged my suitcase to the waiting Uber. The streets were eerily quiet as we drove to the airport, the city still slumbering. Part of me wished I was back in bed too, but a bigger part was excited for this getaway – even if it now included an unwanted addition.

The airport was bustling with early morning activity. I checked in, went through security, and found