The Photos
639 Words
Chapter 7
It started with a tweet at 6:12am.
_EXCLUSIVE: Billionaire Adrian Whitmore on “coffee date” with fired foundation director Lina Reyes. Sources say romance began at Whitmore Gala._
[photo attached]
The photo.
Them. In the bookstore.
Him pushing the coffee toward her. Her laughing.
Taken through the window.
By 7am it was on three news sites.
By 8am Lina’s phone wouldn’t stop buzzing.
She was in the shower when it started.
When she got out, 43 missed calls. Her board. Reporters. Her assistant.
And one text from Adrian. 6:30am.
*A:* _Don’t check the news. I’m coming over._
He was at her door by 8:15. Still in yesterday’s hoodie. Eyes tired.
“They followed us,” he said before she could speak. “From the gala. From the roof. I should’ve known.”
Lina let him in. “I’m on leave. This doesn’t change anything.”
“It changes everything.” He paced her small kitchen. “My family will use this. Your board will use this. They’ll say I manipulated you. That you used me for money.”
Lina crossed her arms. “Did we?”
“No.”
“Then let them talk.”
Adrian stopped. Looked at her. “You don’t get it. When my name is attached to something, it burns. I’ve seen it happen.”
“So what do we do? Hide?”
“I don’t know.” He ran a hand through his hair. “I just don’t want you to get hurt because of me.”
The door buzzer went off.
Then again.
Then pounding.
“Ms. Reyes! Care to comment on the Whitmore scandal?”
“Is it true you were fired?”
Lina looked at Adrian. He looked furious. And scared. For her.
“Back door,” she said. “Now.”
They slipped out, down the fire escape, into an alley that smelled like rain and trash.
Adrian flagged a car. Not his black one. A rideshare.
“Where to?” the driver asked.
Adrian looked at Lina.
She thought about safe places. Her apartment was compromised. His penthouse would be staked out.
“Airport,” she said suddenly.
Adrian blinked. “What?”
“If they want a story, let’s give them one they can’t finish.” She was already pulling up flights on her phone. “Elena’s favorite place. The coast. Two hours away. No press. No board. Just us.”
Adrian stared at her. Then nodded. “Airport.”
In the car, he took her hand. His was cold.
“I’m sorry,” he said.
“For what? For being real with me?”
“For the mess.”
Lina squeezed his hand. “Adrian. The mess started before us. We just walked into it.”
He didn’t let go.
At the airport they bought two one-way tickets with cash. No luggage. Just her, him, and the clothes on their backs.
As they walked to the gate, Lina’s phone buzzed.
*Margaret:* _If you leave the city you’re terminated._
Lina turned her phone off.
On the plane, they sat by the window. No one recognized them.
Adrian leaned his head back. “You’re insane.”
“You love it.”
“I do.”
The plane took off. Below, the city got smaller. The headlines got smaller.
For the first time in days, it was quiet.
Adrian reached over and laced his fingers through hers.
“Thank you,” he said.
“For what?”
“For not running.”
Lina looked out at the clouds. No rain.
“Elena used to say, when it gets loud, go where it’s quiet.” She turned to him. “So that’s what we’re doing.”
Adrian nodded.
And for a few hours, they were just two people on a plane.
No last names. No scandals.
Just breadcrumbs.
- Writer
