Jilted (closed)

[heartofcourage]

"I think I'm more prepared to tackle a nice hot shower and a warm bed." She said as she took her seat and immediately picked up her knife and fork.

She didn't care if the food was good or not. It filled her belly and made her feel better. She had always had a hearty appetite and liked to explore different cuisines from around the world. Perhaps that was what she could do in Venice. She could eat her way through Italy for the next two weeks. She would gain a few pounds, but it would very much be worth it.

"Where would you suggest eating in Venice? After a good nap and a shower, of course." She asked him, taking a sip from her orange juice.

 

[KiwiD82]

Blythe's appetite was impressive. Logan just watched her for a few short moments as she took to her meal as if it were her last.

He took his first few mouthfuls and considered his response to her question.

"Why don't I show you?" he asked. "My meeting isn't until tomorrow, so I have time. Plus it'll feel good to ensure you get checked in at your hotel in the process."

He took another mouthful of cooked breakfast, then washed it down with some coffee.

"The airport isn't on the island of Venice itself," he continued. "You can have a shower at the airport and then worry about tackling a meal. Sleep should come as late as possible to help you adjust to the time difference."

 

[heartofcourage]

Blythe glanced towards Logan with a mouthful of eggs, slowly swallowing as he told her that he would take her to a place to eat after they grabbed a shower at the airport. She took another sip of orange juice as she thought about letting him lead her around the city. It was charming to think about but surely there were other things that he had wanted to do with his time.

"I suppose I can't dissuade you, can I?" She asked him with a small laugh. "Alright then. I'll get my baggage, shower at the airport, and then you can take me to the best restaurant that Venice has to offer."

The thought of going out to lunch with him had a certain appeal. He was handsome and charming, but most of all, he was friendly and warm. She mostly just needed a friend right then and that was what Logan offered her the most.

 

[KiwiD82]

Logan pretended to choke on his scrambled egg.

"The best restaurant?" he repeated. "I was just going to take you to Starbucks..."

He let out a light chuckle then, before taking another bite of breakfast and moving to reassure Blythe that his comment was in jest.

"I'm going to take you to the finest eatery Venice has to offer that we can get into without a booking. I have somewhere in mind."

Logan wasn't kidding, either. Corte Sconta was a beautiful place to eat and would make a more than satisfactory start to Blythe's holiday.

 

[heartofcourage]

"At this point, I would take a Starbucks." Blythe said back with a slight smile on her lips. "After yesterday, it's pretty much what I'm accustom to. I didn't grow up wealthy so Starbucks is something exotic to me."

She laughed at that thought. Her childhood had been home cooked meals around the dining room table with her parents and her siblings. She had gone to school to become an accountant and she was a good one, but her heart always was with anything culinary. She had missed her calling to go to culinary school and to become a chef.

"Is there a certain dress code? Or can I get away with a pair of jeans?" She asked him as she finished off her pancakes and stacked her plates together, settling back against her seat with her tea to relax.

 

[KiwiD82]

Logan grinned at Blythe's comment about Starbucks. He was enjoying the company of the brunette beauty more and more.

"I fear I may be setting you up to fail, Blythe," he grinned. "After you've enjoyed Venetian cuisine for two weeks, you'll probably never want to go to a Starbucks ever again."

That was his hope, anyway. Her holiday had started in the worst possible way and Logan intended to absolutely spoil her; give her a taste of the very best that Venice could offer.

"As for dress code," he added, "I'm sure you could get away with jeans for lunch. When I take you out for dinner, you'll need to wear something a bit less casual."

If he was willing to be honest with himself, he did find Blythe to be incredibly attractive, but that was secondary to his main motivation: mending a broken heart.

 

[heartofcourage]

"Two weeks of cuisine in Venice will have me crying in my latte when I have to go back home." She commented, giving him a smile as she finished her tea and sat back with a content sigh. "My in-laws were the ones with money. They paid for this whole trip. I was just getting my feet under me in the accounting game, so it'll be ramen noodles and grilled cheese for dinner most of the nights when I get back home."

Perhaps she would find a little house and get out of her apartment. Maybe she would find a company to work for instead of trying to do things on her own. There were so many options in front of her and none of them included Brent. She knew that she was better off without him.

 

[KiwiD82]

Logan smiled lightly as Blythe began to open up. She was clearly becoming more comfortable with him to share some more of her background.

"An accountant?" he replied in a teasing tone. "I highly doubt that - you have a personality!"

He offered a playful wink before continuing.

"Well, I'll be your benefactor while you're here," he said, thinking out loud. "If you'll let me, of course."

The entrepreneur had every intention of following through. He had enough disposable income to comfortably cover it and the less Blythe had to worry about while in Venice, the better.

 

[heartofcourage]

"Yeah, an accountant. I love numbers and it made sense when I was going to college. I love food just about as much, though." She admitted, telling him something that she had never told anyone else. "Numbers won out in the end."

She went quiet for a moment after he told her that he would be her benefactor for the two weeks that she was in Venice. It was nice of him to offer, but she truly felt that she would be taking advantage of him and his hospitality.

"No, I can't let you do that, Logan." She said softly. "I saved my money for this trip and I intend to pay my own way."

 

[KiwiD82]

Logan raised his eyebrows when Blythe mentioned her love for food.

"Accounting certainly sounds like the safer option," he admitted.

He didn't want to expand on what 'safer' really meant: dull. He'd made a living - and a small fortune - based on avoiding 'safer options'.

"If you're a lover of fine food, then Italy is the capital of the world. You'll love it, I promise."

Logan was already thinking of what could be done about this revelation. He had already thought of award winning restaurants to take Blythe to. Perhaps he could secure a kitchen for her to cook in. It was an unusual request, but he was known by many of Venice's restaurateurs...

"How about we take the money situation one step at a time?" he offered. "Let me buy you lunch and we can go from there."

 

[heartofcourage]

"I guess I can agree to that." Blythe said as he told her that he was paying for lunch and they could worry about the rest later. "But I will be paying my way if you take me around the city. You'll find that I'm incredibly stubborn."

She gave him a smile over her tea cup as the attendants cleared away their plates, taking their cups when they were finished and telling them that they would be landing soon. She was ready to put her feet back on solid ground. She could forget that she was in the air, flying to an unknown land, but there was something to be said for getting up and walking to wherever she wanted to go.

 

[KiwiD82]

Logan grinned back at Blythe. Today was already starting off better for her than yesterday had ended - that much was clear. And it pleased Logan to be part of the reason.

"Stubborn I can tolerate," he said, returning her grin. "Just don't waste an opportunity to save money for more ramen noodles and grilled cheese!"

The news that they would soon be landing was gratefully received. Logan was looking forward to stretching his legs, having a shower, and introducing Blythe to what he presumed would be the most exotic location she'd ever visited.

It was certainly more suitable for a memorable holiday than Florida.

As the flight attendants started to hand out steaming hot hand towels to passengers, Logan found himself wondering if - and hoping that - Blythe would want to hold his hand when they landed, just as she had when they took off.

 

[heartofcourage]

Blythe glanced at him and gave him a small smile as he teased her about saving up for ramen noodles and grilled cheese. He didn't know how true that statement was, she thought to herself as she passed her teacup to the attendant and sat back in her seat to prepare for the landing. Her heart was racing just as it had been during take off. She was just as nervous and just as edgy, thinking of all the bad things that might happen as the plan dipped from the sky towards the ground.

 

[KiwiD82]

Logan enjoyed it when Blythe smiled at him. She had a stunning smile.

The pair folded away their tray tables as the seatbelt light came on, indicating an approach to land. Logan remembered what had happened when the plane had taken off and he looked across to see how Blythe was coping.

It only took a quick glance for him to see how nervous she was, and he reached across without asking, taking her hand in his and squeezing hard.

"We'll be fine," he whispered amidst the shuddering of the plane changing altitude. "The pilot has probably done this a thousand times."

 

[heartofcourage]

Blythe looked down as Logan took her hand yet again, a hint of blush coming to her cheeks as he squeezed it tightly. She was acting like a child about this, she thought to herself. He had made dozens of flights and had come through them unscathed. She was acting as if this was her last moment on earth.

"I know. I'm still really nervous though." She admitted softly. "I hope that it gets better or else my flight back home without you is going to be long and arduous."

 

[KiwiD82]

Logan smiled reassuringly at Blythe, adjusting his grip so that their fingers interlocked. Her palm was warm and her skin was soft. Their hands seemed to fit each other perfectly.

"Let's not worry ourselves with the flight home," he grinned. "That's a fortnight away. There's plenty to get excited about in the meantime."

Logan didn't like the idea of Blythe flying home without him, either. They had barely met, but her company was wonderful and he hoped to share it as much as possible while they both still could.

 

[heartofcourage]

Blythe nodded at his words, barely hearing them as the plane started to dip. She let out a sigh, struggling to calm herself as he squeezed her hand and assured her that everything would be alright. She was glad that he was there. Without Logan, she might have been a mess, but with him it was nothing but a little bump on the road as the pilots got the plane firmly on the ground.

She let out the breath that she wasn't aware she was holding, slowly pulling her hand from his own as she turned to look at him. "Thanks again." She murmured softly, glancing around the cabin as people started to pack up their things to get ready to disembark.

 

[KiwiD82]

The landing was gentle and uneventful. Fortunately for Blythe, there was nothing difficult like turbulence or crosswinds on the way down.

Logan could still feel his flying conpanion's hand even after she pulled it away, the soft warmth lingering against his palm. He smiled politely when she thanked him, as if to say it wasn't a problem.

And it wasn't. If anything, it was a pleasure.

He unbuckled his seatbelt and retrieved his laptop bag, then stood as the plane neared the end of its taxiing run.

"I'm going to hazard a guess that you're new to international entry," he spoke warmly and non-judgementally. "Just stick with me as far as the authorities. Then once you're past the passport checks, we can get your luggage."

From there, it would be a simple matter of catching a taxi and making their way to the main island of Venice itself to check in at Blythe's hotel before lunch.

"Buongiorno, Bella," he grinned. "Welcome to Italia."

 

[heartofcourage]

"I've never been out of the country before. My passport is brand new and a blank slate." Blythe admitted, gathering her purse and carry on bag as she glanced towards Logan.

She listened as he explained what they would do next as she powered on her phone. Once the screen lit up, she saw dozens of missed calls and angry texts from Brent. It made her pause for a long moment, a mixture of emotions coming to her face. She didn't know if she had the heart to look through those messages from the man that she had loved so fiercely. In fact, it broke her heart in two to know that he had hated her so much that he left her at the alter for another woman.

Glancing up as she heard Logan speaking again, she forced a slight smile onto her face. It didn't reach her gaze and again she was thinking about simply crawling into bed and sleeping away the next two weeks.

 

[KiwiD82]

Logan noticed Blythe glancing at the screen of her phone and initially didn't pay any mind to it. But once he saw her pained expression - a smile that started at her lips but never reached her eyes - he grew concerned.

"Blythe, is that him?" he asked, his voice laced with worry.

The poor woman looked as though she might cry, which was completely understandable, but he didn't want her to feel embarrassed in front of the other passengers.

That her ex-fiancée would still try to contact her angered Logan. He wrapped an arm around her shoulders, putting down his laptop bag as he did so. Then he extended his free hand.

"Pass it here," he said softly. "I can be your filter."

Logan had every intention for Blythe to enjoy her time in Venice and forget the idiot who left her behind. If that meant getting a new number for her phone, he was more than prepared to get that organised.

 

[heartofcourage]

Blythe nodded as Logan asked if the messages were from her ex. She didn't have the heart to put it into words. She had no idea how Brent had turned so mean and vicious. She had loved him and he had loved her once upon a time. Perhaps love wasn't really a thing that existed in the world any longer.

She glanced up as she felt Logan's arm wrap around her shoulders, his free hand held out for the phone that was being held tightly in her grasp. He was offering to be the buffer between her and Brent. She had just met this man, but already he was offering to do more for her than anyone else in her life.

Slowly, she placed the phone in his hands, simply wanting to be rid of it for the time being. She could call her family from the hotel and let them know that she was there safely. She could call Brent's father and tell him what had been happening during the flight and thank him again for sending her on this trip. Then what? That was as far as her plans went beyond the offered lunch and shower that Logan had mentioned earlier.

"I shouldn't let him bother me, I know." She said softly. "It's hard to think about the man that you loved so much turning into something so vile."

 

[KiwiD82]

Logan took the phone and looked at the screen. He noted Blake's name before slipping the phone into his pocket. He didn't want Blythe answering it if her ex was to call again.

"Don't blame yourself," he said, his arm still around her shoulders. "It's understandable to be upset."

The plane door opened and the first passengers began filing out of the aircraft.

"He's already tried to ruin your future," Logan added. "Don't let him ruin your present, too. I want you to use this holiday to forget him as much as possible."

Squeezing her upper arm, Logan held her for another moment or two before taking his arm away, and opening a gap in one of the aisles for Blythe to step into.

 

[heartofcourage]

Blythe nodded as Logan tried to make her feel better about the situation. She didn't really have the words to put forth that would explain what she was feeling right then. Her chest was heavy, her heart breaking, but she wanted to forget. She wanted to move on in the next two weeks and come out on the other side alright and ready for the future.

She waited until he slid out of the seat, allowing her to slip in front of him with her purse and her carry on in her hands. She moved down the aisle and exited the plane, waiting for Logan to join her before they continued on their way.

She was slightly nervous about getting through customs, but with her passport in hand, she was ready for whatever happened. There should be no problems, but if there were, she had to hope that Logan would help her.

 

[KiwiD82]

Logan followed and caught up with Blythe, her hair still something of a mess and her cocktail dress ruffled from the long flight.

She didn't look worse than any of the other passengers who were in various different stages of disarray. Her rather dishevelled appearance didn't bother Logan in the slightest, but he figured she might feel embarrassed if she saw herself in a mirror, and so he quickly ran his free hand over her hair a few times in an attempt to get it under control.

As they neared the long queues that were forming in front of the customs officers, with passengers from other planes adding to the large number of people, Logan guided Blythe to join him in the shortest line he could find for international travellers.

"Stick with me and we'll get through faster if we say we're traveling together," he said matter-of-factly. "You'll be absolutely fine."

It also meant Logan would be on hand for the beautiful brunette's first time through international customs.

 

[heartofcourage]

Blythe frowned slightly when she felt someone running their hand over her hair. Brent had always played with her hair, telling her that her curls were the best part of her. It startled her for a moment as she turned to look over her shoulder, spotting Logan there trying to make her a little more presentable to the outside world.

She listened as he explained what she needed to do, nodding her agreement as he suggested telling customs that they were traveling together to get through just a little faster. She would agree to anything if it meant getting to her hotel room that much sooner. She wanted to shower. She wanted some food. She wanted some sleep. It was all so close, yet so far away.