Read Online Minnie Chase Makes a Mistake by Helen MacArthur - Free Book Online
Authors: Helen MacArthur
Tags: Romance, Literature & Fiction, Contemporary, Contemporary Fiction, Contemporary Women, Women's Fiction, Inspirational
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Minnie experienced a rush of inseparable emotions when the plane finally stopped moving. She was ecstatic to be back on the ground again but also felt utterly terrified about what was ahead of her. Then there was the feeling of complete helplessness as it hit home that she was about to try to find someone who clearly didn’t want to be found.
Once off the plane she found that she stuck close to Jackson. She observed that he reclaimed his smile along with his luggage at the airport carousel. Minnie suspected the man had record high serotonin levels. He discovers his girlfriend has been cheating on him and his career could be on the rocks but those shoulders seemed able to bear the weight of the world.
Minnie began to feel panic mounting inside her. It was the middle of the afternoon and she was in San Francisco airport with nowhere to go. This was a worst-case scenario in her mind: no plan, no structure, and no idea what she was going to do or what was going to happen next.
Luggage collected, Jackson steered Minnie towards the exit where bright yellow taxis waited for a fare. She had turned down his offer of a ride into town. Much as she could use a little help right now, particularly from the happy-go-lucky Jackson, it just seemed too much to ask. She reasoned it might also complicate things. She was certainly feeling fragile but the irrepressible Jackson appeared to be settling into rebound mode.
‘Are you sure you don’t want to take a look at my Dodge Ram?’ Jackson asked, with a picture-of-innocence smile. ‘You might change your mind.’
Minnie responded with an ‘act your age, not your shoe size’ look.
Jackson grinned and placed his hand over his heart. ‘Genuine no-strings-attached offer. I’ll drop you wherever you want to go.’
Minnie could feel the blood drain down to her feet and panic rise up in her throat. She was on the other side of the world with nowhere to go.
Jackson’s eyes narrowed as he appeared to read her mind. ‘ You do have somewhere to go, don’t you?’
Minnie forced herself to nod. She quickly stuck out her hand. ‘It’s been a pleasure to meet you, Jackson.’
Then she felt a sudden, enormous surge of separation anxiety. It had been a talkative and quite draining 11 hours and 14 minutes. She briefly considered clinging onto him, her arms wrapped tightly around his ankles so he couldn’t walk away without her.
He seemed to sense that she was reluctant to leave him.
‘I can call my sisters if you like,’ he said. ‘Or my mom. I know it’s awkward, y’know, you and me… um…we’ve only just met…’
Minnie saved him an explanation.
‘Thank you. I sincerely mean that but I’ll be okay.’ She looked at her watch. ‘I have plenty time to organise a room before bedtime.’
Tempting as it was to beg Jackson for help, she told herself that as she had got herself into this mess it was her mess to sort out. She was 32 not 13 after all. She had a laptop, her smartphone and Internet access. She was at home in cyber-space. She could do this.
Jackson sat down on his suitcase and smiled, sunshine streaking through his bleached-blond hair.
‘No worries. Once you get settled, would you like to have dinner with me? Strictly a welcome-to-San-Francisco dinner. Not a romantic one.’
Minnie had already started to drag her suitcase and hand luggage in the direction of the nearest taxi. She looked back, flustered. ‘I’m…um… thanks. But there is just so much I need to do.’
‘Okay, Minnie Chase,’ he said with an understanding smile and a nonchalant shrug. ‘You have my number.’
Minnie blushed as she remembered her recent encounter with his phone. Not a great moment.
As Minnie was whisked out of San Francisco airport towards the centre of the city, her takeaway memory captured professional surfer Jackson in wraparound sunglasses, sitting on his suitcase, still smiling like a large cat in the sunshine, like he had all the time in
Minnie experienced a rush of inseparable emotions when the plane finally stopped moving. She was ecstatic to be back on the ground again but also felt utterly terrified about what was ahead of her. Then there was the feeling of complete helplessness as it hit home that she was about to try to find someone who clearly didn’t want to be found.
Once off the plane she found that she stuck close to Jackson. She observed that he reclaimed his smile along with his luggage at the airport carousel. Minnie suspected the man had record high serotonin levels. He discovers his girlfriend has been cheating on him and his career could be on the rocks but those shoulders seemed able to bear the weight of the world.
Minnie began to feel panic mounting inside her. It was the middle of the afternoon and she was in San Francisco airport with nowhere to go. This was a worst-case scenario in her mind: no plan, no structure, and no idea what she was going to do or what was going to happen next.
Luggage collected, Jackson steered Minnie towards the exit where bright yellow taxis waited for a fare. She had turned down his offer of a ride into town. Much as she could use a little help right now, particularly from the happy-go-lucky Jackson, it just seemed too much to ask. She reasoned it might also complicate things. She was certainly feeling fragile but the irrepressible Jackson appeared to be settling into rebound mode.
‘Are you sure you don’t want to take a look at my Dodge Ram?’ Jackson asked, with a picture-of-innocence smile. ‘You might change your mind.’
Minnie responded with an ‘act your age, not your shoe size’ look.
Jackson grinned and placed his hand over his heart. ‘Genuine no-strings-attached offer. I’ll drop you wherever you want to go.’
Minnie could feel the blood drain down to her feet and panic rise up in her throat. She was on the other side of the world with nowhere to go.
Jackson’s eyes narrowed as he appeared to read her mind. ‘ You do have somewhere to go, don’t you?’
Minnie forced herself to nod. She quickly stuck out her hand. ‘It’s been a pleasure to meet you, Jackson.’
Then she felt a sudden, enormous surge of separation anxiety. It had been a talkative and quite draining 11 hours and 14 minutes. She briefly considered clinging onto him, her arms wrapped tightly around his ankles so he couldn’t walk away without her.
He seemed to sense that she was reluctant to leave him.
‘I can call my sisters if you like,’ he said. ‘Or my mom. I know it’s awkward, y’know, you and me… um…we’ve only just met…’
Minnie saved him an explanation.
‘Thank you. I sincerely mean that but I’ll be okay.’ She looked at her watch. ‘I have plenty time to organise a room before bedtime.’
Tempting as it was to beg Jackson for help, she told herself that as she had got herself into this mess it was her mess to sort out. She was 32 not 13 after all. She had a laptop, her smartphone and Internet access. She was at home in cyber-space. She could do this.
Jackson sat down on his suitcase and smiled, sunshine streaking through his bleached-blond hair.
‘No worries. Once you get settled, would you like to have dinner with me? Strictly a welcome-to-San-Francisco dinner. Not a romantic one.’
Minnie had already started to drag her suitcase and hand luggage in the direction of the nearest taxi. She looked back, flustered. ‘I’m…um… thanks. But there is just so much I need to do.’
‘Okay, Minnie Chase,’ he said with an understanding smile and a nonchalant shrug. ‘You have my number.’
Minnie blushed as she remembered her recent encounter with his phone. Not a great moment.
As Minnie was whisked out of San Francisco airport towards the centre of the city, her takeaway memory captured professional surfer Jackson in wraparound sunglasses, sitting on his suitcase, still smiling like a large cat in the sunshine, like he had all the time in
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