"Thanks for helping me." Jo kissed her boyfriend on the lips before grabbing the handle on her black wheeled suitcase.
"Of course," Kendall replied. "Let me get that." He reached for the suitcase but his hand was swatted away by Jo's. "I'm the boyfriend. I carry the heavy things."
"And I'm not a damsel in distress. I can handle it. Here, you carry my purse." She nodded her head toward the bag on the bed.
"Aw," Kendall whined grabbing the bag and following Jo out of the room. When they reached the stairs he made for the suitcase and practically pushed the purse in Jo's arms. He gave her a gotcha grin as he headed down the steps.
"We're flying in Sunday evening at 10," Camille said hugging Jo. "So, I probably won't see you til Monday, but you'll be filming so best chance will be that evening, but more likely I won't see you til Tuesday."
"I'll call you when I land, well, after I call Kendall."
Jo hugged everyone else, including Katie and Mrs. Knight, but not Carlos. He was back out with his new buddies again. Only Kendall was taking her to the airport.
Pulling out of the driveway, Kendall waved to his next door neighbor.
"Who's that?" Jo asked. Kendall thought he heard a hint of accusation, but he ignored it.
"Paige Godfrey," he replied nonchalantly.
Jo's eyes widened. "The author? You live next door to Paige Godfrey? Why did you not tell me?" She slapped him on the shoulder.
"No accosting the driver!"
"So." Kendall parked the SUV in the loading/unloading zone, climbed out of the driver's seat, pulled Jo's suitcase from the back, and now stood before her.
"So," she repeated.
"This, us, is sort of long distance, but it's nothing we can't work through. I love you, Jo." Kendall wrapped her in a hug. "I think you coming out here was worse than you not coming at all."
"What? Why?" Jo tried pulling away but Kendall's grip grew tighter.
"Because now we have to say goodbye again."
"Kendall, you're making me cry!"
Kendall wiped the tears from her left cheek using his thumb.
"Well, um, you're just a plane ride away, just one time zone over, just til the end of December," she said.
"You're saying that to make yourself feel better."
"Yeah," Jo admitted looking down at her feet.
Kendall raised her chin and planted his lips on hers.
"I gotta go." Jo broke away a few seconds later. "This is the last flight to LA for the day and I can't miss it. We're back to filming tomorrow. I'm pretty sure I'd be killed by a producer or something if I didn't show up because I missed my flight."
"So, Jett's feeling better, huh?"
"That's what I was texted this morning."
Kendall looked into her brown eyes wet with unshed tears. He tried blinking away the tears in his own eyes. He had to be a man. He couldn't cry.
"This is stupid." Kendall wiped his eyes. "I mean…"
"I know."
"But, it feels like my heart is breaking."
Jo just nodded. Kendall couldn't look in her eyes any longer. He wanted to, but he knew if he did he would start crying again. Ugh, this was ridiculous! They'd been apart before. When he went on tour, when she moved to New Zealand (though technically they broke up and he had sort of "moved on"), and of course the time that had elapsed from when the guys came to Colorado until Jo's surprising visit this past Wednesday. So, why did this departure hurt so much worse?
Jo stood on tiptoe to kiss Kendall one last time. He relished in the kiss, letting his tongue slip past her slightly parted lips. Oh, how he didn't want this to end.
"But, it has to." Jo pulled away. "I'm sorry, but if I don't go now I'm really going to miss my flight."
"I love you, Jo."
"I love you, too, Kendall."
He watched her roll her suitcase to the door and disappear inside the airport. Then, he let the tears fall.
"OK, Mopey McMoperson," Katie stripped the blanket off Kendall. "This is our last day here and you're not going to spend it lying around the house moping over Jo."
Kendall moaned. On top of pulling his comforters off his bed, Katie had also opened the blinds to let the bright sun stream into his room.
"Up, up, up. Mom, Camille, and I leave this evening."
Reluctantly, Kendall sat up.
"Hey, you're worse than Mom, Baby Sis!"
"Yeah, well, I'd rather look at something other than you moaning and groaning on the couch like you did yesterday."
"Not hungry," Kendall said as his mom placed a bowl of cereal in front of her son. The rest of the guys and girls had gotten their own breakfast but he had sat there staring at nothing for the past fifteen minutes.
"Not this again," Logan muttered. Camille nudged him.
"You'll feel better if you eat something. C'mon, your sister wants to check out the mountains. You'll need your energy," his mother encouraged him.
"I'm not spending the day watching you lie around moping over Jo," Katie said over a mouthful of her own cereal. "There's Aspen and Williams Mountain looks to be the next closest according to the map." Katie pointed to spots on the paper map she had unfolded in front of her. James pointed to a spot and Carlos nodded. At what, Kendall didn't know and didn't care to ask.
"I'm sorry. I just don't have the appetite. I'll go with you to either mountain but I just don't have the appetite to eat anything. We can go hiking, but the ski resorts are closed. "
"You're not sick, are you?" Mrs. Knight put a hand to his forehead at the same time as Katie exclaiming she didn't want to ski.
"Yes, he is," James spoke up. "He's heartsick."
"He misses Jo," Carlos added like anyone needed clarification.
"Kendall and Jo sitting in a tree, k-i-s-s-i-n-g," Katie sang.
"First comes love," James joined in.
"Then comes marriage," Logan joined.
"Then comes Kendall pushing a baby carriage," Carlos helped finish.
"That better not be for a good while," Mrs. Knight added.
After breakfast and everyone getting cleaned up for they were all still in their pajamas at the breakfast table, the group headed out to Snowmass Village. The place was known for its skiing, but the group figured they could find some interesting things to do in the area without snow.
"Jo would like this," Katie said.
"Well, she would!" Kendall exclaimed.
"We know. That's all you've said the entire time we've been here," Logan said.
"I wish she was here to enjoy this."
"Yeah, so do I," muttered Carlos. "Then, we wouldn't have to hear it from you."
The group had been walking around some shops to finish off the day after grabbing a bite to eat. They would be leaving directly from Snowmass to the Aspen Airport. It never failed every window they passed Kendall would say something along the lines of Jo liking it or looking good in it or enjoying it.
"Actually, Jo would just enjoy walking around window shopping like this."
"You really miss her," Camille commented slowing down to walk in step with Kendall.
He nodded slowly. He didn't mean to make it that obvious but she was on his mind all the time. 24/seven, he could say.
"She misses you, too. Hanging out with her, she's not the same. She was almost this bad while you guys were on tour, but I don't know."
"Yeah, I don't know. I missed her on tour, but this is…it's like it grew, you know?"
"I know." Camille stole a glance back at Logan.
Kendall hugged his mom and sister. They were standing outside the airport in much the same place he stood with Jo two days before. Logan had gotten out of the van to give Camille her goodbye kiss. James and Carlos climbed out to help everyone with their luggage.
"Now, you have the list for all the stuff we want you to ship us?" Kendall asked.
"Yes," Mrs. Knight pulled it out of her pocket. "I see someone's added something new."
"Pathetic, Big Brother. You know Mom can't just ship Jo out here for you."
"Worth a shot."
"Honey, why don't you come home with us?" Mrs. Knight said. "I know, I know. You have to impress Griffin and do what he says. I get that. But, I'm sure you'll be okay spending a week back at the Palm Woods."
Return to the Palm Woods? Was that even an option? Gustavo told them not to mess this up. Would spending a week in LA and not Colorado be considered messing this up? Kendall couldn't tell you what went on in Griffin's head so he honestly had no idea.
"If anyone has a problem with it they'll have to deal with me," she added.
"You can come, too, Logan!" Camille squealed.
"But, I have class."
"Seriously?" James and Carlos exclaimed.
"Seriously?" Camille echoed.
"Well…" Logan looked ashamed right up until Camille slapped him.
"Logan Mitchell, am I not more important to you than class?"
"You are, you are!"
Camille grabbed Logan's hand and pulled him toward the airport door. The rest of the group followed.
"We need two tickets to LA please," Camille practically shouted to the lady at the ticket counter. "The next flight, the one leaving in an hour."
The lady typed quickly into her computer.
"I'm sorry; I'm only seeing one ticket available."
"You take it," Logan said to Kendall.
If looks could kill Logan would be dead.
"No, no, I don't mean I don't want to go. I mean, there's only one ticket. Kendall deserves it more than me. I got two extra days with you. Kendall doesn't take classes at the university. I'll FaceTalk you every night."
"Oh, Logie, I know school is very important to you. I'll call you every night." She kissed him on the cheek.
Kendall handed the car keys to Logan and turned to the lady at the counter.
"I'll take it."
Please come down to the lobby. I have a surprise for you. Camille texted as they pulled into the Palm Woods parking lot later that evening. Mrs. Knight parked the car and all four of them climbed out, grabbing their respective bags, Kendall helping the girls with theirs as he had none. They entered the lobby the same time as Jo stepped off the elevator in a pair of pink pajamas and fluffy house slippers. Mrs. Knight pulled Katie away so they wouldn't be a distraction, but they stayed to watch.
"What's the surprise, Camille?" Jo yawned.
Kendall stepped out from behind Camille where he'd been hiding which was odd because he was taller than her and he wasn't crouching down or anything.
"Kendall! What are you doing here?" She threw her arms around him.
"I missed you, so I flew back with Mom, Katie, and Camille."
"I missed you, too. I want to stay here with you, but I gotta get up early. I'm shooting my final scene with Jett tomorrow. Knowing you're in the Palm Woods will help me sleep. The limo's coming to pick me up at 7AM. Would you like to join me?"