Noah was putting Jess's suitcases inside the trunk of her SUV. They are using her car because Noah's sports car doesn't have the space for her luggage.
While Noah was putting her suitcase in the trunk, Jess and Luke were saying goodbye to each other like they weren't going to see each other for years instead of a few weeks.
Luke was being overly dramatic with their goodbye.
"Stop acting like you're going to miss me," Jess rolled her eyes. "You have my black card, my car, and my apartment."
"Still, it's not bad to act like I'll miss seeing your pretty face, but I'm sure..." he nodded his head in Noah's direction, "he's going to miss you badly."
They're a bit far from where Noah was and Luke lowered his voice when he said it, hence, Noah had no idea they were talking about him.
"Don't be silly," she tried to not show how much she likes the idea of Noah missing her badly. He doesn't want to give Luke more reason to tease her.
"I didn't drive your car here after work just to see you, you know."
"And what's the other reason for you for taking my car home - it was your fault that I wasn't able to drive home my car. You didn't return my car keys!"
"Tch, stop being coy, you think I didn't know that Noah picked you up from work yesterday?"
Jess blushed. "W-what are you talking about?"
Luke roared with laughter. "I saw that!"
"What?" she pursed her lips in feign anger.
"The glint in your eyes. The one that shows, you got some," he wiggled his eyebrows at Jess who was blushing like a teenager. He wondered what happened for her to act that way. He has no chance to ask because Noah chose that moment to walk towards them.
"All ready to go," he smiled at Luke as his hand snaked around Jess's waist.
"Safe trip. I will wait for Noah at your apartment to return the car keys. I'm going to take full advantage of your car while you're gone."
"I like that car. Be careful with it and thank you," she stepped forward and hugged Luke tightly.
"Oh, please. Take her, Noah. I don't want to cry," he chuckled dryly but his voice was trembling. "I'm not good with goodbyes, just go leave and don't forget to call me once you land."
Luke didn't wait for Jess to answer him, he walked backward to the elevator, waving his hands to Jess and Noah— standing side by side, watching him retreat to the elevator.
They only walked to Jess's car when Luke was inside the elevator.
"I want a call too," he said in a serious tone while fastening her seatbelt.
"Hmmm, I'll think about it." She laughed when Noah wrinkled his eyebrows with want she said.
"Don't try to play games with me, Jess. I'm telling you, if you don't send me the agreed number of messages in a day, on top of the phone call, you will find me on your doorstep the next day."
Jess scrunched up her nose with Noah's threat. She didn't doubt for a moment that he would do exactly what he said if she didn't do what she promised him.
To be honest, his request wasn't very difficult to fulfill. Two text messages in a day, not necessarily an update, just a message from her. And the phone call before she goes to bed.
Not as obsessive at all considering how clingy Noah was. But she knew if he could get his way, he wanted more.
Agreeing to just two messages was his way of compromise with the fact that she hated texting or updating someone with anything.
They were bickering up to the airport. It seems both of them were trying to avoid talking about the fact of them being separated.
When they arrived at the airport, Noah chose to park the car at the long-term parking space for a bit of privacy. He wanted to give Jess a proper goodbye kiss.
He knew Jess would refuse to kiss him the way he wanted to kiss her if they were in a spot where they could be seen inside her car that happened to not have tinted windows.
"Thanks for --"
Jess's words were caught inside her throat as Noah kissed her before she could finish what she was about to say.
But, she didn't get angry with what he did. Instead, her arms snaked around Noah's neck as she kissed him back.
She's definitely going to miss him. And she has a feeling she won't be keeping her promise in regards to the number of text messages she has to send him every day.
The agreed two messages a day would not be followed. She has a feeling she would be sending more messages every day to Noah.
"I will miss you too," she murmured against his lips that didn't want to leave hers.
Noah just kissed her again. He didn't park Jess's car here at the long-term parking lot for them to talk. The reason was to kiss her and if possible, do more. He doesn't care about anything else at the moment, that he didn't stop kissing Jess even when he heard a car park right next to them.
He doesn't want to waste the few minutes he has to spend with Jess with some stranger parking next to them.
Or maybe he should. Because if he did, he would see that it wasn't a stranger who parked next to Jess's car.
The owner of the car was Gareth Llano. One of the team members of the researchers ANAT is sending to India.
He got out of his car with his phone pressed to his ears. He was busy on his phone call to mind other people shamelessly making out in a car at a deserted parking lot. If only he didn't drop his keys and it rolled near to the car with a couple making out at the passenger seat.
He absentmindedly picked up his car keys and when he stood up, he was just outside the window of the SUV, close enouth to see the people inside the car.
He had his phone in his hand and it was easy to snap a photo of them before walking away.