Page 149 of All the way home

“I won’t say no,” she whispers, and she doesn’t wait for him to ask, just steps forward.

Lucas wraps his arms around her, just like he always does.

It’s the cold sting of a thousand memories. Years stacked on top of each other. The pulse of tree rings.

“This had to happen, didn’t it?” he asks, the barest whisper.

Rena nods before she steps back. Something slots into place, and she lets out a breath.

It hurts worse than she’d thought it would.

Around them, the terminal is coming to life again. The lights lift, a little, announcements picking up steadily, the chatter rising as operations resume.

Next to her, Lucas makes a soft sound, like he’s been kicked.

Instinctively, Rena follows his gaze.

It’s Vera and Ivy, the couple who got engaged, walking past their gate hand in hand. They both wear enormous smiles.

Rena’s afraid to turn back to Lucas, not wanting to confront whatever she might find on his face.

But she’s not met with the stricken melancholy she’s expecting.

Instead, she’s met with relief. Lucas’s shoulders slump, but his expression registers within Rena, recognition a burning wildfire.

Maybe he’s feeling the same weightlessness she is.

The mic clicking on a second later feels like delightful irony, but at least it gives her something to watch that isn’t Lucas.

“Attention all Air Canada passengers,” the attendant begins, relief flooding her voice. “Flight AC156 to Toronto has been cleared to depart, and we will begin boarding immediately.”

Chapter Forty-Eight

Zach

So Zach wasn’t the only one thinking it.

“It’s your turn,” Zach points out, a shiver working its way up his spine. “Also, I don’t think the bravery point counts anymore, because it’s not a first.”

“Fair point.” Kieran makes no move forward, though, seemingly rooted in place, and Zach realizes: he’s nervous.

And Zach doesn’t even feel awake anymore, really. Like maybe all of this is a dream.

So it takes almost no effort at all to drop the part of him that’s wondering if this is a terrible idea, and he steps forward, taking hold of Kieran’s lapels once more, pivoting, and pushing Kieran back against the wall.

Zach could live forever off the way Kieran is watching him, all intense awe.

“And you said you weren’t brave,” Kieran whispers.

“Full disclosure . . . ” Zach momentarily loses his train of thought as Kieran’s gaze drops down to his mouth. “Full disclosure, I am so tired that I think my impulse control clocked out.”

“I can’t say I mind.” Idly, Kieran reaches out to tug at one of Zach’s hoodie strings, and then—

Kieran’s phone starts to ring.

“No,” Kieran groans, sagging against the wall. “Are you kidding me? Absolutely not.”

But he reaches for it anyway, so Zach lets go of him and steps back, enough that Kieran can get his phone out of his pocket, deciding at the last second to lean against the wall with a hand next to Kieran’s shoulder. As though by simply not moving away, he’ll ensure that this time nothing terrible happens.