Page 57 of The Flight Risk

He pulls down the collar of the jersey and kisses my bare collarbone. My heart is pounding. “I’m so in love with you, Tess,” he says earnestly, without any semblance of doubt.

The unadulterated joy I feel is overwhelming. The fact that I can have more of these moments with Oakley is both exhilarating and fear-inducing all at once. I’ve never felt safer or more vulnerable in his arms.

I fall into his bare chest and his fingers skate across my back. I shiver from his touch and a low laugh rumbles through him.

“Did this fulfill your jersey fantasy?” I say jokingly.

He wraps his strong arms around me and holds me tightly. “This is better than a fantasy, because it’s real. You’re real and I never want to let you go.”

32

“Is that your mom, sweetie?” I ask a little girl standing next to me in the pick-up line. My phone buzzes. I close the door to the girl’s car and when I look at my screen, I see it’s my apartment complex calling.

I turn to my coworker. “Hey, I need to take this call. Do you mind covering my spot?”

“Sure!”

“Thanks!” I step to the side and swipe to answer: “Hello, this is Tess.”

“Hi, Tess! I just wanted to let you know that your apartment is ready! Everything has been fixed so you can move back in. Effective immediately.”

“Oh, that’s…that’s…” I struggle for the words. “...great.” How can such a positive word feel like acid rolling off my tongue? This should be good news. My apartment is ready for me and Lottie to move back in. We’ll be out of Oakley’s hair for good. “Thank you for letting me know.”

“No problem. Have a great rest of your day and I’m sorry again for this taking so long to resolve. I’m sure you’ll be glad to be back home.”

“Sure. Glad.” I hang up and continue with the rest of my carpool duties. Ever since we got back from Chicago, there’s been a dark cloud hanging over my head. I have everything I was too scared to want. So why do I feel so unsure and so sad?

Maybe this is a sign that I should move out of Oakley’s house. Maybe things are going too fast. What if it’s all a dream and I’m about to wake up at any moment?

Thirty minutes later, I park in the driveway next to Oakley’s car. Lottie was talking the entire trip home from school, but honestly, everything went in one ear and out the other. I can’t concentrate because I’m dreading breaking the news to Lottie that we have to return to my small one-bedroom apartment. Sans Oakley. They have gotten so close and as much as I love seeing Lottie around a man who isn’t toxic and who doesn’t seem like he’s going to bail, the fact that Oakley may not stay in Dallas long-term makes me want to pull back. Everything just feels a little too perfect with Oakley. I am waiting for the other shoe to inevitably drop.

“Aunt Tess.”

“Hmm?”

“Are you okay? We’ve been home for like two minutes and you’re just sitting here in the driveway. You look like you’re in a daze. Your skin looks really pale, too.”

“Yeah, I’m okay.” I turn off the ignition and step out of the car. Lottie swings her backpack over one shoulder and clutches onto her clarinet case in another. “Look, Lottie, there is something I need to tell you.”

“Okay. Can we go inside first? I desperately need to eat something.” On her way out the door, she glances at me with a concerned expression, “Are you sure you’re okay? You’re acting weirder than normal.”

“Thanks,” I say dryly.

I open the door and Oakley is in the kitchen, finishing the dishes I left in the sink this morning in my rush to get out the door. He throws the dish towel over his broad shoulder. He’s wearing a backwards hat, a long-sleeve Storm shirt rolled up to his elbows (showing off his amazing veiny forearms) and my personal favorite–dark gray joggers. Why does he insist on looking like a snack every time I see him? This is going to make moving out a thousand times harder.

“Hey. How are my favorite girls?”

To think that I have to leave that greeting behind in a matter of days makes me sick to my stomach.

“Good!” Lottie responds spritely.

“Good,” I mimic Lottie’s response. Oakley wraps his arm around my shoulders and kisses my temple. “How was your day?” I ask him.

“It was all right. I had a meeting with my agent to discuss future plans. Still a lot up in the air.” The fact that there still isn’t a set decision made makes me nervous. Plus there’s no point in being the potential CEO for his foundation if he isn’t even going to be here. I feel nauseous and unsteady. Thankfully, Oakley doesn’t register my internal meltdown. “Then I had to report for training after I ran a few more errands.” He squeezes my shoulder and my body melts into his. I fit perfectly against his large frame. He’s so fiercely protective and sweet and flat-out incredible that I wish I could shake a Magic 8 ball and get an accurate, definitive answer about my future. About our future.

Now is the best time to rip off the Band-aid. “Adam, there’s something I need to tell you.”

“What are these?” Lottie asks before I can reveal the news. She’s pointing at a couple of white boxes on the coffee table. Oakley doesn’t say a word. His goofy smile deepens his dimples and the creases next to his eyes.