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“That’s where you go every three weeks?” I asked.
“Yes.”
I felt guilty for assuming it was something else. “Does your brother or your father ever go visit her?”
“No.”
“Do they know where she is?”
“They do,” he said. “I’m sure they’ve sent things their money can buy. Maybe once or twice they may have snuck in under the guise of a charity event, but...”
“They can’t let the truth get out.”
“Exactly. That can never get out because it would ruin them both,” he said.
“But why haven’t you said anything about it at least?”
“There’s nothing to gain,” he whispered into my ear. “Do you mind if I change the subject?”
I shook my head and he slid his hands underneath my thighs, slowly turning me around until we were face to face. He leaned forward to kiss me—letting his teeth slightly bite my bottom lip, and then he grabbed both my hands.
“I want us to make this work,” he said, looking into my eyes. “I need us to make this work.”
“I said I was willing to give us another chance when we were on the plane.”
“No, no, no...” He shook his head. “You don’t understand what I’m saying.” His eyes were still on mine, looking more vulnerable than I’d ever seen him. “Almost everyone in my life has betrayed me at some point or used me for some type of personal gain. Almost everyone...My father is a goddamn liar and a cheat, my brother is a manipulative hypocrite, my ex-wife is an opportunist and a father-fucker.”
“You on the other hand...” His lips found mine again and he pulled me down against his chest. “You’re my anomaly.”
“What do you mean?”
“Surely after all the crossword puzzles you’ve stolen from me, you know what the word ‘anomaly’ means.”
“I know what the word means, I mean in terms of us.”
“I mean that although I’m sure you’re practically incapable of doing any of the things my family has done, I don’t ever want to have to wake up and read the papers to find out about what lies your spinning, I don’t want to have to worry about you being with someone else, and something tells me no one else would put up with your incessant talking as much as I do, so this relationship would actually be in your best interest as well.”
“One of those clauses was not like the others...”
“I’m aware.” He let out a low laugh. “I just need you to promise to continue being my anomaly. And I’m also just not sure how to say I love you.”
I sucked in a breath, my heart immediately full of butterflies, and his mouth claimed mine with kisses, breaking down any playful resistance, cementing his feelings over my own.
When he finally let me go, I remembered what I needed to talk about tonight. What had changed in my life since we last broke up. “Wait, Jake. I have to tell you something.”
He ignored me, pressing his lips against mine again, slipping his tongue deeper into my mouth.
“No, wait...” I pulled away from him. “It’s really important.”
“Is it bad?”
I hesitated. “It depends on your definition of bad.”
“You know what bad is, Gillian.” He narrowed his eyes at me. “Is it really that bad to where you have to tell me right now, or can it wait?”
“It can wait.”
“Good.” His mouth was on mine again and he pulled me into his lap before standing up with me attached to his waist. “Tonight, I just want to focus on the good, and the fact that I really do love you.”
“If you love me so much, maybe we don’t have to do so much fucking anymore...”
“We’ll always be fucking, Gillian” He smiled, biting my lip before tossing me onto the bed. “That’s the best part of us.”
GATE B38
JAKE
New York (JFK)—-> Tokyo (NRT)
FOR THE FIRST TIME in years, I felt that everything in my life was almost right. That thrilling adrenaline rush I once lived for at every takeoff had now returned, and the fact that I finally had someone who wasn’t out to use or betray me made me feel like I was capable of trusting again.
It’d only been a few days since I made up with Gillian, and I knew we had more work to do to get on the same page—to remain on the same page, but I was actually determined to make this work.
The second I landed in Tokyo, I called Jeff to make sure the flowers I’d ordered yesterday were still set to arrive at her place on Eastern time tomorrow.
“Yes, I placed the flower order, Mr. Weston.” Jeff laughed as he answered the phone. “All eight bouquets. That is what you’re calling about isn’t it?”
“I called to discuss the weather.”
“I thought so.” He laughed again. “I like the way love looks on you, Mr. Weston. You’re far more tolerable this way.”
