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“You know what, Little Hayes, if you’re not careful, I will be sticking my five-inch Louboutin heel straight into your scrotum. I have no interest in hearing your grating voice the entire flight. God, I should have flown commercial. I had a sinking feeling in my gut that you would be on this plane. Listening to a baby scream their head off the entire flight would be more appealing than enduring your tired, old, recycled insults. I would have thought for a college graduate and all, you would be able to come up with something better than I’m a witch so I must have a broom or talking about butts. Really, you’re disappointing me.”
She is on fire and happy to tear into me right now. I don’t want to admit it, but it’s causing a stir in my trousers. But one thing she isn’t anymore is scared. Mission accomplished.Not that I would point that out to her. I like my balls exactly where they’re at, thank you very much.
When we make it to the house, after lugging all of Abigail’s bags from the plane to the car, then the car to the house, everyone seems in good spirits. It’s weird to see Aiden injured and fragile. That’s never a word I would have used to describe him, and I admit, it’s a little unsettling to realize how close Lindsey came to losing him. That girl has endured more than her fair share in the last few months, but she’s handling everything like a trooper. Not that I ever expected anything less from my girl. She’s a fighter through and through, so it only makes sense for her to end up with a man who’s a fighter himself. Who’s worthy of her.
After settling in and getting drinks, I’m enjoying a beer with my brother while he grills steaks for dinner. Reclining in a patio chair and having a view of the pristine water is not a bad way to spend an evening.
“How’s business been?” Donovan asks as he closes the lid on the BBQ.
“Not bad, brother. Still catering to the rich and deviant. How’s the campaign going? Still kissing babies and petting puppies?”
Donovan chuckles as he takes a sip of his drink. “Yup.” He gives me an excited yet slightly apprehensive look. “I have a good feeling about this, Jackson. I really think I have a shot at being elected.”
“I didn’t realize you ever had a doubt.” My brother is nothing if not confident in his abilities to get elected and serve in public office.
“Of course I had doubts. Especially after the shooting. I wasn’t sure if I had it in me to continue. Especially without Kasey. I lost my drive there for a while.”
I remember all too clearly the state he was in after the shooting. I was the one who stayed with him and took care of him. Thank God Kasey found it in her to move past his colossal mistake of being suspicious of her sleeping with him for a story. I’ve never seen my brother happier or more laid back than he is with her. Don’t get me wrong, he’s still the driven man that started his campaign all those months ago, but there’s a peace he has now that was never there before. That’s all Kasey.
I look into the house through the wall of glass and see Abigail talking to Aiden. Seeing her smile at him, giving him her full attention, I wonder if I’ll ever have someone that brings me peace the way Kasey does with Donovan.
Dinner is loud, with everyone talking over everyone else. All of us are excited to be away from the city.
Kasey turns to Abigail with her wineglass in hand. “So, Abs, how was the flight? I know how much you hate flying.” Kasey leans around Abigail and looks at me. “Tell me, Jackson, was she squeezing her seat the entire time?”
I look at Abigail with a small smile playing on my lips, remembering how I distracted her. “I noticed but only for a second. She was too busy giving me the what for to be scared.”
Abigail raises her perfectly sculpted eyebrow in my direction and shakes her head.Busted.
“Honey bunches, I would endure a thousand more flights to be wherever you girls need me. How about a toast to Captain America here for, you know, not getting blown to pieces?” Aiden shakes his head and mumbles something about being British. We all raise our glasses in a chorus of cheers before Aiden leans over and gives Lindsey a light and sweet kiss.
Looking around at the couples in love is making me feel lonelier than I have in a long while. I must be going soft or something because I’ve never wanted to be tied to another person the way they are. The idea never occurred to me that I could be missing out on something. When I look at Abigail, she has a smile on her face, talking with her girls and laughing. She seems so relaxed and happy, but I have to wonder, does she ever feel lonely like this?
Hours later, I’m tossing and turning, trying to get comfortable. Why am I having a hard time relaxing in paradise? I’m not one of those people that can’t sleep in a new bed. If I was, I would have been a zombie in my college days from all the strange beds I crawled out of in the early morning.
“Fuck this,” I mumble as I roll out of bed. If I can’t sleep, I’m going to at least enjoy being awake outside instead of staring at these four walls. I walk into the kitchen and grab some water before making my way to the deck to enjoy the ocean. Stopping at the glass door, I see I’m not the only one that can’t sleep. I open the door and see coppery locks blowing in the breeze.
“Can’t sleep either?” I ask.
Abigail jumps and turns to me with her hand on her chest. “Jesus Christ, you about scared me to death. I wasn’t expecting anyone else to be up,” she says breathlessly.
“Sorry.” I chuckle.
She rolls her eyes. “Mm-hmm. Sure you are.” She turns back to the ocean and takes a deep breath. “It’s so beautiful here. It’s been too long since I’ve taken a vacation.”
I move to the other end of the couch she’s on and take a seat. I don’t know why I didn’t pick one of the four other chairs out here. That’s a lie. I know exactly why.
“It is,” I answer, but I’m not looking at the ocean. Her soft pale skin in her barely there tank top is capturing my attention at the moment. What I wouldn’t do to have her curves pressed against me instead of sitting those few inches from me.
“Hey, thanks for getting me out of my head on the plane. Fuck, I hate flying.” She brings her knees up and rests her chin on top, tilting her head in my direction. She looks so unguarded in this moment with me. Like we’re two people who don’t have a history of constant insults and lost moments.
“Why?” I ask, just wanting to talk to her and keep us like this for a few minutes.
“I read somewhere that most plane crashes happen right after takeoff. I don’t know if it’s true, but ever since, takeoffs and landings freak me the hell out.”
Abigail just gave me an open and honest answer without any thinly veiled insults, which is our normal interaction. I can’t stop staring at her, a little stunned.
“I know, I know, the Wicked Witch is afraid of flying.” She rolls her eyes again, putting words in my mouth that I wasn’t even thinking.
