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Corey greeted us with a big smile when we stepped out of the stuffy office. Funny, it hadn’t been quite that hot when I walked in, but the cool air rushing over me now was a relief.
“Ready? How was it?” What energy he’d lost when we’d walked in, he’d gained back in spades. He was probably confident he didn’t get in trouble since we weren’t kicked out right away.
“It was good,” Rhys answered noncommittally as he swung his arm around Astrid’s shoulders then hooked my neck too.
I grunted, not expecting the movement, or the choking. And after he had me all in my feelings, I was happy for the close contact. I’d never admit it though.
They’d all be bastards and tease me for it.
The entire ride to the airport was filled with hyper chatter from Corey. He must have drunk an energy drink while he waited on us.
I was also feeling hyped up and uncertain after Rhys' declaration. Astrid was probably dying to talk with him, just like I was, but we weren’t about to bombard him with questions in front of Tweedle Dee here.
At the airport, Carter pulled out our luggage and after five more minutes of gushing, he finally got in the car and pulled away.
“Thank fucking God. I thought he’d never leave,” I sighed as I slung my backpack over my shoulder and headed through the glass doors, both Rhys and Astrid on my heels.
“Okay,” Astrid pulled Rhys over to the side of the doors. We huddled together out of the way. It was Sunday afternoon, heading into the evening and a prime time at the airport. Still, the cluster of people racing in all different directions and the high level of combined sounds created an isolated bubble for us.
The corner of Rhys’ mouth started to tip up as he brushed his thumb over Astrid’s cheek. It didn’t faze her as she continued with her confused outrage. “What the hell was that? You can’t turn it down. This is exactly what you’ve waited for. At least see what offer comes from DU.”
Her cheeks flamed and her eyes burned.
Immediately, I forgot all the things I wanted to say to Rhys with Astrid looking so kissable. Rhys beat me to it, dropping a kiss to her pouting lips.
“Baby, I will follow my dreams. But not at the cost of losing the only family I ever wanted for myself. Because our family is a dream too, maybe even the most important one.”
She melted and, I wasn’t ashamed to say, I did too.
Well, then. I couldn’t argue with that. In fact, as much as I wanted him to succeed, I was happier that he’d rather stay together. Dreams were as fluid as they were brittle. When one dream broke apart, another formed to take its place. And sometimes, like what Rhys just said, the new dream was the dream you didn’t know you needed.
“I say we go home and break the news to Beck and Jonah,” I said through a grin.
For the first time in a while, the smiles we shot each other were filled with a fragile hope I hadn’t felt from all of us in too long.
Ibounced around on the balls of my feet after tying my shoes.
This was Astrid. She was already my girl in a way, wasn’t she? So why was I suddenly nervous five ways from Sunday?
The jitters coursing through my body were worse than the first time I had to give a speech in front of the entire school.
I snorted.
That was a horrible comparison. I wasn’t nervous then. I was angry, with a chip on my shoulder. Those rich bastards in the stands looked for every reason to find me less, and I wanted to show them I was more.
More than them.
Better.
Smarter.
Anyway, I digressed.
“Knock, knock.” Beck popped his head in and rapped on the door with each word. The grin he sported was both irritating and indulgent.
“Yes?” I quirked a brow and stopped my fidgeting.
“Is there a reason you’re seizing and snorting in here by yourself?” He asked through a laugh.
