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CHAPTER 30
MONROE
Iwasn’t sure how I’d gotten here. Waiting in the airport to board an airplane for the very first time.
The farthest I’d ever traveled was from Houston to Dallas on that fateful Greyhound trip, and now…here I was…about to fly across the country to Boston.
Growing up, I’d dreamed about what it would be like to travel the world, to have an adventure.
And here I was.
Just another way Lincoln was blowing through all my defenses and making my dreams come true.
Now that I was here, I wasn’t sure why I’d been so against coming in the first place. Oh, right—it was because I used to have a job to worry about.
I pushed the thought away. It had just happened that morning, but Lincoln had bought a ticket for me a few days ago…just in case, he’d said.
I was ecstatic about it now.
I pulled up my ticket again in the app, checking it for the fiftieth time. Lincoln had to explain the whole process for me, because my anxiety had been through the roof thinking about traveling like this alone. Lincoln had to go on the team plane, and I felt like I’d lost my safety blanket.
I also felt like an idiot for how much I didn’t know about...everything. Compared to Lincoln, I'd done nothing. And he didn’t seem to mind at all. In fact...he seemed to…like it. He liked being the one to teach me things. He liked taking care of me. He’d texted me a million times from the team plane so far, making sure I was okay. He'd even ordered my Starbucks for me and had it waiting at pick up because I'd been nervous about stopping and possibly missing the flight because of a long line.
Lincoln seemed to revel in the fact that I’d started to depend on him for everything. It was like he was as addicted to the feeling of being needed as I was to having someone to need.
And I couldn’t deny that there was a certain thrill to it all.
But it also made me feel vulnerable. Like I was at his mercy.
I should be cautious, my brain whispered…but my heart didn’t seem to know better.
I glanced down at the ticket again, and I realized for the first time that he’d put me in first class.
I immediately texted him.
They’re going to kick me out. I don’t belong in first class.
Lincoln: Trust me, you’ll class up the place.
Lincoln: Are you happy?
Only thing that would be better would be if you were here.
Lincoln: I feel the same way, dream girl. I fucking miss you.
They called for first class then, and I immediately jumped from my seat, not because I was trying to beat people on the plane, but because, for some reason, I was afraid it was going to leave without me if I didn’t get on as soon as I was asked.
As I waited in line on the boarding bridge, my heart thudded against my ribcage like a trapped bird. Was the plane going to feel too small…too confining?
Suddenly, the thought of being so high in the air was making my palms sweat. I took a deep breath, trying to steady myself before I had a panic attack without even getting on the plane.
I was greeted with a warm smile from the flight attendant, and then I was walking to my seat through the first-class cabin.
My eyes widened as I took in the luxurious surroundings. Okay, this was nice. The seats were wider and more comfortable than I’d thought they would be, with plush pillows and blankets waiting for me.
As I settled into my seat, I took in the personal TV screen, noise-canceling headphones, and the cozy pair of slippers and an eye mask…just in case I wanted to make use of the fact that the seats actually laid all the way down.
I was feeling very spoiled. And significantly calmer. Especially as the flight attendant came by with freaking champagne.
