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“That’s where you’re wrong,” I say, laughing when her mouth drops open in a silent gasp. “I know you can do anything.”
My alarm goes off at five a.m. so we can check out early enough to both make our flights. Willow grumbles about needing more sleep, so I leave her for a minute, letting her have the extra time while I pack our things. I wore her out on this trip—in more ways than one. I’m surprised she even stirred enough to complain. Not to mention, I felt her tossing and turning last night, but I’m trying not to be worried.
When we arrive at JFK airport, a strange feeling settles in my gut, and it’s more than just having to say goodbye again. I’ve felt that before, but this is different. It’s like something bad is coming and I have no way of stopping it.
Pushing the negativity away, I write it off as my own fears of losing her, and smile, pulling her into a hug. “I’m going to miss you so damn much,” I say, not even bothering to hide my pain.
“You’ve got some phone sex to look forward to,” she replies, bouncing her eyebrows, as I burst out laughing.
“That I do, and it’s going to be amazing. But when can I see you next?”
Willow’s face drops and that old feeling comes back.Why is this so hard?
“I don’t know,” she says, making me frown. “I feel bad leaving Sara, and as the weather cools, we’re going to be getting busier with people visiting the slopes.”
“I know. I’m sorry. I’m asking a lot.”
Willow grabs my hand and intertwines her fingers with mine. “No, you’re not. We will make this work. I just have to think of something.”
I make a note to check out my schedule to see if I can start visiting her, but don’t mention it yet, not wanting to get her hopes up. “We will think of something. It’s not just on you.”I’ll think of something.
Since her flight departs first, I walk her to the gate and wait with her until boarding. But when they call her flight, I’m still not ready to let go, always needing just one more minute.
“Call me when you land in Seattle, and again when you get home,” I say like an overprotective dad, hoping to make her smile. Only it doesn’t work. She’s feeling the same way I am.
“I hate this. Maybe I should sell the business?”
“No!” I blurt out a little too quickly, making her scrunch her nose. “What I mean is that I don’t want you changing your life for me. It’s not forever.” And I couldn’t live with myself if the decision made her unhappy.
Willow’s lips lift into a smile, but it’s not real, and I hate that she’s walking away on a bad note.
“Let’s just talk things through, look at all our options,” I say, hoping to ease her mind. “Right now, you need to board a plane and I need a kiss.”
“Sorry,” she sasses with a fake cringe. “But I have to go.”
She turns to walk away, but I grab her wrist, pulling her back against me until she crashes into my arms. “They can wait.”
I steal a kiss while she pretends to protest, but the second I caress her bottom lip, she stops, relaxing into my arms.
We’re forced to pull apart when we hear the final call, but I don’t let her leave until our lips touch one last time.
“I’ll be seeing you,” she says, walking backward toward the gate, her fingers pressed to her mouth.
“Just try and stop me.” I smile until she’s gone, and then my heart and body sink to the ground.
The flight home feels never ending, but within an hour of landing, I’m thrown back into the thing I call life, forced to once again push everything else from my mind.
I’m struggling with fatigue after practice, but when I see Ryan moping around, I can’t leave it. Not when I know what’s wrong.
“Blakey,” I call out. “You got time for dinner before you head home?”
Several sets of eyes flash my way, including Ryan’s, but I ignore the rest.Yeah yeah, this is new.
Ryan nods as though he’s unable to talk through his shock, and when he’s done getting dressed, he tentatively walks over. “You want to get dinner? Together?” he asks, making me laugh.
“I do. But don’t make this weird.”
“Yeah. Sure. I won’t.”
