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“Good luck with that.” Mia scoffs and winks. “That man has been a bulldog chasing after you, trying to get information since you signed with me. I have no doubt he’ll get what he wants.”
My heartbeat doubles and my core aches. Is that what I really need? Do I want him to take the control from me so I don’t have to make the decision? My stomach swoops in response while my brain stays at a firm no.
We end our night with another drink before going to our separate rooms. I slide into bed alone and my first thought is that I miss Ezra. I’m so fucked.
When the jetlands three days later, my heart races. The airfield remains empty, except for Mia and Jade’s vehicle. For some reason that makes my stomach drop and I feel disappointment run through my veins. I don’t know what I was really expecting. I hadn’t had my phone on; I wasn’t getting any calls or texts. He knew where I was and respected the boundary, without traveling down there when he could have. All I can hope is that Ezra is letting me have my space to clear my head before we sit down and have a reasonable conversation. Telling myself it will be fine, I turn the power on my phone back on. Mia and Jade do the same and we all collectively hold our breaths.
Their phones vibrate a chirp. Jade’s smile and Mia’s blush lets me know their men managed to survive but miss them.
My phone vibrates once and three messages from Kyle appear.
Kyle
Ms. Heart, can you please come back?
Kyle
You poked the bear again, didn’t you?
Kyle
When you get back, let me know, and I can escort you home.
That’s it. My smile fades, and dread fills me. There are no other calls or texts from Ezra.
“What’s wrong, Oce?” Mia asks, and she looks over my shoulder.
“He didn’t reach out to me.”
Jade’s eyes widen. “At all? No calls or anything?”
I shake my head no. “What if I really pushed him away this time? I left without even thinking about how he would take it. I just needed to think.”
“Ocean,” Mia’s calming voice settles over me, “he loves you. Ezra wouldn’t be pushed away by this.”
“What if he leaves me again?” I bite my lip and sniffle back the tears threatening to spill over.
Jade scoffs. “He isn’t leaving, Ocean. The man purposefully leaked your date in order to generate discussion about your relationship. He wants to marry you. He is all in.”
“My guess is you’re in for a few spankings when you get home,” Mia teases and they both laugh.
“Can we go now?” I ask Jade, and she nods. We head over to her vehicle after hugging Mia and promising to go to lunch soon.
Right as I reach for the door handle, another car drives up to the airfield and over to us. I look over and Kyle rolls down the window. “Welcome back, Ms. Heart. I can take you home, if you’re ready.”
I nod and hug Jade. “It will all work out,” she whispers in my ear before slipping into her car.
I climb in the familiar back seat of my car and Kyle takes off. Silence settles between us and guilt starts to eat at me. “I’m sorry, Kyle.”
He glances in his rearview mirror. “It’s all good, Ms. Heart. Just next time, please give me a head’s up. At first I thought something terrible happened to you before Mr. Hamilton was made aware of the Aruba destination.”
“I didn't even think of that. I really am sorry,” I tell him and feel like a terrible person. I could have done a few things differently. “How did you know to come and get me?”
Our eyes connect in the mirror briefly before Kyle looks away. “James made Mr. Hamilton aware when you took off. Thetracker in your phone is designated to ping even if your phone is off.”
“My phone has a tracker?’
“It always has, Ms. Heart,” Kyle adds and hunches down in his seat.
