Chapter 25
25
FOSTER
Before…
“If we miss our flight, I will push you into traffic.”
Chase chuckles and winks. “I love it when you talk dirty to me.”
I sigh, forehead meeting my arm on top of the airport bar while he orders a final round. We took up residence on the stools, waiting for our connecting flight to London.
Which started boarding five minutes ago.
The bartender stops in front of us, and I raise my head as she pours four shots. I nod a thanks and hand over my card. Chase splits the glasses, sliding two over for me, and he lifts one, elbows on the bar.
“This is it,” he says. “Almost three months ago, we started in London.”
I half-smile. “No better place for us to end.”
He claps his free hand on my shoulder. “We never end, brother. Our trip ends. Your dick’s freedom ends once a sexy little redhead gets her hands on you. School will end. And in ninety-seven years, life ends. But not us.”
I swipe up a shot. “Here’s to ninety-seven more years of you being a freeloader, then.”
We grin at each other and drink, his hand gripping my shoulder tighter.
It took another two days after I drew on his chest in permanent marker for my best friend to come back. But when he did, it was in true Chase fashion. I was on the balcony, playing my guitar, when he appeared and nonchalantly set off a confetti cannon.
“ There’s no place like bro ,” he said. “ Now come get fucked up with me. ”
I let my eyes fall closed, silver foil hearts raining down on me. Then I went and got fucked up with him. Our first stop was a rooftop bar and an apology from him.
“ I was out of line, Foster.” He shook his head, drinking his beer.
“ I just want to understand what happened, man. We were fine, and then we weren’t. You were relentless about the lifeguard and flipped on me about Remi. ” I studied him as he looked at me with regret in his eyes. But I didn’t want his regret. I wanted to finally talk it out with him.
“ I’m sorry for all of it. You weren’t the problem. It was all me. Registering for next semester’s classes hit harder than I expected.”
We’d signed up the day before Halloween, hours after the #TeamFomi chanting and my start as a shit-filled kitten. We grabbed dinner, and then he went out while I worked on my song.
Chase scrubbed a hand over his face. “ We have a year before life comes for us. I’m not like you, Foster. I have nothing waiting for me on the other side.”
I frowned as he continued, “ I kept thinking how little time we had left. How we needed to fit everything in now because we won’t have another chance. Not like this. Not before everything changes. ” His gaze drops to his beer bottle, and he starts peeling the label. “ I took it personally when you stopped coming out. It’s stupid, but I felt like you were already moving on without me. You talking to Remi was something to blame it on and made her an easy target. Then I said that shit about you not having a home.” Chase exhaled, his forehead creasing. “ Hurt people hurt people, but it’s not an excuse. My head was fucked up, and I hate it took me this long to sort it out. ”
I sat forward, bracing my forearms on my thighs. “ I’m glad it’s sorted, so I can tell you what a fucking idiot you are. You have something waiting, Chase. You have me. On this side, the other side, I’m on every one of your sides. ”
His mouth hitched, the most familiar eyes on the planet meeting mine. “ I know . I just got twisted up for a bit. ”
“ You’re my brother . No matter what, we stay family. No way out for either of us, ” I told him. I needed him to hear me, let it sink in, and be permanently marked deep inside his chest instead of permanent marker on it. “ I have no sides without you .”
Chase nodded, groaning in annoyance when he wiped his eyes. Then I knocked my bottle to the top of his, sending him forward to catch the foaming beer with his mouth for once.
Since then, we’ve celebrated his birthday, I’ve dragged him to exhibits and attractions, we gave a salute to Wanderer at the end of the beta program, and he’s tormented me about seeing Remi’s face.
And now they’re calling for us to board. Again.
My impatient gaze swings to Chase. His lips twitch, confirming he’s doing this to fuck with me.
“You’re the fucking worst,” I say.
But I smile as we throw back our last shots, bidding a na shledanou to Prague.
Until we meet again.
Catching the strap for my bag as I stand, I palm my phone. I told Remi to let me know once she’s out of classes, which should be soon since she finishes early on Fridays.
I told her I’m coming for her, and I am. Remi Saint will be mine—it feels like she always has been, and fuck knows, she’s been claiming parts of me since the beginning. And I have this crushing feeling the moment I see her, I’ll willingly hand over the rest.
The past two weeks have turned torturous where she’s concerned. She’s seemed sad less and less and reminded me every day how long until only land separates us instead of an ocean. I’ve played for her more and shown her lyrics in my notebook. She begs me to flip the page when I stop because the rest are about her. For her.
I send playlists when she demands them. She says she fell in love with music because of me. I think I figured out what love is because of her. Then there are all the promises of what we’ll do to each other once we’re finally in the same place. Soon. I’ll do every single dirty thing I’ve imagined to her soon.
But not soon enough.
She texts as we rush in the direction of our gate, and I stop dead in my tracks. People flow around me while I put in my earbuds, and she voice calls before I have the chance.
“How long?” I ask at the same time she says, “Hours.”
Remi laughs. “Remember when you doubted how well I know you?”
I do. And I’ll never forget.
Last week she was claiming to know me so well, so I told her to describe me in one word.
“ Restless ,” she said in her raspy voice.
“ I won’t be once I get to you. ”
A truth. Remi settles me more than anything.
Chase circles back and hooks me around the neck, pulling me along while he grins.
“We’re almost at our gate,” I tell Remi. “I didn’t want to hear your unsexy voice before we boarded.”
“Same. I left my last class late, hoping I missed you.”
We reach the gate, the window view of the plane and the dark night sky. “Mmm, tell me one more lie, baby.”
Chase rolls his eyes, tugging me into the short line. “Christ, the future rock star persona is dying a violent death right now.”
Remi stays quiet long enough, I worry something’s wrong. But then my beautiful liar says, “Here’s three. I didn’t just take a picture with my face in it. I’m not sending it to you. I couldn’t care less if you send yours back.”
I smile, not moving ahead with everyone else. “Show me yours, and I’ll show you mine.”
“You sure that’s not a lie?” she asks, a matching smile in her voice.
“It’s a promise.” I hesitate, the line gone and Chase waiting. “I’ll see you soon, Remi.”
A beat passes, and I feel her more than ever. “I’ll see you too, Foster.”
Her text comes through as I step onto the plane. As soon as I land in my seat beside Chase, I knock his knee with mine for more room. Before I check her message, I open my camera. The asshole beside me jerks me over by the sleeve, elbowing me while shoving his arm around my neck.
I side-eye him when he snags my phone.
“What?” Chase says. “It’s not like she’ll get confused by the extra sexiness. She’s already seen my face.” He settles in next to me, ready for a selfie. “Now, hit her with that broody thing you do.”
“Dude.”
“Fine. Look like shit for her,” he bites out. “One, two, three, Foster fucking sucks.”
My lips tip up at the last part, and he smirks, capturing the heart-warming moment.
He tosses my phone back and starts scrolling on his, slumping in his seat and pretending not to watch me open my messages.
My pulse races, heart thundering as I tap on hers. Then Remi appears on my screen. All of her. No swirly mask, no fog obscuring the details. The skirt and sexy legs, slender neck, and devastating eyes. High cheekbones set below them and rosebud lips I need to taste. She gives me it all, what I memorized and what I’ve been missing.
I sigh, well aware I am fucked beyond reason, and yet I’ve never wanted anything more.
She’s perfect, the ultimate beautiful thing. She feels like everything.
I send the picture Chase took, keeping my promise to her.
And then it all vanishes like it never happened. Remi Saint never responds.