Chapter 31
Micah Barrett
I shift on the gondola bench, my heart in my throat. I can’t believe that jerk dumped Cricket right in front of me. What a tool. I want to punch the guy. Cricket is a person with real feelings. And here she is sitting beside me, tears running down her face.
I clench my hands into fists. It’s killing me not to be able to fix this for her. I want to wipe away her tears and tell her she’s better off without him. That she’ll find someone else. That maybe, just maybe, I could be that person for her.
I want to tell her how I feel about her…
but I can’t. She’s hurting right now. It would be totally inappropriate for me to confess my feelings to her.
I don’t want to be her rebound. Besides, what if it ruins things between us?
If she doesn’t feel the same way, I run the risk of totally messing up our friendship.
The gondolier slows, and I can tell the ride is almost done. Cricket quickly wipes at her face, and I slide her glasses off so I can clean them. By the time I get them back on her face, her tears are gone. She gives me a shy smile. “Thanks for being there for me.”
The gondolier helps us off the boat, and I put my arm around her as we walk past all the shops toward the entrance. It feels natural to walk with her tucked into my side. She fits there perfectly.
We walk back to the hotel and get our luggage then grab an Uber to the airport.
I worry that things will now be awkward with River on the plane, but when we board, he’s already sitting next to Kiera near the front.
They look comfortable together, heads bent close as they chat about something on Kiera’s phone.
He smiles at us, and for a second, I swear he winks at Cricket, but when I take another look at him, he’s focused on Kiera, and I figure I must have been mistaken.
We walk to the back of the plane, and Cricket sits next to the window, her fingers already gripping the armrest. I sit beside her and take her hand in mine, weaving our fingers together. I squeeze it, just so she knows I’m there for her. That no matter what, she’s got me beside her.
Skyler boards the plane and breaks away from Kiki, running back to us with her little backpack bouncing against her shoulders.
Her pigtails are slightly lopsided from the busy morning, and there’s a chocolate stain on her shirt that Kiki probably hasn’t noticed yet.
“Can I sit with you guys? Kiki—I mean Mom—said it was okay.”
I smile at her and nod. “Sure, go ahead.”
She makes herself comfortable in one of the plush leather seats on the other side of the polished wood table.
Kiki and Tobias settle into the chairs across the aisle from us.
Tobias pulls out his phone to check work emails while Kiki digs through her purse for hand sanitizer.
After clicking her seat belt, Skyler takes a coloring book out of her backpack, the pages already wrinkled and well-loved.
“Mom says if I’m good, I can have M&M’s. ”
Cricket rubs her hands together, her face brightening. “Chocolate is the best.”
Skyler pulls out a purple crayon and starts coloring what looks like a unicorn. “I can share with you guys.”
I give her a thumbs up. “Thanks, Little Pup.”
After coloring for a bit, her tongue poking out in concentration, Skyler stops and looks up at me with those large blue eyes that always melt my heart. “Why did Uncle Levi get married?”
“Because he fell in love with Claire.”
She nods seriously, like she understands the weight of that decision. “Are you going to get married, Uncle Micah?”
I chuckle, my chest tightening slightly. “Someday I will.”
“Is Uncle Noah going to get married?”
I glance toward the front of the cabin where Noah is sharing earbuds with Savannah, their heads close together. She’s laughing at something on his tablet, her hand resting comfortably on his arm. “Definitely.”
Skyler looks at Cricket, her crayon pausing mid-stroke. “Are you going to marry River?”
My gut twists, and I suck in a breath, my whole body going rigid.
Kiki turns in her chair, her face flushing with embarrassment. She places a gentle hand on Skyler’s knee. “Sweetie, can you color a picture for me?”
“Sure.” Skyler digs in her backpack for more crayons, completely oblivious to the tension she just created.
I glance at Cricket to make sure she’s not upset. Her hands cover her face, her shoulders hunched inward, and for a moment, I panic that she’s crying again. I put my arm around her and lean close, catching the faint scent of her peach shampoo. “Hey, are you okay?” I whisper.
She lowers her hands to her lap, throws her head back, and laughs, making several people glance our way. “You should have seen your face when she asked me that. It was hilarious.”
Relief breezes through me, and I laugh with her, the tension draining from my shoulders. “Yeah. It took me by surprise for sure. You gotta love a five-year-old’s perspective.”
Skyler looks up at us, indignant. “I’m going to be six soon.”
This makes us laugh even harder, and even Tobias cracks a smile from across the aisle.
The plane begins to taxi down the runway, and Cricket stiffens next to me, her laughter dying away. Her fingers dig into my hand, and her breathing quickens. I grab her other hand, too, turning slightly to face her. “It’s fine. Just expect the bumps at the beginning. It will smooth out.”
The engines roar to life, and we start picking up speed. Cricket’s eyes are squeezed shut, her knuckles white where she’s gripping my hands. I keep my voice low and steady. “Remember what Skyler said? The bouncy clouds. That’s all it is.”
She does great as the plane takes off, her breathing evening out as I talk her through each sensation.
When it hits a rough patch of turbulence, she sucks in a breath and her eyes fly open, but I keep talking to her in low tones, reminding her to breathe, telling her we’re safe, describing how the plane cuts through different air currents.
Slowly, she relaxes into her seat, the color returning to her cheeks.
By the time we’re cruising at a high altitude, the cabin bathed in the golden light of late afternoon, we’re chatting about her book, and she’s not as anxious.
Skyler has fallen asleep with her head against the window, her coloring book abandoned on the table.
Across the aisle, Kiki and Tobias are having a quiet conversation.
“So, will you have time to finish another chapter this week?” I ask, genuinely curious. I’ve been dying to know what happens next in her story.
She sets her jaw with determination, a fire lighting in her blue eyes that I haven’t seen in a while. “My goal is to write the next chapter tonight.”
“Yes! That’s the way to do it.” I lean forward, excited for her. “Let me know what I can do to help.”
Cricket gets a funny look on her face, something between surprise and confusion. “What can you do?”
I shrug, thinking through the practical things.
“I don’t know. If you’re thirsty, I can get you a soda.
If you’re feeling snacky, I can make popcorn.
If you need someone to bounce ideas off of, I’ll be there for you.
If what you really need is peace and quiet, I’ll go in the other room and keep my music down. ”
Cricket stares at me, her expression shifting to something I can’t quite read. Her eyes get glassy and she blinks rapidly like she’s fighting tears. “You’d do that for me?”
“Of course I would.” I squeeze her hand, confused by her reaction. “Why wouldn’t I?”
She looks down at our joined hands, her voice coming out soft and thick.
“You’ve just… you’ve never really asked what I needed before.
Or offered to help with my writing.” She swipes at her eyes with her free hand.
“You’ve always been supportive in general, but this feels different. Like you’re making me a priority.”
Her words hit me like a punch to the gut.
She’s right. How many times did I half listen while she talked about her stories, too focused on my next song?
How many times did I dismiss her writing as a hobby while obsessing over my own music career?
I’ve taken her constant support for granted while giving so little in return.
“Cricket, I’m sorry.” The words feel inadequate. “You’ve always been there for me. You deserve the same from me.”
She shakes her head, a tear escaping down her cheek. “You don’t have to apologize. I just… Thank you. It means a lot.”
I reach up and catch the tear with my thumb, letting my hand linger against her cheek. “I mean it. Whatever you need. I want to be there for you the way you’ve always been there for me.”
She leans into my touch for just a moment, her eyes fluttering closed, and my heart hammers against my ribs. When she opens them again, there’s something vulnerable in her expression that makes me want to kiss her right here in front of everyone.
But I can’t. She just got dumped by River this morning. Her heart is probably still bruised, even if she’s putting on a brave face. What kind of friend would I be if I swooped in now, taking advantage of her vulnerability?
“Thank you, Micah,” she whispers, pulling back slightly and wiping her eyes. “That really means the world to me.”
We settle into a comfortable silence, her hand still in mine as the plane cuts through the sky toward home. I watch the clouds drift past the window, golden and pink in the fading sunlight, and try to figure out the right timeline.
How long do you wait after your best friend gets dumped to tell her you’re in love with her? A week? A month? Long enough that she doesn’t think you’re just trying to be her rebound but not so long that she finds someone else?
The question eats at me as Cricket dozes off against my shoulder, her breathing soft and even. I could tell her now. I could confess everything and hope for the best. But what if she thinks I’m taking advantage? What if she needs time to heal from River before she can even consider someone new?
And there’s the bigger fear lurking underneath it all. What if I tell her and she doesn’t feel the same way? What if our kiss meant nothing to her? I could lose her completely, and that would be worse than staying silent.
I look down at her sleeping face, peaceful and beautiful in the golden light, and make a decision.
I’ll wait. Not forever, but long enough so she knows I’m not just trying to fill the space River left.
Long enough so that when I tell her, she’ll know I mean it.
That this isn’t about timing or opportunity but about the fact that I’ve been falling in love with her all along and was just too blind to see it.
The question is… How long is long enough?