43. Ava
Chapter 43
Ava
I stare at the giant yellow diamond, spinning the ring side to side, letting it catch the light.
“You like it?”
I glance at Jet sitting beside me in Atlantic Airways’ airport lounge as we wait for our flight to LA.
“You know I love it,” I answer.
He tips his chin with a small grunt, which is his way of saying he’ll get me another one if I want him to. He’ll get me anything I want. Even a unicorn.
I look back at the jewel. But nothing could be as perfect as this, knowing that he picked it himself, that he pictured me wearing it as he chose it. I don’t care that it’s a special commission made by some bigshot jewelry firm based in New York who make crowns and things for royal families. I wouldn’t even have known if Mum hadn’t gushed about how perfect Beaufort Diamonds are when I video called her to share our news .
To me, it’s a symbol of our future. A new adventure.
“It’s perfect,” I hum. Jet watches me over the rim of his glass as I admire it again. “You did good.”
“I did good?” He arches a brow.
“You did… Good boy,” I coo like I’m praising a puppy.
His eyes heat and his fingers twitch around his glass. “Ava,” he rumbles.
I smirk at his warning tone. Then he shakes his head.
“Brat,” he murmurs, having another drink.
“Your life would be boring without me,” I tease.
“My life wouldn’t be a life without you,” he says easily, placing his glass down and checking his watch. “Almost time to board,” he adds, like his words didn’t just open a whole box full of butterflies in my stomach.
“Almost time,” I repeat, twirling my ring again.
We stayed at Rochwell for a couple of weeks after Thailand, spending time with Magnus and Margaret. Liv stayed for the first week, then had to go back home for a job interview she managed to snag for some big media company. David drove her to it. She was so excited when they offered her the job the day after. It’s based in London. I knew moving to LA with Jet would mean leaving her and Gramps behind. It still makes my stomach knot knowing I’ll be so far away. But Jet said we can fly them over whenever they like and vice versa.
But living in LA means seeing Mum again. We’ve spoken since everything happened, but it’s been strained. It kills me that after all these years, we still don’t have the relationship I dreamed about. She’s adamant she wants to repair it and has arranged joint therapy sessions for us. I’ll go. She’s still my mother, no matter what. But I’m not sure it’ll ever be the way it could have been.
“Stop worrying.”
“I’m not.”
“Ava,” he clips.
I smile and take his hand, wrapping my fingers through his.
“Maybe a little,” I admit.
I asked Mum not to talk about the movie when we speak. I need to bury it, leave it behind me now, or it’ll just stop me from moving on. Ophelia said she’ll send me an advance copy of it when it’s ready. I’ll watch it. But once will be enough. I saw my father and the pilot die for real. I don’t need to keep reliving it again.
I don’t need to see that lost girl anymore.
I look up and catch Jet watching me.
“Nothing better than looking at a guy and finding him already staring at you.” Liv’s words ring in my head and I smile.
“You’re okay, Ava,” he says softly.
A statement, not a question. Because he knows me. I am okay. I’m not screaming to be seen anymore. I’m not alone.
He pulls me to my feet, grabbing our matching carry-ons that he’s stacked on top of each other with his other hand.
“Ready?” He arches a dark brow .
“Not quite.”
Before he can say anything, I grab his tie and pull him to me, kissing him hard.
“Now I am.” I smile and kiss him again. “I love you,” I whisper against his lips. “I can’t wait to marry you.”
Bright, dazzling blue pins me in place as I move back.
Then his lips curl up a fraction.
The Jet Grant smile.
Rare.
Unique.
Mine.
He takes my hand, his thumb dusting over the diamond. “It can’t come soon enough,” he rasps.
“You know we’re serving grapefruit cocktails in bottles at the wedding, right? No glasses.”
I smirk as he growls, his fingers twitching against mine.
“Don’t think I won’t pull your dress up and yank your panties off so I can spank your bare ass on a plane full of people if I have to.”
I laugh and press another kiss to his lips. His eyes darken as I bat my eyelashes, playing with him.
“I thought you might say that, so I made it easier for you. Check your pocket.”
He narrows his eyes at me as he puts his hand into his pants pocket. His jaw ticks, his brows pulling low as he finds his present.
I reach up and whisper in his ear, “They’re the ones you got messy before we left. ”
I move back, enjoying the way the vein in his temple throbs as he casts his eyes around the airline lounge. A muscle in his cheek tightens as he lowers his voice, barely above a growled whisper.
“Goddamn, Ava.”
“You’re welcome,” I breathe, kissing him on the cheek, right over the twitching muscle.
He grumbles something, but I miss it as an announcement plays over the speakers. He looks at me, tightening his grip on my hand. I squeeze it back in response.
“Come on. Time to go.”
I nod, emotion suddenly bubbling in my throat.
Happiness, safety, adventure.
They aren’t so close anymore.
They’re here.
They’re him.
He looks at me in understanding, taking hold of my chin and tilting it up so he can kiss me gently.
“If you’re not happy in LA, we’ll move. Or William can move over. I’ll build him a house. Liv too.”
I smile at how serious his handsome face is. My beautiful, complicated, grumpy man. Ready to do anything for me.
“I am happy. And I’ll be happy living in LA with you, listening to you skip like a lunatic at 6AM. What’s your record now?”
“Nine fifty.”
“Nine hundred and fifty,” I muse, running my fingers down his tie as he watches me. “You’re insane. ”
He places his hand over mine and holds it against his chest.
“I’m obsessed.” His lips curl up a fraction.
“I love you,” I say again. I tell him so much, but he only seems to want to hear it more. It’s like he’s finally given himself permission to accept it. To embrace it.
“I love you, too, Firefly.” He kisses my forehead. “Now let’s go.”
“Is it time?”
“It is.”
His eyes meet mine as the announcement repeats; the female voice signaling a new adventure.
“Final call for Atlantic Airways flight 77 to Los Angeles, boarding at Gate 22.”