Chapter 18
FISHER
“It’s only two more weeks until the wedding,” I say under my breath to Noah. My feet are rooted firmly to the tarmac where the two private planes are waiting for us to say our goodbyes before we take off. “I want to spend that time in Miami with Ebba.”
He adjusts his baseball cap to better shield his eyes. “You’re really serious about this whole marriage thing?” he asks.
“I am. Oscar can handle the coaching on his own for two weeks,” I say of the newer coach Noah’s brought on.
He’s a Spanish former tennis player in his fifties that’s been coaching for the past almost two decades.
He knows what he’s doing, even if I know Noah prefers my method of coaching—but our relationship will always be different because we’re friends before we’re coach and player.
“If I let her go off for these two weeks before the wedding, I know she’ll overthink it and spiral.
I need to be there. I want her to know I’m willing to fight for her. ”
Crossing his arms over his chest, he asks, “You two were together before?”
“Yes,” I answer and a weight falls off my shoulders now that I no longer have to bear this secret. “We were together a little over a year.”
Noah shakes his head. “And you never told me.”
It’s a statement more than a question, but I reply anyway.
“I didn’t want to upset you, and she didn’t want to upset her brother.
We were going to come clean and then…” I clench my teeth, squinting into the Las Vegas sun.
I’m always forgetting my damn sunglasses.
“She was pregnant.” Noah rears back in shock.
“And then she lost the baby, and it was the end of us.” I shrug like the memories of that time don’t still hurt.
Noah cocks his head to the side where Ebba—my wife—stands talking to Sabrina and Whimsy.
With a sigh, he says, “Go with her. I’ll be fine.”
“Are you sure?”
He gives my shoulder a shove. “Give me some credit. I can survive without you.”
I crack a smile. “Not well.”
Rolling his eyes, he says, “I’ll see you in two weeks.”
I glance over at Ebba and hope she doesn’t kill me for this.
“Thank you so much for coming,” Sabrina says, pulling Ebba into a hug.
“I wouldn’t have missed this,” Ebba replies, squeezing her friend. When Sabrina lets her go, she turns to me. “I guess I’ll see you at the wedding?”
I shake my head and confusion downturns her lips. “I’m coming with you. As long as that’s okay with your brother?” I gesture to Elias who stands a few feet away.
Elias grins. “I would never tell my new brother-in-law that he can’t fly with us.” He scoops up Whimsy’s bag and says one last goodbye to Noah and Sabrina before heading toward his plane.
Noah shoots me a thumbs up before he takes Sabrina’s hand and heads to his own plane.
“You can’t come with us.” Ebba’s voice is tinged with stunned annoyance.
“And why not?” I ask, unable to mask my smile or the amusement in my voice.
Her mouth opens and closes a few times, floundering with a comeback. “Where will you stay?”
I adjust the strap of my duffel bag on my shoulder. “I was hoping my wife would let me stay with her.”
She rubs at her face, her hand trembling slightly. “Absolutely not.”
“Six months,” I remind her softly so the other two can’t hear.
Closing her eyes, she takes a deep breath in and lets it out slowly.
“You’ll have to sleep on the couch.” Her lips press into a thin line, her arms snaking across her chest. She tilts her head in a way that makes me think she’s certain this will make me tuck tail and scurry over to Noah’s plane before they can leave without me.
“My guestroom was converted into a closet and filming space.”
“I’d sleep on the fucking floor if that’s what it took to be close to you.”
A tiny gasp escapes her parted lips.
How does she not know by now that I would let her walk me like a dog?
She glances toward her brother’s plane and back to me.
“Please?” I’m not above dropping to my knees and begging.
Her throat bobs in a swallow, her nerves visible in the way her top teeth lightly dig into her bottom lip. Maybe I’m delusional, but I take that as a good sign—that she’s worried that I might be able to get to her.
She gives a single nod and whispers, “Okay.”
We quickly load onto the plane, and I settle into the seat beside Ebba. I slide my phone out of my pocket when it vibrates and find a message from Noah.
Noah: I take it everything is okay?
I glance at Ebba on my right. She fidgets nervously with her seatbelt, her fingers trembling. Setting my phone in my lap, I gently lay my hands overtop hers and she startles slightly. Big brown eyes dart up to hold my gaze.
“Let me.” I make quick work of buckling her into place and tightening the belt. “All good?”
She swallows, eyes still wide, and nods.
I text Noah back.
Everything is perfect.