CHAPTER 40
Hudson walked into the Seattle airport, Willa by his side. He was rolling the biggest luggage he’d ever owned over to get checked in. He had all the stuff Willa had insisted he needed for an international flight in his carry-on. He’d never been to Switzerland before ... honestly, he’d never even been to the East Coast. He was feeling decidedly nervous.
“You’re going to knock ’em dead,” she said, squeezing his hand.
She couldn’t go up to the gate with him—he knew that. She sure as hell wasn’t going to fly to Switzerland with him. But he wished she could.
The past month had been a blur. It was like the fates had taken a personal interest in his case. The instructors at the clock company not only admitted him, they somehow remembered him from some questions he’d emailed them, back when he’d taken his courses here in Seattle. They’d liked how he thought about clockwork machinery, apparently, and someone had dropped out or something, so the position was there. Willa had a friend of a friend who helped push his visa stuff through in a miraculous amount of time. Since Willa had reconnected with her chef friends, she seemed happier, more relaxed. More confident and hopeful, which he loved.
But it also gave him the tiniest pang of concern. He’d just met her, for God’s sake. They’d been together for a bit over a month, and he was now going to be gone for a year. He had some savings, and the family had assured him that they were going to be fine, but he wasn’t going to be able to afford to fly home until the thing was done. Willa was going to be fighting to make herself solvent and get whatever plans she had in order. So he wasn’t going to be able to physically see her for twelve whole months.
A lot could happen in twelve months.
“You know you’ve got this, right?” she said, the ultimate hype woman, not realizing where his true fear currently was. “They’re going to love you. You’re amazing, and you’re going to blow them away.”
He hugged her. “If you say so,” he said.
“I know so.” She snuggled against him.
“If you need anything, though,” he said, resting his forehead against hers, “you’re gonna tell me, right? I swear, I will be back on the next flight. And if I find out from the twins or anything that you’re not telling me, I am going to lose my shit.”
“I’m not that bad anymore,” she said, squeezing around his chest. “I know my limits, and I’ve got more support now. But if anything comes up, I will tell you. Promise.” She looked at him, and he saw his whole world in her eyes. He kissed her, gently but fervently.
“Don’t wanna go,” he said. “I am going to miss you. So fucking much.”
“I’m going to miss you too,” she said, her voice breaking a little. “But it’s just a year.”
His laugh was wooden. “Just a year, huh?”
“It’ll ... okay, I’m not going to lie, some of it is absolutely going to suck,” she said, and his laugh turned more natural at her honesty. At least he could count on her not to pull her punches. “But we’re going to get through it, you know? You’re going to be busy, and you’re going to be doing so many things that are awesome. Things that are going to change your life.”
“So are you.” He wanted that for her. He just wasn’t sure if what she was going to experience was going to make her want to stay with him or show her that he was just a stepping stone—the rebound guy who got her out of her depression, the one who helped her see how to move on. Which was probably shitty, and definitely insecure, and he’d swallow his own tongue before he said it out loud.
Because even if he was the rebound or the transition or whatever, it would be worth it if it made her happy.
“We’ll talk, or email, all the time,” she said. “Now, you’ve got a flight to catch, and I need to get the ferry.”
He nodded and started to turn. But she grabbed his shoulder and framed his face in that way he loved, with her small hands.
“Kiss me like you mean it,” she whispered, and he saw the shine of tears in his eyes. “Enough to last a year.”
So he did, kissing her long enough that he vaguely heard whistles and comments of disapproval. Then he pressed a few last kisses on her cheeks. “See you soon,” he lied, then turned and headed for security and what he was afraid was going to be the longest year of his life.