Chapter 47
FORTY-SEVEN
TEXT THE NUMBER.
Easy as that.
She’d done it and as Roxie said, a car came to pick her up without delay. She should’ve called her friend to check it was still okay to descend on her.
If Roxie knew Bastian was back with his ex… Roxie said she’d never met Robyn, but that wouldn’t preclude her from feeling a loyalty to the partner of a man who’d known her partner a long time.
Time to second-guess herself passed in a wink.
Whoever was at the helm of this magically appearing car knew exactly which back gate to go to at the airport. He had the credentials, the know how, and before she could blink, she was ascending stairs onto a private jet.
Shit. This wasn’t one of the little shoehorn in planes, no, this thing had length, girth—
“Welcome aboard, Miss Scott. I’m Derek, I’ll be your pilot today.”
And the pilot knew her name. That was a first. Standing there, smiling, professional. This was kind of eerie, like an out of body thing.
“Uh, okay, thanks…”
Was she supposed to give an order? Make a request? Tip the guy? Etiquette wasn’t clear. This wasn’t exactly traveled turf. Nope, believe it or not, she was a private jet virgin. Didn’t most people go through their entire life as private jet virgins?
“As requested,” the pilot said. “The attendant has been dismissed for the flight.”
Just dismissed for the flight. Not their job, right? She hadn’t requested anything. Why would Roxie dismiss the attendant? Not that it was a bad thing. Her sitting alone being served by someone just standing there waiting for her instruction? Yeah, that would be weird. She’d hate that.
Roxie proved herself perceptive yet again.
“Please make your way through to the main cabin,” the pilot gestured to the door at her side.
Main cabin. Right.
After another smile, she almost ducked her head as she went through the door and—shit.
The door closed behind her, shutting her in with a man she hadn’t expected to see.
“Bastian?” What the hell…? “How did you know I…” Was this Roxie’s work? No, her friend would never do that to her. “Is this your airline?”
That could be it. One of his people must’ve told him she was the planned passenger.
“No. Ours are more of the jumbo variety. This is one of Zairn’s.”
She exhaled a short pant. “I really wanted to avoid this conversation.”
“At least you admit you’ve been avoiding me.”
That wasn’t a secret. Though she was surprised he’d kept any kind of tabs on her. This would be a respectable gentleman thing again, wouldn’t it? The easy, respectable brush-off.
“I know, okay?” she said, hoping to skip to the end.
“Know what?”
“I know about you and Robyn. You’re back together and it’s okay. My feelings aren’t hurt. I understand we can’t continue to be friends. You have to prioritize your future with the woman you love.”
“Couldn’t agree more. This is going a lot better than I hoped. I thought I might have to persuade you.” He stood up. “Forget all the bullshit. It’s about choice. Zairn says it best. You make a choice. About what’s most important and you say to hell with everything else.”
Okay, that’s good, though had nothing to do with her.
“Why are you telling me?”
As he approached, she recoiled just a little, feet still planted.
“To hell with everything else,” he said, stopping just a whisper in front of her. “I’m looking at the most important person in my world. It’s you, Harper Scott. You are my to hell with everything else.”
Now her recoil was of the physical and mental variety. “Me? What are you—you got back with Robyn.”
“I didn’t get back with Robyn.”
“You did. It’s time to figure out what’s important.”
“It is and I have.”
“You picked Robyn.”
“No…” His eyes narrowed. “Who told you I picked Robyn?”
“You did.” And, oh, oops, she’d just dropped herself right in it. “I might have maybe, heard some of your conversation yesterday.”
“You were at the house?”
“You said it’s time to figure out what’s important and Robyn wants to be with you. Forever with you. Was what she said.”
Not that she remembered it word for word or anything. Oh, and look at that, she’d managed to hit awkward all on her own. No attendant or assistance required. She was the star player. Maybe that was Roxie’s point.
“You heard that and left?”
“You wanted forever. Marriage and babies. Proposals and big engagement parties. You can have the life you deserve with the woman you love.”
“I hope so.”
His hand rose, but she bounded backward, spine hitting the door, and, unfortunately, making eye contact in the shock. Damn. Damn. Damn. Double damn. He looked so amazing.
“Bastian,” his name left her lips in a quiet exhale.
“If you’d stuck around another five minutes, Sweet, you’d have heard me say I did want all those things, but not from her. I want them from one person. One incredible person. I want them from you and only you.”
Thump. Thump. Thump. Her heart battered her ribs. Entranced by his gaze, it was only his dimple that stole their attention.
“I don’t understand.”
“I know,” he said, his smile only growing. “I thought maybe you’d figure it out on your own, but now knowing you better, I’ve learned it’s best to spell things out.”
“What are you… spelling?”
“I love you,” he said and let that rest for a few seconds. “I’ve loved you since probably the moment I heard your voice, no, the first time I smelled that lotion.” He almost went for a laugh. “I want to be with you, Harper. No one else.”
“But Robyn—”
“Called and said it was important. I met her at the house, she said her piece, but I don’t love Robyn. I never loved Robyn.”
Clarity. “Your mom knew that.”
The explanation just slipped out. That was maybe why Robyn felt the Hunt women didn’t fully embrace her.
“Yes, she probably did. She also knew I was in love with you before I did. I want a future with the woman I love, not only as a friend, but as my world. You, Harper.”
“I don’t understand.”
This time he did laugh. “And that’s one of the most incredible things about you.” His touch trailed down her temple. “Will you trust me? Trust me to know this is the only right thing for me.”
“It was fake.”
“That was an excuse,” he said. “I thought it would be enough to have you, but I’m done with you pulling away and beating yourself up. It’s time we sit down and talk about what’s important to us.”
“For the future? Like you and Robyn?”
“Breaking up with her was a given. We didn’t talk about the future in the way you think.
I basically said we didn’t want marriage and kids with each other, so why were we wasting each other’s time?
We went our separate ways. It was amicable.
I’ve heard she broke up with someone else in the last couple of weeks. ”
Hence calling Bastian to the house.
“She wanted to rebound with you, somewhere safe,” she said and drew in a long breath. “I can understand that.”
“But it’s not safe. I’m not safe. I won’t be safe for anyone except you.”
“I don’t want a big engagement party.”
Not the point or the time. Stupid brain.
“You can have whatever you want, Sweet. I only ask you to answer one question.”
Her shoulders rose. “You’re not going to propose, right? Because I’m nowhere near sane enough to—”
“Whether I do or don’t depends on another answer.”
Was she holding her breath? Her chest hurt.
“What question?”
His fingers laced between hers. “Do you love me?”
Did she…? Thoughts raced, feelings bloomed, and the vault of emotion she’d subconsciously kept locked up tight within her burst. The truth, her heart, all of it sighed in the freedom of liberation.
Instantly, his question alleviated the weight from her chest.
“Of course I love you!” Like duh! Stupid brain! “I’ve been so goddamn in love with you this whole time and I never…” Until he spelled it out, the pieces hadn’t made any sense. “I do love you.”
All this time. All the backing away, the fear…
it wasn’t because of him, it was because she was afraid of losing him.
How could anyone love a person so much and imagine ever being without them?
She wouldn’t let herself think that way, hadn’t until…
He loved her. God, that changed everything!
Suddenly all those things she hadn’t let herself feel jarred her whole perspective, flourished with notions of forever.
He scooped a hand around the side of her head. “Good, then expect my proposal to follow.”
It didn’t matter that she already knew her answer, she appreciated the pause between massive life declarations.
He brought her head up, ducking down and—a chime strengthened her neck.
“Fasten seatbelts,” Bastian murmured, explaining the sound.
She gasped. “Oh, God, we’re on a plane. We should tell them we’re not—I have to call Roxie and—”
His mouth closed on hers, silencing her. They were on a plane and should tell the pilot they weren’t going anywhere, but they could enjoy this kiss first. Just a little one. That might get bigger and… Arms around his neck, she held him close, moving in the gentle rhythm of the need she’d missed.
When she lost his kiss, she stayed there, eyes closed, replaying it again in her head. The jolt of movement was what shook her again. She could feel him everywhere, but it still didn’t feel real. She had him. They had each other. It wasn’t fake anymore.
“We have to tell them to stop.”
“We don’t,” he said. “Why do you think I excused the attendant?”
“That was you? Why?”
Not that it mattered. She wasn’t sorry to be alone.
“I’ll show you after you answer another question: did you pack any bikinis?”
So they were going, somewhere. Where? Who the hell cared? Kissing her again, he boosted her up, nudging her legs into wrapping around his hips. She hadn’t known where she was going when she got on the plane. She still didn’t know where the plane was going.
Her future? That path was built on a certainty she’d found in the dark. One she’d never live without.