Chapter 35 - Spencer
Chapter Thirty-Five - Spencer
The arrival at the airport is . . . eventful, to say the least. “Hey, man, I got the tickets. You ready?” Evan hands me my ticket for the plane, and I give him a questioning look, noting the carry-on slung over his shoulder.
“Tickets? Like plural? And why the hell do you have a bag?”
“You think I’m missing this? You’re chasing this girl to another state for some mysterious family drama. I’m absolutely coming with,” Evan says, grinning like a kid on Christmas morning.
Fucking Evan, always needing to be part of the action. I can’t wait for the day he finds a woman who can match his energy, someone who’ll challenge him. He’s got a lot of maturing to do, but when he finds the right person, we might see a whole new side of Evan we never knew existed.
“Damn it, Evan. Fine, but stay out of the way. This is going to be hard enough for Andie.” My nerves are in overdrive and I’m praying the girls don’t catch a glimpse of me before we get on the plane.
“Ugh I should have told her I was coming,” I mutter, resting my face in my hands.
“Wait, she doesn’t know you’re coming?” My silence tells him all he needs to know.
“Oh shit, she doesn’t know, does she? This is going to be interesting.”
“You’re not sitting by me either. Andie and I need to talk.” He makes a gesture of surrender, showing he understands, but we’ll see how well he complies with my requests. This is Evan we’re talking about, a straight-up class clown.
I’m sitting there waiting impatiently for the girls to board, my foot tapping against the floor.
This isn’t like me, I’ve never leaped this far over the line for anyone before.
She has me unraveling and impulsively acting.
I’m hoping she won’t be mad and think I’ve overstepped.
But even if she is upset, I’d rather face her anger than sit at home wondering if she’s okay.
And then there she is, looking stunning, even with the dark circles under her eyes that tell me she didn’t sleep much. She spots me, and for a second, I see relief flash across her face before fury takes over.
“Spencer, what are you doing here? I told you I’d call.” Her voice is soft, and oddly unwelcoming. I stand, taking her bag and placing it in the overhead bin, letting her slide into her seat before sitting next to her.
“Hey, Andie!” Evan already can’t keep his mouth shut, leaning across the aisle with that grin that’s gotten him both punched and kissed more times than I can count.
“Um, sorry, do I know you?” Frustration is building. Evan isn’t supposed to be the topic right now.
“Oh, that’s right the last time I saw you, you were unconscious in my brother’s lap.” Evan points out.
“Andie, this is my brother Evan. He decided to tag along.”
“Nice to meet you. I’ve heard nothing but good things about you from Spencer here.”
“Hi,” she says curtly, looking back at me with annoyance. “I assume I have you to thank for the upgrade?” My silence is her confirmation. “I figured.”
“So, this is cute and all, but can I sit down now? The line is getting backed up,” Maddie voice carries pure irritation as she stands there waiting for Evan to move so she can get to her seat.
“Shit, sorry. You must be Maddie.” Evan extends his hand, turning on the charm that works on the majority of the female population, but Maddie is obviously not part of that population. “Damn, Andie, you have good taste in friends.”
Maddie takes his hand but arches an eyebrow in a way that suggests she’s immune to whatever spell he thinks he’s casting. “Charmed, I’m sure, but taken, so keep your hands to yourself.”
“Taken doesn’t mean dead, Sweetheart. You can still appreciate the view.” Evan grins, gesturing to himself like he’s a prize on a game show.
“Trust me, I’ve seen better views from an airplane bathroom.” Maddie slides past him with a smirk that could cut glass. “And if you call me sweetheart again, you’ll be appreciating the view of my elbow connecting with your face.”
“She’s feisty. I like her,” Evan whispers to me, seemingly unfazed by the verbal smackdown.
“I can still hear you,” Maddie replies, settling into her seat. “Andie, why didn’t you tell me Spencer had a more annoying, less attractive clone?”
“I’m the more attractive brother, actually. Spencer just lucked out with the height.”
“And the personality. And manners. And apparently the ability to read social cues,” Maddie fires back.
I can see Andie’s tension momentarily break by the rapid-fire exchange, her lips twitching despite her determination to stay mad at me.
Trying to forget the train-wreck of a meeting happening next to us, I focus my attention back on Andie.
The whole reason I came was to talk with her, to be here for her.
“Look, Andie, I don’t know why you want to keep us a secret.
Or what has you so concerned about going home, but right now, that doesn’t matter.
” Her sigh is evident. Her irritation towards the surprise of me being here has her trying to ignore me.
“What does matter is you’re trying to push me out again.
And I thought we agreed you’d stop doing that. ”
Crickets. She gives me absolutely nothing as she looks out the window, her jaw set in that stubborn way I’ve come to recognize. I can wait her out though. She needs a minute to sit with her thoughts and I need to stop trying to pry everything out of her.
The first hour passes at a snail’s pace as we sit there without exchanging a single word.
Occasionally, I catch her glancing over at me out of my peripheral.
She wants to say something but then retreats.
I’ll just keep reading my book until she’s ready.
In the meantime, we’ll keep playing the world’s longest quiet game.
From across the aisle, I can hear Evan unsuccessfully trying to charm Maddie. “So, what do you do for fun, besides being Andie’s intimidating sidekick?”
“I like to collect the souls of overconfident men.”
“Fascinating hobby. Do you have mine yet?” Evan asks.
“You’d have to have a soul first.” Maddie’s quick on the punch, really giving Evan a run for his money. Their bickering provides a strange soundtrack to the standoff between me and Andie.
“Oh my god, you two just talk already!” Maddie’s exasperated voice finally breaks through our staring contest as she leans forward. “This silence is brutal, like more painful than being stuck listening to your brother’s nonstop commentary.”
Evan pops his head forward too. “Yeah, seriously, bro. The sexual tension is making the other passengers uncomfortable.”
“Stay out of it, Evan,” I warn.
“No, no, he’s right,” Maddie insists.
“See I’m right, Spencer.” Evan chimes in.
“Don’t get used to it, I’m sure it doesn’t happen often.
And Andie? Girl, he’s here right now, in front of you.
You won’t find many men like that, so don’t fuck it up.
” I think Maddie’s on my side till she turns to address my mistake in this.
“Spencer, I think it’s great that you came, but you really should have told her instead of surprising her.
She hates surprises, so keep that in mind next time you try to change the plan she set in motion. ”
Maddie’s right. I crossed a line, but I can’t change that now.
I’ve always given her choices, always respected the boundaries.
What changed this time? Maybe it was watching her shut down these past few days.
Or maybe it was my internal alarms going off telling me I can’t let her face whatever is waiting for her alone, even if she hates me for it.
“What is this? Why are you here?” Andie finally turns to me, her eyes narrowed in suspicion. Her voice isn’t just unwelcoming—it’s cold, angry. I set my book in my lap and just stare at her, not giving her an inch.
“Why are you just staring at me?” Aggravation coursing through her voice and glare. Her fingers tapping against the armrest, gives me the final clue I need.
“Andie, this isn’t going to work if you don’t talk to me.
I get that you’re pissed about me surprising you but look at my side.
” Her eyebrows raise in that better make this good expression.
I push forward. “I can’t just sit in Chicago wondering if you’re okay, this isn’t something I want you to tackle on your own.
I may not have all the details about what’s waiting, but I know you, and you’re scared.
That’s enough for me.” Her sigh is evident, but frustration still clouds her beautiful eyes.
“You can’t just pick and choose what you want to tell me and hope that I can be there for you when the tough times come. I need all of you, not just part of you.” The tension in her jaw softens at this.
“I’m not trying to push you out, Spencer. But it’s infuriating that you made this decision without talking to me first.”
“I tried, and you told me you’d talk to me later.”
“Fair, but I need to handle my family my way, and you being here forces my hand to explain . . . us . . . to people that don’t even know I’m dating again.” Her words run through me, causing me to wonder if I made the right choice here.
“You’re right. I should have pushed harder instead of showing up,” I admit. “But I couldn’t stand the thought of you going through whatever this is alone. I love you, Andie, and I just want to be here for you.”
“I love you too, I really do. It doesn’t change that I’m pissed, maybe a little less than before, but still pissed. You’re here now and there’s nothing else to do but buckle up for one hell of a family meeting.”
She isn’t embarrassed of me or of us. She’s fearful to tell the people who are supposed to have her best interest at heart that she’s choosing to move forward. She’s choosing to move past the pain and heartache and rebuild with another man.
She takes me by the collar of my shirt and despite her words, her kiss says I’m forgiven as a smile lights up her face. “You know this is the first time you’ve told me you love me?”
“And it won’t be the last.” Those simple words give me hope that we will make it through whatever lies ahead in Kansas and that she’ll finally let me all the way in.
Evan gives me a thumbs-up from across the aisle, while Maddie pretends not to watch us with a smile tugging at her lips. “Finally,” Evan says loud enough for the entire plane to hear. “I was about to ask the flight attendant for a hose.”
“Or a barf bag.” Maddie adds, but her eyes are warm.
“You realize you’ve just committed to a week with these two, right?” Andie whispers against my lips, her eyes finally showing a hint of the spark I’ve missed.
“Worth it,” I murmur back.
“So”—Evan leans across the aisle again— “now that the lovebirds have made up, anyone want to fill me in on what we’re actually flying to Kansas for? Spencer just said ‘emergency’ and ‘book tickets’ in the same sentence.”
“It’s complicated,” Andie says.
“It’s about her dead husband’s will,” Maddie states bluntly, causing Andie to shoot invisible daggers with her eyes.
“Maddie!”
“What? They’re here now. Might as well get everyone on the same page.”
Evan’s eyebrows shoot up, and for once, he seems at a loss for words. “Dead husband? Shit, that’s . . . I’m sorry.”
The weight of what she’s really facing hits me. No wonder she wanted to handle this alone.
“And this is why we ease into these topics,” I mutter.
“Well, it sounds like you’ve got a full week ahead,” Evan finally says, his tone gentler than before. “Good thing you’ve got reinforcements.” Evan states offering his fist to Maddie. After a moment’s hesitation, she bumps it with her own.
“Temporary alliance,” she clarifies. “For Andie’s sake.”
“I can work with that,” Evan agrees.
In this moment, despite the uncertainty ahead, I’m grateful for the strange, makeshift support system we’ve somehow assembled, my overly confident brother, Andie’s fiercely protective friend, and me, the man who is just trying to hold onto the woman he loves.
Maybe this trip won’t be a disaster after all.
Or maybe it will be, but at least we’ll face it together.