Page 94 of Boarded Hearts

I stretch out and yawn in the passenger seat. Jon woke me at the crack of dawn this morning, told me to dress comfortably, and then our doorman proceeded to roll two suitcases out to his G-Wagon, so clearly, he’s in on it, too.

“Just a little clue then.”

“No.”

“I’ll sneak olives into your dinner.”

“And I’ll happily eat them,” Jon says, eyes on the road and keeping a straight face.

“Liar.”

“You’re around eleven hours away from finding out where we’re going, and I’m so proud of you for being patient.” He delivers the last part of that sentence in a mock patronizing tone while patting my knee.

I pull out my phone.

Me

This is your final warning.

Kate

Girl, I’m warned. But I’m still not giving you shit.

Dammit.

It’s around twenty minutes later when Jon pulls into the terminal that I recognize the team uses to fly out for away games since I’ve been dropping him off here for the past few months.

My heart trips out slightly. “We’re getting on a plane?”

Pulling up in the private parking lot, he leans across and undoes my seat belt, kissing me on the bridge of my nose. That shit eating, dimple-popping, annoyingly-does-me-every-time grin is still on full display.

He takes my hand and leads me to the private jet while the ground staff take our bags and load them onto the plane.

“I’ve never been on a private jet before,” I say in awe as we board, and I take in the plush leather interior and elaborate decor.

We take our seats, and the captain announces how long the flight will be but again, no destination. The usual safety procedures are announced and before I know it, I’m thirty-thousand feet in the air and sipping on a Cosmo at six in the morning.

“We’re a half hour from landing, Angel. Are you ready to find out where we’re going?” Jon whispers in my ear, waking me from my sleep.

I yawn. “Born ready.”

He laughs and gives the cabin crew member a nod.

“Good afternoon Mr. Morgan and Ms. Thompson, I hope you enjoyed a pleasant flight with us today. I’m pleased to confirm we will very shortly begin our descent into Tromsø Airport, and from there you will be collected by your chauffeur and taken straight to your destination.”

My breath hitches in my throat as tears begin to prick in my eyes. “Y-You brought me to Norway.”

Raising my hand to his mouth, he kisses my knuckles gently. “I hope your dad won’t mind me stealing his idea.”

I don’t know what to say as the tears spill over and down my cheeks. I miss my parents every day, and Elliott forcing me to sell their house and then moving to Seattle has made them feel even further from reach. But as the wheels touch down at Tromsø Airport, I feel a part of my dad deep within my soul, almost like he’s been waiting for me to meet him here.

Jon booked us a cabin right on the water and in the middle of nowhere. It’s the perfect place to watch the aurora.

“Oh my god, look at the size of that hot tub. I could take a swim in that thing.”

“Why don’t you get in and try it out?”

“Aren’t you coming in with me?” I stick my bottom lip out like the thirty-nine-year-old child I can be.

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