Page 62 of Paper Hearts & Plot Twists

Her steps faltered as she looked into one of the convenience shops. The snack food was calling her name, but that would be a frivolous purchase she couldn’t afford at the moment.

“You want to stop for some snacks?” Miles asked.

“No, I’m okay,” Emily said quickly.

“Well, I want to stop for snacks. What do you want?”

“I don’t want anything, I’m okay.”

“Then help me pick some snacks,” Miles responded. “What candy should I get?”

They grabbed more snacks than four people should eat in a weak. Miles winked at Emily before he turned back to the cashier and paid for the haul.

“Here’s your snacks, m’lady,” Miles said, as he held out the plastic bag filled with treats.

“You said they were for you,” Emily protested. Miles kissed her, and when she opened her mouth to continue protesting, he kissed that protest away too.

“Let me do this for you,” he whispered. “Please.”

She felt her fight fade away. How could she say no to that?

“Fine,” Emily agreed, taking the offered bag of goodies from Miles’s hand. “Thank you.”

“Airports and flights suck. The least I can do is make it slightly less sucky with some goodies.”

“What about goodies for yourself? You can have anything from this haul that you want. There’s no way I’ll make it through even half of it.”

“I can worry about myself once your flight takes off,” Miles said. He pressed a chaste kiss to Emily’s lips then wrapped an arm around her waist to continue the walk to her gate. They walked in silence until she worked up the courage to ask a question that had been on her mind.

“What’s your plan once you’re back to your normal life?”

“Besides calling, texting, and FaceTiming with you?”

“Yes, besides those things,” Emily said with a roll of her eyes, though she couldn’t prevent the pleased flush that covered her cheeks.

“It’s back to the work grind for me,” Miles responded with a crinkle to his nose. Ben had scheduled a daunting schedule of podcasts, signings, and more. Between that and actually writing, Miles didn’t think there would be time to sleep. “I have a new book releasing in six weeks and a lot goes into marketing that. What will your life be like once you get home?”

Emily bit her lip. “I got an email back from a job I applied for before this trip, and they want to interview me.” Sharing this bit of news felt terrifying. No one knew she’d been applying for jobs, and sharing felt like a sure-fire way to have karma knock her with a setback.

“That’s great, Emily. You commented that you hate your current job, so something new is just what you need. What kind of job is it? Something involving writing?”

“I wish,” Emily said. “It’s a secretary position at an auto shop. I applied for a couple writing gigs, but I don’t have the right experience and credentials.”

“That’s their loss,” Miles said. “You’re going to rock your interview. Let me know when they hire you so I can be the first to congratulate you.”

At Emily’s gate they found two seats in the corner. Emily snuggled into Miles’s side. “I wish we lived closer to each other,” she whispered. “New York is so far away.”

Miles snuggled into Emily, placing his head over hers. “It’s not ideal, but it’s not forever. We’ll be reunited, and it will be like we never left in the first place.”

“I hope you’re right,” Emily said as a feeling of foreboding settled over her.

They continued to snuggle. Sometimes they were silent, basking in the comforting presence of being together, and sometimes they whispered whatever came to mind until the airport worker announced last call.

“I have to go,” Emily whispered. She closed her eyes and blinked the tears away.

“This isn’t forever,” Miles reminded her. He pulled her into one last crushing embrace and kissed her, trying to convey all the love, yearning, and passion he felt. “I’ll call, I’ll text, and I’ll see you soon,” he promised.

Chapter 44

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