Page 106 of Exile and Embrace

I push off the window and head for the escalator that leads back out into the main part of the airport. “I don’t know. He just said that we got our ends of the deal, and that we were done. He doesn’t want to see me. He said that he was going to ship my things back to me.”

“The deal?”

“I was pretending to be engaged to him. He needed it for work, and I needed someone to take me to Oregon and get me in contact with people who might know our father if needed.”

“Aves.”

“I know.” I run my hand through my hair, holding back more tears as they threaten to fall. “I should have kept my distance from him, but he was everything I wanted, Zoe. Even the bad parts. I don’t know what the hell I’m supposed to do now.”

“Look, I’m still on my way to come get you, but I think it’s the wrong move.”

I step off the escalator at the bottom, dodging a woman with a cart stacked high with luggage. “I don’t. He told me that I was nothing to him. I fell for him. I thought he was falling for me. It turns out that I was wrong.”

Zoe blows out a long breath. “Don’t bite my head off, but I think that you should go home.”

“Why the hell would I go back there when he told me that there was nothing going on between the two of us?” My voice is strangled, and strangers give me odd looks before continuing through the airport.

“This came out of nowhere. From what you’ve said about him, I find it hard to believe that he isn’t in love with you, even if he isn’t willing to admit it to either of you yet. And I see the way you light up when you talk about him. Hell, when I dropped you off a little while ago, you were bouncing up and down, ready to go home and see him.”

“That was before I got his call.”

“Which sounds like it was a pretty weird call.” She groans as a car starts honking in the background. “Looks like there’s been an accident up ahead. It’s going to take a while to get back to you. But I really think you should think about getting on that plane.”

“I’m already outside and waiting for you.” I heft my carry-on higher up my shoulder. “I don’t know what I would even say to him if I did go back.”

“How about what the fuck, promptly followed by telling him how you feel? The worst that he can do is say the same things.”

“I don’t know if I can hear that a second time.”

Zoe sighs. “I want you to be happy, Aves, and if this man makes you happy, then you owe it to yourself to try and make this work. You don’t want to have the weight of how you feel sitting on your heart for months.”

“And what if he still doesn’t want me?” The lump in my throat feels impossible to speak around. “Zoe, getting on that plane is asking for him to break my heart more than he already has. I don’t know how I can do this.”

“You’re the strongest person I’ve ever met. Get on that plane, tell him everything that you’re feeling, and if he still doesn’t want you, then I’ll borrow the plane from Camila and come to get you.”

“You promise?”

“I’m always going to be there for you, Aves. You’ll regret this if you don’t go.”

She’s right. I know that she is.

The man on the phone was Finn, but it wasn’t. The things he said to me were things that Finn would never say.

Even though he doesn’t love me the way I love him, I have to go back and find out what’s wrong and why he’s pushing me away.

Losing him is going to destroy me, but I have to try.

I swallow hard and turn around, striding back onto the escalator. “I’m going to go back through security in a few minutes, but I’ll send you a message when the plane lands. Thank you, Zoe. I love you.”

“I love you too, Aves. Go get your man.”

The call ends, and I slip the phone back into my pocket. As I step off the escalator, I take a moment to compose myself.

Maybe getting on the plane is a mistake. It’s not too late to call Zoe back and change my mind.

No. I need to talk to Finn.

Before I can join the line for security, someone steps in front of me, cutting me off.

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