Page 26 of Kiss me Forever

“The point is that you earned it, though. Nothing has been handed to you, and that’s something to be proud of,” I tell him. “You’ve also proven you aren’t afraid to hang with the regular folks so I think that makes you extra special.”

He laughs at this. “Regular folks?” he questions.

“Yes, those of us who are quite happy to spend a Friday night in a library are regular folks. You fit in pretty dang well with us. This might not seem like a compliment, but I assure you it is. I’d never be with someone who looked down their nose at the people I love.” He smiles at me as he takes my hand again and kisses it.

“First of all, you are far from regular. Secondly, I seriously appreciate you.”

“I appreciate you as well.” He leads me to the seats, then moves to the small kitchen area and pours us coffee. We hold our cups as the jet closes, then soon ascends. It doesn’t take long before the coastline is stretching out below us, a shimmering ribbon of blue as the sun rises. The sky is a perfect canvas, dotted with occasional fluffy clouds. As much as I love looking at Magnus, I can’t help but stare out the window, mesmerized by the beauty below us.

“You’ve told me you’ve traveled quite a bit for work. I’d love to hear more about it,” I tell him.

He nods. “I do travel quite a bit. Business takes me all over the world. I’ve been to some incredible places.”

“Where are your favorites?”

“I enjoyed the bustling streets of Tokyo, the serene beaches of the Maldives, the historic ruins of Rome, and the vibrant culture of Rio de Janeiro,” he tells me, his eyes lighting up as he names just a few of the places I’d love to travel to someday. It’s second nature to him. “Each location I go to has something new and unique to offer. I work too much in each location, though. I’d love to go back with you and truly take in all of the beauty of each area.”

I let out a dreamy sigh, thinking of the places I want to go to most. “That sounds wonderful. I’ve always wanted to visit Paris. It’s so romantic there, the art, the history, the absolute romance of the city. Someday it will happen,” I tell him.

“We can make that happen. Paris is stunning. The fall is a great time to go with all of the stunning colors and the added bonus of less tourists. It’s colder, but not unbearable, and it’s much easier to get reservations at the most famous tourist locations.”

“I’m sure you never have a hard time getting reservations,” I point out.

“No, I don’t,” he admits.

“I’m not saying this so you’ll take me to these places. We’re simply learning more about each other,” I tell him with a laugh. “I know you can make anything happen. I think sometimes dreaming of something is even better than reality. Once you’ve done it then it’s no longer a dream.”

He laughs again. “Reality can be the dream, though. I think it matters who you’re with when you go places. That’s where magic happens. We look at the world around us much differently when we’re happy and when we’re with those who lift us up.”

“You’re sounding more and more like a dreamer every day,” I warn him.

“I started dreaming when I was a kid. I got too serious when I was in college. I’m liking that I’m more of a dreamer again these days.”

“That’s why I love to read so much. Each book is a new adventure. I get to live in the worlds the author’s create, and I love it. We get into routines in our lives, and we stop living. But when we submerge ourselves into fantasy worlds we begin to dream again. If you read like I do, which is fully submerged in the story, you become a part of that story. You’re a part of the family you’re reading about. You’re the superhero saving the day. You’re the villain with an evil streak. If you don’t become a part of the story, you aren’t reading the book correctly.”

“I love the sound of that, and love that you’re a dreamer.” He rises and refills our cups and grabs some scones which I immediately dive into. I’m not sure where he picks up his pastries, but they’re sinfully good. “Where else is on your bucket list?”

I give him a smile. “I’ll tell you, but only if you promise not to book a trip next week,” I warn him.

“I can’t make any promises, but I really want to know.”

I shake my head. “You’re terrible.” I think for a minute. “I think it all has to do with Europe. I want to go to Venice and take canal rides on a gondola. It’s one of my favorite things to see in movies. I’m also in love with the movie Mama Mia and want to go to Greece. I think that is my number one choice. I want to learn all about the history and see the islands. A shocking place I want to visit is New Zealand. The landscape there is simply breathtaking. I want to eat at vineyards, sip wine, take zipline rides, and see every possible thing I can.” I grow more animated as I imagine it all. “For now, I live it through the movies. I went to Disneyland once with Livie, and my favorite ride was Soarin. It was wonderful to feel like I was traveling over the lands. I loved it. I made Livie go on it four times with me.”

The way Magnus looks at me makes me blush. It’s always as if he’s in awe of me. I don’t know what to make of it. “Those are all wonderful choices. I can assure you that Venice and Greece are absolutely wonderful. I haven’t been to New Zealand so we might just have to explore there together.”

I don’t want to feel the flutter at the thought of traveling the world with Magnus, but it’s making my heart pound. It’s not just the places I want to visit, but imagining going to them with Magnus at my side that makes it that much more exciting. I’m realizing that maybe I haven’t taken the leap and traveled the world because I haven’t had the right person at my side to do it with yet.

The time passes quickly as we continue flying. Before I know it, we’re descending toward a small airport on top of a hill. “Is this Catalina Island?” I excitedly ask.

“You know your coastline,” he tells me. “Yes, it is.”

“I didn’t know there was an airport on the island. I thought the only way to get here was by ferry.”

“It’s a small private airport, and this is one of my absolute favorite places to come to. It’s quaint with great food and wonderful activities. When I want to clear my head and not go too far from home, this is always where I come.”

“This is so incredible, Magnus. Thank you for bringing me,” I tell him.

We’re soon on the ground, and then Magnus is leading me to a small jeep that’s standing by waiting. “I have a place here on the island and leave my jeep here.” We load inside, and soon we’re navigating the dirt roads with ease as I gaze out searching for animals on the thirty minute ride down to Avalon. There are only two towns on the island, the main city of Avalon, and a tiny little town, Two Harbors. I’ve looked at both online and have always wanted to come. Some amazing movies have been filmed on the island and it’s been a getaway for many for years. The charm of this place is undeniable, and I feel like I’ve just stepped into a postcard.

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