Page 6 of Finding You

She sighed quietly. “I know. But listen, I’m going to have takeaway ready for you as soon as you get in. You can have a long bath. I brought you some Lush restock so you can soak your little toesies in lavender.”

“Maybe we should get married,” he told her.

She laughed. “Oh, darling, I’m pretty sure both my boyfriends would take issue. And I’d prefer a husband who wanted to fuck me. Not one who’s technically capable of it.”

“Fair,” he told her, rubbing his face. “Sorry to be in a shitty mood.”

“Don’t apologize. Just get it all out before you get home. Flora’s been anxious to see you.”

He always did his best to leave his baggage at the door. Flora hadn’t asked to be born into a social disaster. “I will.”

Dani cleared her throat, and he knew that sound. He braced himself. “Erm. Also. Your sister’s come into town. Sent by your parents, I think. She was up my ass again about you proposing to me.”

“Fuck’s sake,” he muttered. They’d been doing this since Flora was born. His parents even sent Kylen his other grandmother’s engagement ring. They’d all accepted when he said he was gay at fifteen, but it was obvious now they never believed him.

If he had a boyfriend, it would be a lot easier to deal with, but that wasn’t happening. Gay men his age were picky enough, and having a child made him a social pariah. He hadn’t had a date in almost five years, and his prospects weren’t looking any better now.

An announcement over the intercom startled him, and he realized they were calling for boarding. “I’ve gotta go. See you in about five hours?”

“We’ll be here, darling. Fly safe.”

He hung up and tucked his phone into his pocket, then slipped past the flight attendants to use his pilot privilege to board first. Normally, he wouldn’t have minded waiting, but today, he needed the perk.

He was in business class and settled into his window seat, stretching his legs out in front of him. He closed his eyes and listened as the passengers slowly began making their way on. He wished he could speed up time. He just wanted to be home. He wanted to see his daughter and his best friend and make sure that his gran was going to make it through all this.

He was already losing her to the disease burrowing holes into her mind. He wasn’t ready for that to be cut short because she’d fallen and her care team had failed to show up on time.

Grief settled in his chest like an old friend, and he tried to breathe through it. He had a mantra once—whatever happens happens. It just wasn’t enough this time.

“Shit.”

Kylen heard the whisper before something fell on his shoulder, then tumbled into his lap. It was a phone. He picked it up, then turned his gaze up and lost his breath. One of the most gorgeous men he’d ever seen in his life was hovering over him.

The man had wide, nervous eyes and a smile with a dimple in each cheek. He was wearing a button-up shirt with the sleeves rolled up, and ink decorated his skin from wrist to elbow.

He continued to stare until Kylen realized he was still holding the man’s phone. “Uh. Sorry. This is yours.”

The guy’s smile widened, his dimples deepening. Fuck, he was so hot. He cleared his throat. “Yeah, thanks. I want to promise I won’t disaster all over you for this flight, but I probably will. Also, this is my first time in first class, so…”

“Business,” Kylen corrected absently, then flushed. He wasn’t trying to be rude. He just did that sometimes. “We don’t get all the perks of first class on this flight.”

“Still better than I’ve ever had. The woman at the counter could tell I was freaking out,” he babbled as he sat and quickly put on his seat belt with shaking hands. The poor bastard. “She whispered there was an upgrade, then she gave it to me. Wasn’t that so nice?”

“It was,” Kylen said with a smile. Fuck, this guy was charming. Like some sort of small-town country boy with a slight hint of an accent to match. “It’s not my first time, so if you have any questions, let me know.”

“Is it obvious I’m out of place? Like…being the poor one?”

Kylen blinked, then burst into laughter. “Honey, breathe. No one cares what’s in your bank account. They care that we don’t hit too much turbulence between here and home. I’m Kylen, by the way.” He offered his hand.

The man took it. His palm was very warm and very soft. He gripped Kylen gently, like he was afraid to squeeze too hard. “I’m Dallas.”

“Were you born there?”

“Hmm?” He looked confused, then rolled his eyes and shook his head. “Oh, no. I grew up in Tennessee.”

“Like Dolly Parton,” Kylen said.

Dallas’s grin widened as he took his hand back and laid his palm flat on his sizable thigh. “Yeah. We all love her, of course. But, uh…no. My parents were really into naming their kids after cities. My brother got saddled with Bronx. Luckily, they stopped at two, or God knows what else my momma would have come up with.”

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