Page 135 of Jump on Three

But what if I fly?

Chapter Forty-six

Ivan

I kissed Evelyn’s face. Again and again, I kissed her until she got annoyed and shoved me away.

“I’ve changed my mind. I am not going with you.” She rolled over on my bed, burying her face in my pillow so I couldn’t get to her anymore.

“I can’t control myself.” I sank my teeth into her shoulder, making her squeal and thrash. “I love you so much. You are coming with me.”

Her squeals turned into giggles, then she reached for me, pulling me on top of her. We lay like that, me blanketing her, her limbs circling me, happiness hovering over us.

“I love you too, you know,” she whispered. “I’m afraid.”

My heart clenched. “I am too. But we’re going to jump together.”

“Yes. Just jump. What if we fly?”

“Even if we fall, we’ll be safe. I’ll keep you safe.”

Evelyn had come to my room to tell me she, Delilah, and Rhys would spend the summer in Miami. It wasn’t all I wanted, but it was more than I ever thought I would get. And I would make this summer incredible for her. So fucking incredible she would never want to leave.

“Hmmm.” She stroked her fingers through the back of my hair and nuzzled into my neck. “Do you suppose we’ll learn the point of the beach?”

“We’ll collect seashells and build sandcastles.”

“Then promptly return home?”

I laughed into her hair, giddy with happiness. “Of course.”

After more snuggles and whispered plans, I needed a drink. I left her in my room watching a movie and ventured out to the living room, where Freddie was humming to himself. He stopped when he caught sight of me, watching me under an arched brow. I grabbed a water from the fridge and took a long pull before acknowledging him.

“Why are you looking at me this way?”

He nodded toward my closed door. “Happy news?”

I couldn’t help the grin that stretched across my face. “She’s coming to Miami.”

“Hmmm.”

Freddie didn’t seem to share in my celebration.

“What?” I asked. “Why do you look like you’ve swallowed a lemon?”

“I’ve been thinking…” He turned to me, his arms folded across his chest. “What happens next time?”

“Next time?”

“Yes. When your father decides he wants you to move to New York, or Paris, or Beijing. What happens then? Do you put yourself through the same thing? Do you force her to adapt to that life?”

“I—we will figure that out, but I do not think that will happen.”

“All right, but you don’t know. You have let him have all the control. He doesn’t care about Evelyn, you know. Didn’t you say he chose your other siblings’ partners? What happens when he chooses yours and it's not her?”

My stomach bottomed out. “Shut up, Freddie.”

“You’re being selfish.”

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