Page 85 of Ex Marks the Spot

Silence blankets the room as Court absorbs my long-overdue apology. Compassion and understanding wash over his face, drawing my throat tight. I don’t realize I’m crying until he reaches over and wipes my cheeks.

“Sounds like quite the epiphany.”

I let out a garbled laugh. “On camera, no less.”

“Is it my turn now?”

“Yeah, I think I’m done.”

“Okay. Remember when we learned the Bombshell thing was an act?”

“This is an interesting segue, but yes, I remember.”

“What did Gianna say?”

“That it was easy because people see what they expect to see.”

Court lifts his brows and holds my gaze. “Say that last part again.”

“People see—ah.”

He nods when I make the connection. “It’s not your fault. You saw what I wanted you to see. The one promise I made to myself on the drive home from that bachelor party was to lie to you as little as possible. The downside was that meant the excuse I gave you was shaky at best. When you brought up the cheating angle, I knew that was the only way to keep you off my doorstep while still keeping my promise, so I ran with it. It actually worked out well, though. I still got to tell the truth by denying it, and the fact that I was denying it made me look even guiltier.”

“It definitely worked,” I say dryly as I scoot up to the crook of his arm. Once I’m settled, Court presses a kiss to the top of my head and I pretend not to die from it. “What did you mean about keeping me off your doorstep?”

“You’re the most stubborn optimist I’ve ever met. I was afraid you’d show up on my doorstep the next day with a bulleted list of options and counterarguments and tell me to pull my head out of my ass.”

I breathe out a laugh. “I probably would have.”

We’re quiet for several moments and then he says, “For what it’s worth, your showcase on Gallery Night was phenomenal. I don’t think I’ve ever had a chance to tell you that.”

Aaaandthere goes my damn heart again.

But before I can respond, there’s a knock at the door. Court dodges my gaze as he slips off the bed and tightens the sash on his robe. I hear him talking to a man, and then the door is shutting and he’s coming back around the cornerwith a cart carrying a charcuterie board, a bottle of wine, two glasses, and a gift bag.

“Did the show order room service for us?”

Ignoring my question, he situates the cart beside the bed and reclaims his spot, only this time he faces me and links our fingers. After a few seconds, he finally meets my eyes. His Adam’s apple bobs once before he says, “I also have something I want to talk to you about.”

“Okay.” I give his hand a reassuring squeeze.

“I couldn’t tell you what the view looked like today once my instructor pulled our chute because I couldn’t take my eyes off you. We could’ve been over land or sea or an opening to the center of the earth, except I know it had to be land because you talked about the ground being covered in a patchwork quilt of green and brown and yellow. And there was a flock of birds nearby, and you put your arms out to fly alongside them. I know there were clouds because you laughed at how amazing it was to be that close to them.”

Tears prick my eyes. Out of everything we experienced,theseare the things he chose to remember?

“I know that every time you got excited about something you saw, you did this little kick thing with your feet. And that I was so damn proud of you for overcoming a fear and embracing the experience we had today. I know your face was the first one I saw when I landed and I couldn’t wait to get to you.”

I lose the battle against my tears. Court wipes them away again, but this time I’m holding my breath while he does it.

“I know we’d have a lot of logistical things to figure out and it may not be easy at first, but I can’t breathe when I think about walking away from you next week, so I was wondering”—he grabs the gift bag off the cart and removes what’s inside—“if maybe you’d like to hang some stars with me?”

CHAPTER 18

COURT

Day 14—Greece

Ihave one millisecond to catalogue Hartley’s watery smile before she launches herself at me.

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