Page 132 of That First Flight

I watch as his chest rises and falls slowly with each breath he takes.

He’s so beautiful.

I know it’s odd to call a man of this stature beautiful, but that’s what he is.

As if Oliver can sense me staring, he startles and slowly opens his eyes. “Good morning, beautiful,” he says in a groggy voice as he brings himself higher on the pillow. “It’s early. How did you sleep?”

“Perfect,” I tell him, pressing a kiss to his bare chest before I snuggle back into his arms. “You’re like sleeping with a heated blanket.”

His chest vibrates as he chuckles. His fingers tickle my arms from wrist to shoulder. It’s the same move I used to do when Mackenzie was younger and I would cuddle with her. The light touch causes goosebumps to pebble on my skin.

“I love when I get to see the artwork on your arms,” he says.

“Yeah?”

He nods. “Your sleeve is probably my favorite tattoo I’ve ever seen.”

I look down at the ink covering my arms as if I don’t see it every day of my life. A dragonfly is drawn over my forearm and a cherry blossom scattered along my upper arm that reaches just below my shoulder.

“I got this done two years ago,” I start as I rest my chin on my opposite arm and look up at him. “Things were really bad. I was at the lowest point of my life and I found myself questioning why I was still here, questioning what was the point of going forward if my parents wouldn’t let me be the mom I knew I could be.”

Oliver remains silent but his hands never stop tracing the ink on my skin. His face tells me he’s begging me to tell him more.

“I had no friends. I had no one to talk to and was scared to admit to anyone the dark thoughts that went through my head for fear of being deemed unstable. After sleeping for three days straight,” I breathe out, my stomach churning at the memory. “I had a realization that I needed to make a change. I needed to be stronger. If not for myself, but for Mackenzie.”

I blink rapidly, pushing down any strong emotions because it’s too early in the day for all that.

“One day I was walking around town doing some shopping for the holidays when I came across a small tattoo shop. I stared at the logo on the outside of the building for so long that I’m sure people walking by thought I was weird.” I laugh at that. “I walked in and said I need something inked on my body that reminds me to keep going.” I swear I see a small smile on Oliver’s face, but I can’t quite tell. “The guy’s name was Chuck. It’s a name I’ll never forget because he changed my life that day. Not because he’s the one who drew up this tattoo, but because he talked to me like I was a real person. I hadn’t talked to someone like that since before I had Mackenzie. I spilled my entire life to him for a few hours as if he was my therapist. I cried. He cried.” I smile at the memory. “That was the day the cherry blossom was born.”

“What does it mean?” Oliver asks.

“The Japanese took its beautiful, but fleeting spring blossom as a metaphor for life. The inevitable wilting decline into death always follows the full bloom. So wearing the tattoo shows readiness to live each day as if it were your last. The dragonfly was added last minute to symbolize the ability to overcome times of hardship.”

“That makes me equally in love with your art and also hate it at the same time.”

I huff out a small laugh.

“I hate that you’ve gone through what you have, but I’ve never been happier that it brought you to take that flight. It brought you to leave and put us on the same path.”

I swallow down the emotions. “I am too.”

“I mean everything I’ve ever said to you, Macey. I want everything with you that you’re willing to give me. I’ll wait until you’re ready if I have to. But I’m all in with you.”

This man is a dream come true.

If you told me months ago that I would fall for the funny guy on the plane who called me hisseat wifeand that he would show up and offer me a place to live in the city… I would have laughed in your face.

“I want that too. With you.”

“Yeah?”

“It’s getting harder and harder to deny it. I just need to talk to Mackenzie about everything. This is new territory for her. I know she loves you and is used to you being around by now. But this would be a whole new level.”

“Of course.” Oliver adjusts himself in bed before he cups my face in his hands. “But you should know I love her.”

I’ve tried so hard to hold the tears back, but now, I can’t hold them back at his admission. I want nothing more than having more people love my daughter the way I do.

“You do?”

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