Page 75 of Always Be an Us

He pulls back a little to tell me. "Something about a total stranger sending you to the forest to die alone really makes you think about your life choices."

I laugh, and he smiles too. But something tells me there's more to his change of heart than I understand.

Perhaps, it's another attribute of the Rainbow Pearl–maybe it can tame a beast.

Chapter Twenty-Two

Declan

The next day, I head to the airport two towns over to pick up Amelia. The online flight tracker let me know that her plane landed already. I figure it will probably take another fifteen to thirty minutes to get out of her first-class seats and head to baggage claim, where I'm standing.

But, not even five minutes later, I spot her running up to me in a leather jacket and matching knee-length skirt, yelling "You got lost in the woods without me???"

I glance around, but the baggage claim area is pretty empty except for the TSA and staff walking around.

I offer my daughter a wry grin, taking her hand luggage from her hand and turning toward the entrance. "It wasn’t exactly by choice. We went there and it started raining."

"We?"

I hesitate, but then venture on. "Yes. Emma came to find me, and she got stuck too."

"You went with Emma?" I watch my daughter’s eyes widen and even more fascination spreads. Then she pouts. "Aw. Can’t believe I missed that."

"It's not as fun as it sounds. Believe me." I told Rachel about my ordeal yesterday after she complained about not being able to reach me that morning. Of course, I gave her the abridged version (I got lost in the woods).

After laughing her head off for nearly three minutes, she said, "Oh God. You just made my day. That’s the most hilarious thing. This has been a stressful week and that just made it all better."

"Yeah, yeah. Laugh it up." I smiled a little too because looking back it was a hilarious predicament, sans the danger.

"Oh my Gosh," Rachel continued. "I think I have a stitch. But I feel bad. Was it horrible?"

I thought about it. "No, it wasn't horrible." After wandering alone in the woods for a few minutes, Emma showed up and changed everything.

And I can't deny that night with her was one of the best ones I can remember having. Not even just because of the sex.

It is also being tucked in each other's arms till the next day, trading stories, watching her laugh...

No matter what happens after I leave this town, that’s going to be a fond memory for me.

"I have something for you by the way," I tell my daughter when we get to the car. The Jeep is still in the process of being towed, so I had to rent a Suburban in the meantime.

"What is it?" Amelia eyes me curiously as she climbs onto the passenger seat.

I debated whether to hold on to it until we get home, but I decided to do it now, so we start her return off on good footing.

I wait till we’re settled and she’s buckled in. As I pull out of the parking lot, I gesture to the glove compartment. "Open that."

She does, and I take a moment to glance over at her when she retrieves the little gift box.

"What is this?" she frowns. "Is it another Tiffany bracelet? Because I don’t want to sound ungrateful, but mom already got me a whole bunch of their bracelets from fashion week, and if I see another one, I’m going to puke."

I chuckle. "It’s not a bracelet. Open it."

She eyes me suspiciously as she opens the box while I merge onto the driving lane. Then a second later, her gasp fills up the entire car.

"No." I glance over to catch her staring at it with shock and then her eyes rise to meet mine. "Is it what I think it is?"

"Yup," I say. "Hold it up to the sun."

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