Page 15 of Perfect Storm

The look on his face has me melting. He wants to take care of me, and he does, amazingly. He’s always there when I need him, but he also gives me the space to be me. Especially as I went ahead to my meeting at work this morning.

I left him to call around, trying to find out what Jordan was up to. I came straight back once I was finished. We packed a bag for three nights, just as we’d been instructed.

Sometimes, Jordan forgets a few of us are normal people, with normal jobs. We can’t just run off at the drop of a hat.

Although we have done. All of us are here.

I kiss Adam’s lips and lean back in my chair. I look out of the window as we fly through the skies. I’m used to hopping on a private jet these days. It used to be hard for me.

I learned fast, having access to private planes or at least first class is a blessing. He’d be mobbed otherwise. I hate it when girls crowd him. I don’t begrudge them wanting to meet their idol. But hell, let the guy walk through the airport without screaming and pawing at him.

Nick’s face appears between our seats, his eyes stretched back, as there isn’t enough room to fit his head. Adam slaps the top of his head, making him lurch back. Nick just laughs.

“Anyone text Bianca?”

“Are you serious?” Adam asks. “There is no way Jordan told Bianca. He hides from her at the best of times.”

“Which makes me think he’s trying to pull the wool over our eyes. We’d never assume Bianca knows anything about this.”

“Not with this,” Adam disagrees. “He’s still scared of her.”

Nick chuckles. Elsa stands up and puts her arms over the back of our seats. There is enough leg room between the rows. Adam chose seats that weren’t facing others.

“I think it’s romantic,” she says.

“Wedding?” I suggest and Elsa nods. Nick and Adam both laugh at us. “What?”

“No way,” Nick tells her. “Not Jordan.”

“You all said that about him getting a serious girlfriend too,” I point out. “Look how that turned out. They’re joined at the hip.”

“That doesn’t mean they’re getting married,” Nick says.

“Brooke agrees and I think Archer does too.”

Elsa rests her head on Nick’s shoulder. They’re too cute, I’m so thrilled they worked things out.

“That’s because he’s scared to disagree with her,” Adam laughs.

“Damn right he is.” We look at Brooke as she passes us. “And they’re getting married,” she says succinctly as she continues on her way.

“What the hell, woman?” Archer yells. “We disagree. All the time. And I’m not afraid to do it.”

Brooke looks at him for a long moment, then sashays away. We all watch him watching her ass, a dopey smile on his face.

Nick throws a bag of peanuts at him, which he bats away. Then has to apologize when the flight attendant ducks to pick them up.

“What else could it be?” Elsa asks, taking a green shake from the table behind her. “And don’t say orgy. Alessa would string him up by his balls just for the suggestion.”

We all laugh at that.

“Wouldn’t Ciro know?” Nick asks, quieter than before.

It still makes me laugh that they’re all so wary around him. Yeah, he is quiet and intense, and has the whole, stare you down till you feel like you may wet yourself, thing going on. But I kinda like him.

He hit on Brooke back on the night Adam and I got engaged. Although she hasn’t come out and admitted it. I know they hooked up that night.

It was pre-Archer. I imagine it would be awkward if Arch knew the guy sitting in front of him slept with his girlfriend. I remember how awful it was when Adam was on tour with his nasty ex working alongside them.

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