Page 25 of Zane

In the end, they’d compromised. Zane would stay with his parents for a week, then he’d move into Lee and Rori’s. Though Kelsey hated the idea of being separated for even longer from Zane, it might be for the best.

Zane hadn’t outright rejected her yet, and Kelsey wasn’t going to give him any reason to, if she could help it. So if he wanted to stay with his parents for a bit, she wasn’t going to argue with him about it.

As they climbed onto the jet a short time later, a flight attendant in a sleek uniform greeted them with a smile. The Halversons and Zane had boarded first, and once Zane had settled into a seat, he’d propped his crutches on the seat next to him. Kelsey took that as a sign that he didn’t want anyone sitting beside him.

Kelsey kept going further toward the back of the jet and took a seat that was a part of four seats facing each other. Rori took one of the other ones. The Halversons ended up taking seats near Zane.

Lee had come on board after making sure their bags were safely stowed. He spoke briefly with his parents before coming to where Rori sat. She got to her feet and stepped into his arms.

“I’ll see you in a few days, sweetheart,” Lee said, his words soft but still audible to Kelsey. She looked away. The intimacy of the pair was a poignant reminder of what she’d lost. “Love you.”

“Love you too. Please drive safely.”

“I will do my best.”

After they shared a kiss, Lee said goodbye to everyone, then left the jet.

Kelsey had only ever flown economy, so the private jet was a luxury. This would definitely spoil her for any future flights.

Her gaze went to Zane, who she could just see in slight profile, wishing they could have shared this experience together. She had some nerves about flying, so being able to hold his hand would have been nice.

Soon the attendant came into the cabin to ask if they’d like anything to drink. Kelsey requested a coffee, as did Rori. The woman said she’d return with their drinks once they’d reached altitude, then she asked for them to make sure they were buckled in because they’d be taking off soon.

Kelsey was seated by the window, and she turned to look out of it as the plane began to move.

“Is this your first time flying?” Rori asked from her seat across from Kelsey.

“No. Just the first time on a private jet.”

Rori grinned. “Yeah. Flying commercial isn’t bad for someone like you or me who isn’t very tall, but it’s definitely harder on the guys. It was a blessing that Alexander allowed us to use his jet.”

“Especially with Zane on crutches.”

Rori nodded. “I hope the guys and Lexi have a smooth trip.”

Feeling the plane pick up speed, Kelsey took a deep breath, her gaze going to Zane again. He seemed relaxed, with his head resting back on his seat.

As the plane lifted off the runway, it felt like her stomach was being left behind. Kelsey pressed a hand against it and gazed out the window as the ground dropped away.

She had no real emotions about leaving Tampa behind. Because they’d been there for such a short time, she hadn’t had a chance to feel like Tampa was home.

What did cause some emotion within her was the thought of what this departure represented. Tampa was supposed to have been where Zane finally cemented his place as a haute cuisine chef, and where she finally started her nursing career. The career that had taken her years of hard work to achieve.

Now, Zane had had a possibly permanent setback to his plans, and she was once again having to put hers aside for the time being.

The plane continued to climb, and the city below grew smaller and smaller. Until finally, they veered away from it as they headed north and then a bit west along the coastline.

It felt like another chapter—a brief chapter—was closing, but there was no excitement for this new one. In the back of her mind was the thought that this one was going to hold more heartache for her.

Once the plane had leveled out, the attendant returned with their drinks and some pastries. Kelsey wasn’t overly hungry, but she still took a chocolate croissant. Rori settled for a cinnamon roll. It looked like Zane waved away the offerings, making his mom give him a worried look.

It worried Kelsey too, because Zane liked his pastries. He wasn’t a pastry chef, so they weren’t something he made himself, though she was sure he could if he wanted to. Instead, he just enjoyed other people’s efforts. Except he wasn’t that day.

“I need to speak with you about paying my share at the house,” Kelsey said as she sipped her coffee.

“Oh. You don’t need to worry about that.”

Kelsey frowned. “I don’t want to take advantage.”

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