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“Wish I could help you. Reid and I are close, but he doesn’t talk about the past that much. At least not that in-depth about his history with Stella.”

“Men,” I roll my eyes. “Why can’t you guys overshare like girls do, and know every sordid detail?”

“Sometimes we do,” he winks, and my neck reddens as I recall Easton’s musing about his now infamous Tahoe blowjob. Joel reads my expression and holds up his palms. “Oh shit, Natalie, no, not likethat.He’s not spilling intimate details. He’s keeping you all to himself in that respect.”

“Oh, thank God. I thought I was going to need a parachute.”

“You dive. I have to follow,” he chuckles.

We sit in comfortable silence as I run my hand down the rich leather of the seat.

“It’s been hard on me, you know,” I admit after a few minutes, looking over at him. “Only having my fucking horse to confide in.” We share a lengthy stare-off before bursting into laughter. “I know, right? It’s ridiculous, but he’s a faithful horse and a good listener.”

“Hang in there, sweetheart. Things will work out.”

“God, I hope you’re right.” I swallow as I reflect on this morning’s close call. “Joel, c-can I ask your opinion?”

“You know you can.”

“Do you think we’re doing the right thing by keeping our relationship from our parents?”

“Honestly, I think it’s a tough situation for you both to have to navigate. In a way, it seems really deceptive, but at the same time, I completely understand why you both decided to go about it this way for now.”

“I came really close to walking into my father’s office this morning and confessing all.”

“What stopped you?”

“What’s stopped me from the start. The emails. That combined with the fact that I’m happy. I chickened out.” I swallow. “Do you think our parents will understand . . . I mean, eventually?”

Joel grimaces, and I already know his answer before he voices it. “I don’t know their history, so it’s hard for me to say one way or another. I wish I could ease your mind, and I really hope for both your sakes they do.”

I nod. “I’m sorry, and I’m sorry I put you in the position to answer that.”

“Hey,” he prompts sharply, drawing my eyes from the landscape below. “I carea lotabout Easton andyou. This isn’t just a job for me.”

“I know. He loves you.”

He seems to stare through the passing clouds. “I would lose my damned mind if anything happened to him.”

“So, is it really like a proud papa thing for you?”

“It’s weird,” he says, easing back in his seat slightly. “It’s like I remember every part of his childhood, and I’ve had to stop myself a lot over the years from overstepping when Reid and Stella aren’t around . . . but now? I truly recognize him as the man he’s become, who’s got to make his own choices and mistakes. I wouldn’t say it’s a father’s love, but definitely an uncle’s. A very close uncle.”

“I get that. I love that.”

“It’s a balancing act sometimes for me, more back then than now,” he admits. “But when it comes down to it, this really hasn’t been a job for me for a long time. Blood or not, we are family. Even when the job ends, I know for certain our relationship won’t. I don’t even question that.” His chest bounces. “Hell, I have a designated bedroom at the Crowne house and put it to good use during the holidays.”

“That’s awesome.”

Melancholy sneaks in at the thought I might not ever be welcome or accepted in the Crowne house—in any capacity. That Easton’s parents may never embrace me and vice versa. Even worse, I can’t picture my father accepting Easton, at all.

What future can we have?

“You have to live your life, Natalie,” Joel speaks up, sensing my budding apprehension. “You can’t base important life decisions on the feelings of others. That’s one thing I can say for certain. What you two found with each other and have now is rare, really fucking rare, and I can attest to that because I’ve watched it happen. So, embrace it for what it is and let the worries for what might be go for now, because those are out of your control.”

“Thank you,” I say. “I really,really, needed to hear that.” I look around the cabin of the plane. “I’m sure you’ve witnessed a lot over the years.”

“Yeah, I really have.” He chuckles, his eyes going glassy. “Stella and Reid were pretty mild, though they had their moments. Stella was a pistol as is, and when her Latina came out, everyone took cover.” He full-on laughs. “Reid has a temper, and most of the time, he kept it subdued. But put those two together on a bad night, the turbulence took placeinsidethe plane.”

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