Page 96 of The Wife Situation

“Lexi,” Easton says, and I relax.

“I missed you,” I say, holding my hand out to him.

As soon as he has me, he interlocks his fingers with mine. I squeeze three times, and he squeezes twice.

“Sorry, it took a little longer than I anticipated.”

“It’s fine. Hopefully, no one got fired,” I joke.

“Not this time,” he tells me as we continue to walk forward.

“Can I take the blindfold off now?”

“Very soon.”

I hear something in the distance and feel a whooshing of wind.

“One second,” he says, and I’m being swooped up in his arms again and placed into a seat.

Hands reach across me, and I’m buckled into something before a door closes. It smells like a new car, fresh leather and plastic. Easton climbs in, but I can’t place any of the sounds. They’re all unfamiliar.

Something is placed over my ears—headphones?

“Are you ready?” he asks on the headset.

“For what?”

Then, I feel a different sensation like we’re going straight up and levitating.

“You can take your blindfold off now.”

I suck in a deep breath, removing the material from my eyes. That’s when I see I’m inside ahelicopter, and when I look over, Easton is at the controls.

“You said you were afraid of flying.”

“One thing about me, Lexi: when I’m afraid of something, I go after it head-on with zero regrets. I started taking flying lessons when I was sixteen. I have a private pilot’s license too. I trust myself and no one else.”

I’m stunned silent.

He smiles as we soar over mountaintops, and I glance at the rushing river down below. On the bank, elk graze in a herd, and I gasp.

“In a minute, you’ll be able to see Grand Teton,” he says.

The valley opens up wide and I spot the pointy peaks in the distance. It’s a clear sky, and it looks like a Hollywood backdrop.

“Is that real?”

“I think that every time I see them. Gorgeous, isn’t it?”

“Breathtaking. Thank you. This isincredible. And you’re right; I wouldn’t have ever guessed this.” I glance over at him, smiling. “From house husband to helicopter pilot.Impressed,” I say.

Sunlight leaks through the windows, causing his watch to sparkle on his wrist. Easton looks down below and calls out something on the radio. It sounds like pilot jargon. Moments later, we’re descending, landing in an open, grassy field.

In the distance sits a neon-green Jeep with big tires and the top off. On the back is an ice chest that’s caked with mud. A twisty trail travels up the side of the mountain to the very top.

He cuts the helicopter’s engine then unbuckles and reaches over to help me.

“I hope you love this,” he says.

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