Page 110 of The Accidental Text

Devon hands me my phone and the first thing I see is that I have a text from Chase. I smile. Despite everything that’shappened between us this past week, I’m grateful for him. For remembering today.

I picture him sitting at a café in London. Or maybe he’s at a pub. He’s got that signature half-smile on his face. I miss him. I miss texting him, miss talking to him. Maybe I can get over all these feelings and we could be just friends. I hope.

I open my text app and click on his name.

Chase:Hi, Mom. I’ve been wishing you could have met someone. Her name is Maggie. And she’s pretty amazing. I think you would have liked her … I know you would have. I could really use your help right now—maybe you could send me some guidance. See, I think I’m falling for Maggie, and I’m not sure how to tell her. I think I’ve been feeling this way for a while, but I didn’t realize it fully. I’ve been keeping myself from feeling a lot of things lately. I wanted to tell her before I left, but I felt selfish. I didn’t want to ask her to wait for me while I’m in London. But I don’t care that it’s selfish. I just want her to know. I need her to.

Chase:Oh, by the way, I’m waiting by her car right now. So, I’m planning to tell her this in person. Wish me luck, Mom.

My breath hitches and I look up from my phone. Is this for real?

“Where are you going?” Chelsea asks as I make a mad dash for the parking lot.

“I’ll be right back,” I yell back at her.

I exit the hangar and run toward my car. I don’t remember where I parked—it was so early when we got here, and I was feeling so many things. Now I’m frantic to remember; I need to know he’s really here.

And then I see my car, and there’s Chase standing by it. He’slooking down at his phone, wearing shorts and a charcoal-gray T-shirt.

“Chase,” I say when I’m just ten feet away from him.

He looks up and his lips pull up into a big smile. A grand one. It’s a sight to behold.He’sa sight to behold. And he’s really here, standing next to my car.

I run the last few feet and stop just in front of him.

“You’re here,” I say, still not fully believing it. “Why are you here? You’re supposed to be in London.”

“Changed my flight,” he says, his smile morphing into that half-grin I love so much.

He takes a step toward me, so we’re now just inches away from each other. “I couldn’t leave without seeing you. I tried, but I couldn’t do it. So I changed my flight, and here I am.”

I don’t know what to say; all I can do is stare at him.

“I’m sorry for … everything,” he says. “You were right about me, about what I was doing. I never realized how bad I was at feeling things. I’m working on it.”

“Your texts,” I say.

“Cheesy, right?”

I tilt my head, looking up at him. “I was going to say that you’re a copycat.”

He shrugs his shoulders. “Imitation is the greatest form of flattery.” He smiles.

“I’m sorry too,” I say.

He scrunches his brow. “Why areyousorry?”

“You were right. I was also avoiding things. With the jump.”

“But you did it?”

“I did,” I say, smiling and gesturing toward my jumpsuit. I’m sure I look windblown and my face is a little puffy from all the crying.

“How did it feel?”

I feel the tears prick behind my eyes. “It felt … amazing.”

Chase wraps his arms around me and pulls me into him. I bury my face in his chest, the tears flowing once again. I feel him kiss the top of my head.

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