Page 102 of Fall I Want
My lips slightly part and I study him, like I’m waiting for him to say he’s kidding. I don’t think he is, though. The thought exhilarates me, but I don’t think it’s possible.
“I can’t,” I mutter, and it almost pains me. “I have to be at work and I’m using my last bit of vacation to attend your father’s wedding.”
“What if those things didn’t matter?”
I pause, staring at his chiseled face. This man is unreal. He has to be a figment of my imagination and that’s the only reason he’s... perfect for me.
“There would be no question. I’d say yes.”
He claps his hands together. “Great. After I pack I’ll take you home so you can grab whatever you need.”
“Zane,” I say with a laugh, pulling him toward me. “I really can’t.”
He moves forward, lifting my chin upward so he can easily steal a kiss. “You said yes.”
“Hypothetically, if those things didn’t matter.”
He smiles wide. “They won’t. Can you text me the owner’s phone number?”
It’s almost easy to fantasize about going on adventures with him. Isn’t this what I’ve wished for? “There’s no one to cover my shift.”
“Do you trust me?”
I smile and nod, then send him Julie’s parents’ contact information. “Good luck,” I say.
He reaches inside his pocket and pulls out the four-leaf clover I gave him. “I’ve got all the luck I need.”
Chapter 23
Zane
When I decided to spend the next quarter in Cozy Hollow, I stored my plane in the company hangar in case I needed to be somewhere fast. My pilots have been on standby for the last three weeks. After receiving the call, they made it to the airport, fueled up, and did the preflight check before Autumn and I arrived in Denver.
We make small talk on the way there, but I feel like she’s walking on eggshells.
As we board the private jet, Autumn is quiet, and her eyes dart everywhere but to me.
“What is it? What are you thinking? Ask me,” I finally say as we buckle.
“Why the sudden rush to New York?”
“I’m sorry.” I turn to her, realizing I never said, but I have nothing to hide. Not when we’re building the foundation of something bigger than us. “My father was rushed to the hospital due to a suspected heart attack,” I explain, knowing my mind is slowly spiraling with what-ifs and unknown scenarios.
“Don’t apologize,” she says, lifting the middle armrest and wrapping her arms around me. “It’s going to be okay.”
I didn’t realize I needed a hug until her warmth pressed against me. Whenever she is close like this, the ball that’s wound tight inside me loosens. With each passing second, Autumn breaks down the wall I built to protect my heart and she doesn’t even know it.
“When your demeanor shifted,” she says with her head against my chest, “I knew it was serious.”
“Most people wouldn’t have noticed,” I admit.
Can she hear the pitter-patter of my heart, the beats that skip because of her?
“I’m notmostpeople.” She chuckles, but it’s an easy laugh. Not forced, not fake; nothing about being with Autumn is.
“You’re damn right about that.” I adjust my body, making it more comfortable for her because I don’t want her to pull away, at least not yet.
“Are you worried?”
