Page 82 of The Love Lie
She finds a handle and grabs on, needing to feel grounded.
“I wouldn’t hold that if I were you,” Cooper says through his mic.
“Why not?” Sam practically squeaks.
“It’s the emergency exit.”
“Shit!”
She lets go as if burned. Her heart pounds. Spots start to invade her view as she squeezes the seat cushion, needing something firmer, sturdier—
Strong fingers suddenly thread through hers in an iron grip.
She looks up at Cooper, surprised. “Don’t you need it to fly?”
“I’ll tell you if I do.”
“Are you sure?”
“Just hold my damn hand, Cuj.”
She doesn’t ask again—not because of his tone, but because the moment he touched her, the panic subsided. Not entirely, but enough. Enough for her to catch her breath and look past the fear to the beauty waiting on the other side of the glass. Like always on the plane, the first thing she did when she sat down was close the window. But now, there’s nowhere to look but out at the pink-and-purple-stained sky, the clouds gilded by the dying sun, the stars already starting to pierce through the soft glow. To the far left, the cliffs of a majestic plateau gleam. To the right, rolling hills stretch endlessly into the mounting darkness. It’s awe-inspiring.
Honestly, it’s not at all what she pictured.
“You look confused,” Cooper comments wryly.
“I thought it would be…flatter?”
“Flatter?”
“And full of corn?”
“Ahh.” He nods. “You’re thinking of Eastern Nebraska. This is cattle country. It’s a whole different landscape.”
“It looks kind of like…home, actually. Like the dunes we walk through to get to the beach. Only here, there’s no beach. They just go on and on.”
“That’s a pretty good description, actually. Theyaredunes.”
She scrunches up her face. “What? But there’s no ocean.”
“Nope. Just sand hills. Lots and lots of sand hills held in place by grass.” He pauses, then turns to her with a grin. “You know what cows like to eat, Cuj?”
“Grass.”
“Ding ding ding.”
She snorts. “Well, whatever it is, it’s beautiful.”
“I’ve always thought so.”
“You say that like you— Wait.” She perks up and turns to look at him. “Are we on the ranch already?”
“You’ve been on the ranch since you landed. We lease the land to the local airport because it’s at the far edge of the property, too close to town for the cattle.”
“So all of this…” She trails off, turning her gaze to the view, the distant horizon, the endless wilds seemingly untouched by man.
“Home sweet home, as far as the eye can see.”
