Page 80 of Forever Flirting

Both of them got quiet – and Alex finally spoke.

“I wish I was there with you,” he said softly. “I wish I could hold you, be close to you, and just breathe you in.”

“It’s probably a good thing that you are not, if we are trying to take things slow… and give ourselves plenty of time.”

“What if we didn’t?”

“What do you mean? Because I’ve been thinking too…”

“Nothing. I’m just tired and probably should go to sleep, because Caleb will be up at the crack of dawn.”

“I’m getting out of work tomorrow at three – and if it’s okay with you, I’ll just drive straight over there to your grandmother’s.”

“Do you want to go flying on Thursday or Friday? I’d love to take you for a spin so you can see what I do. I mean, it’s not my Falcon, but it would…”

“That would be amazing,” Everly interrupted. “Can we bring Caleb?”

“Yeah,” he said hoarsely. “God, I love you so much.”

“I love you too – get some rest and we’ll talk more tomorrow… but yes. Let’s go flying and make some memories while you are here.”

“You got it.”

* * *

Everly arrivedabout four o’clock as Alex was returning from dropping off Caleb with Mallory for a little while. Everything seemed to be working out as if designed, yet he felt like he was flying by the seat of his pants and just waiting to ride the next ‘wave’ like some surfer.

A part of him wondered if Everly had said anything to her brother yet, or if she had talked to her parents… and decided to come right out and ask, because he wanted their full support in this.

Walking up the driveway to greet her, Alex smiled easily as she moved into his arms, hugging him and angling her head upwards to kiss him, as if there were years of practice between them.

“Hi… are you ready to see me at my worst?” she teased, smiling.

“I can take it,” he replied easily, lacing his fingers at her lower back as if to hold her in his arms forever. “Can I ask a nosy question?”

“Of course.”

“Did you tell your parents or your brother about us? I’m just curious.”

Everly got really quiet, and her expression fell slightly as she started to draw back – and he was glad his fingers were holding his hands.

“Talk to me,” he urged softly.

“I emailed Killian and told my parents. Killian hasn’t emailed me back yet, and my parents said they would try to make it for the wedding, but with driving and the distance, there wouldn’t be enough time.”

Alex stared at her in disbelief and shock – stupefied and unsure what to think as Everly looked away from him. It must be hurting her badly to realize that her parents weren’t sure if they would come to her wedding, and he hated that for her.

He could only imagine what Ricochet would say.

“We haven’t even set a wedding date,” Alex said quietly. “I mean, if they left in the next two weeks and stretched out their visit here, then maybe…”

“I told them we were getting married tomorrow afternoon at the courthouse,” Everly said quietly, turning to look at him, as his mouth dropped open in surprise… before curling upwards in a smile.

“You did?”

“That’s what was keeping me up last night – thinking about things. If they couldn’t be here for my graduation, then I wouldn’t expect them to be here for my marriage,” Everly replied. “I’m not bitter, but rather it’s my life, and I learned long ago that I needed to be happy with my decisions without waiting for something to happen. It was more of a courtesy to…”

“A courtesy to tell them,” Alex finished in realization, “because…”

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