Page 48 of Forgotten Promise

Benjamin winced. Sometimes there was no greater punishment than to be told your family was disappointed in you.

Kailani turned to John. “So there you have it. That’s why I can’t stand Benjamin Dara.”

John sighed, and Benjamin wondered how a single long breath could make him feel like a total shithead. The thing was…he hadn’t grasped how deeply he’d hurt her. Back then, he’d been too caught up in his own horrible realization when it came to feelings.

“Kailani,” Benjamin said, hoping there was some way he could find the words to make this right. “I’m sorry. I’m sorry if I said something that fucked up your uncle’s bill. I…honestly don’t remember if I did. I didn’t do it deliberately.”

“I figured that, though I did spend a few weeks convinced the only reason you dated me was to get information.”

“You thought that?”

“I did.”

Benjamin leaned back against the seat, staring up at the ceiling of the plane. “I walked away at the end of that summer because I had to.”

Kailani made a dismissive noise, but John said, “What do you mean you had to? Your family didn’t like you dating her?”

“No.” Benjamin shook his head, still not looking at them. “When we started, after that first kiss, I thought it would be a fun, easy relationship that we could keep going until we were called to the altar.” He smiled, but it was grim. “I was twenty-one and I wanted a girlfriend. I knew other legacies who’d managed these no-strings, no-emotions relationships.”

“So what happened?” John asked.

“After Paris, I realized I couldn’t do it. I couldn’t be in a casual relationship with Kailani.” Benjamin lifted his head, looking at John, not Kailani. “I realized that I never should have even kissed her, let alone dated her, because she mattered. She was my friend.” That wasn’t enough, the words too small and simple to express what he felt. “If we’d spent any more time together. If we’d dated any longer—”

The intercom system dinged, the pilot’s voice coming through the speakers.

“Mr. Dara, we’re not going to make it to upstate New York.”

Benjamin blinked, his brain taking a moment to shift gears.

“We’re going to die. I knew it.” John reached across and tightened Kailani’s seat belt. “These little planes are death traps!”

“A weather system on the East Coast has made it inadvisable for lighter-weight aircraft to continue,” the pilot continued calmly. “We’ll be setting down in Denver and waiting out the storm there.”

“No, we have to get to New York. I have to get the other keyholder.” Kailani looked panicked as she loosened the seat belt John had tightened.

“Wait, so we’re not crashing?” John was staring out the window, hands plastered to the wall of the plane.

“We’ll have to rent a car and drive,” Kailani declared.

“If we crash here, we’re going to crash in the Rocky Mountains.” John stabbed his finger at the window, at the view of endless mountains. “We’re so dead.”

“Or fly commercial,” Kailani demanded. “A bigger plane will make it. Can we fly commercial?”

Benjamin looked at them, both panicking for different reasons. This he could handle. He knew how to take control in a crisis.

He’d much rather do that than confess the truth about what he’d realized all those years ago.

Chapter Twelve

The penthouse suite was well appointed, but Benjamin had to admit he wouldn’t have thought much of it if not for John standing beside him.

“Holy shit,” John breathed.

Benjamin put his arm around the other man’s shoulders. He’d meant it to be a friendly, companionable touch, but the moment they connected, Benjamin was aware of John in an entirely different way.

He hadn’t let himself think about John like that. He’d found him attractive when he dropped his robe during the binding ceremony, but once Kailani’s name was called, Benjamin hadn’t allowed himself to fantasize about a relationship with the man.

He cleared his throat. “Yes, well, it will give us some space to spread out until we’re able to fly to New York.”

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