Page 81 of Troubles

I’m fighting to be strong for her, fighting to keep my tears at bay.

“I will. I promise.” She settles her hands on my forearms, a tear rolling down her cheek. “You’ll come back to me soon?” Her eyes overflowing with emotion.

I swallow hard and nod, echoing her words. “I will. I promise.” I kiss her thoroughly, tasting the salt of her tears, only letting go when I absolutely have to. With whispered I love yous, our fingers slowly sliding apart, I watch Lisbeth—my entire world—walk through security and away from me. I watch her as long as I can, until she disappears in the sea of people. Only then, when she’s no longer visible, do I let go and let the tears stream freely.

Lis

Once I’m through security, I do my best to get lost in the throngs of bodies moving toward the departure gates.

I need to catch my breath.

I need to talk myself into getting on this plane.

I need to see his face one last time.

Twisting to look over my shoulder, I see him. I see the moment he thinks I’m gone, consumed by the crowds.

My tears matching his, flow down my cheeks.

Leaving Aidan like this is the hardest thing I can imagine. The only thing making it bearable, is knowing that our love is strong enough to endure whatever gets thrown our way.

EPILOGUE

Gracyn

Lis stumbled through the door late this morning, arms full of pies and wine for Thanksgiving. She practically dropped everything trying to get her boots off. I had to hide in the kitchen, slugging back the rest of my mimosa afraid of what would come flying out of my mouth.

She bitched at me for not helping her. Laughed at me for trying to pull off Thanksgiving dinner. To be fair, I don’t know what I was thinking. I figured fried chicken was close enough to turkey and we’d make it work, but Kate vetoed that and went on a cooking spree. Food was never the point of today anyway.

Lis wanders back into the kitchen as Kate takes the turkey out of the oven. “Smells amazing in here. Kate, what can I do to help?” Neither of us did much cooking when we lived together, but Kate is ah-freaking-mazing.

“Nothing, really. Gracyn just needs to set the table and we should be ready pretty soon. Wait, can you open the champagne I have in the fridge?”

Lis goes to the fridge digging around for the bottle I hid behind every available condiment jar.

I check the big clock over the bookshelf and grab plates and silverware, hurrying out to the table we set up behind the couch.

The cork makes a deep satisfying pop and Lis brings the bottle out setting it on one end of the table. “Are we—is there someone else coming?” she asks as she scans the table set for four. “Oh shit, is Kate still on that dating site? Do we finally get to meet one of them?”

Kate slides out of the kitchen, leaning a shoulder on the wall, not wanting to miss anything.

“We do have someone joining us, but it’s?—”

And right on time, almost like we planned every little detail, the door swings open.

It takes all of four strides for Aidan to cross the room, weave his fingers into her hair and kiss Lis silly.

Aidan asked me to help him surprise Lis when he got his visa mess fixed. He wanted this to be a special moment. One that will become so much more.

And by the shock on her face it looks like we did it. This is worth all the planning and lying and scheming I’ve done over the past three weeks.

Their love is palpable, seeing them finally together after so long. Lis touching his face, his arms, his chest like she can’t believe he’s really here.

Aidan beaming at her, his fingers threaded through her hair, pulling her in for a kiss that promises so much more.

I drag Kate into the kitchen, feeling bad, like we’re intruding, giving them a little privacy.

No one deserves this kind of love more than Lis. She’s been through enough and seeing her happy makes my heart swell and my eyes leak.

Someday, I want what they have—the kind of love they share.

I brush at my tears, stowing my emotions quickly, trying to keep my thoughts from running straight to Gavin. This moment is all about Lis.

I love it.

Love her being in love.

Love the ring I know he has in his pocket.

Love that she’s going to say yes.