Page 48 of Terms of the Flight

Khaleya reached out and tipped his chin until he was looking at her.

“I’ll answer that one for you. You belong in this room and you’ve earned your place.”

I stepped forward. “I did not give you anything you didn’t deserve,” I chimed in.

He looked back at Khaleya. “What if I mess up?”

She smiled. “Then you take a deep breath and continue. Everyone out there is rooting for you, not against you. Remember that.”

Jamieson looked over at me again, but this time, the light had returned. He stood and released another breath. I walked over and gripped his shoulder.

“You got this.”

Khaleya walked back over, and I wrapped my arm around her waist, pulling her into my side. I kissed her temple, then whispered into her ear.

“Thank you.”

She looked up and pinched my chest, causing me to chuckle. “You don’t have to thank me, Big. This is why you pay me the big bucks. I handle shit.”

I shook my head and turned the situation over to Kimmy, then led Khaleya back to the ballroom.

My heart was goingcrazy in my chest. I didn’t know what the hell I was walking into. But I’m glad I was able to step in when he needed me. I felt useful, and not just like a woman on his arm for looks.

Even though that was exactly what I was.

“How did you know how to do that?” Myheir asked.

I shrugged and kept facing forward.

“I’ve experienced my fair share of panic attacks in my day. Not to mention, my sister is very prone to them. Sometimes I have to get to her house and talk her through it. So I guess I have some sort of experience with it. Life isn’t always easy on people.”

He nodded and continued to lead me back to the ballroom, when his parents came into view. My smile widened the moment Meredith saw me. I rushed over, leaving Myheir behind, as if these were my parents. His father had a smirk on his face, one that Myheir sported more often than not.

I wrapped my arms around Meredith, and we did a little rock as if we were long-lost friends. I stepped back and waved my hand over her dress. She had on a lace black dress that hugged her figure but still kept it demure. She was beautiful. Her pepper-gray hair was styled in a cute updo that only she could do, because she had the best facial structure.

“You look so good! I love this dress on you,” I complimented her.

She blushed at my compliment, then waved me off. Then she waved her hand over me.

“No, you look beautiful. This dress looks like it was made just for you. How have you been enjoying yourself?” she asked.

“Thank you so much. You know, handling a crisis here and there. I don’t know what your son would do without me.”

I glanced over at Myheir, who was shaking his head with a smile.

“Am I wrong?” I asked him.

“Doll, you fixed one problem, but I’ll let you rock,” he added.

I held up my finger and turned back to face his mother.

“A big problem, might I add, but I’m not going to toot my own horn.”

His father chuckled. “It’s a bit too late for that, Julia.”

“Ha-ha, I didn’t know we had Cedric the Entertainer in here tonight.”

Darren’s eyes widened, then he released one of the loudest chuckles I’d heard in a while. At least for him—he didn’t give me the impression that he laughed at many things, which was why this one was coming from deep down.