Page 118 of Fake It For Love (Faux Love)
RYAN
Iwas pretty certain I had some kind of an out-of-body experience. My lungs felt like they were being squeezed and my heart was pounding so hard the likelihood of a heart attack seemed very real. I dropped my forehead to her shoulder and struggled to catch my breath. That was a first for me. Never had I ever had a soul-changing experience.
“Let me help you down,” I murmured.
Her feet landed on the floor, but she was still sagging against the counter. That made me smile. “Good?” I asked.
“Just a little lightheaded.”
“I bet,” I said.
I pulled my shorts back up from my ankles. In the heat of the moment, I never got them off. She collected her clothes and started to dress. “So, are you ready to go?” she asked.
“Go where?”
“To the reunion,” she said.
“Why would I go there when you’re right here?”
“Because I told Norah we would be back,” she replied. “At least I would be back. And I kind of left all my stuff there.”
“You did?”
She nodded and ran her fingers through her hair that had obviously not seen a brush in the last few hours. “I did. I caught a redeye out here. I didn’t bother bringing my suitcase.”
“You’re pretty confident in yourself,” I teased.
“Either way I was going back there,” she said. “And I didn’t want to take the time to pack and deal with baggage claim. I needed to be here.”
I pulled her in for a hug. “I’m glad you came.”
“Me too. I’m really sorry I didn’t trust you. It was me. I know that’s a tired line, but it’s true. I was certain you were going to run off with some hot flight attendant or realize you weren’t really into me once you got some time away from me.”
“You’re wrong,” I said. “I’m crazy about you. I love you. I can honestly say I’ve never loved anyone else. I love you. You are the only woman I want. You’re the only woman I will ever want.”
She smiled and gave me a kiss. “I love you. I’ve never felt this way about anyone and it’s good and terrifying at the same time.”
“Ah, see, I guess that’s why it’s my thing,” I said. “I’m a pilot. I love good and terrifying.”
“Yes, this is definitely your wheelhouse, but I’m starting to see why you like it.”
“So, do you really want to go to the reunion?”
She nodded. “I do. I want to be there with you.”
I looked at the clock. “We’re going to be cutting it close. If we leave right now, we can make it for drinks.”
“That works for me,” she said. “There’s something else.”
“What?”
“I want to come clean about our engagement,” she said.
I cringed. “Why?”
“Because I think it’s important they know we’re not the same people we were in high school. They need to know all the standards and bullying and bullshit in general was not cool. Look at the lengths we went to. I bet you everyone there is hiding something. We don’t need to have a confessional, but I don’t want the lie on my conscience.”
“I agree,” I said. “We’ll tell them it started out as staged, but it’s the real deal now.”
