Chapter Thirty-Seven
Grace
I stared at her, wondering what on earth she was doing in my kitchen. I wish I could say that I was happy to see her, but I really didn't get that feeling.
I opened my mouth to say something, and then closed it again. All of a sudden I was angry- she had abandoned me when I needed her the most.
We stared at each other until Luisana cleared her throat. "Honey, do you want me to move Harper's bags into your room?" She asked hesitantly. I'm sure this wasn't the reunion she had been expecting.
I didn't break eye contact with Harper as I answered, "I think the guest room would be a better fit for her."
Luisana scuttled out of the kitchen and Harper dropped her gaze to the floor.
"Grace, I-" She began before I cut her off.
"Where have you been Harper? I needed you and you weren't there! Not a phone call, nothing!" I yelled at her, my frustrations coming out from hiding.
She froze as if someone had dumped ice water over her as guilt cloaked her expression.
"Grace, I'm so sorry..." She said quietly.
I was not letting her off so easily.
"I had no one Harper! You were the only person I had left on this earth and you couldn't spare one moment of your time to call me and see how I was?!"
She stared at the ground, and I swore I could see her crying.
I continued on, knowing that if I didn't say this I would never be able to look at her without anger again.
"I had just lost my entire family and to top it off, I was blind! My aunt Prune didn't even want me. I kept hoping that one day you would show up at the hospital and I would hear your voice. That day never came." I hissed out, tears beginning to leak from my eyes.
She peeked up under her eye lashes and stared at me sadly.
"Nothing I say will ever make up for my actions," She paused, "when I heard about the accident it was as if time had stopped. I couldn't breathe. My first thought was to call you but I was terrified. I realize how selfish that was of me but I just... couldn't." She said dramatically.
I hugged my arms to my chest, trying to accept what she was saying. I truly missed her- not having her in my life was something I didn't like to think about. Deep down I knew I was happy she was here. I just needed to suck it up and accept her apology.
I glanced up at her again. She wasn't crying anymore, she looked indifferent as she looked at me expectantly.
She looked different from when I had last seen her a couple months ago. She had gotten highlights and a fresh manicure as well as wore too much makeup. I couldn't put a finger on it but I somehow felt she was never going to be the same Harper I had once known again.
She slowly opened her arms for a hug and I stepped hesitantly into them.
"Friends?" She questioned.
I pulled back and pursed my lips. The old me may not have been as forgiving- but knowing that life can pass you by at any second I decided everyone deserved a second chance.
I nodded and she broke out into an enormous grin.
"We have so much catching up to do! How amaze is this house? And your new life? It's so fab!" She squealed, jumping up and down.
I cringed at her slang and how fake she sounded. "Um, Luisana and Michael are fantastic and I love them but I'd do anything to have my old life back," I reminded her. It was as if she forgot the reason I had moved here in the first place.
She sniffed and grabbed my hand. "Tell me all about The Galaxies!"
I rolled my eyes- I knew this was coming. "They're really great guys."
She huffed in annoyance, "C'mon, Grace. I want details, spill them!"
I laid back on my bed and gazed at the ceiling. "Jaxon helped me pull myself together in the hospital. He was there for me every step of the way, as well as my doctor and Jax's Aunt. They're the reason I'm still sane. My doctor, Dr. Hattie is Luisana's sister. I owe everything to them." I answered truthfully.
Harper picked at her nails and looked up at me. "How great of a kisser is Jaxon?"
I frowned at her and then looked back at the ceiling. "Good." I answered simply.
For some reason, I didn't want to tell Harper about Jax. It was like there was a tight ball of stress in my stomach whenever she asked about him.
I frowned again and looked at the clock. I would not become one of those annoying jealous girlfriends.
I heard the doorbell ring and dismissed it, listening as Harper rambled on about boys back in Vancouver.
A few minutes later there was a knock on my bedroom door and I hopped out of bed quickly, thankful for the interruption of hearing about Harper's sex life.
I threw it open, expecting to see one of the housekeepers or Luisana or Michael.
Instead, I found myself staring into the dreamy blue eyes of Jaxon.
My face paled as I realized Harper was in my room as well. I heard Harper get up from her perch on the bed and I closed my eyes tightly as I heard her approach.
I opened the door wider so she could see who was here and looked at Jax, waiting for Harper's reaction.
Her response was an ear shattering scream. I jumped despite myself, falling slightly into him. He steadied me and looked at Harper in confusion.
"Hi, I'm Jaxon." He cleared his throat awkwardly, extending his hand for her to shake.
"I know exactly who you are!" Harper half squealed, half purred, jumping forward to grab his hand. She more caressed it than shook it, and he slowly pried her off him, taking a large step back.
He rubbed the back of his head awkwardly, still having no idea who she was.
"I'm Harper, Grace's best friend. I'm sure you've heard all about me." She smiled, sure of herself.
"Actually, I haven't." Jaxon's voice was flat and he stared at her with barely contained anger. Oh, he had heard about her all right.
Harper's face flashed with surprise and as quickly as it had happened she was back to normal.
"Grace, can I talk to you a second in private?" He asked, glancing at Harper.
I nodded enthusiastically. Despite Harper being here, I was thrilled I was seeing him again so soon. Harper grudgingly stayed behind but her eyes trailed after us until we had made our way down the long hallway.
Jaxon grabbed my hands and raised them to his lips. He kissed my fingers, and looked at me with worry.
"Are you alright? Why is Harper here?" He said her name almost like it was poison, unpleasant in his mouth.
"She showed up in my kitchen a little after I got home today. I guess it was a surprise because Luisana seemed to be in on it." I answered lamely.
He sighed, "I just don't want you to get hurt. She abandoned you and I know it would kill you if she did it again..."
I nodded, "She apologized to me today, I think we're going to try and work through this."
He smiled at me with pride. "You're remarkable."
"Only because I have to live up to you." I teased, standing on my tip toes to meet my lips to his.
He leaned closer and our eyes closed, my hand making its way into his soft blonde hair. I could feel his gentle breath on my face.
"Grace?" Harper called, sounding close.
We jumped in surprise, staring at Harper leaning on the wall across from us.
Jax frowned and pulled me close to his side.
"Yeah?" I asked breathlessly, staring at her in confusion.
"I was wondering if you could take me to explore Los Angeles." She smirked at me.
I nodded, "Sure. We can leave in a little bit."
She shook her head. "I saw a sale on the way here that only lasts until noon. Can we go now?"
I crinkled my nose, wondering why she sounded so desperate.
I turned back to Jaxon and leaned forward to peck his lips.
He smiled down at me and met me halfway.
"Why did you come back over?" I laughed, curious.
He shrugged, holding up my purse in his hands.
"I thought you would miss this." He grinned at me cheekily.
"You're a life saver!" I grinned, giving his hand a squeeze before taking my purse.
"Do you want to come shopping with us?" I smiled at him.
He frowned, shaking his head sadly. "I have to go to an interview tonight, my managers planned it. Sorry babe." He kissed my head as he pulled me in for a hug.
I nodded in understanding. "Tell the boys I said hi," I grinned.
"Me too!" Harper squealed.
Jax smiled weakly at her and kissed me on the cheek.
"I'll see you later, Grace." He said as he headed to his car.
Once we had watched his car disappear from sight I turned to face Harper.
"He's hot!" She fanned herself dramatically. I laughed, rolling my eyes at her.
"What is the sale for?" I asked, closing the door behind us as we walked back inside.
She paused for a minute, looking panicked. I raised an eyebrow and she shook her head.
"It's a surprise!" She squealed, grabbing my arm and tugging me upstairs to get ready.
A half an hour later we were getting into Luisana's red mustang that I had been given permission to drive.
Harper was practically drooling as she stared at it longingly.
"Can we put the top down?" She begged.
I nodded, "Of course! It's such a nice day out."
Harper directed me to where she had seen the sale. I wondered what they could be selling to get her this riled up over clothes. I parallel parked and got out, looking for the sales signs.
"Where is the store?" I asked.
She looked around in confusion, "I think it's this way." She pointed.
I nodded and followed her, locking the car behind me.
Harper led me down an alleyway that connected to the street behind us. I raised an eyebrow at her in question and she ignored me, continuing her fast pace.
We turned the corner and I was abruptly stopped by the flashes of cameras and shouts of the paparazzi. I screamed in surprise, looking around wildly for an exit.
"Harper! Let's go!" I yelled over the commotion. She was stepping in front of me as she smiled at the paparazzi, waving goodbye as I yanked her arm back in the direction we had come from.
They followed closely, like flies on shit.
When we finally reached the car, I yanked open the door and pressed the button to close the canopy. I started driving, forcing the paparazzi to get out of my way.
How do Jaxon and the boys deal with this every single day?
When I had finally gotten back onto the road, I began taking detours to lose the pests following us. I pulled onto a side street and turned to face Harper.
"What the hell was that, Harper?" I yelled, throwing my arms in the air.
She smiled at me and shrugged, "I thought the world should see you with your best friend."
"Do you realize what you've just done?" I asked her, my expression deadly.
"What? Gotten you more fame?" She asked, completely oblivious.
I shook my head, feeling sick to my stomach.
"No. You've lost my trust." I said lowly, trying to keep calm.
I started the car and began driving back home.
"Look, I'm sorry Grace. I've seen some bad articles about you and I just wanted to help clear your name." She said, sounding upset.
I breathed out through my teeth, hissing. "You sure know how to clear things up." I muttered.
I looked at her, pouting out the window. She truly was clueless.
"What am I going to do with you, Harper?" I sighed.
She peeked up at me, looking worried.
"I'm sorry Grace. I shouldn't have done that." She clasped her hands together in her lap.
I rolled my eyes at her and pulled into my driveway, ignoring the paparazzi that hovered behind our gate. I parked the car so that it hid us as we reached the door.
Tired of all the drama and hostility, I caught Harper's arm.
"Want to go for a swim?" I asked her, gesturing towards the backyard.
I opened the gate and turned to say something to Harper when I ran into a hard chest.
I looked up quickly to meet the smirking gaze of Kegan.
"Oh hey, stranger." I joked, laughing.
Harper cleared her throat and raised her eyebrows at me.
"Harper, this is Kegan, Kegan, this is Harper. His mom works for Luisana and Michael at the house. He sometimes works here for extra money." I said smiling.
Kegan looked offended. "You forgot to mention I'm the best pool cleaner you've ever met."
I scoffed, "Yeah when you're not nearly drowning me." I laughed at his shocked face.
I was pulling off my shirt to get into the pool but my phone's chime stopped me. I headed over to the table where I had set it and looked. My phone began to buzz continuously. Confused, I looked at my text messages and noticed it was already in the hundreds.
"What in the world?" I muttered, clicking on a random twitter notification.
I read it silently, my stomach dropping with dread.
NIALLLOVERFOREVEER32: @GraceRoseTanner is so pathetic. Latching on2 Niall like the wh0re she is. I bet she cant even recite 1 of his songs. Poser.
There were countless others on twitter like that as well, and although I was paying more attention to the negative ones, there were lots of nice ones too. I continued to look at my texts, nearly hyperventilating. I fell into a pool chair, clutching my phone tightly in my hands.
How had they gotten my number?
The next few days passed by in a blur. In between deleting my twitter account and changing my cell phone number, I had kept myself relatively busy. I still wasn't sure how the public had gotten my number, but I assumed it may have been one of my distant friends back in Vancouver.
Jaxon and I had been spending as much time as we could together- they were leaving on their tour in a few days and would be gone for almost a year. I was going to miss him so much- but I would definitely be visiting as much as I could.
My cell phone started blaring and I jumped at the sound.
"Hey, J." I answered with a small smile.
"Hey Grace, what are you up to?" He asked curiously.
I looked around my room, musing about how lame my social life really was. "I'm just laying on my bed, re-blogging things on Tumblr." I answered sheepishly. "How was your interview?"
He chuckled and I closed my eyes at the sound. It was one of the many things I loved about him.
"It was awesome, Ellen was hilarious." He replied, crunching on some sort of food. My stomach grumbled- I still hadn't eaten today.
"That sounds really cool; I've always wanted to meet Ellen. She seems like she's genuinely a good person." I said, imagining what it would have been like to meet her in person.
"She really is. She cares about everyone she meets, famous or not. I think that's what makes her so likeable. She's down to earth and really humble- not to mention hilarious."
I nodded, knowing absentmindedly that he couldn't see me. "I miss you," I murmured, a blush flushing across my cheek bones.
He laughed, sounding happy. "I miss you too, Princess. I was actually wondering if you were free tonight. I know it's short notice and all but my mum texted me and my whole family is in town to see me before we leave on tour."
My stomach clenched with nerves at the thought of going to my first family function with Jax. A nervous laugh escaped my lips and I got up from my bed shakily.
As if he thought I would need something to persuade me further, he said, "My Aunt Kim will be there, and Uncle Pete." He added hesitantly.
My heart swelled with happiness at the mention of seeing Aunt Kim and Uncle Pete again. I hadn't seen them since the accident but frequently emailed Kim. She always kept me updated on Pete and how his physical therapy was going.
"Of course I'd love to go with you!" I cried excitedly.
"I was hoping you'd say that. I can have someone pick you up at five-thirty if that's alright?" He asked sweetly.
"That sounds great, can't wait to see you." I said, "I have to shower and stuff so I'll see you later. Bye Jax," I smiled.
"See you later Princess." He said as he hung up.
I skipped to the shower and turned the hot water up. I let the steam fill the room and sighed in content when I felt the hot water run over my skin.
A loud banging on the door startled me. I screamed, falling against the shower wall. I held my heart as I tried to resume breathing normally.
"Grace, hurry up!" Harper yelled from the other side.
I frowned in annoyance. "I just got in the shower!"
"Well, hurry up and get out! I've got plans to share with you!" She squealed.
I sighed, "I'll be out when I'm done."
I heard her huff and walk away- shrugging, I continued washing my skin and lathering the shampoo and conditioner in my hair.
I rinsed and turned off the water. Wrapping a towel around my body, I stepped out into my room.
Harper was there, lying on my bed reading a magazine.
"Finally," She said, rolling her eyes.
She began playing with her phone and seemed not to hear me. Shrugging, I grabbed a pair of cute lace panties and a matching bra, slipping them on facing the wall. She didn't even bat an eyelash at it. Harper and I used to change in front of each other all the time, we practically grew up together.
Before I could grab my clothes I had set out, the door flung open and I jumped back in surprise, letting out a startled scream.
Kegan burst into the room, looking frantic. He looked at Harper in confusion and then at me. His face look shell shocked and a deep blush turned his face red.
I heard a click from where Harper was sitting but snapped back into reality when she started laughing like a hyena. I struggled to get my clothes on as fast as I could and Kegan covered his eyes, facing the opposite direction.
I finished dressing and awkwardly cleared my throat.
Kegan slowly uncovered his eyes and looked at Harper expectantly, "You said there was an emergency and that Grace was in trouble," He accused her, narrowing his eyes.
My eyes flashed to hers, looking for confirmation it what he had said.
"It was a joke. Chill out," Harper said, finally settling down. She crossed her arms and stared at the ceiling almost like she was the one who had a reason to be upset.
Kegan turned to me and awkwardly rubbed the back of his head, "Grace, I'm so sorry. I didn't mean for that to happen. Honestly,"
I managed a weak laugh, "I know. It's alright, it was just a surprise."
He stared at me for a second as if to make sure I was serious before he coughed, "Right. Well, uh I'll be going now." He gave a fleeting look of distaste to Harper before leaving, closing the door behind him.
I stared at her in disbelief. "What the hell was that about?" I hissed.
She shrugged, "I was bored. You've been in your room all morning," She defended herself lamely, looking at her nails.
I shook my head, not understanding who this girl was.
"You know, I really do not understand why you came here in the first place." I said, giving her a withering look.
She gave me her best what the fuck face and flopped back onto my bed.
I leveled my gaze at her, "No, really Harper. It's almost like I don't know you at all anymore. You never used to be so obsessed with attention."
She looked at me incredulously.
"That's pretty hilarious when it's coming from an attention whore like yourself." Harper spat angrily.
"Right," I scoffed, not believing this was really happening.
"Oh please, if you looked up Grace Tanner in the dictionary your name would be under the definition of attention. Don't play innocent with me," She seethed, the fire in her eyes was unmistakable.
"What in the world is wrong with you?" I yelled.
"The only thing wrong with the world is that you're in it!" She screamed hysterically.
I froze, staring at her with my eyes wide. She stared at me with disgust, sniffing.
"How could you say that?" I gasped, my voice broken.
"It should have been you to die, not Preston." She responded firmly.
All I could do was watch as she rushed out of the room. I stared after the girl I had once called my best friend. The one person I thought I would always have. The one who was the closest thing I had to my past. A person I thought would never betray me. But who was I kidding- she had already done it once before.
Two years ago...
Preston punched Jake McAdams square in the jaw. Jake reeled back, his eyes wide and furious.
He stared incredulously at me, as if he expected me to step in and stop my older brother from inflicting any more damage on him.
I averted my eyes, staring at my shoes. How had I let it get this far?
It had started with him calling me names. He liked to make me feel inferior to him. He even started rumours about he and I, his own girlfriend. And yet he would call me baby and pay for my lunch in the cafeteria once in a while and somehow thought it would make it all okay.
I knew it wasn't okay; I just couldn't bring myself to break up with him. If he did this to me now, what would he do if I broke up with him? I was scared. I was a coward. I felt alone.
Until he left a nice purple bruise under my eye.
Preston had known right away and had forced the truth out of me.
I knew he would never forgive me if I didn't let him teach Jake a lesson. I didn't know if I would ever forgive myself.
Preston continued beating him up until the school vice principle had pulled him off of him.
Preston grabbed my arm and pulled me alongside with him to the office. I knew he didn't want me anywhere near Jake and I was alright with that.
No, I wasn't alone- I would always have my brother.
I pulled myself from the painful memory and thought long and hard about it.
Harper hadn't been there for me while I was struggling with Jake and she was well aware of how he treated me- she had turned a blind eye.
I realized what I should have known a long time ago.
Harper LaGrange was no friend of mine.
Pushing aside my hurt, I let myself feel happy about the fact I would be seeing Jax and his family in an hour.
I vowed to never be so blind with forgiveness that it became stupidity again. I had to look after myself.
It had been about an hour since Harper had stormed out. I was still completely confused as to why she was acting so weird, but I shoved it to the side and focussed on getting ready for Jaxon's family dinner. It was basically his going away party.
My heart clenched when I allowed myself to think about the fact he was going on tour in a few days. I sighed, pulling out the two dresses I had narrowed down from the heap on my floor out to choose from.
I chose a little blue dress that was studded with little gems along the chest that went down to just above my knees. It wasn't too fancy but just right for impressing him. I grinned at myself in the mirror and walked to the bathroom to shower quickly. I had an hour and a half to get ready before Niall would be here to pick me up.
Once my blonde hair was curled into soft waves, I finished applying shimmery gold eye shadow and topped it off with some eyeliner and a sweep of mascara. Lastly, I slipped on the pretty dress and added some strappy heels for good measure. I smiled at the thought of seeing everyone tonight.
There was a little voice in the back of my head; however that kept reminding me that this was one step closer to me saying goodbye to Jax and the boys before they went on tour.
The doorbell snapped me out of my thoughts and I eagerly rushed downstairs with my heels in hand. I swung open the door and Jaxon took my breath away.
"Wow," I exhaled, "you look handsome." I felt the blush rushing to my cheeks.
He stood at the door with a black tux on, with a dark blue tie. His hair was spiked up in the front and his blue eyes were smouldering.
He laughed quietly at my reaction and took my hand, rubbing his thumb across the back of it. "You're breathtaking, Princess."
I had to remind myself to breathe as the butterflies filled my stomach.
"You ready for tonight?" Hesmirked cheekily.
I nodded eagerly. "I'm excited to see your parents, the last time I saw them was in the hospital."
Jax nodded, squeezing my hand comfortingly.
"Aunt Kim and Uncle Pete will be there too, right?" I asked him brightly as we walked down the sidewalk to his black range rover.
"Yeah, and they're excited to see you. Aunt Kim has been off the walls." He chuckled.
Reaching the car, I went to grab the door handle but was stopped by his arm. He snaked it around my waist and pulled me close to him. I stared wide eyed up at him, holding my breath. He pushed me against the car, and brushed a hand across my face, moving a stray curl.
"You're so beautiful." He murmured, looking intently into my eyes. He moved to my neck, trailing kisses up to the corner of my jaw, teasing me. I made a noise in frustration and he laughed against my neck. Finally, he made it to my lips and kissed me softly. I put my hand at the back of his head and moved him closer, deepening the kiss. When we pulled back, he leaned his head on my shoulder. He took a deep breath and I felt his lips by my collarbone. I smiled and blushed a deep red as I wrapped my arms around the back of his neck.
"You smell good," He said huskily.
He brought his face up to mine once again and our lips met halfway, both of us wanting the same thing.
Jax bit my lip teasingly and I smiled against his mouth, running my hand down his back. Breaking the kiss reluctantly he rested his forehead on mine.
"We should go or we'll be late." He said, his voice still husky and deep.
I smiled and pulled his tie so he was inches from my face. He looked at me in surprise when I brought my lips to his for yet another kiss.
He chuckled, "You're going to be the death of me."
I stuck my tongue out at him and he put the car into drive as we left my house. The trip was long and I enjoyed the time with him. Jax kept one hand on the wheel the entire time, his right hand firmly placed in mine. The butterflies were still going wild in my stomach and I wondered if this feeling would ever go away. We talked about the most random, insignificant things, to what he was excited for during his upcoming tour. Sooner than I would have liked, we arrived at the house.
We got out of the car and I looked at the home in front of me- it was adorable. It was a two story home that looked like it had been lived in, like a family with children had looked after it themselves.
It wasn't kept by a gardener like Michael and Luisana's house, or anyone else in our neighborhood. Where my house was enormous and lonely if I was by myself, this house was cozy and homey. It reminded me of my house back in Vancouver.
"It's amazing," I murmured.
He nodded in agreement, "its Aunt Kim and Uncle Pete's house." He answered, and I realized that I had already suspected that.
I smiled up at him when he took my hand again and twisted the knob. I was amazed there was no paparazzi here- they usually flocked anywhere the boys went.
The house was as inviting inside as it was outside. The walls were painted warm colours and the laughter was loud and comforting to my nerves.
We walked through the hall until we came to a brightly lit kitchen. "We're here!" Jaxon called.
There was a loud squeal and through the crowd of people smiling and greeting us came Aunt Kim.
"I'm so glad you guys made it all right." She wrapped Jax in a tight hug and turned to me and engulfed me in a long awaited embrace.
"Grace! It's been too long, love. How are you doing?" She stole me away from Jaxon and led me deeper into the living room that was connected to the kitchen.
"I've been really good; Michael and Luisana have really taken me in. It's starting to feel like home, slowly but surely." I grinned at her.
"I'm so glad they were able to do that. I wish it could have been me, but everything happens for a reason I suppose." She smiled at me.
I nodded, "You've helped me in more ways than you know, Aunt Kim."
She smiled lovingly at me and said, "So Jaxon is treating you well, then? He had better be or I'm going to kick his butt!"
I blushed and nodded, "He's fantastic," I assured her honestly.
"Good, that's what I like to hear!" She said, tucking my arm under hers she led me over to a quieter room. "I'm sure Pete would love to see you."
She knocked on the door once and opened it; I frowned sadly at what I saw.
Uncle Pete was sitting on a couch, a wheel chair by his side with oxygen tubes in his nose. I hesitated slightly, surprised at how much worse he was than I had originally thought.
The way that Aunt Kim had talked over email was so enthusiastic and happy that I had assumed he was nearly one hundred percent recovered. My heart sank and I felt bad for not visiting since I had seen them in the hospital.
Pete looked up in surprise to see me and looked almost- regretful?
Aunt Kim patted my shoulder and we walked up to him, sitting on the couch.
"Petey, Grace came to say hello." She said brightly.
Uncle Pete removed the oxygen and gave me a hesitant smile.
"I'm sorry I didn't visit sooner," I blurted before he could speak.
He waved his hand in the air and shook his head.
"You shouldn't spend your time worrying about me dear, trust me."
His voice was weak and it cracked slightly.
I nodded hesitantly, and Aunt Kim stepped in. "Would you like to come out and visit with everyone?" Aunt Kim asked hopefully.
Uncle Pete closed his eyes and shook his head slowly.
Disappointment flashed across Aunt Kim's face so quickly I would have missed it if I hadn't been already staring at her.
"I'll just stay here, go have fun you two. Send Jaxon in here to say hi to his old Uncle, will you?" He managed a small smile, putting the oxygen tube back in his nose.
I nodded, "It was good to see you again." I leaned down to hug him and he stiffened, I pulled back, alarmed. "Did I hurt you? I'm so sorry!"
He shook his head, "It should be me who apologizing. Go on and have fun," He said reassuringly.
I nodded uncertainly, walking out of the room.
I walked back down the hall we had come and kept my eyes open for Jax. I spotted him chatting with two older people who looked a lot like him.
I walked hesitantly up to them, not wanting to disturb them. Jaxon turned towards me and his eyes lit up when he made eye contact.
"Grace!" He beckoned me over and I walked quickly over, smiling at him.
He put an arm around my shoulders and turned to the man and woman in front of him.
"You remember my mom and dad?" He smiled.
I nodded quickly, smiling at them. "It's nice to see you again." I responded shyly.
Jaxon's mother Maria wrapped me in a tight hug. "I'm so happy to see you."
His father, Rob smiled at me warmly and gave me a hug as well. Their Irish accents were thick and made me feel at home.
Turning to Jax I said, "Your Uncle Pete wants to see you, he's in the room down the hall." I smiled when he kissed my cheek and wandered off, leaving me with his parents.
"How is living with Michael Bublé?" Rob asked, "I love his music. Been a fan of him for years," He said happily.
"He's awesome, so is his wife Luisana. They've been so welcoming. I could never thank them enough," I said happily.
We talked for a bit, them asking me what I liked to do in my spare time, if I missed my friends, and if I ever wanted to travel. I assured them that I would visit Ireland one day and found myself really enjoying their company.
When Jax came back, he wrapped an arm around my waist and said, "I'm going to steal Grace away now, I'll see you guys in a little bit." He grinned cheekily.
He led me to the back patio and sat down. "How is your night so far? My parents didn't say anything embarrassing about me did they?" He asked nervously.
I laughed, poking him in the arm. "They told me that when you were three and you saw an old man with a beard, you would call him Santa Claus."
He groaned, "Not that story..."
I smiled and leaned my head on his shoulder. "I thought it was cute."
"Well that's all that matters, isn't it?" He looked down at me and kissed me gently. My eyes fluttered back open and he was just staring at me, a small smile on his perfect lips.
We sat outside, just staring at the stars for a while. "We should go back inside, your family is going to want to see you before you leave too, I don't want to hog you all to myself," I said lightly, secretly hoping he would decline but knowing that it was right.
He nodded somewhat reluctantly and tugged my back to my feet.
"The boys should be here any minute," Jax commented.
"Oh, I didn't know they were coming." I said happily, excited I would get to see them all before they left.
"Yeah, there's one more thing..." He said nervously.
"What?" I asked him, worried at his discomfort.
The door opened quickly, slamming into the wall behind it. I jumped and whipped my head around in surprise.
"Hello, Grace." A feminine voice purred.
My heart sank and I looked up at her face.
"My Aunt thought it would be nice if we invited her so you would know more people. I just found out," He rubbed the back of his head worriedly.
I squeezed his hand in reassurance to let him know I wasn't mad at him.
There, standing with her body pressed tightly against Jacob was Harper.
There were so many things that were going through my mind- things I wanted to say to her.
But only two words came out.
"Fuck you." I spat vehemently.
Her eyes seemed to gleam in delight at my outburst- Jacob froze in surprise at the frost in my voice and the tension was as thick as tar. He glanced between the two of us and slowly tried to pry Harper off of him as he backed towards the door. Jax squeezed my shoulder, trying to comfort me.
"Oh, has little Grace finally come out of her Goody two shoes image?" She sneered at me, and the hate in her eyes was prominent.
I stumbled for a response, still so caught off guard by the way she had been treating me. The things she had said to me were unforgiveable and so unlike the Harper I used to know.
"What, nothing to add?" She mocked me, flicking her hair over her shoulder.
"What is wrong with you?" I said, narrowing my eyes.
"I'm just exposing the real you, nothing more." Her cat eyes flicked to Jaxon and she gave him a flirty wink. If I got any more upset, I was pretty sure steam would start coming out of my ears.
"You know what, Harper? I could care less about what you think of me. You have been nothing but a two faced bitch ever since you've been here. I am ashamed I ever considered you a friend." I looked at her with disappointment.
She scoffed, "Please, I felt bad for you- you were so pathetic in Vancouver I thought it was my duty to make you less of a loser." She glanced at her freshly manicured hands and flicked her eyes up to hold my gaze. She paused for a second, letting the venom in her eyes cut through my defenses. "It also didn't hurt your brother was a hot piece of ass." She smirked.
I gaped at her, unable to respond with dignity.
She continued her brutal verbal attack mercilessly. "It wasn't hard to hide what we did together either. Preston was always so worried you'd walk in on us. I assured him you were too naïve to notice- and you were." She laughed daintily.
Jaxon seemed to shudder beside me. "Get out of my aunt's house. Right now." He hissed, and I had never heard anyone sound so angry. I smiled slightly, putting my palm on his chest, holding him back.
"No, it's alright." I said smiled at him in reassurance.
I turned back around to see Harper looking at me with distaste. I walked closer and stopped just in front of her. Before she could react, I raised my fist and punched her hard in the face, hearing a sickening crack as her head snapped to the side from the force as she fell to the floor.
"Never speak to me again. You disgust me." I spat, taking Jaxon by the hand and moving to go back inside the house.
She laughed lightly, clutching her bloody face. "You know Grace; I only ever stuck around for Preston. I was never your friend."
I paused, not bothering to turn around. "I never knew who he was talking about when he complained about a needy girl practically stalking him. I realize now that I'm not surprised it was you."
Jaxon looked at Harper with hatred. "I expect you gone within the minute."
Jacob looked down at Harper and followed Jax and I in the house, leaving her outside on the porch by herself. As it started raining, she called out to me.
"This isn't over, you know."
"Yes, it is." I responded.
I closed the door tightly behind me. I looked up from the ground to see the boys staring down at me in awe of what had just happened. Jaxon put his arm over my shoulder and Jacob coughed awkwardly.
"That was intense. She's always seemed a little psycho to me."
Luke nodded in agreement. "What a weirdo."
"Now I know never to get on your bad side... you have a good right hook." Jacob laughed.
I laughed in appreciation of the guys in front of me- the people who had been there for me when I needed them. I would always support them, no matter what happened in the future.
"Thanks guys. Let's get back to the party." I smiled, taking Jax's outstretched hand.
As we walked down the hallway, he tugged my arm and we stopped. He brought me close to him and rested his chin on the top of my head. "I'm proud of you, babe." He murmured.
I closed my eyes and enjoyed the moment. "Thank you, but it was something I should have realized a long time ago." I said quietly. I wasn't exactly proud I had resorted to violence- it wasn't like me. But I was through letting her treat me like I was inferior.
He kissed me lightly and I traced my hand through his soft hair.
"I'm going to miss you," I said quietly.
"I'll miss you more." He chuckled.
I sighed, feeling the warmth our two bodies created between us. I pulled away reluctantly.
"We should get you back. You leave the day after tomorrow."
He nodded and we walked out to the kitchen where the party was still in full swing.
We talked with everyone and ate good food. It was overall a great night.
"Hey Jax, do you want to play a song with me?" A little boy with bright blue eyes asked when the party seemed to be winding down for the night.
"Sure James." He smiled at his little cousin.
If I learned anything tonight it would be that Jaxon had a lot of family members- and every single one of them were just as amazing as him.
They went to the corner of the room and Jax picked up the guitar while James grabbed a little drum from his toy trunk. It was adorable to say the least, the way he acted with kids.
They didn't really play a song; Jax just played a couple of chords on guitar while James banged his drums. Soon enough his family was standing around clapping to the music. It was quite a sight.
Of course, nothing lasts forever and soon we heard the noise of vans outside and lots of people talking. Curious, I peeked through the curtain and was met by blinding flashes of various cameras.
I let the curtain fall back in place and walked back over to Jaxon. I felt like somehow this was my fault. They had successfully evaded the paparazzi and there was no doubt in my mind that Harper had let them know where they were.
I went to sit on the couch and noticed Pete sitting in his wheel chair around the corner, listening to the family singing and having fun. Something was wrong and I felt it in my bones.
I slowly walked over to him, wondering why he seemed so sad.
"Hi Pete," I smiled at him. He looked startled for a moment and then regained his composure.
"Sorry for sneaking up on you," I laughed. "Why don't you come into the kitchen?"
"Oh, they're having lots of fun. I don't need to be out there." He shrugged.
"I'm sure Jaxon would love to see you more before he leaves." I smiled.
"I'm feeling a little tired now, I'm sorry Grace but could you please wish him good luck on tour for me?"
I paused, pursing my lips. I knew Pete was going through something at the moment, he just seemed so depressed and I wish he would let someone in.
I smiled, "Of course. I hope you feel better."
He seemed to grimace and said, "I'm getting what I deserve."
I stared after him as he wheeled back to his room. I was so confused- how could he possibly deserve how he is feeling? No one deserved it, no matter what they did.
Jaxon came to find me sitting on the couch.
"What are you doing all the way over here?" He joked, nudging me with his shoulder.
I just came to sit down. I smiled at him and pecked him on the cheek.
"It's getting late, everyone is heading home. I should take you back now before Michael and Luisana kill me." He laughed, offering his hand to help me up.
I nodded, "If you want I could always take a cab home? Then you could spend more time with your family." I offered.
He shook his head. "No way, I'll be coming home to visit when I can, so I'll see them soon enough. I'm going to make sure my girl gets home safe."
I blushed a deep red and he leaned in for a kiss.
I kissed him and when he pulled back I sighed. "The paparazzi are here, I'm pretty sure Harper called them."
Jax swore under his breath. "That's alright, we had a great night. They can't spoil quality time with my favourite people in the world."
I smiled. "Let me just say goodbye to everyone first."
He nodded and joined me in hugging everyone before we left.
"Thanks for having me Aunt Kim. Give Pete a hug for me, I'm sure I'll see you guys soon." I hugged her tightly.
"Of course dear, and just because Jaxon won't be around for a while doesn't mean you can't stop by for a visit every once in a while. It would be nice to see you." She smiled fondly at me.
I said goodbye to Maria and Rob, hugging them tightly and promising to keep in touch.
Lastly I gave the boys a hug and they promised to stop by and say goodbye before they left.
When we opened the door everything lit up, the cries of the paparazzi and the flashes of cameras blinded me and if it weren't for Jax clearing a walkway for us, I wasn't sure I would have been able to navigate through the crazy photographers on my own.
We got in the car and Jaxon put the car in reverse, starting to back up despite the people behind us.
"If I don't force them to move, they'll purposely block me so we can't leave." He explained, seeming to read my mind.
"This is crazy." I said in disbelief. Even though I had experienced the paparazzi with him before, I wondered if I would ever get used to them.
When we finally made it out, we saw the vans begin to follow us.
I sighed, "Man they sure are persistent aren't they?"
He nodded glumly. "They're one of the only downfalls about my job."
I took his hand and we drove most of the way in a comfortable silence.
When we neared my house, I quickly got out our gate and garage opener. When we pulled through the now open gate, we stopped just far enough in front of it that we could close it without any of the paparazzi's cars getting through. Next, I opened up my garage that connected to the side of the house and Jax drove in.
When we got out we checked the security monitors showing the street in front of the house. More and more vans seemed to be appearing, blocking the way out.
It was already two in the morning and I doubted we would be able to get him out without a fuss.
I rubbed the back of my head nervously.
"Do you want to stay over?" I asked, looking into his eyes.
A mischievous smile lit up his face and he leaned down for a kiss.
"Lead the way, babe."
If I thought the butterflies in my stomach were bad before, they were going crazy now.
I swallowed nervously. Jaxon and I were home alone in my house; Michael and Luisana were out for the night at a benefit.
"So, uh... do you want a drink or something?" I asked quietly, suddenly shy around him.
He laughed and I had to laugh as well. I was being ridiculous- this boy had my heart and I had his. It was as simple as that.
"No thanks, babe." His eyes sparked mischievously.
"Oh, okay... do you want to watch some TV instead?" I gestured to the large couch a few feet from where we were standing.
He smirked at me and the butterflies in my stomach threatened to spill out of my mouth.
"I could think of a different way to spend our time," He smiled.
He moved closer to me and lowered his face to my lips.
He bit my lip playfully and mumbled huskily against my skin. "Whatever you want to do is fine with me."
I laughed nervously and rested my arms around his shoulder, leaning in to kiss him.
Jax kissed me back hungrily and my body responded excitedly. I pressed myself against his stomach and we moved backwards to the couch.
He laid me backwards slowly as he ran his hands through my hair and brushed his fingers against my cheek softly.
"I love you," He murmured, bringing his lips to my forehead.
I closed my eyes and sighed contentedly. "I love you, too." I smiled up at him.
We stayed there on the couch for what seemed like hours just nestled up against each other. Our time together before he left for his tour was winding to an end, and our moods were sombre.
I rested my head against his chest and listened to his heartbeat. I closed my eyes and within a minute was fast asleep.
I woke up in his arms as he carried me upstairs to my room. I blinked my eyes blearily and he smiled down at me. "Go back to sleep, love." He said softly.
I didn't feel tired anymore, but I let him tuck me into bed and get in beside me.
I looked at my clock and read the time- it was five in the morning.
I sighed, "You leave tomorrow." I murmured as I traced patterns on his bare chest. I took a moment and admired how beautiful he really was. I was so lucky to be able to see him like this- so relaxed and open.
He nodded, looking up at the ceiling. "Let's stop talking about tomorrow and enjoy today." He smiled down at me.
I took a moment to be glad that Luisana and Michael were away at an event for the night, it was just Jaxon and I. I wondered if they had known we would want some time alone together before he left. They really were too good for me. I smiled faintly at the thought.
I sat up and nestled closer to him. He peered down at me, his expression unreadable.
"What are you thinking?" I asked him curiously.
He put his hand on the small of my back and smirked. "That I'm the luckiest guy on the planet."
I scoffed, "Please, we all know that I'm the luckiest. I've got you."
He rolled his eyes at me and leaned down for a kiss. I surprised him and myself by grabbing him and pulling him on top of me. Our kiss turned urgent, and I knew my lips would be swollen in the morning. Our breathing was heavy and his hand moved under my shirt.
The blankets tangled around us as we kissed each other. It was the most passionate kiss I had ever experienced in my life. Jax was a fantastic kisser.
I was breathless and a bit disappointed by the time we stopped kissing. I wanted to kiss him every minute for the rest of my life. He seemed to read my pout and laughed.
"Believe me Grace; I'm doing my best to be a gentleman here." He ran his hand over his face and took a deep breath,
All I could think about was the feel of his skin warm skin against mine. I blushed at the thought.
He sat up and pulled me into his lap. I leaned back and closed my eyes.
"I love you," I said, for what felt like the thousandth time tonight.
"And I love you," He pecked my nose. "Every." He kissed the small freckle above my lip. "Single." He brushed his lips against my cheek. "Part of you." He declared.
If he got any sweeter, I was going to melt into a puddle on the ground.
Somewhere between the kisses and sweet words we fell asleep together, still tangled in each other's embrace.
I woke up a drooling mess. My arm was hanging off my bed and my legs were above the blankets. And there was an arm draped around my waist.
I shot up in bed in surprise before remembering Jaxon had stayed the night. I blushed a deep red and looked down at his sleeping face. I was glad to see I wasn't the only embarrassing sleeper.
His mouth was open and he was snoring a little bit. I giggled and brushed a piece of hair from his forehead. He was adorable.
I glanced down at his bare chest and felt my cheeks heat up again with desire.
Jax's eyes fluttered open and widened slightly when he caught me staring at him. I saw a faint blush appear on his cheeks and he smiled sheepishly at me.
"Sorry, I didn't mean to fall asleep here. I was going to go to the couch, I swear."
I laughed, "I wouldn't have let you sleep on the couch, J."
He looked at me mischievously, "Not even if I was bad?"
I pursed my lips and pretended to think about it.
"I don't think you're capable of being bad," I teased him.
He raised his eyebrows in challenge and leaned over to kiss me.
"Good morning, beautiful." He smiled.
I blushed deeply. There was something extremely intimate about being called beautiful after just waking up.
"Thank you," I responded shyly. I started to get out of bed but he stopped me.
"I want to make you breakfast," He blurted.
I laughed. "Do I get it in bed?" I paused, blushing realizing how that sounded.
"Of course, babe." He gave knowing look heard him chuckling at my expense as he walked down the hallway.
Jax made me stay in bed until he returned a while later with the food, and man was I hungry. The smell of bacon and pancakes overwhelmed my senses. He had taken a cart from the kitchen and loaded it with plates of food.
"Wow, this looks amazing!" I said excitedly. He had made all of my favourites.
There was a big plate of pancakes with whipped cream and a bowl of strawberries, raspberries and blueberries. There was a heaping plate of bacon and some scrambled eggs. He had even made freshly squeezed orange juice.
"You really outdid yourself," I said as I gave him a kiss.
"I'd do anything for my girl." He grinned, "Plus, I make a mean pancake."
I loaded my plate generously and he did the same. We nestled back into bed and ate contentedly as we watched repeats of game shows, not minding the silence.
I bit into a fluffy pancake and groaned with satisfaction.
"Oh my god," I said as I closed my eyes. "This is the best thing I've ever tasted."
He laughed, "I love a girl that can appreciate my pancakes."
I nodded, devouring the food. When we were done, we put the plates back onto the cart and laid on our backs. "Wow, I'm stuffed." I said with a grin.
He nodded in agreement. I glanced at the clock and read the time- it was already one in the afternoon.
I sat up slightly and looked at him. "When do you have to go home?" Today was the last day I would see him before he left on tour.
"I have to go home at four." He said sadly. I nodded, trying not to seem too upset. I wanted to enjoy our time together. His flight left at twelve in the morning, so I planned on seeing him off to the airport. He had some last minute things to pack and wanted to see his family before he took off as well.
"So I'll pick you up at around ten tonight and we can head to the airport. You're meeting the guys there right?" I clarified.
He nodded, a slight frown on his face. I tried to cheer him up.
"It's okay; you'll be back for a visit in no time." I smiled.
"That's true. But before I go, I wanted to go for a walk." He said quietly.
I looked at him in confusion, wondering where he could possibly want to walk to.
"Why do you want to go for a walk?" I asked.
He grinned shyly. "Just to get some fresh air. It's a nice day out," He responded, clearly hiding something but not caring that he was being obvious.
I raised my eyebrow at him, letting him know I knew something was definitely up.
He shrugged his shoulders in response. "Better get ready to go," He hopped off my bed and before I could object, had pushed the cart with the dishes out of my bedroom as he headed back towards the kitchen.
I showered as quickly as I could and put my hair into a high ponytail. I swiped some mascara over my eyelashes and applied some lip gloss. I didn't think we were doing anything too fancy, so I decided this was good enough.
I threw on some shorts and a tank top and slipped my feet into my flip flops.
I headed downstairs to find Jax and eventually found him reclined on the chair in front of the TV attentively watching a game of soccer.
"Hey," I greeted him shyly as I leaned against the doorway.
He must have gone into the garage and grabbed a new set of clothes from his car. He looked refreshed and he smiled happily at me.
"Ready to go?" He asked as he got up from his seat.
I nodded, "You sure you don't want to watch the rest of the game?"
He shook his head. "Nah, I'd rather take a walk with my cute girlfriend."
I blushed. "You're quite a cheese ball, Jaxon Trent."
He chuckled, "I guess you could say you bring out the best in me." He winked as he linked our hands together.
We excited my back doors and walked to the garden. We had a large pond with a little dock we could go out and sit on, it was one of my favourite places to go out and relax.
He sat at the end of it, the warm sun on our backs as we dangled our feet into the clear waters. A coy fish came close to the surface and I squealed when it tried to nibble on my toe.
"I think the fish are hungry," Jax looked at me seriously. Before I could respond, he pretended to push me into the pond.
I screeched like a banshee as he steadied me and he doubled over in laughter, almost falling in himself. When we finally calmed down we laid down on the dock and looked up at the clouds. It truly was a beautiful day.
When Jax had been quiet for some time, I glanced over at him and found him gazing at me.
"What?" I smiled at him.
"Just admiring you, that's all." He said simply.
He jumped up quickly, extending his hand for me to grab.
"Come here." He grinned.
I grasped his hand and he took it in his own as we walked to the white gazebo on the other side of the pond.
We walked into it hand in hand and he took both my hands in his own.
He looked deep into my eyes and took a deep breath. I gazed at him, wondering what this was all about.
"Grace Tanner, from the moment I met you I knew you were truly an amazing human being," He began; the sparkle in his eyes hypnotized me, catching my breath in my throat.
"What I didn't know was that you would steal my heart. Every single fiber of my being wants to be by your side- I never knew this feeling existed until I found you." He reached into his back pocket and I found it hard to breathe.
"You've shown me a whole new form of strength, taught me that life is truly a gift, and shown me the purest love I have ever experienced." He took out a black velvet box and opened it.
"This is a promise ring." He held it out, a question in his eyes. I held my hand out to him with tears in my eyes. The smile that lit up his face was breathtaking and I tried hard not to cry.
"With this ring, I promise to always find my way back to you, no matter how far away I am." He said, his eyes shining with love. "I know a long distance relationship is a lot to ask." His eyes pleaded with me.
"Of course, Jax." I breathed out the breath that I was holding as he slipped the ring onto my finger.
I wrapped my arms around his back and kissed him earnestly.
"Jaxon Trent, you've made me the luckiest girl on the planet. You've helped me get through the darkest part of my life and I will never be able to express just how much you mean to me. I'll hold you to this promise," I joked, standing on my toes to kiss him
His smile in response caused butterflies in my stomach.
We laid outside on the grass until he had to leave, just simply loving each other. I knew he wasn't truly going anywhere- maybe in distance but not in heart.
When he had to leave, I watched him go, finally realizing just how hard this next year would be.
He drove down my driveway and I sighed, I would have to bring him to the airport and say good bye to him in a few hours. It was truly bittersweet.
I looked down at the ring on my finger and smiled. It had a beautiful light blue gem in the middle and little diamonds on the band. It sparkled just like his blue eyes.
I had just made a promise I intended to keep forever.
I had been moping around the house since Jax had left earlier this afternoon. I knew that this would be something we would have to go through sooner or later, because of his career, but I had hoped for more time than we had gotten.
Even so, I was so grateful for him and as long as I got to be with him, I would wait forever.
It was nine o'clock and I had to be at Jaxon's around ten to pick him up. I was happy he had asked me to drive him to the airport instead of carpooling with the rest of the guys from Jacob's house. Luke, Josh and Jacob had decided to hang out until it was time for them to leave.
I hopped off my bed and started getting ready to go. It only took about fifteen minutes to get from my house to his and I wanted to see him as soon as possible. When I had put some mascara and a light eye shadow on, I headed downstairs to grab a banana before I left.
Turning the corner, I bumped into Kegan.
It was weird having a guy the same age living in our house, but I was glad Luisana and Michael didn't mind and let him stay with his mother, our housekeeper, Nora in their suite in the far end of the house.
"Oh hey, long time no see." I joked, elbowing him in the side playfully.
He stuck his tongue out at me. "The gardener is on holidays so my mom had me pick up the work he normally does. I've never been so busy in all my life... you guys have a huge property." He laughed.
I nodded, "I can imagine that would be a lot of hard work. If you ever want help, let me know. I doubt I'll have much to do when Jaxon's gone. I don't exactly know many people." I smiled.
He looked at me thoughtfully. "I'll consider it. But you're not allowed around the pool." He smirked, reminding me of the time I nearly drowned in my own backyard.
I rolled my eyes in response and moved past him to grab a banana from the bowl on the counter. He nodded towards the fruit and I shrugged. "Help yourself Kegan." I responded.
"Thanks, I'm starved." He sighed, grabbing an apple.
"Well, I'll see you later. I'm off to drop Jaxon off at the airport." I waved as I walked out the door.
"Say hi to him for me!" Kegan called, heading towards his room.
When I pulled into the driveway of his house I got out and ran to the door.
I knocked and stepped back, waiting for the door to open.
A moment later he appeared with a big smile on his face.
"There's my girl!" He reached for me and I hugged him tightly.
"Hey," I murmured against his chest. "Ready to go?" I looked up at him questioningly.
He nodded with a small frown. "I am, let me just grab my bags."
We loaded his bags into the back of the SUV and I climbed back into the driver's seat.
I drove down the highway, admittedly a little slower than the speed limit and let the cars pass me without giving it another thought. The longer it took to get to the airport, the longer I had with J.
"So, are you excited?" I asked him with a smile, glancing sideways at him.
He nodded, smiling back. "I love playing for our fans. It's always a lot of fun. And seeing the world..." He trailed off, sighing contentedly.
I smiled in thought as I imagined seeing the whole world like Jax got to do.
"Someday, I'll travel the world with you." He smiled at me.
I blushed, "I'd love that. I've always dreamed of seeing Ireland, actually."
"Really?" He asked in surprise. "Why Ireland?"
I shrugged. "I loved the movie Leap Year. And I've always had a thing with Irish accents." I smirked at him as he blushed. "It just looks like such a beautiful and romantic country." I said thoughtfully.
He nodded slowly, "I love it there." A look of homesickness came over his face.
I reached for his hand and squeezed it. "You'll be home in no time." I smiled.
He nodded, "With a lot of memories to come with me."
"That's true." I nodded, somewhat sad the memories wouldn't be with me.
I pulled off the highway and a few minutes later, pulled into the airport. I parked the car and helped him get his suitcases out of the trunk.
I walked with him as far as I could, until we came to security. He opened his arms sadly and I crushed myself to his chest, squeezing him tightly.
I swallowed, "I'm going to miss you."
He sighed sadly, "I'll miss you too, Princess."
He rubbed circles into my back and I lifted my chin and kissed him softly on the lips. It was a goodbye-for-now kiss.
The final boarding call was issued and we looked at each other a moment without saying anything. "One more for good luck." I laughed, kissing him again.
"Be safe and have fun, you'll be back in no time." I smiled, though my eyes were still a little teary. This would be the first time I'd be without him for a long period of time since the accident and my family's death.
If I was honest with myself, the time apart would be good for me to sort through my own problems and come to term with what had happened.
"I will, make sure you stay out of trouble." He smiled down at me teasingly, kissing me on the forehead. "I'll see you soon."
With that, he gave me a sad smile and walked through security. Taking his lead, I walked back to my car with a heavy heart.
rG;Ñ