Page 47 of Between Now and Always

It’s true in a way it wasn’t before.

In a way I don’t want it to be.

“Then, I’d love to. Tell your family thank you for the invite.”

“I’ll send a car around to pick you up,” Carter says and stands up and walks over to get his coat.

I can’t help admiring the way his muscles move under his light grey dress shirt. He looks like he went to the barber today. His hair is shorter than last night and styled and his face is cleanly shaven, without a hint of the beard he was sporting last night, He looks perfect. I made an effort, hair and make up done, by me, but well. I saw how appreciative his eyes were when he saw me, but Carter has always thought me beautiful I glance down at my dark jeans, black turtleneck and ankle boots have a flash of worry about what we look like together.

Normally, I wouldn’t even worry. I could shave my head and dye it red and the most I would get would be a few double takes from people. But if I’m next to Carter, who everyone notices, that might change.

“Ready?” Carter buttons his jacket and smiles expectantly at me.

I put my worries aside, and decide to just enjoy this for as long as I can.

“Ready,” I say with a mock salute. I press a kiss on Joe’s cheek and stand up to join him.

Exiles

BETH

“We’re doingwhat?” I shriek as we pull up to the small New Jersey airport.

“A helicopter tour of the city. We talked about me going with you to see Lady Liberty, remember?” Carter says.

“Oh, my God. Are you serious?” I peer out of the window, bouncing in my seat when I spot the helicopters across the tarmac.

“Yes, come on,” he says just before someone opens the door to our car and the frigid, windy November night air rushes into the warm interior of the car.

A man with bright blue hard shelled earphones on sticks his head in the car, his nose is red and his eyes are watering, but his smile is huge and welcoming.

“Mr. Bosh, welcome to Linden Airport. I’m Chip, your pilot for this evening. Your bird’s all nice and ready and it’s a clear, beautiful night.”

“Bird?” I ask.

He grins, his eyes full of pride. “It’ll be the most beautiful one in the sky tonight, ma’am. You’re going to love, it.” He winks and then steps out of the way so we can climb down.

We stop at the terminal and I sign the waiver he gives me without reading it.

I’m too keyed up. Carter has been back in my life for one day, and he’s already reminded me of how beautiful and exciting everything is when he’s around.

“I can’t believe I’m going on a helicopter ride,” I say.

“Believe it. It’s happening.” He holds his hand out to me and I don’t hesitate to take it. It’s the first time he’s initiated a touch all day. We step out into the freezing, windy night, but I barely feel it. His hand, even gloved as it is, is a conduit for heat and his touch warms my hold body.

“This is incredible,” I shout to be heard over the loud whir of the helicopter blades as Carter and I are ushered up the tarmac toward the one that’s waiting for us.

Carter shouts something back but the wind snatches whatever sound he made and whips it away. I shake my head and point at my ear to indicate that I can’t hear him either.

The wind whips my hair wildly around my face, and I pull my hand free of his so that I can tie it back with black elastic band I wear on my wrist.

I struggle to hold the long strands the wind has taken control of. Carter comes to stand behind me and plucks the elastic from between my fingers.

I start to ask what he’s doing, but am rendered mute when his lips brush my ear and he says in a reassuring voice, “I’ve got it.”

A shiver runs down my back at from the warm tickle of his breath on the sliver of skin not covered by the collar of my jacket.

But when his finger slide into my hair, a riot of gooseflesh sends my whole body quivering like Jell-O that’s been flicked by an errant finger.

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