Page 3 of Unsaid Things

Chapter Two

Lance let out a low growl when he reached Abby and took her suitcase from her before she could load it into the shuttle. He pretended to be annoyed, but he was glad that she was acting like her usual self. He knew this trip made her nervous, that she’d been nervous since the first time it came up a couple of months ago. But his mom had been pestering him about bringing her down for a visit since he moved back in August, and he was lucky enough to work for a company that gave him two weeks of vacation time during his first year. He’d been able to make it so he only had to use a few days, using the holidays and weekends to make their trip last a week, and still have a few days at home with Abby before having to go back after New Year’s.

They got checked in and through airport security with minimal fuss. This early in the morning, the lines weren’t too long. Flying always felt like a series of hurry-up-and-wait. Hurry to get to the airport early, and wait for an hour to board. Hurry up and get to your seat to make sure you got overhead bin space, then wait for everyone else to get on before takeoff. Hurry to get off the plane and to your next gate where you got to wait some more during the layover.

The flight to Seattle went fast, with barely time for the drink service before they started their descent, and they only had an hour layover before getting on the plane to DFW. Lance had been concerned that they might miss that flight if they were delayed out of Spokane for any reason, but the weather was clear and cold, no storms brewing to slow them down. They had just enough time to grab a couple of breakfast sandwiches and more coffees before their flight started boarding.

Lance took the middle seat, allowing Abby the window, and braving whoever scored the aisle. She settled in, flipping through the in-flight magazine, her Kindle in the pocket of the seat in front of her. He pulled out his iPad and headphones before stuffing his backpack in the overhead compartment, wanting as much legroom as possible. Shifting to get comfortable, he tried not to let his shoulders hang over into the seat next to him, which meant he crowded Abby. She smiled at him and pushed up the armrest between them before resting her head on his shoulder, her strawberry blonde hair falling over his arm.

He nuzzled her hair. “Tired?”

She nodded against his shoulder, covering a wide yawn with her hand. He smiled and settled in further so she could get comfortable. “Take a nap. We’ve got plenty of time.”

She yawned again. “I should, but with the coffee we just had I don’t know if I’ll be able to.”

“Is it the coffee, or are you still worried about everything?”

She sat up, turning to him with wide blue eyes. “Well, now it’s both. You think I should be worried?”

He couldn’t suppress the laugh that came out as he brushed her hair away from her face. “Of course not. But I know you.” He ran his thumb over the furrow between her brows. “You worry about everything. If it’s not my parents, then it’s your mom. My mentioning it doesn’t make it any more or less real.”

She sighed and sat back in her seat, arms crossed, brow still furrowed despite his attempt to smooth her frown away. “Can you blame me? I’ve never left my mom alone for this long before. The last time I went away it was for a department retreat that lasted two nights, and she was a wreck by the time I got home.”

“You didn’t ever go to camp or anything in junior high or high school?”

She shook her head. “No. We couldn’t afford anything like that. And she needed Aaron and me there to help her with everything.”

He reached over and threaded his fingers through hers, running his thumb over the back of her hand. “She’ll be okay, Abby. Megan’s going to check in on her while we’re gone, and she and Chris can help with anything your mom needs.”

Abby grunted, but didn’t stop frowning.

“Hey. Look at me.”

She turned her eyes to his, her worry written all over her face.

“She knows Megan. Megan knows what your mom is like. She’s gone with you the last few times to get your mom’s groceries. We stocked up the day before yesterday, so she shouldn’t need much while we’re gone. If it snows, Chris will go clear her driveway. Everything’ll be fine.”

“Yeah.” She said it quietly, little more than a whisper.

He squeezed her hand, wanting to say more, but someone jostled his other shoulder, and he turned to see a middle-aged man settling into the aisle seat. When he turned back to Abby, the vulnerable look on her face had gone, and she stared past him at the guy sitting in their row. Well, that ended more conversation about their families. Knowing how intensely private Abby was about her mom, he didn’t push it.

“It’ll be okay, Abby. Lay your head on my shoulder again and try to get some rest.”

She leaned into him, and he placed a kiss on the top of her head. In response, she raised their still-joined hands and kissed the back of his.

He watched her while waiting for the rest of the plane to fill and the flight attendants to go through all the pre-flight instructions. Abby sat up for the takeoff, then settled on his shoulder again when they started to level off.

After a few moments, her eyes closed, her pale lashes fanning over her cheeks. She hadn’t worn makeup this morning, saying she’d end up looking like a raccoon if she did, but grumbling about how she looked like a twelve-year-old without it. Lance thought she looked adorable, and some part of him couldn’t believe she was his.

She still put up resistance to his efforts to take care of her, which drove him nuts, but also somehow endeared her to him even more. Her Kindle peeking out of the seat pocket was the perfect example. A couple of months after starting at the Forrester Group, he’d decided he wanted an iPad. He’d wanted one for a while, but couldn’t justify the expense. Now, with a full time job and the cheapest rent imaginable given that he wasn’t a student anymore—a whole other point of contention—he wanted to splurge a little. And he wanted to get one for Abby too.

She’d balked, saying it was too much. And her fifty dollar Kindle Fire worked fine. They’d argued, one of their first real fights since he’d come back, and he’d been mad. But her stubbornness ran deep, and he hadn’t gotten her to give in. It still rankled when he saw her using that stupid Kindle. But that was why he’d gotten her an iPad mini for Christmas.

And a sparkly engagement ring.

That gift had him buzzing with anticipation. And when she said yes, he’d be one step closer to getting her to let him take care of her and stop splitting all their expenses down the middle like they were roommates instead of in a relationship. Once they were married, they could have a joint account, and all their expenses would come out of that, instead of the separate accounts they had now. Hell, he’d start pushing for that as soon as they were engaged. Their separate accounts felt like the final barrier he needed to break down between them.

She shifted on his shoulder, and he pulled out his iPad, reading a new thriller he’d downloaded last night for the flight. Abby woke when the flight attendant came by offering drinks, her nap leaving her somewhat refreshed, the frown she’d fallen asleep with now gone.

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