Page 74 of Meet Me in Tahiti

Tessa gave a tearful smile. “I’ll never forget you, either. Or this trip. You mean the world to me, Russ.”

His heart filled with sadness and a brutal sense of longing took over. Why did she have to go six thousand miles away? Why couldn’t she stay here with him? Was he doing the right thing, making a clean break like this? It was all irrational—deep down inside, he knew it—but the emotions overloaded him, just the same.

He brushed aside the doubt and raised his hands toher face. No, she couldn’t just stay here. She had a home and a life and a job and friends who loved her—there. It had to be this way.

“If you ever change your mind…” she said, wrapping her hands around his waist. “You know where to find me.”

His throat tightened.

He looked at her for one long, unbroken moment, then leaned in and kissed her—right there in front of everyone.

Not a polite goodbye kiss, and not a secret kiss. A real kiss. Passionate. Honest. The kind he’d remember forever. Long and drawn out. Dramatic and heartfelt. The kind you’d regret forever if you didn’t.

Somewhere behind them, a cheer went up. He heard it, but didn’t stop kissing her.

First a hoot. Laughter. Gasps.

“Oh, my gosh—” he heard Jenna’s voice.

“Go, Captain!” he heard Drew.

But he didn’t care anymore.

He wasn’t her captain anymore. And he’d already told the truth. He wasn’t letting that stop him from this one last moment together.

When he finally released her, she was laughing and crying at the same time.

Several seconds passed as they gazed at each other until Marin swooped in from the group, tears in her own eyes as she grabbed Tessa’s hand.

“Come on, love story. It’s time to go catch a flight,” she whispered, and led her toward the doors with a gentle, heartfelt wave to Russ.

Time seemed to stand still as Russ watched them disappear into the terminal, his chest aching like it never had before.

Beside him, Malik lingered until they’d gone.

He said nothing—just clapped a hand lightly to Russ’s shoulder as they stood there alone, his voice quiet and sincere.

“I’m sorry, boss,” he said. “She was one of the good ones.”

Russ nodded, his jaw tight, unable to find his voice.

They turned back toward the van and let the silence fill the void.

It was done.

And he wouldn’t take back any of it—the choices he’d made, the emotions he’d allowed himself to feel this week. Not a second of it.

The small planesmelled like air freshener and brewing coffee, like every flight she’d ever taken. But somehow, this time, it all felt different. Lonely. Lost.

Tessa slid into her window seat, relieved she’d gotten one so she could have a little bit of privacy. She placed her tote under the chair in front of her with the same hands that had clung to Russ just thirty minutes ago. Marin settled in beside her. Then Kyle took the aisle seat, already taking his headphones from their charger like nothing monumental had just happened, like he knew that Tessa and Marin would need to talk.

Tessa turned toward the window.

Her reflection faintly ghosted back at her in the glass. Her eyes were puffy, and she hadn’t bothered with makeup today. She didn’t care. Why bother when the only person she wanted to impress liked her just the way she was?

The runway stretched ahead in silence; the sky painted in shades of coral and tangerine. It looked like the whole world had softened.

Marin leaned over gently. “Are you gonna be okay?”

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