Page 47 of Love on the Sidelines

“So, you drove me all the way here, already knowing that I wouldn’t be on the same flight as you all?”

She shrugs. “What’s a matchmaker to do?” I punch her in the shoulder gently and shake my head. It’s then that my brain focuses on the fact that Charlie bought me a seat on a private plane for the second time. But why didn’t he come see me so we could talk?

My stomach ties itself into knots and I’m suddenly just as nervous as if I were getting ready for a lacrosse game.

“Head outside and look for your name. I think the driver should be there now.”

I walk out to the pickup area where there’s a man with my name on his board.

“I’m Ava Hooper,” I say, wheeling my bag up to him.

“Perfect, Miss Hooper. I’m supposed to take you to the private airport.”

He opens the door and then takes my bag to the trunk while I slip into a nice seat in the back.

I try to relax, but I realize I didn’t get all of my questions answered. Did Charlie fly out in person to give Marsha my ticket? Or did he just do a video call and send a courier with it?

The driver is kind and we chat a bit before arriving at the smaller charter plane airport. I recognize it from our arrival a week ago.

I walk out onto the tarmac, wondering what is going to greet me. I’m not usually a fan of surprises, but this has been good. At least I’m not stuck in Tennessee trying to panhandle my way home.

“Miss Hooper, we’re happy to have you aboard,” the flight attendant says before I’ve even shown her my ticket.

“Uh, thanks?” I say, not sure what’s going on. I turn to walk down the aisle and realize that it’s completely empty except for one smiling face in a chair three rows back.

“You made it,” Charlie says, standing to take my bags and put them in an overhead bin.

“You didn’t have to do this again,” I say, trying to sound more serious than I am. This is it. The chance where I could fall and possibly get my heart broken.

Charlie turns to me, reaching up to touch my cheek with his warm hand. “Yes, I did. I’m sorry I left.”

“I would’ve done the same thing,” I say, offering a small smile. With him this close to me, I can hardly breathe. My eyes keep dipping down to look at his lips, my brain doing all the scenarios of what they would feel like against my own.

Charlie leans his forehead against mine and says, in a soft whisper, “I’m sorry, Ava. You’ve taught me a lot in the past few weeks, all about loyalty and dedication. I’ve been running from a relationship for so long, I didn’t know how to go about asking for you to be my girlfriend.”

I gasp and say, “You want me to be your girlfriend?”

He grins, sending my insides flipping like a gymnast on a floor routine. “Yes. I know you’ve had many people leave you in the past, but once I commit to something, I stick with it for as long as possible. Ava, your passion for lacrosse and your love for your team are unmatched. You are blunt, which is something I need but don’t hear often. I’m sorry that I didn’t tell you about the hockey team and everything. Just know that I’ve been in a type of survival mode too, ever since losing so many in my family. I liked you, even from that moment on the pickleball court, when you hit me in the face.”

We both laugh a moment, and I shudder as I try to breathe in. “I made you face your fear of needles.”

“Well, if I have to face my fears while adventuring with you, I’ll gladly do it.”

His eyes search mine and it’s all I can do to smile before reaching up and pressing my lips to his. It’s like fire meeting ice and I almost hear a sizzle. I wrap my arms around his neck, pulling him closer. This is like drinking from a water bottle on a hot day after being on the field for an entire game.

“I’m sorry to interrupt,” the flight attendant says over the intercom. “We’ll need you to take your seats before we take off.”

We pull apart and laugh. I’m not sure how this is my life right now.

“What next?” I ask, fastening my seat belt.

“How about a proper date that doesn’t involve Costco?”

I raise an eyebrow. “You thought of that as a date?”

He chuckles and says, “What’s a date more than two people getting to know each other? I feel like that was a good start. But I want to show you something even better.”

“That’s cryptic. Can you elaborate?” I say, giving him a cheesy grin.

---