He grins, his head falling back as he laughs. “That’s just your orgasm talking.”
My jaw drops. “Brady, stop.” I pinch his side. He jerks and grabs my hand. I lock eyes with him. “I mean it. I love you.”
His arms fold around me as he sighs. “I love you, too. You’ll always be my Sunshine.”
We have dinner with my parents before Brady helps me pack a suitcase. My parents hadn’t sent a truck for my things in Mexico yet. There’s not a lot to take with me. I think they knew all along I wouldn’t be staying.
Chapter 24
Tori
“Come on, baby, we gotta go.”
I give my mom and dad a final hug before climbing into the rented town car with Brady to start my “new” old life. I roll down the window, waving until they’re out of sight.
When we arrive at the airport, we bypass the commercial terminals. I look over at Brady, who shrugs. “There are some advantages to owning a large corporation.”
I sometimes forget who Brady really is. “Gibson has a jet?”
He chuckles and nods. I guess I never gave it any thought. “Shouldn’t the company be using it?”
“I just got you back.” His eyebrows lift suggestively. “I want you all alone for as long as I can.”
I throw my head back as I laugh. “We are not joining the mile-high club, Mr. Hunter.”
He lifts an eyebrow. “We’ll see.”
After Brady speaks with security and the captain, we board the plane. My eyes soak up my surroundings. This is definitely not commercial. There’s a gray sectional sofa with a coffee table on the right. On the other side there are four leather reclining chairs separated by a dining table. I had no idea people traveled like this. Brady’s watching me with amusement as my eyes travel to a door in the back.
His wicked grin reaches his eyes. “It’s a bedroom.”
I shake my head. “It’s so not happening.”
He laughs. I love the sound. I’ve missed him so much.
We sit at the sofa. An attendant brings us water and disappears behind a door in front. After takeoff, somewhere around twenty-eight thousand feet, Brady and I do in fact join the mile-high club.
For the remainder of the flight, we eat breakfast, and he tells me about how the band ended up getting signed. The night I left, Jesse called to tell him a rep from the label would be at the next show. I realize this is what he meant when he told Annabelle they were going to celebrate. The rep made the show and invited the band to their offices in L.A. After a few weeks of contract negotiations, they signed the contracts and have been in the studio ever since.
I ask him about the family that was going to adopt Camilia and Paco. He doesn’t know all the details, but it didn’t work out. I also ask how it’s going with Davey. I’m elated when Brady informs me that not only did they find Davey’s son, but that Davey is working full time and staying out of trouble. He’s been granted visitation and will soon have his son every other weekend.
The captain announces that we’ve started our descent, and I glance out the window. I don’t hate flying out of San Diego nearly as much as flying into it. Logically I know there are miles between the buildings, but somehow when you shoot between them in a plane at a few hundred miles an hour, it feels like only inches. I hold my breath until the wheels are firmly on the ground.
On the drive home, Brady gets off the highway onto a familiar exit.
“Why are we going to PB?”
“To say ‘hi’ to our girl.”
I search his caring face, completely in awe of the love I feel for him.
Mona Olivia Hunter. I read my baby’s headstone for the first time. I left before it was put in. Brady’s hand is sweaty in mine, but I’m thankful he won’t let go. I pull him down to sit on the lawn. For twenty minutes we sit there, hand and hand, mourning a part of us.
“I think about her every day.” His voice breaks.
“Me, too.”
It’s all he needs to say. She’ll never be forgotten, but we have to move forward. It’s time.