Finding Our Course (Finding our Way 3)

“Hey,” my voice is barely a whisper.

“Babe, don’t let my last memory for three months be of tears streaming down your face.”

“You can’t even see me.”

“Yes, I can, but even more so, I feel you.”

“How is that possible?”

“Not really sure, maybe something to do with the fact that I’m fucking crazy about you?”

I touch my lips where he kissed me goodbye not ten minutes ago. He and Dean brought us to the airport and got passes to walk us to the gate. Unlike last week, this was not going to end with Bryce coming with me. This was the goodbye for months, the one I dreaded and tried to avoid, but when we woke up this morning in his room, ignorance was no longer an option. The time was here. He held me close and made love to me quietly. His parents were out of the house, so we had privacy. All morning, he stayed as close as possible. At lunch with my parents, he sat so I was practically in his lap.

Even though my emotions were all over the place, a small part of me started to simmer with excitement. In three days, we’d be given our assignments for the next six weeks. My mind was already shooting on all cylinders with ideas for articles.

“There’s the light that shines.” Bryce smiles at me. “Even from here, I can see your face starting to brighten. This trip is going to be once in a lifetime, Dev. I may have been a prime ass about the first location, but it was never about your future. It was always about your safety.”

“I know, and I’m really glad we didn’t have to fight about it.”

“There was no fight. You weren’t going. Period. End of story.”

“Bryce, don’t start an argument you won’t win.”

“Oh, babe, I’d win, and that’s why I took drastic measures.”

“Don’t tarnish our goodbye by being cocky,” I warn.

“Not being cocky if it’s true.”

“Bryce—”

“You happy?”

Even though his face is slightly fuzzy through the distance and the glass, I can tell his eyes are shining.

“Yes, I’m happy.”

“Good, now go kick some Olympic ass. Call me tonight from the hotel.”

“Okay. I love you.”

“That’s what I’m counting on,” he says and hangs up.

The flight attendant goes through the pre-flight instructions, and the whole time I stare at that window. We don’t lose eye contact until the plane backs out, and Quinn grabs my hand. I hold on until we’re safely in the air.

Once we hit cruising altitude, we dislodge, and she brings out the folder we’ve been working on for the last two weeks. Over the next few hours, we get acquainted with every summer Olympic sport and the rules of the games. Since we have no idea which contenders will be in Rio during our stay, we have no athletic bios. But I have a pretty good idea of the basics.

Once we land in Miami and get to our hotel, we’re both exhausted. Instead of going out, we decide on room service and a movie. I’m rummaging through my overnight bag when a deep male voice fills the room.

“What the hell?” I scream and look at the door. The voice rumbles again, causing me to jump. “Who the fuck is that, and where is it coming from?”

“Olá, como vai você.” Quinn repeats the phrase, pressing a button on her phone. “That is Rafael. He’s going to help us learn Portuguese.”

“Rafael?”

“I named him Rafael because it sounds sexy. It’s a translation program I downloaded.”

I can’t help but laugh. Only she would rename a computer generated program to sound se