Craving Kara (The Aces' Sons 7)

Oddly, I felt lighter after I’d made the decision.

Chapter 15

Kara

“Are you sure you don’t want to ride back with us?” Nana asked as we pulled up outside the airport. “It’ll only take a couple more days.”

“I’m sure,” I replied, leaning forward to hug her over the seat. “Now that the fires are mostly contained, I need to get back to work.”

“You need money?” Grandpa asked gruffly.

“Keep your money, old man,” I said with a laugh, leaning over to give him a hug, too. “I do alright when I’m actually working—especially with tips.”

“It’s not one of those bikini coffee shops, is it?” he asked suspiciously.

“What the hell do you know about bikini coffee shops?” Nana asked, smacking him with the back of her hand.

Grandpa sputtered.

“I’ll see you guys in a couple of days,” I said. “Love you.”

“Love you, too, honey,” Nana replied. “You call when you get home.”

“I will,” I promised as I hopped out of the truck.

I waved, walking backward a few steps, and then turned and headed inside. The airport wasn’t super busy, and I made my way through security quickly, which left me with another hour before my flight. I wasn’t happy about it.

I’d spent the last six days doing anything and everything to not have extra time on my hands. The second I slowed down, thoughts of Draco filled my mind. I missed him. I missed him more than I thought I would.

After all the years of him being gone, I thought I would’ve been used to being away from him, but I wasn’t. Even when I’d been avoiding him as much as possible, I’d still known that he was close, just minutes away, if I needed him.

Plopping down onto a seat near my gate, I pulled out my phone. For being gone almost a week, I had a pretty pathetic amount of messages. Two from Charlie, a few from both my parents, a couple from my boss letting me know they were opening the coffee cart back up, and only one from Draco.

I hadn’t turned my phone on during the first few days I’d been away, preferring to stay completely disconnected while I tried to figure out what I was going to do. I’d expected to have a whole slew of messages when I’d finally turned it on, but I didn’t. After the first message he’d sent the day I flew to Montana, it had been radio silence. I wasn’t sure how to interpret that.

All I knew was that I was probably walking back into a complete shit show. I wasn’t sure that I was ready to get into another argument with Draco while I was still reeling from the last one, but I knew he deserved more answers than I’d given him. Nana had told me I needed to just lay it all out on the table, what I was afraid of, what I needed from him, and what I was capable of giving. At first, I’d argued, but eventually, I’d realized that she was right.

Nothing between Draco and I would work if both of us were going into things blindly. Love only took a person so far.

I held my thumbs over the keypad, arguing with myself over whether or not I should text him back before I was home. After I’d left without a word like a coward, texting him seemed equally as cowardly. I texted Charlie instead.

On my way home. Looks like the shop is open again?

Less than a minute later, she texted me back.

Yeah. Worked a shift this morning. Air is clearing up a little so it was busy as hell. You need me to pick you up from the airport?

I smiled a little at her response. She’d answered like the fight between us had never happened. I was more than a little relieved.

I left my car in long-term parking, but thanks. I’ll be home around 4.

My phone rang just as Charlie sent a thumbs-up.

“Hello?” I answered, watching a family struggle by with three kids and about ten bags.

“Hey, kiddo,” my dad replied. “You on your way yet?”

“Yep. I’m at the airport,” I said, grinning at a toddler staring at me, her thumb in her mouth, while her mom struggled to keep her walking forward. “But I’m guessing you talked to Nana and already knew that.”

“Guilty,” he said. “She called when they dropped you off.”

“I figured she would,” I replied. “Did she tell you her and Grandpa are packing up and heading back home?”

“Yeah, she said she’d be there in a few days. She was hoping you’d just drive back with them.”

“I thought about it,” I said. “But I already had the ticket—”

“And you didn’t want to listen to them bitch about each other’s driving for the next two days?” he asked jokingly.

“Pretty much,” I confessed. “How are things back there?”

“They’re alright,” he said with a sigh. I could picture him settling in somewhere, his feet crossed at the ankles while we talked. “The club came through unscathed, so we’re back at work.”