“Okay.” I shrugged with a sigh, resigned that even though it was my day, I wasn’t going to get my way.
It was fine. When I did finally make it home, I was going to soak in the bathtub for hours before collapsing into my bed and spreading out after being stuck in a tiny rack for months on end.
My legs wobbled a little as we walked toward the parking lot. After a solid month at sea without stepping foot on land, I still felt like the ground was swaying underneath me like it had on the ship.
“You okay?” Mom whispered to me so my dad and Cullen couldn’t hear.
“I’m fine. Just getting my sea legs under control.”
“I can imagine. Even after being on a cruise ship for a few days, I can’t walk right for a few minutes when we port.”
“Mom, can I ask you something?”
She turned, her hair blowing in the wind, looking every bit as beautiful as she always had. “You know you can ask me anything.”
“When did you know Daddy was the one?”
She thought for a second, studying my face. “I’m still not convinced he is.” She laughed.
“Mom.” I giggled, snuggling into her. “You know you’re crazy about the man.”
“Sometimes, but he’s also a pain in the ass.”
“Like you’re so easy.”
“I am,” she scoffed. “Why do you ask?”
“Just wondering,” I lied.
“Wait.” She stopped walking and turned her head toward me. “Do you think Austin isthe one?”
“What?” My eyes widened. “No. That’s crazy.”
She eyed me for a second, always able to read me, which was part of her mom magic and CIA voodoo. “Are you sure?”
“Of course,” I said quickly, starting to walk toward the cars again. “Man, I’m so hungry, I could eat the entire cow.”
“Uh-huh,” Mom muttered, but thankfully let the topic go.
* * *
Three hours later, I climbed out of the bathtub, exhausted after one of the longest days I’d had in months. I’d texted Austin numerous times while I soaked, but he didn’t answer. He was probably halfway across the world, knee-deep in some crazy shit, and couldn’t respond, but it still bothered me.
I toweled off, wrapping myself in my softest robe, happy to have something against my skin that wasn’t government-issued and scratchy as hell. I undid my bun, too lazy and tired to wash my hair and dry it before bed. I turned off the bathroom light and opened the door to the hallway.
“Night!” Allison yelled out from the living room before I made it to my bedroom. “Sweet dreams, Mak.”
I gazed down the dark hallway to where she sat, furrowing my eyebrows. She never said sweet dreams, but maybe she’d missed me too during all the months she’d had the apartment to herself. “You too, Al.”
She giggled before shoving a handful of popcorn into her mouth, staring at me like I was something to be watched and not the movie playing on TV.
“Goofball,” I whispered before turning the knob to my bedroom door. As soon as the door opened, I knew something was off.
There was a faint glow in the room. Candles? I pushed open the door farther, finally seeing my bed across the room, and it wasn’t empty.
“Hey, darlin’. Miss me?” Austin asked with a smile, sitting on the edge of my bed in his uniform. God, he looked even better than I remembered.
“Oh my God!” I screeched and ran toward him, jumping into his arms before he had a chance to stand. “You’re here. I didn’t…”
