“Right now, we let our people deal with it. We have a flight to catch that we unfortunately cannot miss.”
“Not the welcome home present I was hoping for.”
“At least you don’t have to be the one to face your dad when you get home.” I grimace at the reminder that Preston will be in Tampa with likely an even more irate Mike Crenshaw than before.
“Yeah, I wouldn’t want to be you.”
Preston flips us back on the bed, tickling me mercilessly until I am pinned beneath him and out of breath. Staring up at him, reality hits me hard that our time is up. Tears well in my eyes and spill down my cheeks.
“Hey, what’s wrong?” He swipes at the tears on my cheeks.
“I’m going to miss you. Miss this,” I cry, waving my hand around. After a three-month hiatus, we are crashing headfirst with no brakes into the realities of life on separate sides of the country. It didn’t hit me until now we are actually boarding a plane today to leave Belize.
Preston is going home to Tampa where he will be busy training and trying to smooth things over in his career. I am heading back to Los Angeles towards a new chapter that I couldn’t be more excited for. A lot of logistics need to be worked out but this time away gave me the space I needed to figure out what was really important for my career and for my life. Going back to the drawing board after getting canceled led to a transformational journey that has been the most fulfilling of my existence. Thanks in large part to Preston—he showed me what it means to be free. How it feels to open yourself up to possibilities and those around me. But most importantly, he showed me how to love and be loved for who I truly am. I don’t want to lose that when we go home.
Truth is, I am terrified L.A. may drag me back into its clutches.
“It’s only for a little while, Hollywood.”
“You don’t know that. Training starts when you get back. The season runs until October, or longer if you make the playoffs. It’s not like we can take weekend trips to see each other. Even if our schedules permitted it, the pandemic restrictions wouldn’t. That’s more time apart than we’ve even been together!”
“I know, Serentia, I know. I don’t want to go home without you either. It kills me that I’ll leave you in Dallas without any idea when I will see you again.” He cups my cheek and I lean into his palm closing my eyes.
“It’s just so hard, especially with this media nightmare now. Not exactly the best start to a long distance relationship.”
“You need to have faith in me. In us. This is not the end. Not even close.” Preston rests his forehead on mine as he soothes me with his words and his touch. “I am going to miss you so fucking much, Ives. Please believe me when I say that we will make this work.”
“I love you.”
“I love you too.” Reluctantly, Preston withdraws from my body but not before a desperate kiss. “We should finish packing so we can go.”
Preston and I haven’t stopped touching since my breakdown this morning. Even now as we wait in the security line at the desolate airport. While everyone around us maintains the six-foot perimeter around them as mandated, I lean my weight into Preston. He pulls me in tighter like he’s trying to imprint me beneath his arm. His warmth seeps into me, touching a place deep inside my heart.
Cementing this to memory, I note how his simple touch can soothe my deepest spiral and how his silent support speaks theloudest. Preston takes care of me through actions but he never fails to tell me how much he loves me and wants to be with me. He’s not afraid to show me physically, emotionally, and mentally how much he cares for me and just how much he believes in me. Preston is my beacon of hope in the stormiest skies. It’s everything I have ever wanted. We found it in this perfect bubble in the middle of one of the most catastrophic circumstances.
Showing our identification to the agents at the security checkpoint, we move through the scans and make our way to the gate.
The wait in the lounge feels like an eternity as the ticking clock counts down our remaining hours together. Boarding the plane, Preston leads us to our seats in first class, letting me take the window seat. He surprises me when he sits down and reaches over to buckle me in first. Using his body as a shield, Preston quickly turns my face to him, removing our face masks. Then his mouth is on mine in a teasing playful kiss while the remaining passengers board the plane.
Preston stares deep into my eyes as he secures my mask back in place. “I love you.”
“I love you too.” Securing his mask and his seatbelt, Preston settles back into his seat. I loop my arm through his on the armrest linking our fingers in a tight hold. Tipping his head, Preston rests it on top of mine where I lean onto his shoulder as the flight attendants start their checks for takeoff.
“Ladies and gentleman, thank you for traveling with us today. We ask that you keep your face coverings on at all times unless you are eating or drinking for the safety of those around you. Flight time to Dallas-Fort Worth is three hours and fifteen minutes. Sit back, relax, and let us know if you need anything by ringing the button above your seat.”
Three hours. That’s all the time I have left.
CHAPTER FORTY-TWO
Ivory
By the time we reach DFW and turn our phones on again, we have hundreds of messages. Between Taylor, Gabby, my dad, Preston’s agent, Miller, and all the media outreach for those reporters that managed to get ahold of our personal phone numbers, we have been inundated with questions.
Preston pulls a baseball hat out of his bag. “Here, put this on.” He doesn’t wait for me to take it, instead dropping the hat over my head.
“What’s this for?”
“In case there are paparazzi camped out. And to keep people from recognizing you.”
