He grinned at me.
“The truck has a much bigger backseat than the Honda.”
I laughed, intertwining my fingers with his. “Sold.”
The airport was madness, as usual.
Thesecond we stepped through the sliding doors, the shift happened. We fell back into “Deadlock and Silas Reed.” We walked a foot apart. We didn’t hold hands. But the energy was different. It wasn’t cold; it was a secret language. He’d grab my bag for me at security. I’d hand him his coffee without him asking. We dared anyone to look at us and see anything other than two best friends.
We boarded the plane, bickering about who got the window seat (I won), and settled in.
Simultaneously, our pockets buzzed.
I pulled my phone out. Cal did the same.
From: Creative Team / Presley Murran
Subject: Post Wrestle Empire Trajectory
I opened it. My breath hitched.
It was the script. As planned, Cal would retain the title this weekend at Empire. But then…
Evan will fall out of the feud. Silas Reed will begin immediate main event push.
Feud extension confirmed through Summer.
And then, in bold letters at the bottom:
HEATWAVE MAIN EVENT: AUGUST
SAN JUAN, PUERTO RICO
HEAVYWEIGHT CHAMPIONSHIP MATCH
SILAS REED VS. DEADLOCK
NO LIMITS LADDER MATCH
WINNER: SILAS REED
My face lost all color. My eyes widened as I looked to Cal, fully expecting him to be disappointed, pissed off, anything in between. He was losing his title. He was losing the top spot.
Buthe wasn’t upset. I looked at him, and his hazel eyes were full of love. A smile spread across his face. It was pride.
“You’re about to be the Champion,” he whispered with a grin.
I froze. I didn’t know what to say.
“You’re going to lose it,” was all I could manage.
Cal shook his head, leaning in as close as he dared in the crowded cabin.
“It’s not really a loss if you’re who I’m losing to, baby. I’m proud of you. You deserve this. All of this. The title spot was always meant to be yours, Si. This is everything to you. And now I get to be a part of it for you. I don’t care if I lose a damn thing, because I’m not losing. This isn’t a loss at all.”
My chest constricted. He meant it. He really meant it.
“I love you,” I whispered, wishing I could kiss him right here in seat 4A.
