“Colin,” my mother said, “going to Australia isn’t nearly as complicated as entering the United States. Get online and file for an ETA. You’ll have it within twenty-four hours.”
I stood up. “Seriously? That quickly?”
She smiled. “Yes, that quickly. And I think you’re forgetting you have dual citizenship, being half British.”
My eyes widened. “Shit. I didn’t think of that.”
She smiled. “That’s what mothers are for. We fill in the gaps when things are stressful.”
I laughed for the first time in a while. I could go to Colin, just like Evan suggested.
“How long can I stay? I mean, he could be there for months, and I swear I won’t be able to leave without him again.”
This time, my father cut in. “Are you serious about him, Carson? I know you love Colin, but are you serious enough to make a legal commitment?”
My face broke into an easy smile. “Yes. If this week has proved anything to me, it’s that I don’t want to live without him.”
“Then go to Australia. And I know how you can circumvent the holdups.”
I listened intently as my father presented his idea. It made perfect sense, and when we hung up, I called Evan.
“Hey, how are you?” he asked.
I laughed. “I’m better than I was. Listen, I need the name of the air charter company you used.”
He chuckled. “You going somewhere, buddy?”
I smiled, my heart full of happiness for the first time since all this started. “Yeah, I am.”
I filled him in on my plans as he texted the contact for the charter service. The first thing the next morning, I made arrangements to go to him.
I was never more grateful for my NFL contract and salary than the day I called and booked a private non-stop trans-Pacific flight to Sydney. I didn’t bat an eye at the $300,000 price tag to carry me and our fur babies to Colin. The pre-Colin me would have considered it outrageous to spend that kind of money. But post-Colin me would have paid whatever the company wanted in order to get to him.
I packed everything I could think of for Allister and Bella, including immunization records and all the food they needed, then threw as much as I could into a bag for myself. Checking around the house, I went through my normal preparations.
Evan arrived and helped me pack everything into his car. With Bella strapped in and Allister secure in his carrier, we headed to the private airstrip Hudson used when he came to San Diego.
“I have to say you look a lot better now. I was worried about you.”
I chuckled. “Yeah. I feel better. So much so that I didn’t even flinch at dropping over a quarter of a mill on a flight.”
“Damn,” Evan laughed. “That’s what I spent for the entire season. I guess that’s your proof that he’s the one.”
I rubbed my chest. “I knew that without spending that much money. But I’d do it again without thinking about it.”
My friend looked over at me. “You’re really calm and relaxed. Did the visa thing get straightened out?”
“Not yet. But we’re going to fix it all when I get there. My dad came up with the solution.”
As we rode, I filled him in on my plans. “I want to see his country. How often do you get a chance to go down under?”
Evan smiled. “Keep me updated so I know when to round up Sanders.”
“I will.”
When he pulled up to the Gulfstream ultra-long-range jet waiting on the tarmac, the reality that I’d made this happen hit me. I was going to surprise my man, and I had a plan to make sure we never had to deal with this kind of bullshit ever again.
Evan blew out a long whistle of appreciation as he slid his car into park. “That’s a beautiful plane.”
