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“Absolutely not.” My arms fold across my chest.

He beams at me. “You are going to love it. I promise.”

“Casper, I cannot jump out of a plane.”

“Well, not on your own. Not yet, at least.”

“What the fuck happened to the low-key hangout?”

He shrugs. “Why not?” His voice is so calm. Like he’s asking Why do you like chocolate more than vanilla?

“Why? Are you serious? I have no idea how. I’ve never done this before. You need training and stuff.” The more I stammer on, the wider his smile grows. “This isn’t an activity you spring on people casually, Casper. It’s skydiving. When you ask people to hang out with a planned surprise, there’s not supposed to be a fucking waiver involved. Are you out of your mind?”

He gleams, as if there’s nothing more amusing than my outburst. He parks the car outside the hangar and grasps my wrist, placing it over my heart. “Feel that?”

My brows pinch together at his insanity.

“Feel it?” he repeats.

“Casper!”

“It feels good, doesn’t it? Being alive?”

I groan. “Yeah, right up until I die jumping out of an aircraft.”

“You’re not going to die. You’ll go tandem with me. I used to be an instructor before I started full time at Black Rabbit. I called my buddy this morning and he’s going to take us up. Trust me, I’m your friend.”

“This is not what a friend does. You’re demoted to my tattoo artist.”

He points at me. “That’s hurtful. We’re totally friends. And friends help friends do fun things!”

“Can I at least call my lawyer first? Do a quick last will and testament? Tell Micky to clear my browser history?”

“Nope!” he exclaims, way too upbeat about this endeavor. “Let’s go.”

“I need a minute,” I tell him.

“Do you want me to sit with you?”

I shake my head and he gets out of the car, leaving me to my thoughts and coiling panic. I raise my hand to my heart, like Casper did just minutes ago. The thrum of my pounding pulse roars in my ears, but . . . it does feel good. My breaths calm. I’m not used to that sensation, but there’s something refreshing about the excitement firing through me. I’m petrified, but when I actually push the fear out and take a second to let the rest of my thoughts come through, I realized I do want this. Holy shit. I want to do this. To see if I can, if I’m strong enough. It’ll be scary, but if I could see this through . . . I’d be proud of myself.

I’d like to feel proud of myself.

I take a few steady breaths, holding my hand to my chest. Fuck it.

I’m . . . I’m going to do it.

Unclipping my seat belt, I step out of the car. He stares at me across the hood, grinning ear to ear. Bastard.

“Okay,” I say, looking him in the eye, my hands shake as I shut the car door. “How are we doing this?”

I can’t believe I agreed. After twenty minutes or so of going over everything and getting checked in, we gear up.

“First time?” one of the guys asks, helping me get strapped into my harness. He told me his name but I already forgot. My thoughts are still preoccupied with the fact that I’m about to test gravity at ten thousand feet.

With a quick head bob, I let out a warbled “Yup.” My hands clench and unclench at my sides.

The man gives me a half grin. “Casper is one of the best, you’re in good hands.”