EMMA

“I didn’t drive.”

His lips are grim. “We’ll take my rental.” He opens the door for me and I slide inside, pausing as I feel him watching me. Our eyes meet, his filled with fear that I’ll regret this.

He climbs in and we lock eyes. “Tanner, can you just take me somewhere?”

“Home?”

“Somewhere far away.”

A stiff nod and a half hour later we’re pulling off 75 for the Hartsfield-Jackson International airport exit. Tanner scans for signs that read Valet, finds one, slowing the Porsche until we’re at the white line. “Wait here.” He jumps out and talks with the man before opening my door and offering his open palm.

His hand is steady.

Mine is not.

Our eyes meet and he pulls me to him in a warm and comforting embrace. “You’re so brave, Emma.”

“Or stupid,” I mutter on a laugh.

He takes my chin, dark eyes somber. “I won’t let you down.” Lacing our fingers, and gripping tightly, we start walking. “I could call Dan and ask about flights, but what say we wing it?”

“That sounds amazing,” I admit. “Somewhere warm?”

“With a beach,” he nods, navigating us through the busy sidewalk of rolling bags and confused passengers whose eyes scan for signs of what to do and where to go, next. I know how they feel.

He guides me to a ticket counter’s VIP line and I glance to him. Since I’m stunned, I stay quiet and soon learn that this is the airline he has frequent flyer miles with and is a member of their program. “We want to go somewhere warm,” he says, sliding his credit card with their logo on it, across the counter.

Bearing the name-tag Paulette, the uniformed ticket agent takes the card with glamorously long nails. It’s her one way of standing out from her co-workers since she’s forced to wear that conservative and sexless wardrobe. “Yes, Mr. Hamilton.” She scans us and peeks over the desk. “Eloping?”

I beat him to the answer. “No, we just want to get away and we’re being spontaneous about it. That’s why we don’t have suitcases.”

A smile twitches on Tanner as he informs Paulette, “We’re going to get clothes when we arrive. I’m very rich.”

I lift an eyebrow. “You’re not supposed to say that.”

“Why not?”

Paulette rolls her head, “Yeah, why not? People are always talking about how poor they are. You think that helps them? I don’t! Let’s see what we’ve got. Two flights leave in an hour. One for Alaska, one for the Bahamas.”

In unison we answer, “Bahamas.”

While taking our IDs she informs us, “You’re lucky they stopped requiring passports for U.S. residents to go to Nassau airport a few years back. Can’t remember when. Before my time here.” She rolls her eyes. “I mean I was born, I just wasn’t working for the airline.”

Tanner loops an arm around me and privately murmurs, “Did I mention I love this dress?”

“I’ve been waiting for a compliment,” I joke. We both know that’s not been the case at all.

He kisses my nose. “You’re beautiful.”

Closing my eyes I get closer to him and pray this won’t be the end of me and my family. It can’t be. I know my mom will always be there. Ethan and Eric, too, will get over this in time. But Dad?

Atlanta is still the largest airport hub in America which means the security line is ridiculously long. When we have to take our shoes off, Tanner winks at me and lays his in a grey, scratched bin.

“Nice socks.”

He wiggles his toes. “Like these?”

“Makes you look more human.”

He laughs and wags a finger at my toe-ring. “You trying to kill me with that?”

“You like?” I extend my foot, lifting my hem.

His mouth makes a whistle shape but only a low breath comes out.

The TSA agents barely see us, they’re so tired and jaded. We get through without incident.

Tanner glances to the signs, searching for our gate, as my clutch bag vibrates. I unzip it and feel my heart start to race. Slipping the bag under my arm, my free hand clasps Tanner’s as we walk, the other holding the phone to my ear. “Hi Mom.”

“How are you, Emma? Where are you?”

“I’m getting on a plane to the Bahamas.”

A gasp sends guilt into my bloodstream. “What? You’re not eloping, are you? I want to be there when you get married! Don’t you run off and steal that chance from me!”

“Mom, we’re not eloping. Tanner and I need to get away from it all for a while. Did you hear I’m not working for Cora anymore?”

“Yes, after you left Rachel demanded details while everyone stood around. You can only imagine how red Cora was! Your father now understands Tanner never hit on me, but he’s furious anyway. You don’t know what it’s like to be a parent yet. You will always be our daughter and it’s very hard not to protect you.”

Sighing I blindly let Tanner lead the way, our fingers gripped. “I’ve never given you any reason to worry, have I? Can you trust me? He’s a good man, Mom. And he cares about me.”

“Well, I’ve got eyes haven’t I?” she mutters. “It’s just…Tanner isn’t the naïve young jock or the equivalent that Jake pictured you with. A man knows more than a boy in the bedroom, and your father has images dancing through his mind that he wishes weren’t.”

I wince, “Mom!”

“I’m sorry Emma, but that’s what bothers him most about this. Tanner is very successful so he’s not worried you’re going to want for anything. He just can’t picture you being with such a…stud.”

“Oh God, please stop.”

“He is easy on the eyes.”

I flick a look to Tanner. “He is very handsome.”

“Your mother thinks I’m hot?” he smirks, and leans to say in the phone, “Don’t hit on me Drew. Pretty sure that’s a no no.”

She laughs and my shoulders lose a bit of their tension. “You’re not mad at me, Mom?”

“No, sweetie, I’m not. I wish things had been less…explosive and public.” She sighs and I can see her face as she searches for the right words. “When are you coming home? We have a Family BBQ soon because Gabriel wants to introduce his girlfriend, officially, to us. You’ll be there, right?”

The thought of one of our BBQs after my father and all his brothers were set on beating Tanner up tonight makes everything shrivel. “I think I’m going to let Gabriel shine on his own this time, Mom.”

After a pause she whispers, “I was afraid you were going to say that. It’ll be the first one you’ve missed.”

“And the first one I haven’t looked forward to, so I guess that’s okay.”

Tanner holds out our boarding passes to the scanning agent. With the security line so long, and boarding having begun a half hour before the flight takes off, everyone is already in the tunnel.

“We’re getting on the plane now.”

“Can I call you just to see how things are going? I want to be a part of this. My baby is falling in love for the first time.” Under her breath she adds, “That boy in college didn’t count.”

“Of course you can call. I love you, Mom.” Pausing for courage I add, “And please tell Daddy I’ll talk to him when I’m ready.”

Solemn, she agrees and hangs up.

Tanner bought First Class tickets since they were available.

I take the seat by the window, he the aisle.

While the cabin settles down around us, everyone getting comfortable with their pillows, playlists and everything they personally need, Tanner calls Dan, asking him to research the best places to stay with the least hassle.

An attendant smiles, asking, “Would you like something to drink?”

Tanner and I say a very loud, “Yes!”