After an hour of silence, my cell sings with a text from Leighton.

Leighton: Are you still going to the wedding?

My exhaustion fades into nervous energy. There’s a right answer to that question. But I’m so fucking past not going to Penny’s wedding.

I need to make her understand that.

Ryan: No. Where are you?

Leighton: Going home.

Ryan: I’ll come.

Leighton: You should stay. The hotel is nice. You paid for two more nights.

Ryan: I don’t give a fuck about that.

Leighton: You have to see Penny off.

Ryan: I have to talk to you.

Leighton: This is the last flight to LAX. The first one tomorrow is around six a.m.

Ryan: Are you asking me to chase you or telling me not to?

Leighton: I don’t know.

Ryan: What do you want?

Leighton: You know what I want.

Moonlight streams through the sheer curtains. It’s the only thing illuminating the dark room.

It’s beautiful, peaceful, serene.

It’s mocking me.

She wants me to love her.

The words are easier, but are they right?

Leighton: I have to go. We’re about to take off. I’m sorry I made such a mess of this.

Ryan: You didn’t.

Leighton: I did. But, you know what? I’m not sorry. I’ll never be sorry for falling in love with you. Enjoy paradise, Ryan.

There’s no way I can enjoy shit without her.

I’m sure she’s telling the truth about her flight taking off. But just in case—

I call Dean.

“Who is this?” he answers in his usual shit-stirring tone.

“She just get on a plane?”

“Sounds right. She went through security half an hour ago.”

“You’re still at the airport?”

“Yeah.”

“You couldn’t stop her?”

“I tried.” His voice gets serious. “She’s too hurt right now. Once she nurses her wounds, she’ll see it.”

“See what?”

“That you love her.”

Fuck, Dean being insightful is weird. Disarming.

For a second, I forget all the ugly shit surrounding us.

Then I blink and it all comes flooding back.

I want the easiness back. “You drove her instead of getting laid?”

“I don’t have a shortage of pussy.”

“You’re getting soft on me.”

He laughs. “Never had that problem. You’ll have to explain it.”

I laugh too. The familiarity of my brother’s teasing is comforting. Hell, his concern is comforting.

That hole in my gut is wide open.

I need Leigh. I need to make this right.

But there’s this freedom surrounding me.

I’m done with Penny.

I don’t give a fuck that she’s getting married tomorrow.

And not in that the lady doth protest too much kind of way.

It means nothing to me.

I’m letting go of my baggage.

I can have everything I want.

And I want Leigh.

“I gotta go, Dean.” I end the call before he can respond and I buy tomorrow’s first flight out of Maui.

Then I text Brendon to see if I can make the rest of this happen.

Of course it’s the middle of the night in California.

My phone stays quiet.

But I know he’s good for it.

Whether or not this works…

That’s anybody’s guess.