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Kaden released me. He grabbed my heavy bag, took my hand and led me down the stairs into the kitchen. He said something to his mother; my thoughts and my pounding pulse drowned out all other sounds around me. A moment later he was back at my side, taking the phone from my hand. Rachel put an arm around my shoulder and urged me toward the door.

One step at a time.

My head felt empty. Rachel assured me that everything would be okay, and I nodded mechanically. Now we were standing by Kaden’s Jeep. Somehow my brown boots had gotten onto my feet. Kaden opened the passenger door; I turned again to Rachel, trying to put on a grateful smile—it didn’t work. I must have looked like Joker from Batman. Creepy and crazy.

“Thank you so much for the invitation, Rachel,” I managed to say. “I’m sorry I have to leave so soon.”

She said I’d always be welcome and gave me another hug before helping me into the car.

Kaden buckled my seatbelt like a child; my hands were useless. He hit the gas and pushed the speed limit till we were out of town. After giving me a few minutes to catch my breath, he told me he’d booked a ticket for a flight that left in about forty-five minutes. All I had to do was open the app on my phone and go straight to the terminal.

Everything flowed past me like fog. All I knew was that, unlike me, Kaden seemed to have the situation under control. But there was no room for shame or any other feeling. Only for worry about my dad. I couldn’t even recall our last conversation, however hard I tried.

“Stop thinking,” Kaden admonished me.

He didn’t have to see me to know what was going on in my head. His eyes were focused on the road.

At the airport, Kaden pulled into a parking spot at an angle. While I was opening my door, he grabbed my bag from the trunk. Then he took me by the arm and guided me to the terminal. Out of breath, we reached the check-in line.

“Arms up,” he demanded.

“What?”

“Lift your arms,” he repeated.

He was holding his light gray sweater in his hand.

Kaden slipped it over my head and my outstretched arms; now his familiar scent was enveloping me, and with it came a sense of security.

“Thanks,” I murmured, as Kaden put the strap of my bag over my shoulder. “Thanks.” And because it felt somehow lacking, I repeated myself a few more times.

“Everything’ll be okay,” Kaden interrupted. He combed his fingers through my hair, which had to be a mess by now. He paused at the back of my head before bending down and pressing his lips against my forehead. Eyes closed, I let the moment sink in. A sense of peace settled over me and I held my breath. The moment passed way too quickly.

“Now get out of here,” he murmured, nodding toward the check-in counter.

After one more look into Kaden’s dark eyes, I turned and ran.