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For a few beats, he goes silent on the other end of the line.

“Alright.”

“Heading back to see your mom?” I ask.

“Yeah. She needs me. Dad turned up again last night.”

“Is she okay?”

“She will be.”

I nod and then look up to see a very angry member of the cabin crew. “Look, I gotta go. I’ll be in touch.”

“Alright.”

Finding my seat in first, I sit back for the short one hour forty-minute plane ride I’ve taken more times than I can count. Usually, I love heading home since I have a close family, but right now, I want and need to be in Seattle.

But I can’t let my sister down.

Connecting my phone to the plane’s WIFI, I realize there’s a question I forgot to ask her.

Me

Are you okay?

Princess

Since you last asked? Yes. Nothing has changed in the past three hours.

I want to tell my parents. I’ll be home with family, and you know we’re close. Doesn’t seem right keeping it from them. Unless you don’t want me to?

You can tell them, but it will probably leak to the media.

The media know nothing about me and my personal life. My family is as loyal as they come.

I won’t be telling mine. Maybe Easton at some point, but not my parents.

She is; she’s ashamed of me. I know Kate is from a family with serious money and social status. Her family owns one of the largest law firms with offices across the country. They probably wouldn’t approve of rough-and-ready Jensen Jones from Alberta. I’ve got money, but I’m a working-class boy.

Why not?

She begins typing a message and then stops. It is me. My heart sinks. It’s not just that I drive her to the point of insanitybut because of who I am and who they wouldor wouldn’tapprove. And that pisses me off.

Why not, Kate?

Finally, she begins typing again. I’m so focused on my screen that I don’t notice we’re about to take off until the same airline attendant asks me to buckle my seat belt.

Let’s just say it won’t sit well with my parents…

“Fuck.”

My new best friend and biggest fan spins around in the aisle and pins me with a glare.

“Sorry.”

Wincing, I get back to my phone.

You have a real way of making me feel good, Kate.