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“I’m being a sap,” she said, wiping her eyes.

“No, you’re being you, and I…” Bryce seemed to hesitate. “Well, I love you. I wasn’t going to say that yet because it hasn’t been all that long, but it’s how I feel, and I wanted you to know. I wanted to tell you that in person. I’m in love with you, SophieSantiago. I think I’ve been since that night, but now, I know you. I know who you are; what you like and what you hate; that you’re a clean person but not so clean that if I leave dirty clothes on the floor, you won’t get mad at me.” Bryce chuckled. “I know you like it when I hold you and justreallyhold you because it makes you feel safe and like I’m never going to let you go. And I won’t. Soph. I won’t let you go, okay? I love you. Long-distance is going to suck, but it’s short-term distance because I can’t ever be away from you for long now that I know that I was right all along: you’re the one for me.”

Sophie’s eyes lit up. Bryce had just told her she loved her.

“I love you, too,” she said with a smile. “I was going to wait to tell you.”

“We shouldn’t ever wait. We’ve waited too long already,” Bryce said, leaning in and pressing her forehead to Sophie’s. “I love you. I will see you soon. This is only the beginning, not the end for us. Whenever you’re sad, you remember that, okay?”

“And what will you remember whenyou’re sad?”

“Everything,” Bryce said on a breath.

Sophie kissed her then, and they stood there as the airport announcer continually interrupted the space with flight boarding announcements, lost and found mentions, and the TSA warning about items sitting around the airport that didn’t have anyone near them. Sophie didn’t really hear any of that, though, because she was kissing the woman she loved, and that woman loved her back.

When they finally broke apart, Sophie watched Bryce turn and walk to the TSA agent who was guarding the security line. She showed him the boarding pass on her phone that indicated she was flying first class and joined the priority line, which was short. Soon, Bryce was showing her ID and boarding pass again and waiting for her turn to put her stuff into gray tubs, all while Sophie watched.

Sophie wiped the tears from her eyes when Bryce disappeared beyond glass and metal detectors and crowds of people on the other side of the barrier. She didn’t allow herself to break down because they reallywouldbe seeing one another soon, so she needed to keep herself together. Still, she sat there, in the chair Bryce had just used for her backpack, for another thirty minutes or so, as if Bryce would come back through that same barrier and tell her that her flight was canceled and there were no more headed her way, so they’d have another day together. When that hadn’t happened, she stared at the screen, saw that Bryce’s flight was now boarding, and she stood. It was time for her to go.

“Hello?” she said into her phone when she got to her car.

“Sophie? Hi. This is Rhonda, the recruiter from Arnette Assets.”

Sophie pulled herself together because this wasthecall. But why did it have to come right after she had dropped her girlfriend off at the airport?

“Hello. How are you?” she asked as she wiped her eyes, like Rhonda could somehow see her.

“I’m great. Thanks for asking. How are you doing today?”

“I’m good,” Sophie lied.

“Great. Well, I’m calling because I wanted to let you know that we loved you, and we want to give you an offer for the role.”

“Really? That’s great,” she said because she didn’t know if the recruiter had any idea that Monica had already revealed the news.

“Yes. Do you have a minute now? I can run you through everything. And if you accept, I can send you the offer in writing.”

“I have time now, yes,” she replied.

And shedidhave time. She had nothing but time now that Bryce was on a plane. She had all the time in the world to listento this offer because she had no job right now, and her girlfriend would soon be in another city.

CHAPTER 34

It was the last day of March, and Bryce had no idea how so much had happened to her over the course of one month, but it really had. She had managed to get on her plane and not cry. She’d been sad, of course, and she’d already missed Sophie, even though it had only been a few hours since she’d seen her.

Leaving the airport building, she wished she had driven herself there because she’d asked Megan to pick her up, but instead of Megan, Sean’s car had pulled over at the curb.

“Hey,” Sean said as the passenger window rolled down. “Megs asked me to get you.”

“Is everything okay?”

“Yeah, I think she’s with Kels and couldn’t tear herself away.” Sean smiled. “Trunk’s open.”

Bryce loaded her bags into the trunk and joined Sean in the car. As they drove off, neither said anything at first, and she stared out the window, trying not to text Sophie while in Sean’s car. She had messaged her already that she’d landed, but Sophie had sent her three messages since then, and as much as Bryce wanted to check them, she didn’t want Sean to see and end up hurting her.

“I’m okay,” Sean spoke after a while. “If that’s why you are not talking.”

“I’m just tired, honestly,” she said.