Page 31 of The Last Thing (Baker Girls #4)

CHAPTER TWENTY-EIGHT

HALLIE

I’m leaving a piece of my heart in Ida. Most of my heart.

A depressing airport goodbye wasn’t on my bucket list. Then again, neither was getting knocked up from a one-night stand then falling head over heels for that man… and his daughter. Yet, here I am.

Even if I haven’t quite managed to say the words to Wilson yet.

I touch my hand to my chest. I want to say it to him, but every time he says them to me, the words shrivel up and die in my throat. It’s stupid. It’s only an acknowledgment of what I feel inside, but it’s like saying them out loud will somehow trigger the universe to rip him away from me.

But if I don’t say the words… will that drive him away?

No. I don’t need to do this in the middle of an airport with Frannie, Justin, and Jade watching. I’m fighting my emotions enough as it is.

“Thanks for driving me to the airport.”

“It’s my job as your man.”

I glance over my shoulder at where Frannie, Justin, and Jade are standing.

“Maybe. But I could’ve ridden with them. I like that you drove me.”

His face is full of that same beautiful joy I see almost all the time now, though today it’s tinged with some wistfulness.

I really need to get it together. This is not some tragic wartime goodbye. We’ll see each other in two days.

“I want to say goodbye too,” Sophia says.

Of course Sophia had to come too. There was no way she was letting her dad drive me to the airport without coming along to say goodbye.

“I can’t wait to pick you up at the airport on Thursday.” I wrap Sophia in a hug. “Are you excited for your first plane ride?”

Sophia squeezes me tight, then lets me go, nodding firmly. “Yes. I’m a little nervous, but mostly excited. It means I get to see you and California. And flying is good practice for when we go to Disney World one day.”

This kid.

“Already planning for that, huh?”

“Of course. I have to teach my sister all about Disney.”

From behind me, Justin and Frannie laugh.

“Okay, kid. Let’s leave the vacation planning for another time. I still need to say goodbye to Hallie.”

“Fine,” Sophia says, dramatic as usual.

Wilson steps up to me and my heart gets all achy again.

He tucks a strand of hair behind my ear. “I’ll miss you, Hellion.”

“I’ll miss you too. What are you going to do to entertain yourself while I’m gone?”

He shrugs casually, but there’s a twinkle in his eyes. “I’ve got work and Soph.”

“You’re planning something.”

He grins at me. “No idea what you’re talking about.” He presses a soft kiss to my lips. “Why would I want to do something special for my girls?”

“Something special?”

“You’ll see when we get home from the trip.”

“Always teasing me, Deck .”

He pulls me close and leans down to whisper in my ear. “Don’t start that shit or I’ll have to spank you right here in the middle of the airport.”

“Still teasing me.”

He sighs and shakes his head, some of the playfulness fading away.

“Fly safe. Text me when you land. And don’t have too much fun without me.”

“No promises.”

He stares at me for a beat, then dips me back and kisses me like we are having a wartime goodbye and don’t know when we’ll see each other again.

Justin, Jade, and Frannie all hoot and whistle.

“Daddy!” Sophia gasps.

We break our kiss, laughing, but Wilson doesn’t let me go yet. Brushing his lips over mine, he whispers, “I love you.” But even if I could form the words to say it back, he doesn’t give me a chance before his lips are on mine for one last soft kiss.

This time when we break apart, I take a step back and stare at him. Then I throw my arms around him one more time. “I’ll see you Thursday.”

“Thursday, Hellion. I can’t wait.”

Turning, I blow a kiss to Sophia. “Have a fun first flight. Love you, honey.”

“We love you too.” Soph jumps into Wilson’s arms, waving as I join Frannie, Justin, and Jade and slowly turn toward the gate.

I force myself not to look back.

It’s only two days.

But it’s two days where most of my heart will be elsewhere.

“Explain to me why sitting in the window seat is better when you’re terrified of flying,” I ask my sister.

She makes a squeaky noise in response. She only went on her first flight back in February—where she met Mark—because she’s always been scared of heights.

From the row in front of us, Justin laughs. He turns in his seat so he can see into our row. “Seriously, how did you survive your first flight?”

“I had a hot as fuck god-like man sit down next to me and offer his hand. I knew I wouldn’t survive flying without him, so I decided to keep him.” Her face falls a little. “I just didn’t count on him not being here for some of them.”

Frannie is able to ride with the team to any out-of-town games she wants to attend, so this is her first flight without Mark.

Though she’s only gone to one of his games that they flew to.

Despite them having a bye week, they still had some team requirements yesterday and today, so they’re flying out tomorrow afternoon and leaving Sunday morning with the rest of us.

We agreed to fly out today—Tuesday—so we’d have some extra time with Kennedy and Devon, and to help prep for the wedding.

“Anyway, the window helps because it makes me feel less claustrophobic. Once we’re in the air I’m sort of okay. Takeoff and landing do me in.”

I hold out my hand to her. “I know I’m not Mark, but squeeze away. Try to take deep breaths and not overthink it. We’re going to be fine.”

Frannie’s eyes meet mine.

“That’s much nicer than what you said when I was panicking during my first flight.”

“Sarcastic texts are my love language.”

She slowly shakes her head. “I asked you to be calming and how you would respond to kids and you told me you’d put on Bluey .”

I laugh at that. “I would. But only if there was an epic meltdown. I’d try to make it sound exciting. If that didn’t work, I’d try to relate to them in some way or talk about how I overcome fears. Mostly I’d want them to know they were safe.” I elbow her lightly. “You’re safe.”

“You’re going to be a great mom,” she whispers, squeezing my hand.

I squeeze hers back.

I hope she’s right. But lately, I’m not only thinking about being a mom to my baby. I’m thinking about being a mom to Sophia. Being a partner to Wilson. Becoming a pillar of our little family.

At times it’s overwhelming, but I’ve never wanted anything more.

“Over here!” Kennedy calls loudly, waving to us. Devon is at her side, a smile on his face as he waves.

Frannie and I take off running, and I let the two of them collide in a hug before carefully joining in.

“I missed you both so much,” Kennedy says, an arm around each of us.

“We missed you too,” Frannie says.

“I missed you so much, I went and got pregnant so I wouldn’t be so lonely.” I dramatically stick my lip out, but she ignores it, stepping back and taking a good look at me.

“Oh my god. Look at your cute little bump.” She puts her hand on my stomach. “Hey, baby. I’m your auntie Kennedy and we’re going to get into lots of trouble together.”

“And I’ll be there to send bail money,” Frannie teases.

We collapse into another group hug, and my heart feels home in a different way. It’s a nostalgic, peaceful home that reminds me of my childhood and how I became the person I am.

I’ve missed it. But it’s not the feeling of home I crave anymore.

For me, home has always been where the people I love are, but who those people are and the intensity of that love has shifted.

I need to tell him.

But I shake the thought off because I can’t do anything about it right now.

We separate and look over at Devon, Justin, and Jade. Justin wraps an arm around his wife.

“We finally get to indoctrinate you into the club now that the OG gang’s finally back together again.”

“Yes, the OG gang is back together.” I wrap one arm around Frannie and my other around Kennedy, not talking about our little friend group at all, but the three of us, where it all started in a little duplex in New York City. The Baker girls.

I’ve officially survived almost two days without Wilson and Sophia.

Yesterday was spent settling in and getting a little tour of Brighton.

Though I’d been here one other time because we drove across the country one summer to spend almost a month out here with Kennedy and her parents, I didn’t remember much of it.

It’s a cute little suburb of San Francisco, and it was fun to see Kennedy so giddy as she showed us her favorite places, introduced us to new friends, and took us to the inn Devon’s family owns.

It’s where they’re getting married, and in some ways, where Kennedy grew up.

She moved out here when she was eleven, and Devon was her next-door neighbor.

She spent tons of time with him at the inn.

Now they live in his old house and Kennedy works part time at the inn.

She’s happier than I’ve seen her in a long time. I always knew moving out here was important for her, but I understand it more deeply now. Not only because of how content she is, but because of how my life has changed over the past few months.

Today was spent doing lots of wedding prep. We got to see Kennedy in her dress and try on our pretty rose gold and bronze bridesmaid dresses. The inn will be getting decorated tomorrow, and our whole family will be arriving then too.

I’ll be spending the day with Wilson and Sophia, but the evening will be reserved for time with my family. I’m both excited and nervous for everyone to meet Wilson and Sophia—to see my little family.

Sophia and Wilson called right before Sophia went to bed.

She mentioned her dad has some kind of surprise, but she doesn’t know what because they’re staying at Wilson’s mom’s house tonight since she lives right near the airport and they have an early flight.

Wilson and I didn’t get any alone time to talk, and though I wish I could call him before bed, he needs his sleep.