RESTLESS HEARTS

CHAPTER 34

•SHAWN•

One day was all it took to turn my life upside down. One day was all it took to make that call back home. One day was all it took to drop the bombshell: Shawn Falcon had returned from the dead.

Just. One. Day.

It's crazy how quickly things can go south. In the blink of an eye, it felt like I'd lost everything important in my life.

One day was all it took to give up my freedom. One day was all it took to bring Shawn Falcon back to life and say goodbye to Caleb Andrews. One day was all it took to shatter everything Jules and I had started building.

Honestly, my life right now could make a blockbuster movie or a gripping documentary.

It's bizarre how life can change so rapidly in such a short time. One moment, you're looking ahead to the future, and the next, you're yanked back into the past.

If the universe had a plan, they must have lost the map a long time ago. I seem to keep going in circles, ending up in the same place. I guess fate has its own GPS, and it's leading me back home to San Francisco, courtesy of the Falcons' private plane.

Jules and I haven't exchanged a word since we left New Zealand. She sat far away from me, staring out the window, silent as a ghost.

Her distance and silence felt like a vice around my heart, squeezing the life out of it. It made it hard to breathe.

I hate that we ended up like this. None of this was what I wanted, but she did. She convinced me that this was the right move, and I believed her.

I trusted her completely. I followed her to another country, ready to start a whole new life together because I wanted to be close to her always.

We'd become so inseparable that it hurt to think of being apart. I'd give up my CEO title, my inheritance, and everything I owned just to stay close to her.

She made me realize that, this past year. I couldn't go a day without her by my side. She was my lifeline, and I couldn't breathe without her being near me.

But, of course, fate has impeccable timing. She wanted this for me, and I was doing it for her. If she wanted me to go home, I'd do it for her sake.

As long as she stayed with me, I'd be happy. That was the deal we made before leaving New Zealand.

I'd only agree to go back to San Francisco if she came with me. That was our promise.

It was a tough decision for both of us, but we knew we were doing it for each other, even though we were painfully aware of the distance that had grown between us due to this situation.

Our relationship had to be put on hold so I could deal with getting my life first. I hated it, but we had no other choice.

The silver lining was that we agreed we could see each other whenever we wanted.

Finally, the plane touched down in San Francisco. After customs and airport security, my old security team, along with an attorney, smoothed out the complications we faced at the airport.

With everything cleared, they released us, doubling my security for my protection or whatever.

As we stepped through the arrival gateway, I realized why the extra security was necessary.

Reporters and journalists swarmed the airport, cameras flashing, questions flying at me from all directions.

Jules and I huddled together, our security teams forming a protective barrier around us. I squeezed her hand to reassure her, and finally, she looked at me.

I mustered a smile, but when I turned around, my legs stopped moving.

My parents, Shay, Shelby, and Shanelle stood near the entrance, a crowd gathering behind them.

I stared, and they stared back. Jules's hand slipped from mine, and I glanced at her.

Her expression was poker-faced, but a faint smile tugged at her lips. Her eyes told me that everything was going to be okay, and...I believed her. 

Just like that, my heart skipped a beat in realization.

Holy shit. 

I'm in love with her.

I'm utterly, completely, and crazy in love with her. 

Suddenly, everything hit me like a ton of bricks. The way she smiles, her attention to the little things, her desire to start anew with me despite our short time together, and how she pushed me to face my fears and come home.

Now, it's crystal clear to me. I'm head over heels for this woman. I'm so deeply in love with her that I'd give up everything just to be with her. I'd even forsake the chance to reunite with my family and escape to the other side of the world with her, living the life we dream of.

It's insane how this spontaneous moment made me grasp the intensity of my feelings for Jules. It felt like the perfect time, yet also so wrong with all the cameras and reporters that could easily spoil everything.

But I'll wait.

I'll wait for the perfect moment to tell her, and when I do, I won't ever let her slip away again no matter what happens.