Crossing the line

27: Promises In The Air

AVA

The last twenty minutes of work always dragged, but today felt different. My mind kept drifting back to this morning, to Jake in my kitchen, to the way he'd kissed me on the forehead before handing me breakfast. It was such a small gesture, but it meant everything. It was like we had crossed some invisible line, finally becoming what we were always meant to be.

I was trying to focus on finishing a report when my phone buzzed on the desk. The name "Liam" flashed on the screen. My stomach twisted. I hadn't spoken to Liam in a few days, and considering everything that had been happening with Jake, my nerves were on edge. Did he know? Had Jake said something?

I picked up the phone, feeling my heart pound a little harder as I answered. "Hey, Liam," I said, trying to keep my voice light.

"Ava! Hey, how's it going? You almost done with work?"

His voice sounded casual, normal, like nothing was wrong. I exhaled slowly, my initial worry fading a bit. "Yeah, just finishing up. Why?"

"Oh, no reason. Just wanted to catch up." He paused for a beat. "Everything good with you?"

"Yeah, everything's fine." I hesitated, the tension creeping back into my chest. I could feel him leading up to something.

"And... Jake?" Liam asked, his tone changing ever so slightly, becoming more curious.

There it was. My stomach dropped. I bit my lip, unsure of how to respond. Should I lie? Tell him everything was the same as it had always been? But Liam wasn't stupid. He would figure it out sooner or later. Besides, hiding the truth from him would only make things worse.

I took a deep breath. "About Jake..." My voice faltered for a second, but I forced myself to continue. "Something happened. We-Jake and I-are... together now." The words felt heavy as they left my mouth, and for a second, the silence on the other end of the line felt like it would swallow me whole.

Then Liam let out a soft chuckle, and I blinked in surprise. "I knew it," he said, his voice lighter than I expected. "I mean, come on. I'm your brother, Ava. I could see this coming from a mile away."

My eyes widened. "You... knew?"

"Kind of. I suspected, at least. You and Jake have always had this weird tension, like you were just waiting for the right moment." He paused, and I could hear the seriousness returning to his voice. "Look, Ava, I'm happy for you both. I mean that. But... if he ever hurts you, I'll do some serious damage to him. Got it?"

I let out a shaky laugh, relief washing over me. "Got it."

"Good. I'll leave you two to figure it out, but I wanted you to know I'm behind you on this, okay?"

"Thanks, Liam." I smiled, genuinely grateful for how he was handling this. "I really appreciate it."

"No problem. Take care of yourself-and him too, I guess." His voice was teasing now.

We hung up, and I leaned back in my chair, still processing the conversation. I had been so worried about how Liam would react, but now that I knew he was on my side, I felt lighter. It was like one more piece of this puzzle was falling into place.

Just as I was wrapping up my work, my phone buzzed again. This time, it was Jake.

I'm outside.

A smile immediately spread across my face as I grabbed my bag and waved to my boss on the way out. Jake's truck was parked by the curb, and when I opened the door, he greeted me with a bouquet of my favorite flowers-daisies and sunflowers, simple but perfect.

"These are for you," he said, holding them out with that lopsided grin that always made my heart flutter.

"Jake, you didn't have to do this," I said, but I couldn't help the smile that tugged at my lips as I took the bouquet. The flowers smelled fresh, their bright colors a perfect match for how I felt inside.

"I wanted to." He leaned in and kissed me gently, just for a second, but it was enough to send a shiver down my spine.

We drove back to my apartment, and when I opened the door, I was hit with the smell of something delicious. Dinner was already set up on the table-pasta, garlic bread, and a bottle of wine. It was so thoughtful, so Jake, to have everything ready.

"You made all this?" I asked, surprised.

"Yeah. I wanted tonight to be special," he said, wrapping his arms around my waist from behind and kissing the side of my neck.

As we sat down to eat, everything felt perfect. Like we had finally settled into this new version of us. We talked about work, about little things, and laughed like we always had. But halfway through dinner, something shifted. The realization that Jake wasn't staying-that this moment would end-crept into my mind.

After we finished eating, Jake cleared the plates and joined me on the couch. He pulled me close, but I could feel the heaviness between us now, the unspoken truth lingering in the air.

"I have to head back tomorrow morning," Jake said softly, his thumb brushing across the back of my hand.

I felt my heart sink, the weight of his words settling in. "Already?"

"Yeah." He sighed. "I hate it too, Ava. I hate that I have to leave you."

I turned toward him, trying to hold back the sadness that was rising in my chest. "What happens now?"

Jake pulled me closer, his eyes soft but full of determination. "We'll make this work. We have each other, and that's not going to change. I don't care how far apart we are-we'll figure it out."

I nodded, resting my head against his chest, listening to the steady beat of his heart. "I believe you."

"Good." He kissed the top of my head, holding me tight. "Because I'm not letting go of you. Not now. Not ever."

And in that moment, as I sat there wrapped in his arms, I believed him. No matter the distance, no matter what came next, we had each other-and that was enough.