Epilogue: Selene
The hum of the airplane engine roars in my ears and my heart beats fast. I get a familiar tingle in my limbs as we gain altitude. Over the last six months, I’ve jumped with Ronan nine times. Today is number ten.
I’ve gotten good enough that I can jump on my own, without Ronan or an instructor. It’s literally the last thing I ever thought I’d enjoy doing, but I love it. I love every second of it, from the moment we get on the plane to the moment we’re on the ground.
I’ve long since settled into my new role as VP of Operations for VI. Ronan has to split his time between the Seattle office and Edge in San Francisco, so I run things in Seattle. There was plenty of water cooler talk about the two of us when he announced my promotion, but it was followed closely by the announcement of our three-hundred-million-dollar government contract, so the rumors didn’t last. Everyone knew my role in getting that contract, so it was clear the promotion was not the result of me fucking the boss.
Not that I mind fucking the boss. Not one bit.
Kylie looks at me with wide eyes. Braxton has been up with us several times, but it wasn’t until today that we finally talked Kylie into jumping. One of the instructors will jump with her, and she has a radio in her helmet with a crew member on the ground to help guide her down. But I can see the nervousness on her face.
“You’re going to be fine,” I say, pitching my voice to be heard above the engine.
“I’m scared,” she says. “And excited. And fucking scared.”
I laugh. “I know. But this will be amazing. Trust me.”
Braxton turns around and checks her harness again. He’s usually as amped as Ronan for a skydive, but I think having Kylie here is making him nervous. He’s run his fingers beneath the straps at her shoulders at least a dozen times, making sure they’re tight enough.
Ronan takes my hand and brings it up to his lips, kissing the backs of my fingers. I smile and we both look out the window. There are a few puffy white clouds high above us, but otherwise the sky is clear. He was in San Francisco until late last night, and I still feel the relief of being together after missing him all week. I’m glad he doesn’t have to go back for a while.
Some people might get sick of each other when they’re together pretty much all the time. But Ronan and I have settled into working and living together, and I can’t imagine it any other way. He moved into my house a few months ago, after we both admitted he more or less lived there already. We have plenty of room at home, so we both have our own spaces. I insisted he take my dad’s old study and make it into an office, so he has a place to work and unwind. I love that the room is being used again. It was always so sad and dusty before, with no one who needed it. My whole house feels better with two of us living there. It used to be too empty, just me with all these rooms. Now I have someone to share it with, and I know my parents would be happy to see us there, living and loving in the space where they lived and loved Braxton and me.
Ronan keeps staring out the window. He seems quiet today, like he has a lot on his mind. It’s hard to have a conversation with the noise of the airplane, so I figure I’ll ask him about it after the jump. Maybe he just needs his adrenaline rush. He doesn’t seem to crave danger nearly as much as he used to, but he does get antsy if we spend too much time working without doing something to blow off steam. Maybe he had a stressful week in San Francisco. He looks at me again and smiles, bringing my hand up to his lips for another kiss.
We get to jump altitude and the door is opened. The noise level rises with the air whipping past. The first couple of jumpers take their positions and go, disappearing from sight. Kylie’s instructor eases her out to the jump spot, and when she nods that she’s ready, they both take the leap. I’m so excited and nervous for her that my heart feels like it’s going to thump right out of my chest.
Braxton turns and gives me a wink before he throws himself out of the plane, right behind Kylie.
Ronan and I move toward the open door. We both hold on to the bar, but before we can jump he turns to me.
“When we get on the ground, I have something for you,” he says.
“What is it?” I ask. It’s a little hard to hear him with all the noise.
He gives me a smile that makes my core tingle, and unzips the top of his jumpsuit. He reaches inside and pulls out a small box.
It’s a jewelry box.
Oh my god. Is that what I think it is? My tummy does a belly flop and my mouth drops open.
He slides the box back in and pulls up the zipper, giving me a sly smile.
He raises his voice above the noise of the engine. “Marry me?”
Then, with another smoldering smile, he tumbles out of the airplane.
I gasp and jump out of the plane after him.
~~~