Chapter 166

Katie

We landed in Santiago, then transferred to the jump site. The facility was gorgeous, all Winston money.

"Who needs a tandem instructor?" Ave asked as we geared up.

Most hands went up. Only Ave, Marcus, and I had solo licenses.

Lucas stood off to the side, checking his gear with practiced competence.

"Wait," I frowned. "You can jump solo?"

He glanced up. "Yeah. Got my license when I was sixteen."

"You never mentioned that."

"You never asked." He returned to his harness. "Besides, I wanted it to be a surprise."

"Surprise me how?"

Lucas just smiled and didn't answer.

The plane climbed to altitude. I stood near the door, watching the ground fall away. Lucas moved beside me, close enough that our shoulders brushed.

"Nervous?" he asked.

"Never."

"Good." He was looking at me instead of the view. "Because I need you to see this."

Before I could ask what he meant, Lucas cupped my face and kissed me.

It wasn't like the hallway kiss—desperate and wrong-timed. This was deliberate. Controlled. A promise and a question and a declaration all at once. His lips moved against mine with devastating certainty, and I felt it everywhere.

The door opened. Wind roared in, tearing at us, and Lucas pulled back just enough to look at me, eyes blazing.

"I love you, Katie!" he shouted over the wind. "I'm in love with you!"

Then he turned and stepped backward off the edge.

Without a helmet.

The cabin erupted. Ave was screaming, half the crew was yelling, and I just stood there frozen, Lucas's words echoing louder than anything.

I love you.

"Jesus Christ," Marcus breathed. "Did he just—"

"He doesn't have a helmet!" someone shouted.

I picked up the helmet at my feet—Lucas's, abandoned before the kiss.

"He has a D license," I said calmly. "He'll be fine."

"A D license?" Ave stared. "Katie, that's—"

"Five hundred jumps minimum." I pulled my own helmet on. "He's been planning this for a while."

I could see them putting it together—Lucas learning to jump, getting certified, reaching the highest level. All so he could do this. All so he could tell me he loved me and throw himself out of a plane like some insane romantic gesture.

God, I was going to kill him. Right after I kissed him again.

I stepped to the door and jumped.

The freefall was pure adrenaline. I could see Lucas below, already pulling his chute. And as I drifted down after deploying mine, I finally let myself think about what he'd said.

I love you.

Three words that changed everything. Three words I'd been running from forever.

Because the truth was—the truth I'd been denying and fighting—I loved him too.

I loved his intensity and his stupid dramatic gestures and his quiet vulnerability. I loved how he'd learned to skydive just to make this moment perfect.

I loved him. God help me, I loved Lucas Winston.

I landed with practiced ease. Lucas was already there, fifty feet away, watching me with an expression I couldn't read. Pride. Fear. Hope.

I walked toward him, legs shaking. He didn't move, just waited, giving me space to come to him or walk away.

When I was close enough to touch, I stopped.

"That was incredibly stupid," I said.

"I know."

"You could have died."

"But I didn't."

"Lucas—"

"Do you remember?" he interrupted. "Your eighteenth birthday? You said we'd jump together someday."

I stared at him. "That was—"

"A year and a half ago. I remember." His eyes held mine. "You're a liar, Katie Harrison. You promised."

"That's what you're focusing on? My broken skydiving promise?"

"No." He stepped closer. "I'm focusing on the fact that you're still here. Still standing in front of me instead of running. That's new."

He was right. I should be running. But I couldn't make my feet move.

"I told you I love you," Lucas said quietly. "In case that wasn't clear. I'm in love with you, Katie. Have been for a while. And I know you're scared, but I need to know—" He swallowed hard. "Do you feel anything? Anything at all?"

My throat felt tight. This was it. The moment where I either told the truth or kept lying.

"I—"

The others started landing, parachutes blooming. Ave hit the ground running, sprinting over.

"Oh my God! That was the most romantic thing I've ever—"

She stopped when she saw our faces. Her eyes went wide.

"Oh. We're gonna go. Far away." She grabbed Marcus. "Everyone! Space! Move!"

They scattered, and suddenly Lucas and I were alone.

"You were saying?" Lucas prompted gently.

I looked at him. Really looked. At the boy who'd learned to jump just to surprise me. Who'd gone to therapy three times a week. Who'd given me space when every instinct screamed at him to push. Who'd just told me he loved me in the most dramatic way possible and was now waiting, terrified, for my response.

And I realized something. I'd spent so long being afraid—of losing myself, of being controlled, of ending up like my mother. But Lucas wasn't asking me to be smaller. He was asking me to be brave enough to let someone in.

"I'm scared," I said finally. "Terrified. Of losing myself. Of being hurt. Of—"

"Of being like your mother," he finished quietly. "I know. But Katie, you're not her. You're the strongest person I've ever met. And I'm not asking you to give up anything. I'm asking you to let me stand beside you."

My eyes were burning. "You really love me?"

"So much it scares me." He touched my cheek. "You make me want to be better. Braver. You make me want to jump out of planes without a helmet."

A laugh escaped. "That's the worst example."

"But it got your attention." His thumb traced my cheekbone.

"You always have my attention." The admission felt huge. "Even when I don't want you to. I can't stop thinking about you, Lucas. It's driving me crazy."

"Good." His smile was soft, vulnerable. "Because you've been driving me crazy for two years."

"I don't know if I can do this," I whispered. "If I can be what you need—"

"Katie." He cut me off gently. "All I need is you. However you come. Whatever you're willing to give. Just us, figuring it out."

I wanted to believe him. God, I wanted to. And maybe it was time to try.

"Okay," I said.

Lucas went still. "Okay?"

"Okay, I—" I took a shaky breath. "I don't know if I can say it yet. The L word. But I feel something. Something big and terrifying."

"That's okay." His hand slid to cup my neck, thumb stroking. "We have time. All the time you need."

"You're willing to wait?"

"Katie." He leaned his forehead against mine. "I'd wait forever. But I really, really hope I don't have to."

I laughed. "You're ridiculous."

"You like it."

"Maybe." I pulled back to look at him. "But if you ever jump without a helmet again, I'm killing you myself."

"Noted." His eyes were bright with relief. "So we're trying this? For real?"

"I guess we are." The words felt like relief. "But slow, okay?"

"Slow," Lucas agreed immediately. "I can do slow."

"Liar."

"Okay yeah, probably. But I'll try. For you."

That was all I needed. I closed the distance and kissed him.

This was different—softer, slower. This wasn't a declaration. This was a choice. My choice. And as Lucas's arms came around me, careful and sure, I felt something finally settle into place.

When we broke apart, both breathing hard, Lucas rested his forehead against mine.

"I really do love you," he said quietly. "Just so we're clear."

"I know." I touched his face. "And I'm working on it. Getting there."

"That's all I need." He kissed my forehead. "That's more than enough."

Behind us, the others were drifting back. Ave was probably losing her mind. But for now, it was just Lucas and me and everything finally falling into place.

"Come on," Lucas said, taking my hand. "Let's go face the music."

"They're going to be insufferable."

"Probably." He grinned. "Worth it, though."

Yeah, I thought as we walked back together. Definitely worth it.