Beautiful Broken Rules (Broken, Series #1)(120)

“You’re f*cking screwing with me, aren’t you?” When I shook my head, his mouth dropped open and his eyes filled with moisture.

I started walking out of the garage to give him a moment, but shouted over my shoulder on the way out, “Who’s the * now?” I heard his chuckle from back inside the garage.

Now, I’m standing at the gate watching her plane taxi in, wearing her favorite black ball cap. The school had gotten all the family members and close friends security passes to wait at the gate for them to get off, since they had been gone so long. Charles, Ellie, Quinn and Cole were all waiting right outside of the gangway door so they could scoop her up the second she got off. I decided to stand further back past the crowd of other waiting families so that they could all have their moment with her. The second I got my hands on her, I didn’t want to have to share with anyone. Jace was bumming hard that he wouldn’t be here when she walked off, but he decided to drive the Camaro out to California. Mom convinced us to ship the motorcycle back to Texas, saying we didn’t need that many vehicles. I didn’t mind because it still freaked me out to take Emerson on it, no matter how f*cking sexy she was in her leather, grabbing onto me from behind. Mom was also riding with Jace out here so she could see Emerson as well, and then she’d fly back next week. I quickly shot both of them a text to let them know she had landed safely and I’d have her call them as soon as I let her breathe. I’ve always thought I had the coolest mom, but never have I had a girlfriend that got along so well with her before. Emerson just meshed right into my life like she was made to be there.

Slowly, students started wandering off the plane. They all looked really tan and tired, but happy to be back. I started getting antsy at the prospect of seeing her again. No matter how happy I was to see her, I was extremely proud of her at the same time. One of their assignments while in Africa was to write an article that related to the trip. They already had to have them submitted to Professor Patterson a couple of weeks ago. Ellie called to tell me that the school was publishing her article in the school’s newspaper the first week classes resumed. The Dean had called to tell her about it and he also told Ellie that Emerson didn’t know about it yet, since communication was so limited. I was excited for her to find out, but I think I’ll try to hold off and surprise her with it the first week of school by showing her the actual newspaper. I had once told her that one day, we’d hear all about the great Emerson Moore: Humanitarian Journalist, and I wasn’t lying.

Another reason I was excited to get her home was because I’d taken the liberty to go ahead and get all of her textbooks that she needed this semester. I found a new way to hide notes in each one. Hopefully, I made it harder for her this time, but I have no doubt that she’ll be able to decode them. I hope she doesn’t think I’m just really lame and cheesy, but I guess love does that to a guy.

I spotted Micah first and recognized a girl from my Economics class hug him tightly around the waist; I think her name is Sophia. They started making out right in the middle of the crowd. He eventually began moving her out of the gate toward baggage claim. It made me feel ten times lighter that he had a girl; hopefully, it helped keep him away from mine.

As he was walking past me, oblivious to everyone around him except the girl on his arm, I intercepted him, “Hey man, welcome back.”

“I was wondering where you were at, she’s been talking our damn ears off about you. If I don’t hear your name for the rest of my life, it’ll be too soon.”

I couldn’t contain my cheesy-ass grin. I just pray I wasn’t f*cking blushing. “I wanted to thank you for watching out for her, for me. She told me what you did that night. I don’t care how annoyed she was, I sure as hell owe you one.”