An age gap love story.
A brokenhearted billionaire.
A college girl.
*****
"Nevaeh," Aiden whispers, "can I rest my head on your shoulder?"
I nod, letting him rest his head on my shoulder. He closes his eyes.
"Thank you." He sighs in contentment. "...
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I stare out the plane window, watching the sky. We're about to land in Houston, Texas.
It was just yesterday that I still had a big hole in my heart. But now, I feel bliss, contented.
Nevaeh is asleep, sitting beside me with her head on my shoulder. Our fingers are intertwined on my lap.
I kiss the top of her head, and she squirms a little. A soft smile touches my lips. I sigh, breathing in her hair as I close my eyes. I'm very grateful that she has given me a second chance.
Nothing could top what I'm feeling now. Damn, I feel like I just conquered the world. Meeting her parents seems like nothing. Nothing can stop me.
The flight attendant passing our seats apologizes for waking Nevaeh up when she reminds her to adjust her seat to the upright position. Nevaeh opens her eyes, and after she squints for a moment, she smiles softly at me. She squeezes my hand.
That smile. I'm the luckiest man in the world to have that smile forever.
Nevaeh lets out a sigh, almost like she feels relieved. "I almost thought that I was still in a dream. It seems surreal that we're actually doing this now." She leans closer to me, as if she needs to feel my warmth to prove that she wasn't dreaming.
My chest tightens as I remember how much I've hurt her. I've vowed that I will make up for it for the rest of my life.
"You mean, like you were waking up into another dream? Like in that movie called Inception? A dream in a dream?" I joke to lighten the atmosphere because I don't want her to remember the sad things.
Nevaeh grins. "That's actually one of my favorite movies. Such an awesome one."
I watch as she glances at her wristwatch. A small frown forms on her lips. Does her father expect her to have arrived by now?
"Do you think that he will like the birthday present I bought for him?" she asks.
I want to say that he will definitely have another thing to worry about once we arrive, but I zip my mouth. I don't want to make her restless. Right now, Nevaeh is happy, and I want to keep it that way.
"That barbeque kit branded with his favorite professional football team? I'm sure he'll love it," I say, earning her smile.
Nevaeh grabs the flight magazine from the seat pocket in front of her and starts flipping the pages. They're filled with various vacation destinations around the world, and I watch as Nevaeh's eyes glint with wonder.
"You seem calm," I say.
Nevaeh raises her eyebrows at me.
"About your father. I still remember how you panicked the last time he almost walked in on us."
Nevaeh sighs, closing the magazine on her lap. "I think I'm in denial. It's just... I've been so happy these past few hours. I just don't want to think about that."
