The best days, of course, were those that brought Carter home to me. It wasn’t uncommon for me to greet him stark naked in our kitchen, holding a freshly made Caipirinha when he’d return from a long trip.
One particular day, though, he’d asked me to meet him at the airport instead. He instructed me to pack a suitcase along with my passport. We’d be meeting at the very lounge where we first met.
When I arrived, Carter was sitting at the same table where we’d sat that first day. He was also wearing the very same brown leather jacket with his wings pinned on it. It gave me a serious feeling of déjà vu. Laid out on the table were mozzarella cheese sticks, wings and egg rolls—the same appetizers he’d ordered back then.
He gestured for me to sit. “Do you know what today is, Perky?”
I wracked my brain. “I don’t.”
“You don’t?”
“No.”
“Two years ago today, Kendall.”
“It’s the two year anniversary of the day we met? How did I not know that?”
“Well, I’ll never forget it. July twenty-eighth.”
“So much can happen in two years, huh?”
“Yes. But some things stay the same. I’m still a man hopelessly smitten with a beautiful, braless blonde.”
“So, tell me, where are we going?”
“In keeping with tradition, that’s up to you to decide.” Pulling up the flight schedules on his phone, he said, “The world is at your fingertips, baby.”
“Are you serious? You’re gonna let me choose?”
“Yes. We’ll go wherever you want. But choose wisely. This is gonna be an important trip you’ll remember for the rest of your life.”
My body filled with adrenaline.
Oh my God.
He was going to propose to me there?
“Is that so?”
“Yes. Trust me.”
“I don’t know, Captain. The last time I did that, I ended up getting pissed on by a monkey, got arrested in Dubai, and turned myself into an Amsterdam whore.”
He closed his eyes. “That night in the Red Light District was so fucking hot. That was the first time you really shocked me.” Shaking it off, he said, “Okay, where to?”
Scrolling down the lineup of flight options, I said, “How about Australia?”
He smirked. “That reminds me of a girl I met once. Her name was Sydney. Sydney Opera House. She had amazing, supple tits.”
I smacked him playfully. “So, Sydney then?”
He took the phone. “Yes. Qantas Flight 853, leaving in two hours. Let’s do it.”
I SHOULD’VE KNOWN that nothing with Captain Carter Clynes was predictable.
We’d settled into our first-class seats as the aircraft cruised. It was nighttime, and the plane was dark. I’d dozed off and had woken up to the sight of Carter watching me.
“Were you watching me sleep?”
“I was.”
“And what were you thinking?”
“I was thinking about how easy it was to slip that ring on your finger while you were out.”
My heart seemed to jump. I straightened up in my seat and when I looked down, a massive cushion-cut rock sat wrapped around my ring finger.
Covering my mouth with my other hand, I said, “Oh my God.”
“Kendall Sparks, will you do me the honor of becoming my wife during our trip to Australia?” He’d whispered it, wanting to keep this a private moment between the two of us.
“Yes. Yes!” I shook my head over and over. “This wasn’t what I expected.”
“I know.” He lifted my hand to his mouth and kissed it. “Do you like the ring?”
“It’s phenomenal.”
“It’s Carter with an ‘I’ in the middle.” He winked.
It took me a few.
Oh!
Cartier.
We embraced each other for several minutes.
“I love you so much, Carter.”
“I love you, too, Mrs. Clynes.” He grinned. “Hey, can I ask you something?”
“Yes. Anything.”
“Will you still love me when I’m sixty-four?”
“That’s an odd age. Why did you pick that?”
He winked. “Beatles song, babe. When I’m Sixty-Four.”
”I should have known. Don’t ever change, you crazy man.” Puling him into a kiss, I spoke over his lips, “I love you so much! I can’t wait to marry you Down Under.”
We kissed for several minutes. The people around us seemed to be oblivious to our life-changing moment.
Carter broke the kiss. “You know…speaking of down under…I’d love to go there right now. I suddenly have to use the bathroom. Wanna come with?”
“After all this time, how are we only just now about to join the mile-high club together? You’re a pilot, and I was a stewardess for Christ’s sake!”
Carter beamed. “Never too late to start.”
“COME ON, PICK IT UP! You don’t want me to win the race, do you?” I looked back at my son, who trailed behind me. We were both wearing matching helmets as we scooted along the empty road. I was on my Segway, while he rode a traditional child’s scooter.
Days like these, I never regretted retiring from the airline. I couldn’t imagine missing out on these precious moments with Brucey.
Today, I took him to visit the old neighborhood at Silver Shores. We’d moved to a bigger house about two miles away when he was a year old but still came back to visit the residents all the time.
I pointed to my old condo. “We took you home to that house right there when you were a baby.”
“That was where I was made?”
Unsure as to how to answer that, I said, “Technically, you were made in Australia, but you were born here.”
“Australia?”
“Yes.”
“I’m like a Koala bear?”
“I guess so.” I chuckled.
Kendall had found out she was pregnant with Brucey shortly after we returned from our private Australian wedding. We’d gotten married under a sunset just outside the Sydney Opera House.
We lived modestly in a typical one-level, three-bedroom house in Boca. Kendall was adamant that she didn’t want our son to grow up like she did. She didn’t want him placing so much value on material things.
Kendall was loving being a stay-at-home mom. Meanwhile, I took a contract pilot position for a private jet company that allowed me to choose when I wanted to work. It was the best of both worlds; I still got to fly but on my own terms.
As we continued down the road, I was careful to look out for any oncoming cars.
I pointed to Gordon’s old condo. “See this house here?”
“Yeah?”
“That was where your Grandpa Gordon lived.”
“Gordon? Like Trash Gordon from Sesame Street?”
“Same name, yes. Your grandfather was a great man, way cooler than Trash Gordon. Someday, when you’re a little older, I’ll tell you a really neat story about him and how you got your name.”
“Okay.”
Slowing down, I asked, “You tired? Want to take a snack break?”
He nodded.
We ended up stopping under a shady tree. I took out the juice boxes and various snacks that Kendall had packed.
Brucey looked up at me. He had my dark hair and Kendall’s blue eyes. “Daddy, tell me one of your stories.”
“Which one?”
“Lucy.”
I smiled and mussed up his hair. Starting when he was about two years old, I’d make up stories to tell him at bedtime. Sometimes, he’d randomly ask me to recite one during the day. Lucy in the Sky with Diamonds was his favorite one, partly because—as he always pointed out—Lucy rhymed with Brucey.
“Okay. Lucy in the Sky with Diamonds, it is.”
Letting out a deep breath, I put my arm around him and started.
“Once upon a time, there was a girl named Lucy who lived in the sky…”
THE END
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First and foremost, thank you to all of the bloggers who have spread the word about our joint books. You are our lifeline, connecting us to readers every day. We are eternally grateful for all of your hard work.
To Julie – This year, you brought new meaning to what it means to be one tough bitch. You are not only an amazing writer but an amazing person and friend.
To Elaine – Thank you for your attention to detail in proofing and formatting and also for your sound advice in making this story the best that it could be.
To Luna – What would we do without your magic? Thank you for devoting so much time to bringing our books to life.
To Cleida – Our Portuguese would have been totally wrong were it not for you. Obrigada!
To Lisa – Thank you for organizing our release blitz and tour and for always being there for us.
To Letitia – Yet another awesome cover to add to the list. Thank you for keeping our Cocky Bastards looking similar but different.
To our agents, Kimberly Brower and Mark Gottlieb – Thank you for working to bring the Cocky Bastard series to many eyes and ears all throughout the world.
Last but not least, to our readers – Your excitement keeps us going. As long as you want us to keep writing, we will. Thank you for the abundance of support you’ve given us. You are a treasure.
Much love
Vi & Penelope
STUCK-UP SUIT (Co-written with Vi Keeland)
COCKY BASTARD (Co-written with Vi Keeland)
NEIGHBOR DEAREST
STEPBROTHER DEAREST
ROOMHATE
SINS of SEVIN
JAKE UNDONE (Jake #1)
JAKE UNDERSTOOD (Jake #2)
MY SKYLAR
GEMINI
Standalone novels
BOSSMAN
THE BALLER
LEFT BEHIND (A Young Adult Novel)
FIRST THING I SEE
Life on Stage series (2 standalone books)
BEAT
THROB
MMA Fighter series (3 standalone books)
WORTH THE FIGHT
WORTH THE CHANCE
WORTH FORGIVING
The Cole Series (2 book serial)
BELONG TO YOU
MADE FOR YOU
Playboy Pilot Page 24