the brave ones // h.s.

epilogue

"That was the cutest thing I've ever heard," he chuckles, pulling her closer to his body. She finally forces herself to look up at him and finds him already grinning boyishly back at her. "Can I tell you something?"

"Sure," she says, shoving a handful of popcorn in her mouth.

"I've been looking at apartments in Moore Haven."

Eden chokes on her mouthful of popcorn, her breath suddenly stuck in her throat along with a few kernels. Harry thwacks her on the back while she coughs dramatically, once again causing everyone in the airport to look at them in annoyance.

"You've been doing what?" she asks when she can finally catch her breath.

"Is that bad?" His eyebrows are knitted together in genuine concern; Eden is suddenly struck with the desire to kiss him, he looks so innocent.

"N-No," she stutters. "I just wasn't expecting to hear that. You really want to stay in Florida?"

He nods, grinning proudly. "No use going back to England when I found what I've been looking for."

Eden purses her lips together, fighting back a smile. "Wow," she says softly, her head gently falling onto her shoulder. "I'm glad you're staying."

"Really?" he asks.

"Yes," she says, sounding uncharacteristically sure of herself. They'd been spending time together quite frequently in the weeks before their flight, but as far as Eden knew he was still staying in the motel with no intent to find permanent housing. She hadn't dare bring up what would happen after her trip to England was finished, she didn't want to think about Harry going home for good. The thought of him living minutes down the road from her, instead of in another country (like she'd been worried about), is incredibly heartwarming. "Really glad."

Harry kisses the top of her head just as a flight attendant comes over the loudspeaker. "Ladies and gentlemen, we are now going to begin boarding for Flight 808 to London Heathrow. Those of you in boarding group A can begin lining up beside the desk."

Eden takes a glance at her crumpled plane ticket; she and Harry are in group A. "That's our cue," she says, gathering her stuff and coming to her feet. Harry slings his bag onto his back before grabbing hers and carrying it as they join the crowd of people lining up to board.

"Can you run our plans by me again?" Eden asks as she runs her thumb over her ticket.

"Land in London, spend a few days there so you can meet my publisher friend and I can show you around the city. Then we'll rent a car and drive to Cheshire so you can meet my mum and sister. Other than that, we don't have a set agenda. Our time is our own to spend as we please," he grins.

Eden's heart flutters nervously at the idea of meeting Harry's mother. "Do you think she'll like me?" she asks timidly.

"My mum?" he asks, and she nods. "Of course she will," he scoffs teasingly. "Who wouldn't?"

Eden rolls her eyes as the line begins moving. She hands her ticket to the flight attendant and waits for Harry to do the same; her hand curls around his arm as they walk down the tunnel to the plane together. Her pulse thrums in time with the distant sound of a powerful engine running as they walk further down the tunnel, until finally she's met with the sight of an open door leading into the plane's cabin.

Harry goes in first, offering her an encouraging smile as she steps out of the tunnel and into the plane. Her hands clench onto the back of his shirt as they meander down the tight aisle, edging their way around people putting bags into the overhead bins.

"Window or aisle?" Harry asks as they reach their assigned seats. Thankfully their aisle is a two-seater, meaning she won't have to worry about sitting by a stranger. "Looking out the window might help your anxiety."