Chapter 79
Chapter 79:
Kailey walked quietly, half a step behind him, her attention fixed on their clasped hands. A rapid thump echoed in her chest, and the warmth that had barely left her face crept back, blooming hotter than before. Only after they settled into the car did Kyson finally let go.
Something about it all was beginning to feel different. Whenever she was near him, thoughts of Ryan simply faded—replaced by an unfamiliar warmth and quiet excitement she had never known before. Perhaps Kyson truly was the one meant for her.
No matter how tangled her emotions felt, she had already made her decision. She was leaving behind the city that had held twenty years of her life, and the streets saturated with Ryan’s shadow.
The plane climbed through towering banks of cloud into the pale blue sky, and after a little over two steady hours in the air, it finally descended onto the wide runway of Aslesall International Airport.
Waiting for them at the terminal was another of Kyson’s assistants, Devin Wilson. Unlike the reserved Bruno, Devin carried an easy grin and chatted cheerfully with Kailey as he loaded their suitcases into the trunk.
“Miss Evans, winters in Aslesall are brutal compared to Jucridge. Make sure you dress warmly. If you catch a chill, Mr. Blake will be worried sick p>
𝖱𝖾а𝖽 𝗳r𝘰m y𝗈u𝘳 𝗉𝗵on𝖾 𝗼n
Kailey glanced toward Kyson, who stood a short distance away murmuring into his phone, and answered with a light smile. “Got it. Thank you p>
“Any time!” Devin said, pressing a business card into her hand with something close to a bow. “If you ever need anything, just call. I’m at your service—and Mr. Blake’s—any hour of the day p>
Before she could respond, Kyson ended his call and strode back, casting Devin a cool, measured look. “Dial it back p>
Devin straightened instantly. “Understood, Mr. Blake p>
With exaggerated gravity, he pulled open the car door and held it with impeccable stiffness.
A quiet giggle escaped Kailey as she ducked inside, amusement glimmering in her eyes.
Outside, Aslesall lay blanketed in the year’s first snowfall, rooftops and trees submerged beneath a pristine white stillness. Pedestrians hurried along the sidewalks, bundled against the cold. Kailey nudged the window open a crack and let the icy air whip across her cheeks, her laughter ringing out warm and bright, soft breaths curling around her words.
Across the seat, Kyson watched her with quiet affection, a gentle smile lingering as he took in every flicker of her joy.
By five o’clock, traffic had thickened considerably, stretching what should have been an hour’s drive into nearly two sluggish ones. Worried she might struggle with the sudden change of pace, Kyson arranged for dinner to be delivered ahead of their arrival.
In the end, his concern proved entirely unnecessary.
Since Kailey had never set foot in Aslesall before, every streetlight, storefront, and drifting snowflake felt wonderfully new.
After dinner, she pulled on a thick down jacket and wandered out into the yard, her boots leaving crisp prints across the untouched snow as she crouched to shape a small, lopsided snowman.