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"I love you," she answered, her heart open and shining through her eyes, as if I could physically see the glow of her e I had into it--my love, my hope, my need for her I held her close and hoped that each stroke of uefor more of her soul, because she already owned mine

I holly, deeply, irreversibly in love with a woman ay braver than I could ever be

"I’ll see you in a few," I promised as I pulled away from her lips

"Be safe"

"Always"

I boarded the plane as the SUV carried Leah off to the drop zone

"You tell her?" Penna asked as we strapped on our helmets

"No"

She shook her head "Never took you for a chicken, Pax"

"Maybe it’s kinder to her"

"Orthat could keep her with you," she spat back

"What are we talking about?" Landon asked as he came from the back of the plane

"Paxton’s aabout stuff I didn’t already know" He laughed

Penna’s eyes , because we both knew that there ay toodishonest with two of the people who meant the most to me

But the wheels were already in ame, I was powerless to stop the to crushevery sense, feeding h that only calimpsed Leah across the drop zone

Now thisy de Beers waiting to catch my chute