In the Likely Event

by Rebecca Yarros

Even the cut and the purplish bruise that split the right half of his lower lip didn’t detract from his face, because his eyes . . . wow. Just . . . wow. Those crystalline baby blues stole every word out of my head.

Blue eyes are rather magical.

He was a reader? This guy just kept getting hotter.

Irresistible.

“Yes!” I loved that movie. It was my go-to for a broken-heart ice cream session. “Cora dies.” My jaw dropped.

Well dangit. I was planning to read this book lol.

The engines whined at a higher pitch. “What the—” Nate started. The sound of metal on metal stilled my heart. The wing exploded in a ball of fire.

Uh oh....

That was because nothing distracted me like Isabeau Astor. She wasn’t some bright, shiny little diversion. The woman was a meteor, a shooting star capable of granting impossible wishes or destroying life as I knew it.

Seems a serious thing, hehe

“Relatives only,” the paramedic in back said, already hooking her up to something. “I’m assuming you’re her . . .” He glanced up. Don’t leave me. “Husband.” I moved, climbing up into the rig in one step. “I’m her husband.”

Awww so loyal already! I love him.

“Well.” Mom sighed. “Honey, you know how long we’ve waited to take this trip, so if you’re not in any life-or-limb danger, there’s not really a reason for us to come back, is there?”

Dang...that's messed up.

“It wasn’t a shock,” I argued as my heart crumpled in on itself. “It was a plane crash. My plane crashed. I had to climb out the emergency exit onto the wing and then swim for shore while bleeding internally.” And still they weren’t coming home. “And we’re so proud of you!” Mom sounded like I’d just earned a trophy. “Guess all those years on the swim team paid off.”

Wow! What the hell kind of parents are these?

“Don’t, Izzy.” He shook his head. “I have one weakness on this entire planet, and you’re feet away when you’re supposed to be halfway round the globe.”

Ah the power of love.

Time to speak before the bride accused me of creeping, and this already had the potential for being awkward as hell. “I must have dreamed of you a million times,” I said loudly enough to be heard over the music. Smooth, Nate. Real smooth.

Lol it's corny, yes, but so, so cute.

“Izzy, this is Fitz.” I took a drink. Izzy stuck her hand out, and Fitz shook it. “Hi, Fitz. I’m Isabeau Astor. I’m Nate’s wife.” I slammed my hand over my mouth to keep from spitting Coke across the table.

Lol I love it so much.

“If no one’s trying to kill you here, then that means I’m doing my job over there. That’s how I choose to look at it, how I have to look at it.”

Deep, dude.

“You know the best part of not defining this?” “My begrudging freedom?” I muttered. He laughed. “No. The possibilities, Izzy. That’s what we are. Possibility.”

I guess that makes sense.

His eyes caught on the badge Jeremy had pinned to his suit coat. The badge that said Jeremy Covington.

Ugh seriously, Izzy? Whyyy?

I followed after, pausing to glance up at Nate, who stared ahead with professional indifference. “It’s complicated.” “Seems pretty simple to me.” His scoff was almost silent, but not quite. “You’re marrying Dickface.”

Which is exactly why it's complicated, Nate. Give her a chance to explain.

“Aren’t you sick of that yet? Constantly appeasing your father? God knows I am.” I didn’t even realize it until the words were out of my mouth. I was stuck in a perpetual cycle of trying to please the men in my life, only to have them abandon me at their convenience. Seeing Nate only made it that much clearer because unfortunately, instead of breaking the pattern, he’d become part of it.

Ahhh. This explains a lot, actually.

Even Jeremy was Dad’s choice, not mine, and I’d been so hungry for his approval that I’d gone against my gut and given a second chance to a relationship that had never deserved a first.

Ahhh this explains even more.

“Hey,” I said into the hallway, then startled. It wasn’t Nate standing guard at my door. It was Sergeant Gray. My stomach sank.

Aww man, mine too.

But the ire that consumed my thoughts prickled my skin because Jeremy was right about one thing. It didn’t matter who I met, who I dated, or who I tried to love. Nate would always be in the way, even if he was never physically there. It was impossible to give away a heart I’d never gotten back in the first place.

Truth

I couldn’t take her. She’d never forgive me because she didn’t know—

What are you hiding, Nate? I must knowwww lol

The chess team came down the corridor, escorted by the Afghan soldiers. And the runway exploded.

Dang what now?!

“And is that what you have with Covington? A future? A home? Because I fail to see the allure.” So much for professionalism. “The allure?” She jerked her hand away. “He was there.”

Ouch

He shoved the remains of the tag beneath his shirt and withdrew his hand from the counter. Revealing a diamond ring. The diamond ring. Oh God. I couldn’t breathe. There wasn’t enough air in the world to fill my lungs, to oxygenate the blood that my heart refused to pump. “I’m the one who carried you with me every goddamned day.”

Dang. Now I'm REALLY dying to know what happened in New York.

“I’m saying this isn’t right.” She shook her head. But she was the only thing right in my entire life. I snapped the box shut and crammed it into the front pocket of my jacket as my mind scrambled for purchase, for a direction. Army, no army. Delta, no Delta. None of it mattered without Izzy, and she wasn’t choosing me. She didn’t want me. All you’ve ever done is waste her time. Her father was right. I was fine for vacations and weekends, but not good enough to marry.

I mean come on, dude. You're all over the place right now.

Nate thought I’d turned his proposal down because I didn’t love him, and then he’d taped my engagement ring to a dog tag and carried it with him everywhere. What was I supposed to do with that?

Probably just say yes, I think lol

“You’re in a towel.” Was that really the best I could come up with? “I was in the shower. That’s a natural progression of events. Shower. Towel. Clothes.

Lol

“Gotcha. Does she know about her sister?” I shook my head, my stomach sinking. “No. And she’s not going to.” “You’re not going to tell her about the checkpoints? About the bullet holes in reporters?” Graham lifted his brows, his dark eyes flaring.

Ohhhh no

He backed up a moment later as two figures burst through the door and into the plane. Taj and Serena. Thank you, God.

Yay!

Her brow furrowed. “Is that a dog tag?” “Not sure,” I said, forcing the tape from the rest of the metal. “Nate told me he only took the ring on missions that didn’t have to be sanitized, but—” I slipped my engagement ring onto my right hand to keep it safe, then wiped the name clean of the sticky residue. “It’s not his.” “It’s not?” She glanced my way, clicking through the pictures on her view screen. “No.” I hadn’t been the only person Nate had been carrying with him. The tag read TORRES, JULIAN.

Wait....what? But hasn't he been talking to Torres this entire book?

I sank into the chair and looked the doctor in the eye. “I’ve been talking to my best friend as a coping mechanism for the stress, the deployments, the . . . everything.” He nodded, leaning back in his chair. “That sounds pretty normal.” “Yeah, except he’s been dead for four years. Think you can help me?” I gripped my knees and waited for his answer. “Yes,” he said. “I think I can help you.”

Oh WOW! So Torres has been dead the entire time?! What a fantastic twist!

He lifted his hand to my face and cupped my cheek. “I am wildly in love with you, and I don’t want to be your possibility anymore. I’m not leaving us up to fate.”

How lovely. I'm quite jealous.