The Reality of Everything (Flight & Glory, #5)

by Rebecca Yarros

You scared the bejesus out of me!”

Bejesus. haha

“It’s honestly wonderful to have her. She sells a surprising amount of pendants. Seriously. Besides, it’s good practice for when Peter and I decide to have kids. Not that I’m in any rush for that,” she added quickly as she knocked on a piece of driftwood. “I mean, we’ve only been married a couple years. I’d like to have him all to myself for a bit longer.”

Jackson’s Land Cruiser reminded me of his house—pristine in the front seats, where he was in charge, and perfectly cluttered in the backseat, where Finley reigned.

Like Matthew and I

Fin singing at the top of her lungs from behind us and Jackson grinning when she got the words wrong,

bejeezus

“Heaven forbid the West Point, Distinguished Honor Grad, perfect, moral, by-the-book Will Carter actually slum it with Morgan Bartley.

grief isn’t a measure of how much someone loved you. It’s the measure of how much you loved them.

“Am I that horrible, that unlovable in your eyes that you would rather see him dead with your sister than alive with me?

“I think I’m falling for you,” I admitted in a rush, then prayed that the words had slurred or come out in French, Japanese, Russian, or any other language he didn’t speak. He smiled, and it blew the previous, sexy, sleepy one right out of the freaking water. I was in trouble. So, so, so much trouble. “Well, say something!” The look he gave me was so tender, it made my eyes burn. “I don’t need to think. I already know. I’m just glad you’re catching up, because I am so far gone for you that I can’t even see the shore anymore.”

I hadn’t even prayed that he’d come home like he promised for the fear that God would notice that I still existed and then take Jackson, too.

What I feel for you isn’t quiet. It’s loud and inconvenient and demands to be said as often as possible.”

So I did what I always did. Wiped my tears, lifted my chin, and waited for the pain to pass.

“You should take Phillip,” Finley said. I turned away from the window to see the world’s saddest little girl staring at me. I hoisted her up and sat her on my forearm so that we were eye level. “You think I should take a blind turtle on deployment?” She nodded solemnly. “Maybe I should have asked why you think I should take him?” I tried to match her serious expression and failed. “Cousteau is a fish. He can’t go. Barnaby would escape, so he can’t go. And Juno pees in your shoes.” She wrinkled her nose. “But Phillip would fit in your pocket.” She tapped the breast pocket of my button-down shirt. “Not that one, of course. It’s too small.” “So I should take Phillip because he can breathe without water, he’s too slow to escape, and he won’t pee in my shoes?” I raised my eyebrows at her. “Yep. Plus, he fits in your pocket.”

I see you everywhere, in the stars, in the river; to me you’re everything that exists; the reality of everything.

“You don’t have to go to war to put your life in danger. You can just get in the car, or walk down the street, or step into the ocean.”