Things seemed to move at the speed of light after that, though Catie knew that was in her head. It took time to set everything up, arrange what was effectively a limited-time transfer. But with Catie away at international meets during large segments of that period and Danny in training at other points, they didn’t have much time together.

It felt as if the string that had begun to tie them together was fraying with every day that passed, until by the time she stood at the airport with his family, ready to wave him off for his flight to Japan, she thought it would snap with only a little more pressure.

Ísa slipped her arm through Catie’s, squeezed. “Hey.” Soft eyes. “The Bishop-Esera men? They hold on tight. And you’re unforgettable. It’ll be fine.”

Catie wasn’t even mad that her sister had figured out the truth. Leaning her body slightly into Ísa’s, she said, “We’re so new, Issie.” It was a hard thing to admit even to herself just how much Danny meant to her. “And he’s getting to experience a part of life that he’s never before done. I’m going to come a far distant second to all the new experiences he’s about to have.”

Issie gave her a searching look. “Oh, baby girl.” Rising on tiptoe, she stroked back Catie’s hair. “Danny’s not the kind of man to forget or to make empty promises.” In her eyes was the knowledge of another man, the one who’d made Catie so many promises—and broken all of them. “Trust him.”

Catie swallowed. She didn’t know if she had the ability to trust any man in so deep a way, and she knew full well that made her seriously screwed up. But when Danny turned to give her a shaky smile, she said to hell with it and went into his arms to squeeze him tight. “Fly safe,” she whispered huskily against his ear.

“I’ll message you when I land,” he promised, holding on for a long, long breath, all warmth and a scent so familiar she ached at the thought of it fading from her apartment.

Then he was letting her go and turning to head toward the departure gate. He looked back right before he disappeared around the corner, his eyes meeting hers for a long second that felt like an unspoken promise… or maybe a request. To trust in him. To trust in them.

As her demons howled, Catie clung fiercely to the memories of the time they’d spent together since everything changed. The problem was, they’d changed so recently that the memories felt far too few… but what she did have were all the years and years of memories of her number one nemesis.

Perhaps it would be all right. Perhaps they’d make it.