Damn. Did I mess up on the time zone change again? My eyes flicked to the clock. It was late morning here in…where the hell were we? Somewhere in Ohio, if I was remembering the last concert correctly. That made me smile, being in Kiera’s home state made me feel oddly closer to her. “Sorry, did I wake you?”

“Hey…no, I was just waking up.” I was about to tell her where I was, but she distracted me by saying, “I’m a little unmotivated to leave your bed.”

The grin on my face was uncontainable as I pictured her spread out on my sheets. “My bed?”

She giggled in my ear. “I came over last night to grab your mail and go through your bills, and I just couldn’t stop myself from crawling under your covers.”

“Yes,” I said with a soft smile. “I do seem to recall that being a problem of yours.”

She laughed again, then sighed. “It smells like you here…it makes me miss you even more.”

I had to close my eyes as an ache tore through me. “I miss you too.” There was a moment of silence, then Kiera yawned. “You’re tired,” I stated.

A quiet sigh met my ear. “It’s harder to sleep…knowing you’re so far away.” She paused and when her voice returned there was humor in it. “Our new bed is much too big. I think we should return it.”

A light laugh escaped me. “Agreed. But even still…I have to thank you.”

“Thank me?” she asked, sounding confused.

“For making me do this. For the gentle push. It’s tiring, but it’s…I don’t know, it’s just…it’s everything I wanted it to be.” The shows, the crowd, the noise, the pulse of energy…it all flashed through my mind in a microsecond, wrapping me in contentment. Then I frowned as I reconsidered. There was one missing element to my happiness. “Minus you, of course.”

I could hear the smile in her voice when she responded. “Good, I’m glad. You’re meant for that life, Kellan.”

There was a trace of sadness in her voice, and I knew what she was thinking. That life…separate from hers. Like she couldn’t see how she fit into my surreal chaos. Like she didn’t understand that she was the framework, that everything else was molded onto her.

“I’m meant for you too, Kiera,” I told her. “I love you…so damn much. I wish there was a better word,” I said with a sigh. “Love just seems…too small. You’re the most important thing in my life.” By far.