“Yeah, it did.” I smiled right back at her, marveling that I could discuss Will and still feel that warm glow in my chest for Jackson. “Are you guys…okay with Jackson? Not that I’m going to walk out on him if you don’t like him or anything, of course. But he’s so good to me, and I know it’s foolish to even think of being with someone who flies the same damn helicopter—”

“Stop,” Josh interrupted. “We’re going to love whoever you find worthy enough to love, Morgan. Jagger and I are both flying again, too, and I’m sure Paisley and Ember feel that same fear, but they put up with us anyway. You wouldn’t call that foolish, and I’m not going to let you think you’re foolish, either. We can’t help who we love.” He shrugged. “But if you could help it, he’s a damn good choice from what we’ve seen.”

“Totally.”

“Whatever makes you happy.”

“I wish he flew a real helicopter, but he’s cool enough.”

“I put my stamp of approval on that man the minute he swam up the beach and ran by. The fact that he’s just as nice as he is hot is a bonus.” Sam winked.

My soul…settled. Calmed.

Josh cleared his throat. “I’m sorry that I didn’t do this a hell of a lot sooner.”

“Do what?” Jackson asked, coming to stand behind me with his hand on my shoulder. “Thanks for the coffee. Sorry it took so long. She’s…Claire.” He pressed a kiss to the top of my head.

“Pull up a stool,” Josh instructed, motioning toward the bar that separated the kitchen from the dining room.

Jackson fetched the nearest stool and sat beside me, holding my hand in his lap and setting his coffee on the table.

Josh glanced at Ember, and she nodded, offering her own hand across the corner of the table. He took it and sighed so hard that his entire posture changed.

My stomach didn’t just twist—it sank. What was he about to say that had him that flustered?

He looked up and met my eyes down the expanse of the table. “I was studying in my room that day in Afghanistan when Will walked in with a shit-eating grin and a bag of strawberry cheesecake cookies, asking if I was ready for his area orientation flight. That’s all it was supposed to be. A quick, easy flight.”

Chapter Twenty

Chapter Twenty

Jackson

“You can’t be serious,” Morgan drawled as she settled against me on her couch. She fit under my arm like she had been made for that exact spot.

“It’s a modern classic,” I argued, barely hiding my grin as I hovered the cursor over the buy button on Morgan’s TV. Man, I freaking loved teasing her.