Chapter 1295:
“Silly,” she murmured, almost to herself.
Three days had passed.
Just outside the international arrivals gate, Rylie stood quietly among the waiting crowd, dressed in a loose beige knit dress, her long hair pinned up in an easy, relaxed style. She didn’t bother stretching to peek inside the terminal. She simply waited, one hand resting gently over her lower belly.
And then she spotted Brad.
𝗖𝗁і𝗻еѕ𝖾 𝗇𝗈𝘷𝘦𝗹𝘴 𝗍𝗋𝖺nѕ𝘭𝗮t𝗲𝖽 o𝗻 𝗴𝘢lnоv𝘦𝘭s.𝖼о𝗺
The instant he walked out, the crowd around her seemed to blur and fall away.
He was dressed in a dark gray jacket and carried only a simple duffel bag. His eyes swept the crowd once before landing on her with absolute certainty. He stopped for the briefest moment—then immediately picked up his pace, weaving through the crowd until he reached her side.
They looked at each other for several seconds without a word.
Brad moved first, pulling her into a tight embrace. He rested his chin gently on top of her head and took a slow, deep breath.
“Have you been waiting here this whole time?” he asked, his voice slightly muffled against her hair. “That ridiculous flight—not only couldn’t we sit together, we ended up on completely different planes.”
Rylie slipped her arms around his waist and pressed her face against his chest, laughing softly. “I’ve only been here about an hour. I slept most of the flight, so I’m not tired.”
A passerby glanced at them curiously. Rylie felt Brad’s arms tighten around her, pulling her closer as though he had absolutely no intention of letting go. She laughed and lightly poked his side. “Alright, have you hugged enough? Save the rest for home. Everyone’s still waiting for us.”
Brad looked down at her, his eyes carrying that warm, familiar expression she knew so well. “Not even close,” he said softly. “I could hold you for the rest of my life and it still wouldn’t feel like enough.”
Rylie reached up and pinched his cheek with a grin. “Smooth talker.”
Brad didn’t stop her. The smile in his eyes only deepened.
On the drive home, their car passed a large shopping center. A sprawling maternity advertisement on the building’s facade caught Brad’s attention.
“Stop at the mall up ahead,” he said.
“Why?” Rylie asked, curious. “Are you feeling tired?”
She shook her head. “Not at all. I haven’t been out much lately, though. I think I’ve even put on a little weight.”
“Then maybe we should pick up some clothes and baby supplies while we’re here,” Brad suggested quietly.
Rylie raised an eyebrow, then nodded. “Alright.”
They stepped out of the car. Brad placed an arm around her waist as they walked inside, rode the escalator up to the third floor, and stopped in front of a maternity shop. Rylie had already pushed the door open and glanced back at him. “Why are you just standing there? Aren’t you coming?”
.
.
.