Chapter 143: Courting Rayna
The soft hum of the engine and the occasional whoosh of the breeze as they sped down the Florittle countryside road were the only sounds that filled the space.
The early morning sun cast long golden rays over the fields, and a flock of birds flew across the sky, their wings cutting through the light like shadows in motion.
Rayna sat in the passenger seat, her head leaning gently against the window. Her arms were folded across her chest, and her lips were pressed into a tight line. She wasn’t speaking. She hadn’t said much since they left the airstrip. What could she say when her heart was heavy?
Ethan glanced at her from the driver’s seat. He noticed how her eyes followed the sky—distant, unfocused. Her fingers tapped gently on her thigh, and every few seconds, her lips trembled like she was fighting to hold something back.
"Are you okay?" he asked, his voice low and careful, like he didn’t want to break something fragile.
Rayna let out a slow breath and blinked quickly. She turned her face away, wiping at her cheek before the tear fully escaped.
"I’m fine," she said. Her voice cracked slightly.
"You don’t look fine," Ethan replied gently. "Are you crying?"
Rayna gave a small, sad laugh and shook her head, but it wasn’t convincing. "No. Maybe. I don’t know."
Ethan pulled the car gently onto a quieter road, where trees lined the path and the sunlight filtered through the branches, making it look like they were driving through a golden tunnel.
"You want to talk about it? Wait, is this about Ruby leaving?" he asked, thinking that could be the only thing to make Rayna cry or be this sad.
Rayna swallowed, then nodded slowly.