Read Online What if I Fly? by Jayne Conway - Free Book Online Page A

parents. The wedding is this summer. Peter was always a bit of a player so Will was surprised when he proposed to Sloane.
    He’s much closer to his sister Ellie. She is as outgoing as he is reserved and is his only confidante. She graduated from Brown last year, and he was upset when she decided to move to Chicago this past summer to work for a non-profit organization. She tries to come home once a month, and they talk on the phone weekly, but his misses having her around. She understands him in a way no one else in the family does.
    The bar downstairs was packed so they decided to head upstairs to the loft. It was just as packed as the first floor, but Ellie managed to nab a table by the window and Peter headed straight toward the bar, shoving his way through the crowd to order them a round of drinks.
    “Why are you pouting?” Ellie shouted over the din. “You’ve been in a pissy mood since I flew into town Wednesday night.”
    “It’s nothing. School stuff,” he muttered.
    “I don’t know why you bother lying to me,” she countered. “You’re the worst liar I’ve ever met, which is a good thing, but still. I know you, brother o’mine. Spill it.”
    Peter arrived with a tray of tequila shots and a pitcher of beer, enough to numb the senses, and Will sighed with relief, knocking back two shots in quick succession. His body relaxed as it absorbed the alcohol and he sat back in his chair, grabbing a third shot glass off the tray.
    “I may be a bad liar, but I do know how to keep a secret,” he replied, staring into his sister’s eyes, so like his own.
    Ellie raised an eyebrow, “Really? You have secrets? From me?”
    Will chuckled and scanned the bar, doing a double take when his eyes came to rest on someone who looked an awful lot like Julia. But it couldn’t be . She’s too young to get into a bar.
    He stood up and took a few steps toward her, then stopped, his heart pounding against his chest. It is Julia! Gulliver’s was the absolute last place he expected to bump into her.
    Will squeezed through the crowd and reached her just as she was turning toward the stairs. Emboldened with liquid courage, Will clutched her around the waist and covered her eyes with his other hand and she jumped with a start and grabbed his arm, trying to pry it off of her.
    “You left without saying goodbye,” he whispered in her ear.
    He heard Julia gasp, her body rooted to the spot. A moment later she spun around and he smiled, his eyes searching her face. Before she could stop him, he pulled her close and his lips met hers for a long, slow kiss, the tip of his tongue grazing her teeth. She didn’t resist his embrace, but she took a beat before responding, then wrapped her arms around him, returning his kiss.
    When Will finally released his hold on her, Julia looked into his eyes, her cheeks flushed.
    “Hi Will,” she smiled.
    He laughed and held her tight, had no intention of letting her escape again.
    “Who are you here with?” he asked.
    “My friend Gabby. You?”
    “My brother and sister,” He tilted his head toward the windows, “Come. I want you to meet them.”
     
    Her eyes opened wide, and she shook her head in protest, but he grabbed her hand, steering her across the loft and made the introductions. Peter predictably made a visual inspection of Julia and gave Will a thumbs up, prompting Will to roll his eyes in disgust.
    “And this is my sister Ellie.” His sister rose and shook her hand.
    “It is so nice to meet you Julia. I’ve heard a lot about you.”
    “I’ve heard a lot about you too.”
    An attractive woman with straight light brown hair, wearing jeans, a fitted blue turtleneck sweater, and a scowl approached their table moments later and tapped Julia on the shoulder.
    “Oh my god! Gabby, I’m so sorry.” Julia cried. “I was on my way back downstairs when I bumped into my friend Will!”
    “So you’re the famous Will!” Her friend’s eyes opened wide, “I was beginning to think you