‘I know, but we talked about it all the wrong way. The other day when I said we should get it out of our systems, I was totally wrong. I don’t want to get you out of my system, not ever.’
‘What do you want?’ Annie said, her face serious.
He turned his body to face her, drawing his knees beneath him, new urgency growing within him. ‘I want to ruin our friendship. I want to be your boyfriend. I want to help you with your job and taking on the book-ban people. I want to be there for you every day, making your morning coffee. I want youinmy system, and me in yours, for keeps. If that’s something you want?’
‘How would that work, exactly?’ she said, still thinking hard, her eyes dancing across his face.
‘I don’t know,’ he said, catching her eyes as they fell. ‘But!’ He could not lose her now, not when he was finally making sense. ‘But, I was thinking I could come to Texas for a holiday?’
‘We’ve just had a holiday.’
‘And we both used this time to get our heads on straight, but I think we need more time together, without all the doubt and wondering. What do you say?’
‘You want to come to Amarillo?’
‘Definitely. Think how pleased your dad will be!’
This brought a laugh from her lips. Her eyes were sparkling again.
‘I need to fix this library stuff. It could get wild. It could be a long fight. Lifelong maybe?’
‘I’ve got the time,’ he said.
‘You can’t just follow me around helping me with my stuff. What about your own dreams? The things you need?’
This stopped him.
‘Be serious now,’ she told him, looking for all the world like everything depended on whatever he said next.
‘I have my barista wages saved up. I want to spend them doing something amazing.’ The words spilled out. It was his heart talking. ‘I’m going to have my own coffee shop. Like, thebestcoffee shop one day soon. You make me feel like I can achieve that. I swear I’m going to do it.’
Annie laughed in delight. ‘Yes you are!’
‘And I want you. That’s plenty for one man, I’d say.’
She drew her knees to her chest. ‘Can you get a plane ticket?’
His hand found his phone, all the while keeping his eyes fixed on her. ‘I already made my reservation.’
‘What the…?’
‘A couple of hours ago, when I realised I’d been thinking and talking but neverdoinganything. Same flight as you. See?’ He showed her his e-ticket.
Annie was on the move, casting aside the blankets. For a horrible second he wondered if she was making a run for it, but instead she pulled at the ribbons holding the tent flaps open. In seconds they were enclosed in soft pink light and she’d clambered across his lap with a leg on each side.
Harri blinked up at her. She was smiling wickedly, like all those times she’d hatched a plan and inveigled him into helping her execute it. She was pulling something from her coat pocket, handing it to him. A pink envelope.
He opened it in the small space between them. She watched him, smiling as he found her own Valentine’s card.
Inside it read:
If you’re sure; I’m sure.
He stared up at her in wonder. ‘When did you write this?’
‘I got up in the night to do it. I couldn’t risk not having a Valentine for you, not if you were going to give me one, and I’d hoped… I’d hoped very much you would.’
Nothing but warmth bloomed between them. Harri spread his hands across her back, pulling her nearer, lifting his mouth to hers.
