“No, I love it. I love yo—” I stop when I realize what I am about to say. Our eyes catch, and his face looks at me with his mouth tugging to widen. I froze at what I said, but my honest smile can’t fade.
Lucas’s hands capture my neck and head before pulling me to his mouth.
“I love you,” he whispers as his thumb rubs my mouth. I feel heat between us and mutual shooting stars of want.
My eyes are hazed and my smile beams again. “I love you too.”
Our mouths meet for a sweet delicious kiss that confirms our love.
His mouth drags down my neck and along my collarbone before finding some material of the dress to nuzzle against my skin. The feeling sending hits of want to my nerve endings. I breathe in the smell of his hair as his mouth savors my body. The smell of him that makes me hold off on washing the sheets for a day or two, because I don’t want it to disappear.
We make love, slow and sweet, not once, but twice in the night.
This is the feeling that I have been waiting my whole life for.
Real love.
* * *
“It’s going so well,”I gush to my cousin Avery over video call. I’m sitting at my dining table doing some online shopping, and Avery is baking what looks like chocolate power balls on her end.
“That’s great. Do you think you’ll move in together?”
Didn’t cross my mind. We’re doing great, but we’re still taking it slow. “Way too early to talk about that.”
I take a look at the pile of mail that I picked up from my mailbox earlier in the day. It’s been sitting on my table and I forgot to open it. Without thought, I begin to open envelopes. Junk mail, junk mail, need to renew my driver’s license, and a fancy envelope that is new to me.
Opening the envelope, I begin to read the contents of the perfectly typed letter.
My face must look slightly cartoonish. “Everything okay?” Avery asks amused.
I’m struggling to think. “Well. I guess. I mean, I don’t know.”
“What is it?”
I look at the screen. “A year ago, I applied for a fellowship that needed vets in remote places. I was just divorced and figured maybe I could travel a bit while perfecting my skills with farm and wild animals. I never heard back from them and I just assumed I didn’t get it. They e-mailed once asking if my details could be kept on file and I said yes… now I hear from them that they reconsidered my application and are offering me a spot.”
“Why don’t you sound excited?” Avery looks concerned.
I hold up the letter. “I got a spot… in Alaska.”
20
ABBY
“Are you sure you’re feeling okay? You seem pretty quiet today,” Lucas mentions as he touches my hand on the table.
“I’m fine, really. Just a little tired.”
Lucas begins to clear dishes from the table as I sit there lost in thought from earlier in the day. I was surprised to get the letter; I had assumed it was a no-go as I never heard back until they asked if they could keep my details on file. A year ago, it would have been a dream come true, but now…
“Theo is really excited for his upcoming summer here. I was thinking maybe one weekend we could go to the lake.” Lucas is busy putting dishes away in the kitchen as he speaks.
“Sounds good. That would be nice.” Actually, really nice. Renting a cabin and enjoying the lake for a few days. I’m sure Theo would love to go on a boat or go fishing with Lucas.
Romeo comes to me and rubs his head against my leg. Looking at the time on my phone, I know he needs to go out.
“I will be right back, just going to give Romeo a quick walk,” I call out as I get up and grab the leash next to my shoes at the door.
