Alice stared at her, eyebrows raised.
Briar shrugged, burying her face into the crook of Alice’s neck. ‘It’s weird to be leaving.’
Alice ran her hands through Briar’s hair.
‘Of course it is,’ Alice said, leaning down to kiss her forehead. Briar took a deep breath in, sitting up.
‘It’s more than just the job,’ she said.
‘Okay,’ Alice said, sitting crossed-legged and lacing her hands together, waiting for Briar to continue.
Briar bit her lip, the unsettling feeling in her stomach that had been bothering her the whole drive to camp returning. She knew she needed to say something, that it was the only way Alice could help, but it was hard. Letting people in was still something Briar was learning how to do.
‘I’m worried about what happens when I go back to school.’
Alice nodded. ‘What do you think is going to happen?’
‘That we’ll break up,’ Briar said automatically.
The thought had been nagging at her since getting her acceptance letter from William & Mary into their education program.
Alice looked surprised. ‘Why would we break up?’
‘Because we won’t be together all the time.’ Briar had tried long distance with Riley, and it hadn’t ended well. She didn’t want that to happen with Alice.
‘We weren’t together this summer and we made it work.’
‘But this will be the longest time we’ll have been apart since you came back,’ Briar said, looking down at her hands.
‘Right.’
Seeing she had stumped Alice, Briar continued, ‘What if it doesn’t work? This program is going to be hard. I’m going to have to study a lot to catch up. That means long nights and working on the weekends.’
Alice took Briar’s hands and pulled them into her lap. ‘I can work out a schedule with Freddie, and I’ll come to you. It’s only three hours. It’ll be a little hard to start. But we’re trying to hire more staff soon.’
Briar stared at their intertwined fingers. ‘I don’t want to lose you again.’
‘You won’t.’ Alice said it so fiercely that Briar almost believed her.
‘You don’t know that.’
‘I do, because I love you and I’m going to do whatever it takes to make you happy.’ The look in Alice’s eyes dared Briar to refute her.
‘Oh,’ Briar said, flushing. ‘Is that all?’
‘Yes.’ Alice brought one of Briar’s hands up to her cheek. ‘And I’ll keep reminding you of that anytime you’re feeling unsure of us.’
Briar pulled her in for a kiss. ‘That might be necessary.’
‘Shall I start now?’ Alice asked, skimming her hands up Briar’s thighs. ‘Reminding you of my devotion?’
Briar leaned her head to the side to give Alice more access as she kissed down her neck, letting herself be pushed back into the sheets. ‘I mean, if you want.’
‘Where should I start?’ Alice mused, moving to straddle her. She picked up Briar’s hand, kissing the inside of her wrist and making Briar shiver. She mouthed down Briar’s forearm, biting playfully at the tender skin.
Briar gasped, her other hand reaching to grab at Alice’s shoulder. She pulled her down and kissed her desperately.
When they broke apart, she asked, ‘Are you going to seduce me every time I get nervous about our relationship?’
