What if today he’s leaving…
“A little birdie gave me their extra key,” he presses his forehead to mine, “I missed you.”
“I missed you too.” My breathing is shaky. “I’m going to miss you so much.”
He grabs my hand and pulls me into him, shutting the door behind me. “Come here, I have something for you.”
Without a response, I follow his lead by hand to the living room where he sits on the couch and pulls me onto his lap.
Next to the pancakes there are two wrapped up boxes. Gift tags hang on them with handwriting I’ve come to know and love:
To: Maisie
All My Love, Henry
“What is this?” I stare back and forth between the set up on the coffee table and him.
“Maisie Winslow, you have taken up every part of my mind since the first day I saw you. There was something special that I couldn’t let up—it was like I couldn’t exist without knowing you.” He wraps his arm around my waist and pulls me closer. “I wanted to know everything about you—your morning routine, your favorite movies, how you like your toast in the morning, the music you listen to when you’re sad, how you like your coffee—iced with lots of caramel—the way your lips taste, your go to karaoke song… if I could be lucky enough for you love me forever.” A stray tear escapes his eye. “You allowed me to view so many parts of you that I know are precious and that I feel so lucky to have been the one for you to share those pieces of you with.”
He wipes a stray tear with his thumb before it leaves my cheek.
“I don't think I was meant to come to Ruby Lake just to help Miles... I think I was supposed to come to Ruby Lake because that's where I would fall in love with you... I have been falling in love with you since I first saw you and you brought me kids pancakes.”
I choke out a sob filled laugh. “Is that why you made pancakes?”
He nods and his smile is so genuine and boyish when he looks at me. “I didn’t know I could love someone this much until I met you. Getting to spend my summer with you and watch you complete your Fuck It List one by one was so rewardingand something I will never forget.Youare someoneI will never forget.” He reaches past me to grab one of the wrapped boxes. “I wanted to make sure you never forget me.”
I want to tell him I could never forget him but the words don’t come out.
I quietly unwrap the box as more tears fill my eyes.
Inside is a wooden picture frame with the first photo we ever took—the first Fuck It List item.
“From the fair.” I wipe away my tears as I smile down at the photo in front of me. My butterfly painted face next to a puppy face painted Henry.
“This was the day I knew I would doanythingit takes to be in your life, even if just as a friend.” He runs circles with his thumb on my hand. “I’ll be honest, I really didn’t want to be your friend,” he laughs, “I wanted to kiss you and hold your hand. I wanted to let everyone know that this is the girl I’m going to fall in love with and be with for the rest of my life.” I wipe a tear from his face. “And I did. I fell in love with you, Maisie. When you see this picture on your wall, I want you to know thatyouare the love of my life. I want you to remember that for the rest of the life we have. Together.”
“Together?” He says nothing at my question, just reaches for the second wrapped box. He sets it in my trembling hands and I open it.
Inside is a journal similar to the one I had my Fuck It List written in, this one is more manly in a way.
“Open it,” he says quietly. I do as he says and turn to the first page…
Henry’s Fuck It List
1. Call Ruby Lake my home.
2. Ask Maisie Winslow to be my girlfriend.
Before I can say anything, Henry takes my hand and I feel a cool piece of metal pressed against my skin. A key.
“This is a key to Miles’ home. My home.”
“Your… home?”
“He offered me a job at the Inn. He asked me to be co-owner.” He smiles. “I’m staying, Maisie. I’m not leaving Ruby Lake. I’m not leavingyou.”
I can’t muster up words against the sobs that leave me and the tears that run down my face. I threw my arms around Henry’s neck and cry happy tears into his shirt.
