“And when you come to Lakeview,” I replied, running a finger down the buttons of his shirt, “I’ll take you to Luna Blu for fried pickles and to see the Angel.”
“Angel?”
“It’s a sculpture, a metal one, right outside of this office downtown. The woman’s a realtor or something? It’s huge, with these crazy wings made of bottle caps. When the wind blows, it spins.”
“Wow. That is better than our big bell for sure.”
“I can’t wait,” I said.
“Me neither.”
With every silence now, I was more aware of the passing of time.
“I’m so glad I left the wedding and came down here last night,” he said. I couldn’t decide if I wanted to close my eyes and just listen to him, or keep them open so I could have him in my gaze as long as possible.
“Not as glad as I am,” I replied, as he kissed my hair. “For once, I really did do something epic.”
He laughed: I’d told him about Jilly’s directive, of course.I felt like I’d told him everything. “I think that’s the first time I’ve been referred to in those terms.”
“But not the last. At least as long as I’m around.”
“Oh, you’ll be around.” He slid his arm to encircle my waist. “Don’t worry about that.”
I heard it, then: the opening, bouncy notes of that same Lexi Navigator song. It seemed like days ago he’d shared that story with me, not hours, and I wished I’d enjoyed having so much still ahead while I had the chance. The ring of a phone was yet more proof of the intrusion of the world, even if it did have a nice beat.
“My dad,” Ethan said, answering it. “Hello? Yeah, I’m up. Nah, couldn’t sleep so I came down to the beach.”
I loved that I was a secret. I’d remember that later.
“Let’s just grab something on the way. I’ll meet you in the lot at eight.” A pause. “Because that’s what we said last night.”
Reflexively, I closed my eyes, curling more tightly against him.
“I’m not ready to go yet,” he said, the words reverberating in me. “Seven thirty, then.”
A pause. Another gull swooped over us, crying.
“Fine. Okay. Yeah. See you.”
He hung up. I didn’t want to ask, but anyone could tell when you bargained and lost. “How soon?” I said quietly.
He was quiet a moment. “Thirty-five minutes.”
I opened my eyes, lifting my head, and moved so I was over him, looking down into his face. “I don’t want you to go.”
“I don’t want to go.” He reached up, tucking a piece of my hair, windblown, sand-tinged, behind my ear. “But it’s a long drive, and he’s ready.”
I swallowed, then tried to smile. “I’m going to hate that Lexi Navigator song even more now. It’s like she took you away from me.”
“Hey, don’t hate on Lexi,” he said. “It’s a good song!”
“But not the one that made you cry,” I pointed out.
He reached up, taking the finger I’d extended to his chin and grabbing it. “That’s between you and me, Lulu. I trust you.”
I smiled. “I won’t let you down.”
“You never could,” he said, so easily that it was this, finally, that made the tears well up in my eyes. “Hey. Don’t cry. You know I’m easily emotional.”
