“No, I’m good, although I’d like a slice of this pie.”
“Great. Let’s take it inside. There’s a football game playing on the big screen.” As if to confirm, groans erupted from the rear of the barn.
“I believe I’ll join them.” Dad leaned over and kissed my cheek. “Love you, Sara.”
The words whispered over me. He’d started saying them more lately. “Love you too. Thanks.”
I watched him blend into the crowd by the TV.
“It’s a start, Sara,” Scott said.
“It is.” For all of us.
Friday, November 27
Dear Camarin,
It has been a month since we last spoke. I miss our visits so greatly that the absence seems longer.
Have you received my letters? Perhaps not. I hope that all is well.
Best,
Grant
39
Beautiful Beyond Belief
My last exam of the fall semester ended at five PM on Friday, and I was driving onto the highway by five-thirty, heading east. Apparently, so was every college student from the western half of North Carolina. The roads were jammed from Greensboro to Raleigh.
I pulled into the parking lot behind the Harley House around midnight. Scott’s truck gleamed dully from the shadows with its owner leaning against the hood. He’d crossed to my SUV and got the door open before I had my seatbelt off.
He helped me from my seat and into his arms. “Welcome home.”
“Thanks,” I said, looking into his face with a happy, weary smile. “How long have you been waiting?”
“Ten minutes. Your text from Raleigh helped me narrow down the arrival time.”
“Noticed that, did you?” I shivered and snuggled against him, breathing in the clean Scott scent.
He gave me a hard hug and stepped back. “You’re cold. Go inside and I’ll bring your things up.”
I’d just finished checking in with my parents when he brought in the last bag. He set it down in the great room and then looked at me uncertainly.
“Can you stay with me for a while?”
“You’ve been on the road for six hours. I should go.”
I shook my head. We had a matter to clear up, and I wasn’t going to wait one second longer. “You said we had to wait until Christmas break to talk about dating. Are you free?”
His smile was breathtaking. “Completely. What about you?”
“Same here, and hoping to lose my freedom rightnow.”
I couldn’t be sure who moved first, but an instant later we were pressed together, my arms locked around his neck, his around my waist.
“Will you go out on a date with me tomorrow night?” I asked in a rush.
