Once we were done eating, I cleared the table and did the dishes while Sebastian showered, and Laura and Dany finished packing their suitcases.
Before we knew it, the entire morning had passed, and we were all gathered in the foyer, ready to start our spring break.
“Well, I guess it’s time to leave,” Dany announced. He was wearing a brown leather jacket that looked like it might have trouble closing over his belly. “Would you help me with the suitcases?” He lifted the smaller of the two, then glanced at Sebastian and me.
I reached for the other one, wrapping my fingers around the handle, just as Laura walked in from the kitchen with a red purse hanging over her shoulder.
“Did you pack your allergy medicine, Dany?”
“Right after I took one this morning,” he replied, struggling with the front door.
Laura rushed past him and held it open. They smiled at each other before Dany squeezed outside. I followed straight behind him, nodding a quick thank-you to Laura.
The sun beamed down on us as we all walked toward the driveway. A gentle breeze stirred the trees in front of the house.
“Before I forget,” Dany said, huffing as he carried the suitcase down the porch steps. “Dorian will examine the cows on Wednesday. But if you notice anything unusual before then, give him or Noah a call.”
“I will.”
“Oh, and Jack and Nicholas are coming in on Tuesday to clean the gutters. We’ve also left the keys to my truck on the sideboard in the foyer for you guys.”
“Feel free to drive it as much as you want,” Laura chimed in, following us down the steps.
“Just drive safely,” Dany added, pointing at Sebastian. “And only when you’re done with your coursework.”
“Yeah, yeah,” Seb replied, waving it off.
Although we hadn’t planned any joyrides, it was nice to know we wouldn’t need to rely on anyone if we decided to go somewhere. Not that we had to. Laura had stocked the fridge for us as if the whole family was coming over again while they were gone. Besides, it probably wasn’t wise to be seen together by anyone in town, either.
We loaded the suitcases into Laura’s Ford Escape, said our goodbyes, and—after Laura hugged Sebastian for almost a minute—he and I waved after them as the tires crunched over the gravel road on their way down the hill.
We stood there until we could no longer hear the car. The spring wind brushed against my neck as I turned to look at the house. For an entire week, all three stories would belong to just the two of us.
Energy bubbled up inside me as if I had been given a second chance at life. I pulled my phone out of my pocket and threw my arm around Sebastian.
“I want at least one picture of the two of us,” I said in response to his curious look.
“Just one?” His arms slung around my hips, and he put on the biggest grin—one bigger than the ones in any of the pictures of him hanging on the walls inside.
We took a selfie with the house behind us.
“What first?” he asked when I put my phone down. “Music? Sex? Both at the same time?” He pressed a kiss to my cheek. “Either way, I’m excited.”
