“She’s great. And she’s leaving. So it doesn’t matter.” The words feel like acid in my stomach. It matters.
I don’t think I’ve ever met someone who affects me like Liv does, which is dangerous. It’s exactly why I’ve avoided making these kinds of connections all this time.
“Is there any way for you two to, I don’t know, explore this thing you’ve got?” Josh sounds hopeful.
“Nah. It is what it is. This thing between us is nothing serious. Just let it go. She’s got a life seven hours away in the city, and I have a life here. We both know how this story ends. I tried to keep a girl here once, tried to make it work, and look at how well that turned out. I can’t ask her to change her life for me, and I can’t—” The words die on my lips. He was there by my side when Samantha took off. He should know I can’t put myself out there like that again.
“What if she’s willing to, though? Haven’t you heard her talk about the lake, the people? She loves it here.”
“Let it go, man.” I look up and see the two women emerging from the kitchen door.
“Joshy, my dear, will you walk me back?” Viv asks. Josh’s eyes sweep to me quickly, a question on his face. Unspoken words and understanding cross between us. That’s the beauty of growing up side by side.
“Sure thing.”
We follow them down the stairs to the path. Viv gives Liv a quick hug, mumbles something in her ear, and then waves goodbye to me.
“Thanks for dinner!”
Josh grabs a flashlight from his backpack and clicks it on, holding his elbow out for Viv.
“Don’t do anything I wouldn’t do!” Viv calls over her shoulder, looping her arm with Josh’s as they walk off into the dark.
And here we are. Finally uninterrupted.
I slip my hands into my pockets and turn my body toward Liv, who’s rubbing her arms against the nighttime chill and looking up at the stars.
“There aresomany stars,” she says, never looking away from the sky.
I look up too. I can’t remember the last time I looked up. They’re here every night, but I guess from the sidewalks of a city, surrounded by lights and buildings, the view might look a little different. The desire to make this moment memorable for Liv overwhelms me.
“I have an idea. Come with me.” I brush past Liv, snagging her hand on the way, and lead her back up the stairs to the porch. “Stay here. I’ll be right back.” I run inside and grab the blanket off the couch.
Outside, I wrap it around her shoulders and lead Liv to the cushioned lounge chair, sitting her down. “One more thing,” I say as I trot back toward the door and flick off the switch to the string of lights. We’re bathed in complete darkness, except for the light from the moon and the citronella candle to keep the mosquitoes away.
I climb into the chair behind Liv, placing my legs on either side of the chair and pulling her into me so her back is flush against my chest, wrapping my arms around her.
“It’s like… hugging a burrito,” I say. She huffs out a laugh and leans her head back against my shoulder, looking back up to the stars.
“Wow.”
The number of stars in the sky seems to have doubled with the lights off.
“Oh! A shooting star!” She pulls her arm from the blanket and points to the starlit sky.
“Make a wish,” I whisper against the shell of her ear, inhaling the scent of jasmine and vanilla that ignites every cell in my body. I brush my lips against her temple, and Liv closes her eyes to make her wish.
“Tell me something about yourself, Luke. I feel you know a lot more about me than I know about you.”
“I mean, there’s not much to tell. What do you want to know?”
“Okay, something vulnerable. You know about my mom?—”
“And thunderstorms,” I gently tease, to which she rolls her eyes.
“I stand firm thatSunnyhates storms.” She attempts to jab me in the stomach with her elbow from under the blanket. “Share. Now.”
“Okay, okay. So growing up, the bed-and-breakfast had this cat?—”
