Page 133 of Resorting to Romance

I park my bike and open the front gate. My heartbeat sounds in my ears, a rapid thrum.

I step toward the door and am about to knock when her voice calls to me from across the porch.

“Kai?”

“Yeah. Hi.”

“What are you doing here?”

“I had to see you.”

“Is everything okay?”

I have to think about how to answer her. She holds the answer to that question.

“I think it is. I hope it is.”

“Can I get you something to drink? I have cobbler too.”

I smile. Mila. Always serving others. Constantly thinking of someone outside herself.

“I’m fine for now. I brought you something.”

“You did?”

I walk toward her. The light from the moon and the decorative lamppost in the yard cast a yellow-white glow across her face.

“Yeah. It’s a letter.”

“A letter?”

“I wrote it.”

“You wrote me a letter?”

“I did.”

She’s quiet, and I don’t feel like I can add anything beyond what I already poured out on paper, so I reach into my pocket and hand the letter to her. She takes it, our fingertipsbrushing, tempting me to grasp on to her, to pull her up off the swing and hold her in my arms.

What if I never get to hold her again?

In a few minutes, my fate will be determined.

I’m not sure I’m breathing. The air feels still—full of unanswered questions.

Her fingers gently unfold the letter and then she lays it in her lap, squinting down at it.

“I can’t read it in this light.” She smiles up at me.

“Oh! Here.” I pull out my cell and turn on the flashlight, holding it overhead to illuminate her lap where my letter sits waiting.

“Have a seat, Kai.”

I take the opposite corner of the swing, holding the light over her shoulder so she can read my heart on paper.

I watch her face as she takes in each line. I didn’t plan on sitting next to her. I don’t know what I thought I’d do. Hand the letter over and leave?

I really wasn’t thinking. I just knew I had to get everything out in the open and let her know how much she means to me. Tonight. It had to be tonight.

---