Page 87 of Always You

“We will make it work, babe. I promise.” His lips brush my hair, and he gives me a kiss on the top of my head.

“I know we will.” I push the words out with confidence, even though it feels like a lie. We can’t make these promises, because neither of us really knows if we can keep them. But I still treat it as my buoy in the middle of the ocean.

My heart is weeping, holding on to a little rope of hope, praying that he’s right. That we will make it work, no matter what happens.

29

At the beginning of the year I didn’t know if I was going to make it, but I did.

We did.

My eyes well up when Hunter gets on the stage to take his diploma. His signature smirk shines bright, and I convinced him to trade his snapback for the burgundy cap that came with his gown. He seeks me out, and my heart jumps in my throat when he throws me a wink.

I’m so fucking proud of him. I’m going to miss him like crazy when he moves to LA after the summer, but I’m so proud he’s going with his diploma in his pocket. He graduated even though his entire high school career was overshadowed by neglect while trying to survive his mother’s addiction.

I’m sad for Hunter that she isn’t here, but when I glance over my shoulder, my own mama is on her feet, clapping like the proud mother he never had. The strap of her yellow sundress slips off her shoulder, but she’s looking better than she had in weeks, getting more color in her cheeks every day. It’s the final thing that closes my throat and pushes my tears over the edge.

They roll down with joy as I watch Hunter walk down the steps, locking his gaze with mine. Worry chisels his features sharp and tense, a silent question in his eyes. I quickly shake my head with a smile, and his expression softens, but not until heroughly pushes down my lane, stomping on a few feet along the way.

“This is not your aisle, Mr. Hansen. This is for the graduates from M to R,” I joke, right before he pulls me into his arms. Strong, calloused palms fall onto the small of my back as he studies my face with his hazel-brown eyes that stand out even more against his gown.

“What are they gonna do? Expel me?” I snicker at his joke while he wipes away the moisture on my cheeks with a piece of his gown. “What’s wrong?”

“Nothing.” I look up, my hands resting on his arms. “I’m just so fucking proud of you. You graduated.”

His eyes snap shut for a brief moment, a loud exhale flaring his nostrils as he relaxes underneath my touch.

His forehead falls against mine. “We. We graduated.”

“I know.”

His lips move closer, his hands trailing up until they rest in my neck. With his thumbs on my jaw, he tilts my head, his face hovering above mine.

“Do you know how amazing you are?”

“Stop flirting with me.”

His grin slips through. “Never, babe.Never.”

With a side-eye, I can feel the kids in our class zooming in on us, and I slip my hands up to lock them behind his neck.

“Everybody is watching,” I whisper against his lips.

“Good. I want everyone to know you’re mine.”

“Didn’t you already tell everyone in our class they couldn’t date me?”

A guilty smirk splits his face. “I did.”

“In that case, I’m pretty sure they already know.”

“Oh, they know.” His breath heats my lips. “But now I want to show them.

He crushes his lips against mine, pressing deep, with an urgency that has me savoring the moment. I breathe in his cologne, knowing I’ll never get enough of the woodsy scent. His tongue pushes inside of me, slowly caressing my own, and I let out a moan. I wish we had more than just a few months, but at the same time, I’m happy I still have the entire summer to do this. To claim him as mine and kiss him whenever I feel like it.

I completely submerge in his energy, melting against his body while the world around me seems to fade away. His kiss becomes more frantic, more demanding, but then suddenly a jerk of his shoulder breaks his lips from mine.

“Glad to see you two are finally done with your bullshit.” Jason smirks, his hand firmly planted on Hunter’s shoulder from the row behind mine. “But you’re holding up the line.”

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