Page 20 of The Other Side of Apart

“Thank you, Guo,” I whisper into her ear, and she waves her hand, dabbing at her face.

“Oh, you. I love you, boy. Now go before you see me cry.”

I kiss the top of her head, hug Jerry and Wen, and grab Mei’s hand. We take off running through the trees, up the path, Mei holding her dress, so she doesn’t trip.

“You ready?” she asks, wiggling her eyebrows.

I hand her helmet to her. “Been ready since the night I saw you trip on the sidewalk.”

Mei’s eyes widen. “You saw that?”

“Oh, I saw it,” I say, pulling on my helmet. She lifts hers and stops, inspecting the Sharpie design I drew on it with Wen’s help—a replica of Mei’s tattoo with my initials beneath it.

Her wide eyes rise to mine. “When did you do this?”

“Last night. When I couldn’t sleep because I was too excited about today.”

“Marcus, this is…”

“Our official logo.” I smile at her and yank off my tie. I stuff it in Mei’s bag that Johnny strapped to the back of the motorcycle over the streamers since only one bag fits in the seat compartment.

Mei puts on her helmet. I buckle it for her and tug the strap toward me, our lips meeting.

She squeals against my kiss, and I laugh, lifting her onto the bike. I slide in front of her and hold my phone above us to take a selfie. Mei flashes her wedding ring, her mouth open wide in a smile big enough for both of us. I type a quick text to Johnny and Lin on the same thread:

Marcus: Thanks for being here. Catch up later. Millers out.

I send the message, and when I reach for the key, Mei grabs my hand from behind. She sets my hand on her knee and pulls the Sharpie from my pocket. Concentrating, she writes6-21under my wrist bone, traces and retraces it until it’s thick and bold.

I meet her eyes over my shoulder as she talks to me with hers.“Official best day of my life. #1 spot forever.”

“Knew I’d take that spot.” I grin and rev the engine before racing out of the side yard and down the driveway, our Just Married streamers flapping in the wind.

The only thing that’s following us this time.

CHAPTER 10

Everything feels different. My arms are wrapped tightly around Marcus from behind, exactly like they were on our way to Seattle. But now, as we leave the city behind us, there’s no question of what-ifs and maybes. No question of whether he wants me, because now he’s all mine. Forever, officially.

I wrap my arms tighter around him, and he lifts one of my hands and kisses it. He laces his fingers through mine as he drives toward the undisclosed location. He won’t even give me a hint. All I know is, our top-secret honeymoon spot is in the opposite direction from Stanford and San Francisco.

My mind floats back over this most perfect day and all the other surprises it held, like Lin and Johnny and Guo Mama. Lin brought me the most beautiful dress, curled my hair, and did my makeup. We laughed and cried, and she begged me to let her marry Marcus. I denied her request without hesitation, and my giddiness had almost sent me flying out the door toward him, but Guo Mama had pulled me aside, away from Lin, and asked if I’d told Marcus about Nick.

“No,” I’d said, my voice shaking as anxiety stacked in my chest again.

“Why not, Xiao Mei?”

“Because this is the life he wants. And the life I want. I want to be with him, and I want to be part of him getting everything he wants.” Tears welled in my eyes, threatening to streak my mascara, so Guo Mama smiled and said she understood. She’d brushed a stray tear off my cheek, warning me to be careful and stay safe. I promised I would, and then I followed her out of the house, Lin holding my arm to steady me when all I wanted to do was run to Marcus.

I rest my chin on his shoulder now, watching Washington blur past us, and I smile to myself as anticipation rustles in my stomach. On all the rides before, dread, fear, and uncertainty rode heavy in my thoughts since we didn’t really know what was coming next. But now, I have a pretty good idea about what’s next. There’s no dread or uncertainty like when we were driving away from San Francisco. There are definitely nerves, but they’re mixing with excitement and wanting, making a sparkler of my stomach.

My life’s about to change again, and I notice everything like it’s my last time as this version of myself—the rough road, the chill in the air that makes me huddle into Marcus’s back, and my legs hugging his hips in a way that feels more possessive now that he’s legally and officially mine.Forever.

The wind pushes my dress up my thighs, and Marcus glances down, gripping the handlebars a little tighter.

Anticipation splits me open a little further, and I would happily stop anywhere, but Marcus wants everything to be perfect. There’s probably a hundred diagrams and checklists floating through his head while very different visuals float through mine. I wish he’d just let go for once, but he has his plans and surprises, and I have unbearable waiting.

I press against his back, my hands drifting up his chest. He puts one hand over them, but I slip one hand out, drifting itdown his stomach, across it, my fingertips playing with the hem of his shirt and sliding under.

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