Page 44 of Dear Adam
I’minthemiddleof another YouTube video, this time learning how to install new flooring for the bathroom that Levi just finished tiling, when I’m interrupted by Emma’s contact photo filling the screen with an incoming call.
“Why are you awake so early?” I ask after answering.
“Good morning to you, too,” she chirps. “I was just up and wondering how your date night went. Why areyouup so early? I know you’re an early bird, but whatever you have smeared all over your face tells me you’ve been up for a while.”
I squint at myself in my tiny reflection on screen before remembering there’s a huge mirror in the bathroom. Sure enough, caulk covers my forehead and is tangled in the waves of my hair. “I couldn’t sleep,” I admit.
“You don’t look annoyed for once. You actually look…happy? Aly, is that you?”
I try to hide my grin and look heavenward. “Okay, yes. I like Levi. You win. Can you leave me alone now?”
“Not until you give me all the details. And I meanallof them.” She squints and gives me a dopey smile that makes me crinkle my nose in mock disgust.
“He kissed me in Bloomie’s last night after the fireworks, and it was probably the most magical thing I’ve ever experienced,” I confess, my voice easy and floating as if along an invisible breeze. If I were a cartoon, hearts would be popping from my eyes.
“Youdid?” she asks, jumping up and down.
“Did you cut your hair again?” I ask, realizing when her hair flops into her eyes she’s got bangs that were not there before.
“I did. I regret it. End of story.”
“You usually only get bangs if you break up with someone. Emma, tell me right now. Are those break up bangs?”
“No, they’re bored bangs.” She bows her head in shame and her shoulders drop. “They’d probably look a lot better if I would’ve had them professionally done. But you were out last night, I’d already finished myGilmore Girlsrewatch, andafter a bottle of wine, TikTok really made me think I could do it.”
“Oof,” I grimace. “I think you should maybe make an appointment.”
“They’re kind of growing on me. They kind of just scream, ‘Mess with me and see what happens. If I’m crazy enough to do this to my hair, imagine what I could do to you,’ you know? Anyway, my hair is not the point. This kiss is, and I want details. Nitty gritty, sloppy, saliva-covered details.”
“Ew, not happening.”
“Was there tongue?” she asks eagerly.
“He’s leaving for a few weeks to finish a job,” I say instead of giving the details she wants. “And then he’s coming back…hopefully.”
I blow out a puff of air and pinch the bridge of my nose. Unease slides down my spine as I say it out loud, like I gave into my teenage dream without considering the future—which isnothow it felt in the moment.
“You mean you don’t know?” she asks with raised eyebrows.
“He wants to make us work so I mean, yeah, I think so. I hope so.” I shrug, realizing how it sounds. I promised myself I wouldn’t get my hopes up but here I am—hopes higher than Dolly Parton’s hair.
“Well now that I know most of the juicy details, because I know you’re not telling meeverything, I’m going back to bed.”
“Emma, we have to be at the store in an hour,” I remind her, looking pointedly at my wrist even though my watch is missing.
“Right, so I can sleep for forty-five more minutes,” she says defensively.
“You’re a mess,” I tell her.
“A mess you love,” she coos. “See you later!”
“No, see yousoon—” I start, but before I can finish my sentence, she’s ended the call.
As I’m turning the open sign around, the Teenie Mobile parks in a space in front of Bloomie’s. Levi uncurls himself from the driver’s seat and stretches, clearly uncomfortable in the too-small car. He turns my way and must notice me standing in the doorway, because the smile he flashes me has my knees going weak.
He’s wearing his signature black V-neck, ball cap, and faded blue jeans, but somehow, each time I see him, he gets better looking. Or maybe it’s the fact I now know what it’s like to have his lips against mine, and how his hands feel in my hair…
I snap my mouth shut and do a quick drool check when he reaches the door. He bends down and effortlessly gives me a tender kiss on the cheek, like it’s a thing we do, a thing we’ve done for years. My cheeks heat, and he shoots me a cocky little grin, pleased with the effect he’s had on me.
