Page 39 of Ten Years and Then…
And this was why Nora had made it a point since tenth grade to say as little as possible—ideally nothing at all—about boys to either of her parents. “I can see where he’d feel that way.”
“So that’s when Lisa jumped into the conversation. She said something like, ‘You know they’re sleeping together already, don’t you? He doesn’t have a roommate, what did you think they were doing?’”
“Oh, my God! She did not say that.”
“Cross my heart,” Daniel said, but he made the little crossing motion over her chest rather than his.
“I think you’re a little confused.” Of course he wasn’t—but she still wanted to hear him say it.
“Not a bit. I know exactly where my heart is now. And I know you’ll always take care of it.” Now he crossed his own chest. “And I’ll always treasure yours. I love you, Nora Langley. And I wish more than anything that we didn’t have to leave today.”
She leaned over her aunt’s kitchen table and kissed him. He kissed her back, and it took all of her willpower—and his—to remain here in the kitchen.
“I love you, Daniel Keller. And I hate it too that we have to go.” She sighed. “At least now it’s only eleven days. That’s not so bad.”
“It feels like forever,” he said.
“Yeah. But last night felt like forever, too. Let’s both hang on to that.”
She hung onto it walking Daniel downstairs and to the subway. And then while she finished packing. And for the taxi ride to LaGuardia. And for the whole flight to Providence.
She was still hanging onto it when her father drove up to the pickup area in his corvette. He took one look at her, and he sighed. “I’ve never seen you like this, Pumpkin. You must really love this boy.”
“More than anything, Dad. I love him more than anything.”
Chapter 12
Valentine’s Day—Albion College
Nora, early afternoon
It was hard to believe a month had passed since the start of the semester. Between classes, working on the school paper and helping Kim through the traumatic breakup with her high school boyfriend over Christmas, Nora had barely been able to carve out any time to spend with Daniel.
This afternoon was a rare exception. She sat on his bed, waiting for him to return with snacks from the vending machine down in the lobby. She flipped idly through a notebook, not really seeing the words she’d written there.
She was startled by the phone. Who would be calling him on a Thursday afternoon? She wondered if she should answer it. He didn’t have an answering machine. That had surprised her. She’d figured if anyone would have one, it would be Daniel. Heck, he could probably build one himself.
Regardless, he didn’t have one. And what if the call was important? He’d want to know, wouldn’t he?
She picked it up, and she was immediately greeted by a woman’s voice, not that much older than her, if she was any judge. “Hey, Danny!”
It wasn’t his sister, but she knew of one other woman who might call him. “Uh, hi. Is this Bianca?”
There was a laugh. “That’s me! You must be Nora. It’s nice to put a voice to the name.”
Nora heard the warmth in her tone. A few words were enough to see why Daniel trusted her so much. “Same here. He told me all about you on our first date. He said your name, and he didn’t even realize he’d said it out loud, and I thought for a minute he was talking about some other girl he liked.”
More laughter. “Yeah, he told me about that. That’s my Danny. Well, I guess he’s our Danny now.” There was a pause, and Bianca’s voice was suddenly quieter, more serious. “He really loves you. I mean, with all his heart, Nora. I hope you know how lucky you are, because he’s …he doesn’t know how great he is. He never has. I really hope you see it.”
For a moment, Nora was offended. A dozen sarcastic remarks passed through her head, but she dismissed them all. Bianca was just looking out for someone she’d known and loved for twenty years. Someone who saw all the amazing things about Daniel that she did; probably the only other person besides her who did.
And there was one more reason not to be offended. If it wasn’t for Bianca, he probably wouldn’t even be the Daniel she loved. So she owed Bianca. She owed her more than she—or Daniel—could ever repay.
“I do see it. And I know how lucky I am, Bianca.”
She could practically hear Daniel’s cousin smiling at that. “He’s lucky, too.” Then another pause. “I’m really happy for the both of you. Just …promise me. Please don’t ever break his heart. And when I talk to him next, I’ll tell him he better not break yours or I’ll never forgive him.”
She could never break his heart. Or he, hers. It was unthinkable.
