Page 26 of Backroom Boy
“Hey. This isn’t goodbye. This is just a temporary thing to get us to where we want to be. Remember?”
Her eyes filled with tears anyway, and my heart lurched in my chest.
“I know.” She nodded, but didn’t look convinced. “New rule? We talk every single day?”
I smiled gently. “You bet. Not a day goes by we don’t talk.” I pulled the chain and ring out from under my shirt. “We’re already starting with so much more than nothing. Let’s build something great.”
Delta grabbed the back of my neck and brought me down so she could kiss me. Her tongue swept my lips and I let her in. Friends watching be damned. If my girl wanted to claim me in front of anyone, including her parents, I’d let her. Knowing she wasn’t ashamed of me made me feel like more of a man than turning eighteen had.
A throat clearing had us breaking apart. Out of the corner of my eye, I could see her parents coming out the back door and skirting the pool. Delta gave me a stern look, which I knew meant to keep my emotions in check. Her parents weren’t exactly supportive of us dating, but I couldn’t let their judgement color our decisions.
“All ready to head out?” Mr. Bishop said gruffly.
Delta’s mom rushed forward and gave her a hug. “Straight A’s now. Like we talked about. Next summer we’ll have your father train you to take over the management of the tasting room.”
Bitterness filled my veins listening to Delta’s mom give her instructions instead of simply telling her she loved her. What mother sends her kid off with business instructions instead of a simple I love you and I’ll miss you? Delta didn’t seem fazed by it. She just nodded and pasted on a fake smile. I vowed to give her all the love and acceptance her parents didn’t.
Mr. Bishop gave her a quick pat on the back and then marched back inside without even giving me a glance. Typical and expected. I didn’t hope for more. He’d always see me as the backroom boy renting his pool house, not the man who’d give his daughter everything she ever wanted.
Once her parents left, I helped Delta move her suitcases into the back of her car. Her friends argued over who would drive with who as they caravanned to campus. When Delta was busy fitting another bag into the car, I pulled Natalie aside. Despite her obvious flirty nature, she remained serious, like she knew I wasn’t up for joking.
“Hey. Promise me you’ll look out for her. If she’s having any problems, you’ll call me?” I handed her a Black Bishop business card with my name and cell number on it.
She took it, tucking it in her back pocket and giving me a genuine smile. “I promise you. She’ll be fine, but if not, you’ll be the first to know. I’m just glad to see Delta so happy. You’re good for her, Lukas, so you’re all good in my book.”
“Thank you.” I rushed back to Delta’s side, not wanting to miss a second when we had so few left.
She shut the trunk and dusted off her hands. I could feel the sense of dread pouring off her in waves.
“Hey.” My hands settled on her hips and pulled her close. “You can come home and see me anytime. You’re just a short drive away. This isn’t a goodbye that leads to sadness. This is just a time for us to go after our dream. Together. No amount of miles can separate us.”
She nodded despite the tears in her eyes. “I know. I’m just so damn impatient to start that part of our lives now.”
I kissed her quick. “All in good time.”
Without wasting another second, I pulled a ring out of my back pocket and held it out to her. The shiny gold reflected the sun. She glanced down at it and then back up at me.
“What’s this?”
“It’s our own start. And it’s my promise to you. We may be starting with very little, but I promise to give you everything.”
Delta leaped into my arms, the ring crushed between us. “You already have, handsome.”
Eventually, I got to slide the ring on, a tear or two tracking down her cheeks. It was a perfect fit on her left ring finger. The perfect promise of our bright future. Her friends finally got restless and nagged her to get going, interrupting our moment. I didn’t blame them. I could have spent days out here saying goodbye to Delta and still not be ready.
I gave her one last kiss, memorizing the feel of her lips against mine, the way her body’s curves fit tucked against mine. And then she climbed in her car, shut the door, started the engine, and rolled down the window.
With a tear spilling over, she smiled so big her dimples popped out.
“See you later, alligator,” she hollered out the window.
“In a while, crocodile,” I said right back, waving like the lovesick guy I’d become until her car was out of sight.
Time to put our plan in motion and get to work on building a life worthy of Delta. Because once I’d done that, I could slide another ring on her finger and make her mine forever.
Epilogue
Lukas
