Page 119 of Summer Ever After
I already know that.
Walker
“You were great today,”I say to Jane as we walk hand in hand up the front steps of my mom’s house.
“What are you talking about? I shot horrible. I don’t think we played my ball once.”
“No, I mean the event you organized for the island was great.” We stop in front of the door, facing each other. I run my fingers through the side of her hair, tucking a strand behind her ear. There’s so much beauty and goodness radiating from her that I ache to stay by her side forever. “You’re pretty amazing, do you know that?”
“Me?” Her brows fly up with her signature animation. “You’re the one who made it all possible. Without you, we never would’ve gotten all those people to pay that fee for the fundraiser. You single-handedly saved the community pool.”
“Then I guess you should put my name on a plaque or name the pool after me.”
“A token to always remember you by.” Sadness lingers on the creases of her eyes, breaking my heart in two.
“I feel like we should say things.” My hands grasp her shoulders. “Iwantto say things.”
“Let’s not.” She dives into my chest, hugging me close. “Don’t ruin what we had by trying to explain it or justify why it’s ending. I don’t need you to do that.”
I kiss her forehead before pulling her body to me even more. “It’s not like tomorrow has to be the end. I’ll call you as soon as I get to Scotland.”
“Please don’t.” She squeezes my waist tighter. “It will just make things harder. You need to focus on golf, and I need to go back to doing whatever it is I do. A clean break. That’s what’s best.”
My eyes close, and my teeth grit as I hug her tightly to me. There’s no amount of closeness that would make me feel secure right now. She’s slipping through my hands, and there’s nothing I can do about it.
“I hate this,” I whisper into her hair.
“I do too.”
We stand there for a few minutes, holding each other, not willing to let go.
“I should probably leave. I know your flight is early.” Her arms loosen, letting me go.
“No.” I grab her forearms. “I don’t want it to end…not yet.”
She smiles up at me, trying to put on a brave face. “You have to pack.”
“Then help me pack.”
Her shoulders drop, and she looks away. “Eventually, we’re going to have to say goodbye, Walker.”
“Not right now.” I hook my finger under her chin, forcing her beautiful brown eyes to look at me. “Stay with me. One last night.”
Her face lifts, brushing the tip of her nose against mine. “One last night.”
Jane
I wokeup to a kiss goodbye on my cheek. I didn’t roll over or even let Walker know I was awake. What would be the point? Another last goodbye hug? One more last kiss? None of it would ease my heartbreak or keep him here.
So I let him go.
I lock up Faye’s house and leave the keys under the mat.
The first ferry of the morning drifts through the water, making its way to the mainland. It’s peaceful how it gently glides into the early morning sunlight. I can picture Walker standing by the rail, looking back at me as I walk down the canal road toward Tala’s house. Or maybe he’s not even looking back at all.
It’s too early to knock on someone’s door on a Saturday morning, so I sit in the middle of the lawn, looking up at the blue two-story building that holds so many memories from my life.
I take out my phone and text Capri, hoping her phone isn’t on silent or that she’s already awake, working on stuff for her book release.
