Page 102 of Songs of Summer
“It’s time,” Jake’s voice bellowed from the house, and they both jumped to attention, whichever cards had survived the kiss now flying to the ground.
The goodbyes at the ferry dock were chaotic and touching. Matt bounced around between everyone—receiving last-minute instructions from his mother and unsolicited advice from Dylan—while Maggie spent most of her time saying goodbye to her mom.
“It looks like rain,” Bea said, pulling a zip-up from her tote, adding, “Do you want to take my jacket?”
And they both laughed at how her maternal instincts had kicked right in. Maggie was glad for the laughter. She didn’t want a long, heavy goodbye.
Matt and Maggie stood on the dock, dramatically waving as the ferry pulled out of the basin. A giantjust marriedsign was draped across the back of the boat, along with a cacophony of cans clanging in the wind. It was storybook stuff until a few drops of rain landed on their faces, snapping them out of the moment.
As they jumped on their bikes, the light drizzle quickly escalated to a deluge, the rain falling in relentless sheets and soaking through every layer of their clothing. Their hair stuck to their foreheads and necks; fat droplets streamed down their faces, outrunning their legs. They pedaled home at double speed, laughing at the turn of events.
On their arrival, Maggie shouted above the noise of the storm, “This is like that scene inThe Notebook!”
“Well, that’s a lot of fucking pressure,” Matt yelled back, pulling her into his arms and attempting to outdo Ryan Gosling’s iconic rain kiss with Rachel McAdams.
“How’d I do?” he asked afterward, running his fingers through her wet hair. She grinned and kissed him again until a bolt of thunder sent them running for the house.
Maggie kicked off her sandals and watched Matt peel offhis sneakers and socks before following him upstairs. He playfully jumped up and down on both feet when he reached the second-to-last step, where the squeak rang out for no one to hear but them.
They were alone.
In the bedroom, they stood and faced each other. Dripping and cold. Their clothes plastered to them like, well, plaster. Maggie reached her hands straight up over her head for Matt to peel off her dress. He did, and she stood, nearly naked, shivering. He pulled the quilt from the bed and wrapped it around her. Peeling off his clothes too, she opened the blanket wide like the wings of an eagle to let him in. And there they were, skin to skin, slippery and cold, pushing back against heat and desire. A chill sent shivers up both their spines. They laughed before looking into each other’s eyes, taking in each other’s desire, letting it breathe and build in intensity for a long minute.
“Matt?” Maggie whispered, cautious of breaking the spell.
“Ye—” he said, his answer jumbled in his throat.
“Can we maybe forgo the bunk beds tonight?”
A huge and mischievous smile crossed his face before he scooped her up and carried her to the guest room. Kissing him along the way, Maggie kicked closed the door behind them.
“You’re sure about this?” Matt asked, the wild desire in his eyes fading, replaced with something far deeper—an intensity that felt undeniable. Like it had always been there. Like it was written in stone.
I’ve never been more sure of anything, she thought, but only managed one word.
“Yes!”
Epilogue
I’m Gonna Be (500 Miles)
May 4, 2026
Maggie May Wheelerfastened a strip of Scotch tape onto the yellow vintage Maggie May Records wrapping paper just as the reindeer bells rang on the front door of her shop. She looked up and smiled as Jason strolled in. A matching smile lit his face.
“Hello, thirty-first birthday girl!” he said.
“Hello, thirty-first birthday boy,” she responded.
“I just wrapped your present—but I don’t think I can wait till tonight to give it to you!”
“But what about the game?”
“We can rewrap it and feign surprise,” she said, handing it to him.
“That is highly unethical,” he retorted, ripping off the paper.
Maggie laughed, before holding her breath to see his reaction.
