“Come here,” I said, and held out my arms. June placed the sketch, along with her notebook, beside her, then crawled up the bed. She fell into my arms and her warmth sank into my bones. I wrapped my arms around her and June tucked her head into the crook of my neck.
I ran my hand over her scarf-free head. She was dressed in white pajamas and fluffy, pink socks. I was in an old pair of lounge pants and a threadbare McIntyre football training shirt.
“Jesse?” June asked, just after a huge crack of thunder came from outside.
“Yeah?” I said, kissing her smooth scalp.
June lifted her head until she met my eyes. “I have loved every minute of being with you.” My stomach sank, because although the words were heaven to my ears, her tone was sad.
“We’ll have more,” I said, wishing it could be a promise instead of a wish. “Manymore.”
“But if we don’t,” she said, then traced the edge of my lips with her finger. I had to rub them together when it tickled. June’s smile was blinding. She quickly sobered. “If wedon’t, I just need you to know that meeting you…being with you has been the highlight of my life.”
“Ditto,” I said in lieu of a better response. I didn’t think I’d able to say them even if I’d had them. A few moments later, I said, “You’re not giving up on me are you, Junebug? These things you’re saying seem kind of final.”
She shook her head. “Never, but I’m done with holding things back. If I want to say something to someone, I’m going to.” Meeting my gaze head-on, June confessed, “I’ve fallen for you, Jesse Taylor. Hook, line, and sinker. And I know I will continue to fall for you even more. The way I feel for you…could be endless.”
“Junebug…” I murmured, giving myself time to let her words penetrate. I ran my hands up her back, then cupped both her cheeks. Making sure I had her full attention, I said, “Iamirresistible. A total fuckingsnack.”
June burst out laughing, and I couldn’t resist kissing her lips. I pulled her in, and she quickly parted her mouth. I kissed her deeper. I didn’t know if it was the news we’d received today,or the sharing of our ever-growing feelings, but this kiss felt different. It was all-consuming and wrapped in love.
June mirrored my hands and put her palms on my cheeks. She kissed me back like there was no tomorrow. When we broke away, she smiled at me, and it shattered my heart. She was so beautiful. I kissed her one more time, and when she leaned her chin on her hand, watching me, I said, “I’m damn glad your dad didn’t see that kiss. He’d have been after me with his shotgun. My ten percent chance would have dropped to zero.”
June threw her head back and laughed harder than before. Every laugh from her lips was a shot of tonic I so desperately needed. Wehadto live. Both of us. I could entertain no other outcome.
Something caught June’s attention across the room. “You didn’t have your football with you at the stables today.” She pointed to where it sat on the chair in the corner, then turned to me. “I don’t think I’ve ever seen you without it.”
“I don’t remember the last time I didn’t have it in my hands,” I replied. It seemed like she was trying to read my face, so I said, “When I realized you hadn’t gone back to the rec room, I went out searching for you.” I ran my hand down my face. “I didn’t even know I’d left it behind until I came back to my room and I saw it on the chair.” My stomach turned with nerves as I said, “My goal has always been football. Getting to UT, the NFL et cetera.” I glanced at the football, then concentrated back on June. Her brown eyes were wide as she waited for me to go on. “Today, I knew something had happened to you. In that moment, for once, I didn’t even think about my football not being in my hands. And I came to realize something else.”
“What?” June whispered.
“That my main goal is no longer football.”
June took in a deep breath.
“Instead…it’syou. Being with you. Surviving this with you.”
“Jesse,” she said, eyes shining and laid her head on my chest.
I was sure she could hear the beat of my racing heart. But it was true. Football had paled in significance today when June hadn’t returned to me with a smile on her face. I had felt in my soul that she had been given the same news as me. We were strangely linked that way. We mirrored one another, and that meant I had to keep strong—not just for me but for June too.
I wanted a shot at our forever.
That made my attention go to June’s notebook. “Have you written any more of your story?” I asked. June stiffened on top of me. “June?”
She lifted her head, resting her chin on her hands again. I ran my hands over her head, her cheeks. Hell, this girl had me completely under her thumb. “I don’t think I’ll continue with it,” she said, shocking me to the core.
June had comealivewriting our happily ever after. Fulfilling her passion had made her glow. As much as the ranch was a nice hospital, a happy place, death always hovered close, and falling back into depression’s waiting hands was only one piece of bad news away. Her writing had given her a purpose.
Reading the story ofusmaking it through…it had givenmehope.
“Why?” I asked carefully.
Sorrow filled June’s eyes. “It feels like too much,” she said, “writing our happily ever when we’re here, just scraping by.”
“That’s exactly why youdoneed to keep going,” I said, and she fixed her eyes on me. “Give us the story we should have, Junebug.”
“But what if…” She drifted off, and a tear escaped her eye.What if we don’t make it?she meant.
