“No. I mean, it’s really amazing.”
“I know. So are you.”
She laughed softly. “I’ve never seen anything like this.”
I’ve never felt anything like this.
“It’s the kind of view you could see every day for the rest of your life and never tire of.”
A massive fist squeezed her heart. Just one, tight squeeze. She turned back to him, knowing he’d be looking at her.
“Beckett,” she whispered.
He held her gaze so long, the words rushed from her. “I’m so happy you’re moving forward, that you made the right decision for you. I think your bike rental shop is going to be perfect for Smile. I’m so happy for you.”
His grin was tinged with sadness.Say it. Say the rest.
Before she could, he spoke. “For a minute, I thought I might take Brian’s offer. I thought it might put me closer to where you live. That it might give us a chance at something long-term.”
She sucked in a breath. Did he want that? Did she? She’d trusted her own feelings before, and look where that had gotten her.
“But I think what’s so special about this, about us, is that it’s defined by us giving everything we have without changing our entire lives. A lot of couples have to do that to accommodate the other’s dreams. We knew going in we’d have to be over. So, I can do the bike shop, and you’ll end up the manager of some swanky downtown hotel, and when we look back, we’ll both know we were a part of making each other’s lives, even if only for a little while, better. Something special.”
She swallowed down the tears and disappointment his words brought. She knew, in her mind—because, strange or not, she knewhim—that he was trying to rationalize, make this easier on both of them. But that didn’t make it hurt any less.
He kissed her again, and in her mind, he asked her to stay, eventhough she knew she couldn’t. He was right. Here, they’d had no demands on their relationship. None of the real-world struggles that life threw in the path every day as people worked toward their goals. What made this special was the fact that it was fleeting. All of the stars in the sky could be forgotten for the chance to see a shooting one. It was rare and preciousbecauseit couldn’t last.
That night, on the side of a mountain, she saw and felt a beauty she’d never known before and suspected she’d never know again. The bookends of time would make it unparalleled. She told her weeping heart that just because a love could last a lifetime didn’t mean the relationship would.
Thirty-Three
That thirty seconds between dreaming and waking. That was the sweet spot Presley wished she could live in. Especially now. Right before everything rushed back; good and bad. The sound of movement in the kitchen made her smile.
Part of her was tempted to steal a pillowcase—tuck it away in her luggage and see how long it could retain the Beckettness. Maybe a T-shirt. She debated it with Rylee, reluctant to get out of the bed and face the day.
Rylee
This is just a thought but maybe you don’tsteal any of his stuff
Presley
It’s not stealing. Not, like, the traditional definition of stealing.
Rylee
Oh. I’m sorry. I didn’t realize
stealing had a multiple definitions.
I can’t keep up with the way kids
talk these days. Tell me how it’s
different.
Presley
I’m positive he’d let me have either his pillowcase or his shirt. If I asked.
