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“You didn’t,” she assured me. “And she’ll talk to Dylan. I think Dylan needs to talk to her more than I did, actually.”
“So, Dylan must really love you. If he’s considering giving up the chance at Harvard.”
She arched a brow. “I know what you’re thinking.”
“What am I thinking?”
“You’re thinking it’s stupid. That teenagers can’t possibly know what it’s like to be really in love. But Dylan and I are different. He’s it for me. And I’m it for him. Which is why I don’t understand why he’d do this.”
“You just said you’re it for him,” I reminded her. “And you can’t understand why he doesn’t want to be separated from you?”
She swallowed. “I’m never going to college. I don’t want to go to college. But Dylan does. And he shouldn’t lose out on the experience just because he has a girlfriend he doesn’t want to leave.”
“Sometimes we don’t want things to change,” I said. “Sometimes we don’t have a choice. Change comes anyway.”
“Yeah. Change can suck it.”
I let out a laugh.
The mare tossed her head and pulled away from the fence to prance toward another horse in the middle of the pasture.
“And you’re wrong, you know,” I said.
“About what?”
“I think teenagers know better than anyone else what real love feels like.”
She sighed. “It’s all encompassing. Like, sometimes I actually hurt when we’re not together.” She looked at me. “Is that how you feel about your friend’s dad?”
“Smoke,” I said. “It’s Smoke.”
Her eyes widened. “Really?”
“Really.”
“Well done. He’s hot. For an older guy, I mean.”
“Compromise,” I said.
“Huh?”
“Talk to Dylan and lay out your non-negotiables. Find out what his are. And you meet somewhere in the middle. Two people who love each other as much as you two do can surely work this all out.”
“Wow.”
“What?”
“You’re like, a real grown up.”
“Trying to be,” I admitted. “I’m just taking it one day at a time.”
Chapter 36
“Sorry I’m late,” I said as I approached the table.
Smoke rose and without a word, grasped the back of my neck and pulled me to him. His mouth covered mine in greeting.
I settled my hands against his chest and my lids fluttered closed.
