Six Months Later
Interlaken, Switzerland
* * *
“I can’t do it!” I yell to Caleb above the wind and noise.“Jumping out of an airplane is the craziest idea I’ve ever had.”
“No problem.” He smiles, and even through his goggles, I see how the action reaches the corners of his eyes. “We’ll take these parachutes off, turn the plane around, and spend the rest of the day soaking in a hot tub, looking at the Alps from the ground. Not the air.”
I bite my bottom lip as I glance out the open door of the plane. This is scenic beauty at its finest. Crystal blue lakes. Snowy precipes. Stunning glaciers. I’d never be able to experience any of this without Caleb. In the six months we’ve been together, he’s shown me more of the world than I ever imagined seeing. I thought I was living life to the fullest, but he’s taken me on a wild and crazy ride that’s made me happier than I ever dreamed I could be.
My eyes shift to his.
“Summer, if you want to jump, I’ll always be here to catch you.”
It’s the same thing he said on our first adventure ice climbing, and he’s lived up to it every day since.
“Okay, I’ll jump with you.” I reach my hand out to him, and he immediately grabs it.
His smile grows. “On three?”
I nod. “On three.”
“One, two, three!”
I jump, holding hands with Caleb the entire time.
CALEB
Christmas Eve
One Year Later
* * *
“Don and Patsy, as our guests, you two sit on the couch, facing where the kids will put on their nativity play.” Janet Stanworth directs my mom and dad to their seats on the sofa.
“We don’t need to be Front Row Joe.” My dad says that, but he sits down in the front like he intends to stay.
“Look at all these cute costumes!” my mom gushes as she glances around at Summer’s nieces and nephews.
Summer smiles at me from across the room as if watching my mom and dad join in on the Stanworth family Christmas makes her as happy as it does me.
Aunt Carma huffs from her recliner. “We didn’t do a play last year becausethe twinspilled his punch.”
“Aunt Carma, we didn’t do the play last year because we went chasing after Caleb, remember?” Juliet smiles at her.
“Eh.” She purses her lips, glancing away.
Marty stands in front of everyone, silencing them with his hands. “This year, before we start the play, I’d—”
A hard knock at the door stops him.
Jack waves his shepherd’s staff in the air. “Bob Irvine!”
“It’s not Bob Irvine.” Marty walks to the door. “It’s Justin and Jordan. They were just running late.”
Marty swings the door open. “Justin! You guys made it.”
