An immediate love heart emoji shot back to them all the way from Wales. Annie smiled to see it. Instead of returning to her spot, she pulled her beanbag right up close to Harri’s in front of the fire and settled herself again, cradling her mug, smiling into the firelight.
‘Did you let your folks know you arrived safely?’ Harri asked.
‘Mom’s tracking my movements,’ Annie replied, nodding to one of the bags on the floor that presumably contained her phone. ‘She got so sick of me forgetting to reply to messages she installed an app like my middle graders have.’
‘Good thinking,’ Harri teased. They both knew how she could go to ground. It was just her way and never malicious.
‘I get wrapped up in my stuff,’ she shrugged.
‘How was Mr Luna about this trip?’ Harri ventured with a grimace. There was no way her dad would approve.
‘He sends you a great big snuggly hug.’
‘I’ll bet he does.’
The fire crackled as they settled into each other’s company. It was easy, Harri was beginning to think, like no time had passed at all.
‘I’m glad we kept this going,’ Annie said, seemingly reading his mind. ‘Nine years.’
‘That’s a lot of messages,’ Harri said, shaking his head. ‘I’m proud of us.’
‘Who knew we’d be such good postcard writers?’
‘Some of us were better than others,’ he said through quirking lips.
Annie faked an indignant shove at his arm, making sure not to knock his mug.
‘Hey!’ he laughed. ‘Here’s to us. Class of 2016, eh?’
They clinked mugs before drinking.
‘And how’s Paisley?’ Annie asked, inevitably.
‘Uh…’ Harri let a long moment pass. ‘Well…’
‘You broke up.’
‘How did you know?’
Annie consulted an invisible watch. ‘We’ve been here over an hour and she hasn’t called once to check I’m not molesting you.’
Harri suppressed a smile. ‘You got me.’
‘Was it this vacation?’
‘No. Well, not really. The holiday might have been the final straw, but it’s been a long time coming. My fault, mostly.’
‘Hmmm.’
His eyes snapped to Annie’s.
‘I’m sorry,’ she protested, ‘but it takes two, and you’ve been a perfect boyfriend.’
‘Hardly,’ he said, thinking he might cry and that would be hideous for both of them.
This time she really did shove his arm, but she seemed to be biting her lip too, reconsidering something that had been on the tip of her tongue. She composed herself and after a breath said she was ‘real sorry’ and asked if he was doing okay.
‘I’m fine, honestly. Glad I had this trip to distract me. It’s nice to be wanted somewhere.’
