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“Only around you.”
I lift my head to look at him. His fingers trace my jawline and his gaze scours my face like he’s memorizing my features. His hands are so gentle, his movements so calculated and careful, like he’s imagined doing this thousands of times.
His eyes lock on mine again and my breath catches. I would be very okay with having a repeat of that kiss right about now.
As though he can read my mind, Ethan bends his head slightly and brushes my lips with his. I tangle my hands in his hair to kiss him properly, but he pulls back.
“Not so fast,” he whispers, his voice warm near my ear. “Next time I kiss you, it’s not going to be in a random hotel room next to the highway. Next time I kiss you, it’s going to be perfect.”
26
Ethan
Well, we did it.
No, not that. We haven’t kissed again. Though that is high on my agenda after last night.
We finished the road trip treasure hunt. Pops’s final request.
I run my fingers across my scruff as Val and I speed along the highway towards Mirror Valley in Pops’s prized blue truck… Now, officially my blue truck. And I’ll prize it as much as he did, though less so because it’s a “wonderful piece of machinery,” and more because it’ll always bring back memories with him.
“What’re you thinking?” Val asks.
I shoot her a glance, and she actually takes my breath away for a moment. I’m such a sap. But I don’t mind it so much anymore. “Thinking about Pops.”
Val rubs her thumb along the top of my hand. It’s a supremely comforting gesture, one that somehow communicates a perfect blend of sympathy and understanding. It’s a thumb, Ethan. “It must be tough to finish the treasure hunt.”
“It is. Tougher than I thought it would be.”
We just left our last stop—Paddy’s farm. Paddy had a small petting zoo when we were growing up, and Val and I used to feed the goats and horses, brush them, sweep up straw…
Which, in retrospect, were probably chores that Paddy had to do anyway. Overexcited children let loose near baby goats are cheap labor.
“Did I tell you that my suitcase opened when I was checking out and my stuff spilled everywhere?” Val blurts. “My shampoo and body wash and underpants and pajamas went flying across the lobby. That’ll teach me to buy a cheapo bag with a flimsy lock.”
I chuckle. I know what Val’s doing; I appreciate that she tries to cheer me up when I’m sad. Little does she know that her presence alone makes me happier than anything else could.
“See? Streak of bad luck,” I tease her.
“Don’t call it that.” Val shakes her head, but I’m glad to see that she’s smiling.
“Bad luck or not, I’m happy you came with me on this trip.” I bring her hand to my lips.
“Don’t get it wrong.” She smiles angelically. “I didn’t do this for you.”
I give her a look and she giggles, relaxes back into the seat. She makes wave motions out the window, like she did when we first started this trip. It feels like so long ago; so much has changed…
I couldn’t be happier for it.
When I went to Val’s room last night, I intended only to apologize and assure her that we were on the same page. Instead, she told me that she also wanted to kiss me, and I was over the moon about it. I’m happy to take our time dating and getting to know each other again. As long as I’m with her.
“Do you think Pops did this on purpose?” she asks. “Like, sticking us together on a road trip. Do you think he knew this might happen?”
“What would happen?” I ask. I want to hear her say it.
Val lolls her head my way. “That you and I would come back together. Date. Whatever.”
My smile widens and I give her another look, one that lingers as I get lost in the way the morning sun brings out the yellow flecks in her irises. “I think he knew. Pops rarely did anything without an agenda. I think he was the world’s feistiest ninety-one-year-old matchmaker.”
