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I turned to Haze, who was standing back a little.
I rubbed my left shoulder blade. “You sure you don’t want to ride with us to the airport, Haze? Or even come to LA?” I semijoked. I couldn’t get the thoughts of our night together out of my head. All I wanted was more nights like the previous one. In the perfect world, I’d come home from a day in the studio, pull her into the shower with me, and make love with her under the steaming hot water. I’d make love to her in the kitchen too. In the living room. Dining room. In every single place possible, I’d make love to her.
“Don’t tempt me,” she said. “If I went to LA with you, I doubt I’d want to come back.”
“All right, well, I guess we just say good—”
“Don’t, Ian,” she cut in, closing her eyes. “Don’t say goodbye, okay? Just hug me, and get it over with.”
I did as she said, and she held me tighter than she ever had before.
“Last night was perfect,” I whispered into her ear.
“Perfect, perfect,” she replied. She pulled slightly away from me. “You’re going to call me,” she ordered. “Whenever you get a chance.”
“Will do. And you can use my truck while I’m gone to get around if you want.”
I chuckled a little as I heard Big Paw ask Grams, “When did they get so close?”
“You’re always sleeping through things, Harry. Missing the things right in your face,” she said.
Big Paw grumbled a bit and scratched his beard. “We better get a move on if we’re going to make it to the airport in a few hours.”
It was a long, long drive to the closest airport, which meant we had to leave earlier than I would’ve liked.
A little more time with Hazel and Grams wouldn’t have been awful.
How was I already getting homesick when I hadn’t even left?
I nodded once toward Big Paw and then gave Grams and Hazel one last embrace.
I opened the passenger door of the truck and began to climb into my seat.
“Ian, wait!”
I looked to my left and saw Hazel come rushing toward me.
She leaped into my arms and pressed her lips against mine. I kissed her hard and deep, wishing I’d never have to let her go.
“I’m gonna miss you, Ian. When you make it big, don’t forget about us small-town folks, okay?”
“I couldn’t forget you if I tried. Besides, I’m going to be calling you each morning and every night,” I swore.
She bit her bottom lip. “I don’t know how that would even work, Ian. You’re going to be so busy with your life and—”
“We make time for the things that matter,” I said, cutting her off. “You’re a thing that matters.”
Her head lowered for a split second, and when she looked back up, she was wearing that smile I loved. I kissed her again. For the first time in my life, the music wasn’t the only thing I truly cared about.
“Thanks, Haze.”
“For what?”
“Teaching me how to feel again.”
“What in the damn hell was that?” Big Paw barked.
Grams waved off his annoyed tones. “Oh, hush, you old fart. Let kids be kids. I remember a certain boy who used to kiss me like that too.”
