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I glanced at the clock that seems to be running at warp speed. A car is arriving in a half hour to take him to the airport. We both agreed it would be best to say goodbye here. Even if I wasn’t blubbering when dropping him off, I probably wouldn’t be in any shape to drive home.
He shut his suitcase and zipped it closed.
“I think that’s everything,” he said, looking around the room. “My phone and watch are on the charger downstairs, but that’s it.”
I stood and nodded.
“You should probably head over to your parents’ house. Your mom will need some time to say goodbye.”
He stepped closer and put his hand on my waist.
“Give me time to figure some things out.” He kissed my forehead. “In the meantime, see if you can get some time off to come to Dublin. Since I’ve been off so long, I won’t be able to get away for a few months and I can’t wait to see you that long.”
Again I nodded, not trusting myself to speak.
I’m sure Dr. Madden would cover so I can go visit Adam. And finding a dog sitter wouldn’t be a problem either. I’m just not sure if my heart could handle leaving him again, especially so soon. Which is the same issue we had ten years ago.
I even looked into what my options would be for moving there. There’s a shortage of veterinarians in Ireland, so it probably wouldn’t be an issue for me to register to work or get a visa. The thing is, I have no idea how long Adam will be there. Is it worth it for me to set myself up to work there and have to leave?
Then there’s Thea. I refuse to have her fly as cargo, so we’d have to find another solution. I’m not even sure how she’d be on a plane.
“Hey,” he said, tilting my chin up so our eyes met. “Don’t give up on us. We’re not kids anymore, we can figure out how to make this work.” Feeling like a bobblehead doll, I nodded again. “I better get going.”
I decided not to go with him to say goodbye to his parents. They deserve their own moment with him before he leaves. So this is it for us.
He kissed the tip of my nose then pulled back just enough for our eyes to meet. His brown depths are full of the same things I’m feeling. Without warning, he crushed his mouth against mine, and everything else ceased to exist. The feel of his lips on mine, his freshly-shaved face against my skin, and his heart pounding against my chest became my whole world, and I wanted more.
I curled my hand into his hair pressing closer against his chest. His answering groan vibrated through me, making my nipples tingle. He wrapped his arm around my waist, pulling me closer, engulfing me in his embrace.
We got lost in each other, our kiss full of desperation and promises. Then too soon, he ended it and pulled back, putting unwanted space between us.
“I better go.”
“Text when you land.”
He nodded and picked up his suitcase. I couldn’t help but notice how different he looks from the past few weeks. His collared shirt and golf shorts give him a more corporate-man-on-vacation vibe than the T-shirts and basketball shorts he’s been wearing. But I suppose the former is what he really is. He has a whole life outside of Seaside, one I’m not sure I fit into.
Leaning forward he gave me another quick kiss.
“I love you,” he said.
“I love you, too.”
I stood in that same place and watched as he walked out of the bedroom, then down the stairs. A few minutes later, I heard the back door open and close, and that’s when I allowed the tears to fall.
Dropping onto the bed, I curled up and sobbed. Thea jumped up and curled against my side, licking my cheek, to offer her own comfort.
“I’ll be okay,” I wrapped my arm around her. “Eventually.”
As I let myself feel all the emotions I’ve been pushing down for weeks, something Nanny Jules always said came to mind.
Kissing Thea on the head, I said, “Don’t be sad that it’s ending, be happy it happened.”
* * *
Adam
“Don’tyou dare stay away for another ten years,” my mom said as he hugged me tight.
