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“It is, unless you have the most amazing travel companion ever.” Kent winked. She blushed and held his gaze before turning away.
He drove along US 50 and listened to Palmer read about Ohio. When they’d come across something she mentioned, he’d slow down and point to it along the side of the road. He told her about Ohio State University’s long-standing rivalry with Michigan, among other schools, in college football, and how Ohio was known for the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame.
Kent signaled to exit and asked his GPS to send them to Court Street in Athens. From his research, they’d be able to get out, stretch their legs, explore, and have a sit-down meal. Palmer objected. “We’ll be in Missouri to meet your sister, I promise you,” he told her as he parallel parked. He shut off the car, got out, and went to her side. Kent would not give her an opportunity to tell him no or miss a stop because of something happening days from now.
Palmer accepted Kent’s hand and stood on the sidewalk while he retrieved their jackets from the back. The chill in the air caused Palmer to tremble, and she thanked Kent for her coat when he slipped it over her shoulders. He held her hand because he wanted to. It felt natural—the way her hand fit into his.
They stopped for coffee and went into every store they came across. Palmer picked out another magnet for Kent while he bought her a sweatshirt. The purchase may not have made sense to Palmer, but it did to Kent. This was something she could sleep in, and it would keep her warm. As of late, she woke up shivering, and he wanted to help combat her chills.
Kent and Palmer somehow ended up at the college bookstore for Ohio University. Palmer shook her head when Kent held the door open for her. He shrugged. There was no way he could come all the way to Athens and not visit a bookstore. The fact that it was on the campus was a bonus.
Palmer left Kent to look at all the gear. He contemplated buying something but wasn’t sure. He wasn’t a fan, per se, but when he wasn’t working he liked to wear paraphernalia from different schools. When Palmer found him, he was deep into the T-shirt section. She held a bag in her hand. Kent knew that whatever she had in there was for him, since she refused to buy herself anything.
“What did you buy?”
“I’m not telling you until later.”
“Okay,” he said with a chuckle. “Do you like this?” He held out a green shirt with Rufus the Bobcat on it. Palmer laughed and shook her head.
“I found one I like for you.” This time, she took his hand and led him through the store. Kent appreciated the gesture and the moment. Palmer was having another great day. He didn’t want to look a gift horse in the mouth, but a bad day or night loomed.
Palmer took him to another rack of shirts and pulled out the one she liked best. The gray shirt had a green Superman shield with Ohio over the top of it. Nothing about this shirt screamed sports, fan, or even college, but Palmer had chosen it for Kent, and he wanted it.
He carried his shirt to the checkout. Before he could place his card into the machine, Palmer sneaked hers in. “Hey,” he said to her.
She shrugged. “I can’t take it with me,” she said pointedly. “Might as well spend it on the person I love.” She walked away without meeting his gaze. There wasn’t a doubt in his mind that he’d heard her correctly. Once the clerk finished the transaction, Kent rushed to find Palmer. She sat outside at a bistro table. Kent sat across from her. She refused to look at him, even after he said her name.
Kent reached across the table and lifted her chin with his thumb and index finger until their eyes met. “Do you love me?” he asked, and then he wished he could ask again with more tact.
Palmer shrugged and tried to look away, but Kent held her gaze. “I’ve never loved anyone before,” she told him. “I think what I feel is love, of some kind.”
Kent’s heartbeat soared. “Everyone feels love differently. For me, it’s like if I don’t see or talk to the person I love, I don’t feel complete.”
“Is that how you felt about Maeve?”
He shook his head slowly, hoping she’d understand that whatever he and Maeve had wasn’t love. “It’s how I feel about you, though. You’ve stolen a piece of my heart, Palmer. I don’t even know how, but you have.”
“I’ll be sure to give it back.”
“Don’t. Don’t give it back, and don’t talk like that,” he said. “I want you to keep it. I wish it were something tangible for me to give you besides words, though.” He reached for her hand and held it. “Know this, I have never felt this way about another person.”
