Dylan laughed beside him. Gavin just shook his head. “You know, sometimes I think you like her more than me.”
“Only sometimes?” she teased before hugging him. “Be safe. Love you.”
“Love you too,” he said.
He walked outside with Dylan, and Lila moved toward them, pulling a small suitcase behind her. Gavin continued to his mom’s car without a greeting. He tossed his bag into the backseat and turned to see Dylan hugging her.
The sun above made the pink in her hair shine brighter than normal. It matched her sweet laughter at something Dylan said as he flung an arm around her shoulders and steered her over. Gavin took her suitcase and put it in the back while they said goodbye.
“Have fun,” Dylan said before walking to his own car and driving away.
Lila fidgeted beside the car. Glancing up, she gave a sad sort of smile. “Hi.”
“Hi.” They stood in silence a moment.
“Are you sure you still want to do this?” Her quiet words sent a pang of guilt through him.
Stepping closer, he said, “I still want to know what’s going on.”
“Gavin—”
“But we’re still doing this,” he cut her off and pulled open the passenger door. “I told you I would help you, and I always keep my word.”
The fields passed by in a blur as Lila watched out the window. It took a couple hours to get to Chicago, and the fight from the day before lingered over them. Gavin’s statement about keeping his word gave her a lot to think about on the drive.
She glanced at him, taking in his tall frame. He had one elbow resting out the open window, and his music played in the background. The late spring air blew through his short hair. Lifting her phone, she took a quick picture of him.
“What are you doing?” Amusement laced his voice.
She dropped her phone and cursed as it smacked the floor. “Capturing memories?”
The corner of his mouth tugged up. As she bent to retrieve her phone, he said, “I’m still mad at you.”
There was no anger in his tone though. She twisted in her seat, pulling one foot up. “Why?”
He turned the music down. His eyes shifted to her before quickly moving back to the highway. Traffic increased the closer they got to the city.
“Because you’re hiding something.”
Lila looked back out the window. She needed to tell him, but how? Everything would change. And she didn’t want to think about the future at that moment. She wanted to focus on enjoying the next week.
In the distance, the Chicago skyline came into view. They inched along the busy highway, stopping to pay the toll, then they headed over the bridge. Traffic slowed to a stop. Horns blared. Deep bass pumped through them from a nearby car. But Gavin’s quiet attention turned to her.
“I love music, but it would take me away from Summersville. I’m not ready for that,” she said.
“Why do you need to finish the bucket list in two weeks if you’re not leaving?”
She hesitated, drumming her fingers on the dashboard as the cars started moving again. “I’m not ready to talk about it.”
“Okay,” he said to her surprise. “But soon?”
She nodded, even though he didn’t take his eyes from the chaos around them. They made it to their exit, and the hotel wasn’t far from there. It only took a few minutes for Gavin to pull up and hand the keys over to the valet.
Lila looked up at the towering building as he grabbed their bags. She took her suitcase and followed him through the elegant lobby to the front desk. She glanced around the large space while he handed over his credit card. His dad had apparently given it to him for emergencies, but she’d seen Gavin use it all week.
Once they had their keys, they used one of the gilded elevators to make their way up to their twelfth-floor room. The view of the city took Lila’s breath away once inside. She let go of her suitcase and ran to the window. “This is incredible!”
Gavin stepped up next to her. The sun sat low behind the skyscrapers, giving the city a golden glow. “It really is.”
She whirled around, taking in the room. The single king-size bed froze her in her tracks. Gavin moved around her to the bag he’d tossed on top of the white fluffy comforter.
As if reading her thoughts, he said, “It’s all they had.”
She walked over and plopped onto the mattress. The thought of sharing it stirred the butterflies in her stomach, but in that moment she didn’t really care. It was the softest bed she’d ever felt.
With closed eyes and a smile, she said, “Liar.”
A shadow fell across her. When she opened her eyes, Gavin laid down beside her with a quiet laugh. “There’s a pull-out couch.”
Lila sat up and slid to the top of the bed to lean against the headboard. “You’re going to make me sleep on the couch after feeling this magnificent mattress?”
“Of course not.” He pulled himself up beside her. “I’ll sleep over there.”
She’d barely fit on the small blue sofa in the corner. She wondered how long its flimsy mattress was, and she looked from it to Gavin’s tall frame.
“So, what are we doing first?” she asked, getting to her feet. They could figure out the sleeping arrangements later.
10
Saturday
“If I eat any more, I’m going to be sick,” Lila said as she grabbed one of Gavin’s fries.
He laughed but pushed his plate closer to her. The grin that lit up her face at the gesture just about melted his heart. For so long, he’d spent his time trying to get under her skin because her scowl was adorable, but her smile? He would do anything in his power to keep it in place.
The waitress came back with his credit card and the receipt to sign. Seeing Lila still eating, she asked if they were sure
