Her dad stood and moved over to kiss her brow again. Then, her mother hugged her. They gathered some of their belongings, leaving her bag of clothes, and said their goodbyes.
“If you need us to come back, call immediately.” Her mom moved an old, room phone closer on the table before writing a number on a random piece of paper. “I don’t care what time it is.”
“I will, Mom.” Lila waved as her dad ushered her mom out, closing the door behind them. She let out a long breath and leaned back against her pillow, whispering, “Now what?”
She flipped through the channels, passing news stations, game shows, and action movies. Nothing stood out to her, and she wondered if she watched a lot of TV before the surgery. Color filled her screen as a singing crab danced around with a mermaid and a bunch of fish. Lila stopped on the cartoon and turned the volume up. The music eased the tension in her body, and the corner of her mouth lifted.
“Some things never change,” a voice said quietly.
Lila’s head snapped toward the boy standing by the curtain, and she winced at the pain. She swallowed, taking in his tall frame and messy hair. She gripped the controller tighter as he slowly walked closer, wondering if she should call the nurse.
He stopped beside her bed, and she could see familiar dark circles beneath his eyes—he looked as tired as her parents. Her breath caught in her throat.
His eyes. The hazel eyes with specks of green filled her with a warmth she couldn’t explain.
The heart monitor beeped faster.
“Shh, it’s okay,” he said, reaching for her hand. “I’m not going to hurt you.”
Tears filled her eyes as she blinked up at him. She didn’t understand her reaction or know why his eyes appeared in her dreams, and that terrified her more than the stranger’s presence.
“Breathe.” The familiarity in his demand brought a wave of emotion. Her stomach fluttered, and she closed her eyes. His thumb brushed over her knuckles in small circles. “Lila.”
Hearing her name, she let out a shaky breath. She opened her eyes and met his gaze. A cautious smile lit up his face.
“I know you, don’t I?”
He nodded. After a moment, he sat on the edge of her bed, putting a hand on the cheek opposite the side of her surgery. He leaned in close and whispered, “Come back to me, Lila.”
She gasped as images of an orange and pink sky flashed in her mind. A cliff on the edge of the world. Ice cream and red hair. A hidden treehouse kept by two people afraid of truly letting go of the past.
Fresh tears rolled down her cheeks. She looked back into the familiar hazel eyes.
“Gavin.”
27
Saturday
Six weeks later…
“Gavin, come on,” his mom yelled up the stairs. “You’re late for your own party.”
He laughed. Grabbing the box on his dresser, he pushed it into his pocket and walked down to the living room.
He followed his mom out to the backyard. Fairy lights lit up the space filled with people. They greeted him with smiles and well wishes as he made his way through the crowd. He only had one person on his mind.
In a pale-yellow dress, Lila stood talking to Dylan, Beth Ann, and Kaley on the outer edge of all the commotion. As if sensing him, Lila turned. Her grin widened, and his heart felt like it might burst. He stepped up behind her, wrapping his arms around her middle, and kissed her on the cheek.
“Hi.” Her sweet voice warmed his soul.
“Happy birthday,” Gavin whispered against her ear, her hair tickling his face.
She turned in his arms. “Technically, it’s your birthday. Mine isn’t until Tuesday.”
“Fine, then I guess you don’t want your present until then,” Gavin said.
“No!” She raised up on her toes. Lowering her voice, she said, “Please.”
The seriousness in her tone mixed with the desire in her eyes hit him hard. He held her closer, ready to give her anything she ever asked for.
“Ugh, you guys are disgusting,” Kaley teased, breaking the tension.
Dylan, ever dramatic, gasped. He stepped closer and put a hand on each of their shoulders. “Disgustingly adorable. Do you know how long my boy here has waited for this?”
Lila laughed.
“Seriously, dude? You’re one to talk.” Gavin shot a look to Dylan who glared back.
Beth Ann grabbed Dylan by the elbow. “Come on, Romeo. Let’s get a drink.”
“Whatever you want,” Dylan said, draping an arm over her shoulders as she led him away. He turned and winked at them once before disappearing into the throng of partygoers. Kaley followed them, laughing and shaking her head.
“Think they finally talked?” Gavin asked.
Lila rolled her eyes. “Who knows? Beth Ann is in denial because of the distance. She’s terrified to live eight hundred miles away from anyone she truly cares about.”
Gavin nodded. He understood the fear of distance. In a couple weeks, he was moving to Maslair University. It wasn’t eight hundred miles, but he was still almost an hour from home. An hour from the girl he loved more than anything in the world.
“So, what’s my present?” Lila asked, poking Gavin in the side.
He kissed her forehead. Barely above a whisper, he said, “Come here.”
Lila blinked up at him, her mouth parted. Reaching up, he brushed a finger beneath the scar still healing near her temple. She shivered, and he pulled her into a hug. He never wanted to let her go. The crowd around them seemed to understand, as no one interrupted their moment alone. They stood in the shadows of one of the tall oak trees. The sun hovered just above the horizon, giving the yards a golden glow. Without a word, Gavin pulled away enough to steer
