Lila laughed, turning to face him. With hands on her hips, he pushed her back against the tree and bent down to kiss her.
When she woke from her surgery almost two months before, and her parents told him he couldn’t see her because she couldn’t remember much of anything, he thought his world had crashed and burned. He never thought he’d have the chance to hold her like that again. He didn’t give up though; he stayed at the hospital, waiting for them to allow him to see her.
It took three days, but they finally gave in. He had prepared to just introduce himself as a friend. But seeing her in that bed, hooked up to monitors and an IV, nearly broke him. Then, he saw the fear and confusion, and he didn’t think he could handle that. He tried to calm her down, soothe the anxiety he saw building up inside. As soon as he said her name, she looked up at him in wonder. As if hearing him say it brought her back. When she smiled slowly and said his name, he’d finally cracked.
He wasn’t one to normally cry, but in that moment, he hadn’t cared. She’d opened her arms, and he’d collapsed into them. They had held each other close throughout the night, talking about their past—Lila bringing up things she remembered as they came to mind. Her parents arrived the next morning as promised and burst into tears. They didn’t even berate them for lying in the same bed in a secluded room. They were too happy about her memories coming back.
Not that they let that kind of behavior last. As soon as she moved home, they were back to the “leave the door open” rule. But Gavin didn’t care. His girl was healthy and remembered him. He would take any rules they threw at him.
“What are you thinking about so deeply?” Lila asked, bringing him back to the present.
Gavin smiled down at her. “How happy I am that you’re here.”
“Well, it is my birthday party.”
“Our birthday party,” Gavin said. “But that’s not what I meant.”
Lila slid her hands around the back of his neck. “I know. I’m glad I’m here too.”
He kissed her again, closing any remaining space between them. They stayed like that for a long moment. He broke apart, to lean his forehead against hers, listening to her ragged breath.
“I have something for you,” he whispered. He pulled the small box from his pocket and handed it to her. She bit her bottom lip as she tore at the bow and wrapping paper. She had given him his gift of two Cubs tickets earlier—just as she had intended seven years before.
Her gasp when she opened the lid made him chuckle. It was always easy to shop for her. They knew each other better than anyone, even after their time apart.
Lila lifted the charm bracelet from the box and looked at the small silver pieces dangling from the chain: a music note, a mermaid, an ice cream cone, a skyscraper, a paintbrush, and a heart. In the center were two letters hooked to the same chain—an L and a G. Gavin took the box and tossed it aside before helping her with the clasp.
“It’s perfect,” she said. “I love it.”
“I love you.”
She tilted her head up to kiss him again, but just as their lips met, Gavin’s mom appeared with a smirk.
“You know, if her parents catch you two back here, you’re both going to get an earful. Again.” She shook her head. He loved his mom but hated her timing. It was like she had a sixth sense, telling her when things were getting heated between them. At his clear frustration, she added, “Did you really think you could disappear from your own party and no one would notice?”
Lila laughed and nudged him to take a step back. Despite the July heat, he felt a coldness where she had been pressed against him. She took his hand, and they followed his mom back out to the party.
As they joined the celebration, Robert gave them a pointed look and raised his glass. “To the birthday couple.”
The crowd lifted their own drinks and began singing. Mrs. Weston and Beth Ann carried a large cake between them. They set it on one of the white tables.
Gavin laughed at the half-purple and half-red icing job. That was their tradition as children—split the decorations and cake. Looking at the cake, Lila slid an arm around his waist.
At the end of the song, their parents told them to make a wish. Gavin and Lila’s eyes met, then they blew out the candles. Their friends and family cheered, and his cousin Emily’s little fingers reached for the corner of the icing before Gavin’s mother scooped her up into her arms.
“What did you wish for?” Gavin whispered to Lila.
“You first,” she said. As children, most thought if they told their wish, it wouldn’t come true. Lila and Gavin, however, were sure that since they wished on the same candles at the same time, they could tell each other without risking it.
“No way.” He laughed. The argument of who said theirs first was one for the ages. “I asked first.”
“For more days like this.” Her cheeks blushed as she tucked her head against his collarbone. “I love you, Gavin.”
Gavin smiled and held her close. He kissed the side of her head gently. The truth was he hadn’t wished for anything. He had everything he ever wanted in his arms. “I already got my wish.”
Epilogue
Six months later…
“Why is this so heavy?” Lila’s dad groaned as he grabbed a suitcase from the truck.
Lila pulled a duffle bag over her shoulder before lifting a small box. “Because it’s full of books and movies.”
“You put your books and movies in a suitcase?” an amused voice asked behind her. “Why not your clothes?”
Turning to face Gavin, she shrugged. “If you put the heavier
