“Oh, I know.” He chuckled. “Remember when that baby squirrel fell into the lake and you dove in to save it?”
My smile became a huge grin at the thought. “Yeah.”
“You did everything in your power and nursed it back to health. I loved watching you feed it with the baby bottle.” He gave a cheeky grin. “It was adorable.”
“We released him over there.” I pointed to the wooded area beside the lake. “I miss that little guy.”
“I’m sure he’s living a great life.”
“I sure hope so.” That little squirrel was so full of life. The whole experience gave me confidence that I could help animals. It was why I chose to be a veterinarian. My chest grew with excitement. I knew I had chosen the right path to explore, especially since Asher remembered it.
“Still planning on going to the University of Violet?”
I nodded. “They have the best veterinary science program.”
He smirked with a gleam in his eye. I knew he was thinking we would be going to the same university. “We may see each other more often, then.”
“Yeah, after a year.” I bit my lip and tried to bury the sinking feeling of loneliness. Not having either of them around would destroy me, especially since I already felt alone most of the time, anyway.
His hand grazed mine. “I enjoy spending time with you… and so does Luca. You’ll come to visit us, right?”
The heat from his hand sent goosebumps up my arm. So many emotions welled up inside me as I stared at him. Every time he found a way to touch me, my heartbeat sped up.
My voice came out just above a whisper. “I will.”
“You’re beautiful, Faith.” He paused and heat began rising on my cheeks. I knew I probably looked like a bright red tomato. “You’re so damn compassionate. All the times you cared for Luca when he was drunk off his ass, didn’t go unnoticed. You cared for him when you didn’t have to...just like the squirrel.” His hand swept a stray hair away from my face as I smiled. “I see you do that a lot. You care for people all the time—Magnolia, Evelyn. Hell, even me.”
My heart leaped into my throat, and my senses went into overdrive. His cologne smelled of cedar, it was incredible.
“Your hair is this perfect shade of chestnut-brown and don’t even get me started on your eyes. Your incredibly captivating blue eyes.” He held my gaze for a while before his eyes drifted to my lips. “Besides that, you have a heart of gold. Anyone would be lucky to have you in their life.”
“I didn’t know you thought that,” I said, as I trembled in front of him.
His eyebrows furrowed. “I’ve always felt this way. That time Luca got me wasted, you were the one who looked after me. I swore you’d never have to do that again—not for me, at least. That’s when I knew exactly how I felt about you.” Our hands interlaced as he leaned closer, and I began to feel lightheaded. His lips hovered just over mine and I could smell the mint on his breath. “Can I kiss you?”
Asher was my childhood friend. A boy I’d had a crush on since I was in elementary school. My crush had continued to brew over the years, but I had long accepted that romance was off the table for us. He was perfect and I was just plain old Faith. But after feeling like this for so many years, I knew I couldn’t let this moment between us slip through my fingers.
“Yes,” I whispered.
Every nerve in my body ignited in that split-second before his lips met mine. The anticipation of being together in a way that was so completely tangible had me breathless. I didn’t want to think. I just wanted to feel.
Our lips met and the fire blazed within me. He pulled me closer, his hands slowly sliding up my back, brushing against my neck, sliding into my hair. His hands worked their way around my body. Every place he touched electrified me. I never wanted the feeling to stop.
We broke apart and both of us were breathing heavily. A few seconds passed before I spoke.
“Wow. I…” His lips stopped me mid-sentence, as they pressed against mine once more.
He pulled back and bit his lip. “Do you want to go upstairs?” He glanced up the pebble path to the cabin on the hill. The faint sound of music and chattering drifted down.
I shivered. Did I? I knew what going upstairs meant. After that kiss, we would explore this newfound passion for each other. But somewhere deep down, I knew this moment was going to change us forever, and I wasn’t sure I was ready for it. Even so, my head moved on its own in a nod.
“Yes,” I whispered. In what seemed like minutes, but was probably only seconds, he took my hand and led me back up the path and into the cabin, away from the ruckus of the party.
Upstairs, in the room I had lived in during my summers, we sat on the bed and reminisced for hours. Later, he captured me in a kiss that was seared into my memory forever.
I gave him my virginity that night. A bright-eyed teenage girl hopeful of exploring that beautiful connection we shared—the start of something amazing. The next morning, Asher was gone and my already fragile heart was broken into tiny little pieces.
I refrained from yanking my hair out. I took a deep breath and led my fourth-grade class down the blue and white halls of Violet Ridge Elementary School. I mentally rolled my eyes as I listened to our intervention teacher gossip about the new gym teacher.
“Faith, I’m telling you. He’s unbelievable.” She popped her gum.
