Page 115 of All of You

Langdon drags a hand down his face in frustration. “How am I supposed to know if we’ll be anywhere near each other? Or if I should apply to schools near you if I don’t know where you’re applying?”

I bite my bottom lip and pretend to think as he shifts the truck into drive.

“I mean, why would you think that we’ll still be together? Like everyone always breaks up freshman year. Why would we do that to ourselves?” I turn the radio up.

Langdon turns it down and pulls to the side of the road, tosses the truck in park and stares at me. Hard.

“Because. All of you.”

My heart goes gelatinous and melts into my belly. “Langdon, are you saying all of me?”

“No. All ofyou,” he whispers. His eyes never leave mine. My pulse skyrockets until it’s thundering in my ears.Woosh, woosh, woosh.

“I love you too. All of you.” I barely hear the words leave me as his eyes widen and his pupils dilate and then his lips are on mine. Taking, crushing, bruising. And I love every second of it.

Fifty Seven

Langdon

It’s Valentine’s Day. I’ve always hated the holiday but this year I’m stoked. I’ve got the perfect date planned out. I have four twin-sized blankets. A thermos of tequila-spiked hot chocolate. Chocolate-covered strawberries, a lantern, and the perfect location. It’ll be cold, but it will be secluded.

A quiet spot by the river, where the reflection of the moon dances on the water’s surface. The soft sounds of nature creating a serene soundtrack for our date.

My heart flaps I my ribcage with anticipation as I glance at my watch. Any moment now, she’ll arrive. I paid Lyra twenty bucks to drive her here as a surprise.

As I set up our cozy spot by the river, a wave of excitement washes over me. The lantern casts a warm glow, illuminatingthe blankets spread out on the frozen packed sandy shore. I carefully arrange the chocolate-covered strawberries on a small plate. I take a deep breath and rub my gloved hands together.

I hope it’s not too cold.Shit. It’s really cold. This was stupid.I’m stupid. She willhatethis.

As if on cue, the rustling of leaves announces her arrival. I turn towards the sound and my breath catches in my throat. She looks breathtaking, her eyes sparkling under the moon’s gaze. Her smile lights up the night as she approaches, her steps graceful and filled with anticipation.

“Wow,” she whispers, her voice carrying a hint of wonder. “This is incredible.”

I can’t help but smile at her awe-filled reaction.

Guiding her to our spot by the river, I wrap one of the blankets around her shoulders, ensuring she stays warm amidst the chilly night air. She snuggles closer to me. I drape the other blankets over our laps.

“Surprise! Happy Valentine’s Day.”

She grins up at me. “You know, I’ve never really been a V-day kinda person, but a gal could get used to this.”

I chuckle, relieved that she doesn’t hate it. “Well, I’m glad to hear that. I wanted to make tonight special.”

We take a sip of the tequila-spiked hot chocolate, the warmth spreading through our bodies.

“You definitely succeeded,” she says, her voice laced with gratitude.

Leaning back against the blankets, we both gaze up at the starry night sky hand in hand. The river flows peacefully beyond us, not fully frozen over, reflecting the twinkling stars above.

“What do you dream about?” I ask.

“That’s a bizarre question.”

“Just tell me.”

She hums a moment before turning on her side to look at me. “I don’t know. I guess I dream about having a small house with a nice big front porch and at least three dogs and a cat. And I have some cutesy little job in a small town. Like a baker or something only I’m paid well and can like, afford to live and go on vacations… and… and I have an epic garden, flowers and vegetables. I want my life to be rooted somewhere. To have meaning and simplicity. What about you?”

A sense of calmness washes over me, as if time stands still. I could spend every minute of every day like this. With her.