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He nodded. “Yeah, sure.” Then he gave Saff one final smile, squeezing her shoulder as if to echo the heavy weight of the words he’d just shared.
As they walked away, Saff watched Maddie step closer, placing a hand on her shoulder before lowering down into the grass beside her.
Saff smelled it before she saw it, and a wide grin broke out across her face.
A heaping mound of freshly cooked popcorn sat in the silver bowl in Maddie’s hands.
She laughed, a full laugh that had her shaking her head in both disbelief and amusement.
Maddie smiled broadly at her as she popped a piece into her mouth, crunching down before holding the bowl out.
She grabbed a handful, tilting her head back to drop a few pieces in.
“Where did you get this?”
Maddie threw her a mischievous grin. “I might’ve had Josh grab it for me before we left the last settlement.”
Saff laughed again. “You had it all that time?”
Maddie nodded, shifting closer until she curled under Saff’s arm. Then she pressed a light kiss to her neck.
“I told you I wanted to take you on a date.”
Saff stared at her then, unable to form any words.
Maddie rubbed her palm along Saff’s leg in a soothing motion.
“We might not have a movie theater, but,” she lifted her hand, waving it out in front of them, “this isn’t a bad alternative.”
Saff swallowed, her throat bobbing as the tightness returned once again.
The memory of their last spoken words on the road floated back to her. She remembered her semi-delirious thoughts drifting in and out as she’d asked Maddie to describe the date to her.
Saff’s heart beat furiously in her chest, watching the beautiful girl wrapped in her arms.
The girl she could spend every day with, and know with certainty that each one would be even happier than the last.
“I love you,” Saff whispered, the words seeping straight out from her aching heart.
Maddie pulled her head back, surprise flitting over her features.
Then, in a moment, it was gone, as Maddie wrapped a hand around the back of her neck, pulling her into a deep kiss.
Saff kissed her back, pouring every ounce of the aching love into it, showing her with her lips just how much she meant it.
Time seemed to slow, and with each passing moment, it felt as if the wounds deep in their souls were tangling together, healing each other with every touch.
When Maddie finally pulled back, she gave her the small, knowing smile that she’d given her so many times in the past.
The smile that Saff still didn’t quite understand.
“I love you, too.”