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"Well, that is kinda lucky. Isn't it?" I chuckled and brushed my thumb over her chin.

"Quite." Her eyes twinkled in the golden light. "I'm very lucky that you chose to answer that last question."

"Thank Tatiana for that."

"I feel that one day I will," she said, as her hand slowly rolled across my abdomen, officially tangling us together.

Physical touch and affection weren't normally my thing, especially not with people I didn't know well, but with Clem, all of that changed in a heartbeat. Not just any heartbeat, but one belonging to the unfathomable rapidity of a hummingbird. More than ten times faster than a human, but not quite as quickly as lightspeed. I didn't fight it though, allowing myself to settle into the familiarity of the cosmic reunion under the Northern Lights. I didn't understand any of this, or know how we got here, but with Clementine resting against me, my insides felt a little less jagged, and smoother like a stone that spent much of its life in the current of a trickling stream.

Chapter Eight

People bustled, albeit slowly, in the rural town of Sequim during the Lavender Festival. Rolling hills of purple and green flooded the skyline as we walked past the many farms or open spaces. Vendors lined the streets, including dozens of food trucks, and a parade marched its way through town. Despite the busy nature of the day, the warm, clean summer washed over my skin like a refreshing dip in a hot spring. Dirt coated my Vans and the hems of my pants, and the ruggedness of the environment intrigued me. I'd never been to a place like Sequim before, and it reminded me how unseasoned I was as a human being with little experience beyond the city I'd called home for all of my life.

Clementine walked beside me, our hands bumping together on occasion. Some of the layers of her hair fluttered behind her when the breeze kicked up. She wore a relaxed fit pair of jeans and off-white Chuck Taylors that triggered the memory of my playful argument with Sali. Earth soiled the canvas just like mine, but neither of us seemed to care. The white T-shirt she wore gave her a less uber-feminine look like I'd grown used to, but her casual attire intrigued me just the same. Over time, I noticed myself spending several moments just looking at her, and I had no idea why I enjoyed doing it so much.

"How do you feel about affection?" she asked suddenly as the parade ended its journey past us.

"In general?" I motioned toward the food trucks, and she nodded before we headed off in that direction.

"Let's start with that, yes."

"In general, makes me uncomfortable. If people touch me, I don't understand why they're doing it half the time and it either confuses me or makes me annoyed," I answered honestly.

To my surprise, she nodded and glanced at me. "How about more specifically?"

"In what sense?"

"With me," she asked, her voice soft.

"I would be okay with that." I held my hand to her, but knew that it might be too much. "How about you?"

"Very okay." She smiled right away and accepted the gesture, with her cool fingers wrapping my palm. "People here seem to eat a lot of Dungeness crab." Her random observation caught me off guard.

"Yeah. I noticed that. Not a fan of crab. You?"

"Nah." She scrunched up her nose. "Those legs."

I shuddered and rolled my shoulders. "Giant ocean spiders."

"Yes." She snickered and gave my hand a squeeze. "Are you hungry?"

"Very. How about you?"

"Yes. Do you like street food?"

"I legit live off street food."

"There are so many vegan food trucks now." She pointed ahead of us. "There's three in this tiny town."

"I noticed. I'm a stickler for the traditional stuff, too."

"Me too. On occasion anyway. What are you feeling today?"

"Hungry." I chuckled when I said it. "Totally open."

"I could go for falafel and hummus." She nodded toward the bright green truck to our right with pictures of Mediterranean dishes all over its side. "How about that?"

"Here for it."