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Ryan dropped everything and then helped me set up the chairs and the blanket and everything else.

“I’m going to take a swim. Come with me?” Ryan asked, holding her hand out to me. I’d already sat down and pulled out my latest book, the professor/student romance.

“I’m coming to stick my feet in to soak up the ocean essence and then ogle you as you swim. Deal?”

Ryan laughed. “That works for me.”

The water wasn’t any warmer than I expected it to be, so I was not submerging my entire body in it. Ryan stayed with me at the edge of the waves until I pushed her to get in and swim. She did, and I marveled at her as she did her ocean laps and I just…stood there, watching this astonishing creature who somehow wanted to spend time with me. This summer didn’t start out this way, but here I was, and I realized that I didn’t just want this summer with her. I wanted fall, with apple picking and carving pumpkins with my parents. I wanted winter, with snowball fights I would lose and hot cocoa and books by the fireplace. I wanted spring with planting dozens of wildflowers that I’d pick for her. And then summer again, with beach days and sunburns and burgers on the grill.

I wanted it all.

“You okay?” Ryan said as she waded out of the water and I held her towel up for her.

“I’m great,” I said, my voice a little choked.

Ryan shook her head like a dog and I screamed and darted away. She didn’t let me get far before she picked me up and spun me around kissing me mercilessly.

“Come on, let’s go find some wishing rocks,” she said, taking my hand and dragging me down the sand.

Ryan walked next to me as we searched for rocks, but I was too busy having a mental breakdown over the fact that I was completely and totally in love with her.

This was terrible. I loved her and she was going to leave me here. I couldn’t tell her. I shouldn’t tell her. She could never know. Ryan could move on with her life and she would never know.

“Look,” she said, pressing a rock into my hand. “It has two rings. How about we each get a wish?”

I didn’t want wishes. I wanted her. I looked up into her face and remembered that I’d already wished for her once. I guess I hadn’t been specific enough because I’d wished to have her and I had, but I wasn’t going to have her forever. Curse you, wish parameters.

Ryan put her hand over mine, so the rock was sandwiched between our palms.

“Make your wish,” she said, steeping close to me.

“You first,” I said, looking up into her eyes. They were full of such rich intensity that I felt like I was going to cry.

I loved her. I loved her so much.

“There’s only one thing I want,” she said.

“What’s that?” I asked, trying not to clench my hand around the rock.

She inhaled. “You. I want you, Everly.”

“Me?” I said, blinking once.

“Yes, you. I love you. I want to be with you, and not just for the summer. I want to be us. Forever.”

The rock dug into my palm as she held my hand tightly.

“I love you,” she said again.

This couldn’t be real. Was this really happening?

“What is it?” she asked, and I could feel her trembling.

“I wished for you,” I said. “I wished for you at the beginning and I didn’t think I’d ever have you. Are you sure?”

Ryan stared at me as if I was joking. “Of course, I’m sure. I love you.”

“But I live here, in Arrowbridge. You hate it here.”