Page 219 of Burning Daylight

Merrick’s trying to convince Alex that opening a theater-coffee hybrid would make him hemorrhage money.

Felicity’s scrolling through a menu, even though the only food they have here is already half eaten on the table.

And Juliette’s leaned against my side, her head resting just below my shoulder, a soft smile tugging at her lips like the world’s finally righted itself enough to let her breathe.

For the first time in a long time, I’m not thinking about what’s coming next.

I’m just here.

Withher. With family.

The only person I’m missing now is Brooke. She’s still in Cali, doing her own thing, although she said she’s looking into VU as a potential college. Something about their Comparative Literature program being one of the top in the nation.

I close my eyes, wrap my arms tighter around Juliette, and breathe her in like she’s the only thing I’ve ever known.

Somewhere across the room, a glass drops. Someone shouts too loud. The guitar player singing on the stage fumbles over a chord.

The world keeps turning.

But this feeling?

This isours.

And I’ll spend forever painting it across the sky.