Page 32 of If the Summer Lasted Forever
CHAPTER TWENTY-NINE
The best thing about graduating high school is that my afternoons are now free to stalk the mailman. I wait until he’s gone, and then I hurry to the box.
I’ve become obsessed with checking the mail. You wouldn’t believe the places I’ve been to in Landon’s cards—the California coast, the Balloon Fiesta in Albuquerque, and state parks in Texas where trees drip with Spanish moss and alligators sun themselves on walking trails.
Every week like clockwork, a new card shows up. Every week, I fall a little more in love.
I have forty cards, and right there on top of a stack of bills and credit card applications sits number forty-one. I open it eagerly, hoping with all my heart the Tillmans have changed their course and are coming back this way.
Before I pull out the card, something else slips out. I read it, wondering what in the world Landon’s sent me.
And then I brace myself with a hand on the mailbox. It’s a plane ticket to Florida.
Landon’s bought me a plane ticket.
With shaking hands, I pull out the card. Landon’s once again on a beach, just like in the very first card, but this time, he’s by himself.
When I flip the card over, it’s blank. The usual letter is missing as well.
“I couldn’t figure out a clever way to ask you to join me,” an achingly familiar voice says from behind me. “So, I figured I’d just deliver this one myself.”
I whirl around, clutching the plane ticket and card to my chest.
He’s here.
Right here.
In Colorado.
“Landon,” I breathe, overwhelmed.
He shows me a matching ticket. “I have one too, in case you’re wondering. I figured we could fly together.”
I throw myself at him, clutching him so tightly, I’m not sure he can breathe. “What are you doing here?”
“Are you kidding?” he says against my hair. “Gray Jay is the happening place to be in the summer. Don’t you know that?”
I breathe him in, savoring his soap and laundry detergent scent.
“Will you come with me?” he asks, his voice softer and a tad bit hesitant.
“To Florida?” I ask.
He nods. “My family is there too. They miss you. Caleb’s been looking for the fountain of youth.”
I laugh, surprised he thinks I might turn him down. “Yes, Landon. I will go to Florida with you.”
“Unless you’d rather go cave spelunking than lie on a sunny beach.” He graces me with a rotten grin. “I know how much you enjoy that sort of thing.”
I pull back so I can meet his eyes. “Honestly, I’d even go explore caves with you. I’m so glad you’re here.”
“I missed you.” He brushes his knuckle against my cheek.
“I have a whole stack of postcards with photographic proof that I’ve been with you the whole time.”
“You have been.” His grin turns crooked, and he taps his chest. “Right here.”
“That was the cheesiest line ever.” But I laugh despite myself.
He pulls me against him. “But did it work?”
“Yeah, kinda.”
Before he beats me to it, I wrap my hand around his neck, pull him closer, and kiss him.
“Have you figured out where you want to go to school?” he asks, letting himself get distracted by trivial life decisions.
“Nope.” I tug him back.
“Do you think we should talk about that?”
“Eventually.”
He finally gives in, and we forget about school and responsibilities.
We’ll deal with all that later. Right now, all I know is Landon’s here, and I’m not going to let him slip away again.
After a few moments, he jerks as if remembering something and digs his phone out of his pocket. “I almost forgot.”
He holds it up, capturing the two of us in the frame.
“What are you doing?” I ask, grinning at the image of the two of us together.
“Isn’t it obvious?” He kisses me again and snaps the picture. “It’s for next week’s postcard.”