"Damn straight," I said unapologetically.
I really was appreciative for the paid position. After the hurricane, with all the cleanup duty, I'd been able to chip away all but a hundred hours of my community service. Mitch ended up writing a letter to the judge like Josh said he might do and got me off the hook for the rest. I think he reassured the judge that I would be mindful of the environment from here on out. He was right.
"Just a few more days of freedom before school starts," Josh said.
"I know, but at least you'll be there, and Farrah too," I said, watching as the sun slowly set in the horizon. The air around us came alive as twilight approached. Nighttime was a noisy affair in Florida with the cicadas chirping and other bugs buzzing in the trees. Thanks to Josh's influence I was learning not to be so afraid of bugs. Not that I wanted them anywhere near me, but at least I didn't want to burn the house down every time I saw one. "Are we going to be late?" I asked as we made our way to his truck.
"Nope, we still have time."
"Why won't you tell me where we're going?" I asked for the millionth time.
"Because, Ms. Nosey, it's a surprise. You only get to celebrate your two-month anniversary once."
It was hard to believe that only two months had passed since Hurricane Alexia wreaked havoc on our community and claimed two lives in the process. Only now were things truly getting back to normal. I thought about Evan sometimes, still believing that deep down he was probably a good person who was just looking for acceptance. I may be in the minority with my opinion, especially if you asked Josh, but if he truly thought about it, he would see my point. Evan and Josh came from different worlds, but both had rough relationships with their parents. I had my own issues with Butch and Buttercup that, fortunately, we had talked about and were working through. Even Farrah's struggle to gain acceptance from Leslie and Paris, in spite of her parents' chosen career, was similar. We all shared a common bond in spite of our varied backgrounds.
Evan's family ended up making a sizable donation to the Turtle Bay Beach Beautification Project in Larry's name. It was a nice gesture that in no way made up for his family's loss, but made me wonder if Evan's dad had finally realized he lost something important. Maybe now Evan could rest in peace.
"I don't think many people celebrate two-month anniversaries," I teased Josh as we climbed into his truck.
"That's because most couples don't go through everything we had to go through. We survived a lot of obstacles to get where we are."
"Now who sounds like a Hallmark card?" I asked. He was right though. We had gone through a lot. "I bet you're glad you yelled at me that first day."
He scoffed. "Are you going to hold that over my head forever?"
I snorted. "Maybe. Is that where you think this is headed? Forever?" I knew it was just a figure of speech, but I liked teasing him.
He smiled, looking straight ahead like he was carefully pondering his answer. "You tell me. You already know how passionate I get about the things I love. I mean, we met because I yelled at you over baby sea turtles, as you like to keep pointing out."
I smiled at how happy he sounded, and he had a point. He had passion, and I loved that about him. Every day with Josh was an adventure. He had a gift for sharing his passions in a way that made you appreciate them for yourself. Because of his enthusiasm, I was able to discover a joy for my surroundings that I had never considered.
"What are your parents up to tonight?" he asked.
I laughed. "They're reading more of my stories. They haven't put them down since I offered them over. I only wish I would have found the courage to show them before now." I leaned across the bench to squeeze his hand. It was Josh's encouragement that led me to show Butch and Buttercup my stories. He assured me they would find them as enjoyable as he had.
He smiled smugly. "Told you."
"It is a bit embarrassing, though. Butch already talked to Farrah's dad. He has it in his head that the stories I wrote about this summer would make a great series. It's insanity."
"Why insanity?" he asked, pulling his truck off the side of the road.
"This is the anniversary surprise?" I asked, seeing nothing but a few houses spread out sporadically along the beach. I recognized it though. This was the beach where we had watched the turtles hatch.
"You'll see," he said, tugging on a lock of my hair lightly. "Why is it insane?" he added, repeating his earlier question.
"Because I'm still in school, for one. And two, because my dad is trying to shove my writing on my friend's author parents."
"Age doesn't define you. If writing is your passion, you should pursue it. You may think I'm biased too, but I'm telling you, your writing is ageless," he said, grabbing a picnic basket out of the bed of his truck.
I smiled widely. A nighttime picnic on the beach seemed like a fitting way to commemorate our anniversary. This was one of a million reasons why he was the perfect boyfriend. He knew how to make a girl swoon. Josh handed me the flashlight so I could shine it on the ground as we walked. We held hands as we made our way to the sandy beach that was only lit by the moon and stars. Josh laid out the blanket while I held the light before sitting down with the basket.
"Now for the most important part," he said, pulling me into his arms.
"You're awfully cocky about the power of your lips," I joked lamely since my nerves had taken over.
He cupped my face in his hands. "Are you nervous?"
"What makes you think I'm nervous?" Truthfully, I wanted to tell him something, but I was waiting for the right moment.