A round of agreements go around. Maisy and Thea hand out sandwiches from a huge picnic basket. Laughter echoes off the treetops as we eat and enjoy the summer day. Gemma breaks out a camera and captures it all.
When the sun begins to dip lower, Maisy nudges me. “We should hit the road soon. I want to watch the sunset before we get to our first Airbnb.”
The plan is to hop from rentals in the towns we pass through to camping in national parks as we meander our way to the west coast.
“Already?” Thea gives Maisy a sad smile. “I’m going to miss you.”
“I’m going to California, I’m not dying, babe, jesus.” Maisy wraps her in a bear hug until they tip over into the grass. The other two girls join the dog pile of affection. “I promise to keep up with the group chats. Instagram and text.”
“Chase your dreams hard,” Thea mumbles from somewhere in the mix of girls tangled together.
“You bet,” Maisy says. “There’s nothing holding me back from myself now.”
“You’re going to have the best damn time,” Gemma says.
“FaceTime us if you get service in the parks at night?” Blair asks, glancing from Maisy to Devlin. “I’d love to see what the stars look like out there.”
He gives her this private smile that puts color in her cheeks.
“All the things,” Maisy agrees, getting up and dusting off her cropped leggings.
My heart stutters at the sight of her, with grass sticking to her braids and one of my t-shirts knotted in the front so it shows off a strip of her taut stomach she’s stunning. And mine.
After another round of goodbyes, we walk hand in hand to the line of cars by the edge of the clearing. The couples trail behind us, each with their arms around their partners. Maisy waves back at her friends and I follow suit, lifting a hand.
Maisy meets my eye and hooks her fingers in the belt loops of my jeans, luring me close for a kiss. I give her what she wants.
As a group, her friends give us a loud coyote howl that devolves into laughter.
“Ready?” I ask.
The curve of her smile is full of excitement. “So ready.”
Framing her face between my hands, I kiss her again. “Good.”
We climb on the bike and a f
lutter moves through my chest. This is it. Her arms slip around me and she squeezes my waist, resting her chin on my shoulder.
“Take me on an adventure,” she whispers.
Grinning, I rev the rumbling engine and run my fingers over the braided leather bracelet carrying stones I gave her. She used to say the same exact thing when we played on our street as kids.
“Hold on tight, baby.”
Her arms tighten and I gun it, taking us onto the road that will cross over the Rockies. The sun shines down in golden rays.
As we cross over the mountain range, Maisy lets out an elated cheer at the top of her lungs.
This is everything I want—the open road, my wild daisy girl wrapped around me, and the wind kissing our cheeks.
Epilogue
MAISY
2 Months Later
Summer is drawing to a close, but when we reach the west coast it feels like it will never end, keeping us in a perpetual bubble of sunshine and golden warmth. The beach I picked out on the map is deserted. I relish the sound of waves crashing and the taste of salt air on my tongue. I’ve missed this.