“Are you scared?”
“Terrified.” I let out a long breath. “I don’t know what to expect. It’s starting to feel like this is going to take forever to heal.”
“If it takes a lot longer than you thought, you could go to college.”
“You mean, like, take a gap year for basic training and go to college?”
“Something like that. Any coach would kill to have a speedster like you on campus.”
“I’ve never really thought of college. Not a huge fan of school.” I held up my hand. “Then again, a lot has changed. I’m sure scholarships are filled by now, anyway, but wouldn’t it be mean to the college to go for just one year? Is that even possible?”
“I have no idea. Just thinking out loud.”
“I just want to start basic. Preach, that’s all I’ve ever wanted to do.”
My heart rate fluttered to race pace for a second, and I pulled in a deep breath, hoping it’d calm down. It’d been doing that a lot lately, and it was kinda freaking me out. Mom had said it was most likely stress. Whatever it was, I sure didn’t like how it felt.
“I know.” Preach threaded his fingers with mine. “It’ll work out.”
It has to work out. It absolutely has to.We sat there in silence for several minutes.
A fish flopped in the water, sending large rings rippling from the center of the lake.
“I want to tell you something, but I’m not sure how,” Preach said, staring out over the lake.
“What?” My stomach flipped. I couldn’t tell by his face if it was a good thing or bad. “Is everything okay?”
His shoulders slumped. “I was being selfish by suggesting you do college first,” he said. “I want you to stay here, in Woodhaven. Not go into the Air Force.”
How could he say that? It was my dream.
“I’m sorry. I know that’s a really selfish thing to want.”
“You know how important it is to me. To my family. For…Emmett.”
“I know.” He stood up and shoved his hands in his front pockets. “I just…I really, really like you.”
He audibly gulped and faced the lake. He was standing a few feet in front of me, so I couldn’t see his face. My heart hammered and my palms went sweaty.
“I like you, too.” And I did, a lot. But that didn’t change the fact that I was enlisted and would leave for basic training as soon as I was ready.
He kicked at the grass and twigs on the ground before him. I got up and wove my arms around his waist. It must have been difficult to tell me what he was thinking.
He really was the sweetest guy alive.
“I know I’m a selfish jerk for wanting you to stay back.” He kissed the top of my head.
“You’re not a selfish jerk.” I leaned back. “I really like you, too.”
He smiled, but it didn’t light up his sweet eyes. He really did like me as much as I liked him, didn’t he? Hell, I might even love him. Did he love me, though? And would that even change anything if we did say the three words?
I pushed up to my tip-toes, then wove my arms around his neck. Pulling him toward me, I brushed my lips against his. “Thank you.”
“For what?” he asked, breathlessly.
“For being so sweet,” I said before crushing my lips against his.
Preach kissed me back with an intensity that I’d never experienced before. His lips moved from my mouth to my jawbone, sending shivers down my spine.