Total pages in book: 103
Estimated words: 100713 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 504(@200wpm)___ 403(@250wpm)___ 336(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 100713 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 504(@200wpm)___ 403(@250wpm)___ 336(@300wpm)
“You don’t want breakfast?” Her expression was dismayed. “I’m making waffles.”
“Tempting, but I don’t have time this morning. I’ve been a little lax about work the past week, and I have to knock off a little early today so I can pick up my suit from the dry cleaner.”
“Let me do that for you,” she said. “I’m going to town anyway.”
“You don’t have to run my errands. You do enough.”
“Just text me a list—I’ll do them. I’m also going to do some laundry. If you put your dirty clothes in the laundry room, I’ll throw them in too.”
I shook my head. “Maddie, you don’t have to do my fucking laundry.”
“It’s selfish, I promise.” She came over and wrapped her arms around my waist, tipping her head back to look up at me. “It makes me feel good to do things for you. And I’m leaving soon.”
I kissed her, a little longer and deeper than I should have since Elliott could have walked into the kitchen at any moment, but my heart was doing that pounding thing, and it felt too good to stop.
When we heard quick little feet coming down the stairs, we pulled apart.
“Guess I’ll go wake Dad,” I said, adjusting the crotch of my jeans. “I hope he’s not ornery this morning. I don’t have time to fool around.”
“Tell him strata lady is cooking breakfast,” she said, laughing as she picked up her whisk again. “That’ll perk him right up.”
It was a long day out in the hot sun. Around three, I took a break for a cold drink but was disappointed to find the house empty and silent except for the sound of the dryer. On my way to the fridge, I saw a note on the counter.
Beautiful day, heading downtown and then to the beach. Wish you could be with us.
M
Maddie’s handwriting was strangely familiar. Looking at it, I recalled the small senior picture she’d given me. I’d read the back of it so many times, I’d memorized it.
Beckett, thank you so much for all the times you were there for me. You are a great friend, and you have the best blue eyes ever. I will miss you so much, please keep in touch! Love, Maddie
I’d given her a picture too, standing right by her locker after school one day, and she’d eagerly flipped it over to see what I’d written on the back. It made me chuckle now, thinking how her mouth had dropped open in outrage.
“What? No fair! You can’t give me a picture without writing on the back!”
“What am I supposed to write?”
“I don’t know. How you feel.”
How I felt? The back of that photo wasn’t nearly big enough.
But I grabbed a pen from my backpack and pulled a binder out to write on. She handed me the photo again and I turned it over, jotting down a few words.
Eagerly, she picked it up and read out loud. “Have a good summer. Beckett.” Her nose wrinkled as she looked up at me. “Really? That’s it?”
I laughed. “It’s more than I wrote on anyone else’s.”
“But isn’t there anything you’ll, like, remember about me?”
Was she kidding? There wasn’t anything I’d forget. “Sure.”
“Like what? Write it down.” She handed the photo over again, and I added something at the bottom.
Holding it up again by one corner, she read, “P.S. You always smell good.” Then she laughed as she tucked it into a pocket in her backpack. “I’ll take it. Thank you.”
Setting the note back on the counter, I headed outside again, smiling at the memory. Imagining her at the beach—playing in the sand with Elliott, chatting with my dad under a big umbrella, diving into the waves. Wishing I was with them.
Missing her, as always.
Later that night, after Elliott and my dad were both in bed, I took her hand and tugged her toward the front door. “Come with me.”
“Where are we going?” she asked as I led her outside.
“Not far.”
“I don’t even have shoes on.”
“You’re okay.”
While she’d been upstairs with Elliott, I’d pulled my dad’s old pickup out of the garage, spread out a few thick blankets over the empty bed, and tossed in a few pillows.
“What’s this?” She laughed softly as we approached the rusty old truck in the driveway.
“It’s a date.” I lowered the tailgate and offered her a hand. “Hop in.”
Smiling, Maddie took my hand and climbed into the cargo bed.
I got in after her and lay back on the pillows, one hand behind my head. “Now come here.”
Her smile grew even wider as she snuggled up to my side, tucking herself beneath my arm. “Are we camping out tonight?”
“Not the whole night. I just thought it would be nice to get out of the house for a while. I feel bad I can’t really take you anywhere.”
“Don’t. There’s no place I need to go. I just want to be with you.”