Some Hearts

by Meg Jolie

  “I guess so,” I finally said. I pushed away from his car. My lips still tingled from the mini-make-out session we’d just enjoyed. “At least I have you all to myself tomorrow.”

  His fingers slid from mine and he wrapped his arm around my shoulders instead, pulling me in for a tight sideways hug as we walked. “I am so looking forward to that. Are you sure you don’t want to give me a hint?”

  “I did give you a hint. I told you to pack an overnight bag.” As far as what we were doing, where we were going, that was a surprise.

  The field was already scattered with classmates, both graduated seniors and a sprinkling of juniors. The sun had set and the flames of the fire lit up the night. Music blasted from Drew’s car. A few people were already stumbling, in need of being cut off.

  “There’s Riley,” I pointed out. She was standing with Kira. Renee had already left for school on the other side of the country. “I’m going to go talk to her.”

  “I’m going to look for Drew.” He leaned over to kiss my cheek. Then we went our separate ways.

  Riley didn’t notice me coming until I was just a few feet away. She turned to me with a miserable look on her face. Looking at her was a lot like looking at myself. We were nearly the same height and close the same build. Our facial features varied some. My face was narrower, her eyes were wider. She had a dusting of freckles across her nose but they were almost invisible under her make-up. However, we shared the same green eye color and long, blond hair. The biggest difference was that hers was naturally straight and sleek. Mine was wavy, almost curly. Our moms were sisters but Riley and I could easily pass for sisters as well.

  “What’s wrong?” My eyes bounced from one fried to the other, waiting for an answer.

  She blinked a few times and then fanned her hand over her eyes. I knew the gesture. It meant I will not cry.

  “Jared,” she finally managed to squeak out.

  I should’ve guessed. I glanced over my shoulder and spotted her ex, Jared, who was half hidden by shadows. He clearly wasn’t alone and he was very, very busy.

  They’d broken up months ago but her Jared detecting radar was still functioning a little too well.

  Kira raised her glass to me. “I’m going to go get a refill. I’ll be right back.”

  I nodded and returned my attention to Riley.

  “You know,” she said, her tears fading and her anger flaming to life, “I get that our break-up was mutual. It didn’t make sense for us to even try maintaining a relationship. So why the hell does it still hurt so much to see him?”

  The answer was simple. “Because you, my dear, sweet friend, are a good person.”

  And Jared? He’s an asswipe. Always had been, probably always would be. His only redeeming quality was that he hadn’t cheated on Riley. While that should simply be expected of a boyfriend, Riley had a horrible knack for dating cheaters.

  So if I had to give him credit for anything, sadly, it was that. Otherwise the guy was completely lacking in tact or manners of any sort.

  That didn’t stop him from landing himself a full ride scholarship for football. He made sure that everyone was aware of that. What he usually tried to leave out was that he would be playing for some small, God-forsaken university up north, in the middle of nowhere. The town was so indiscriminate, that none of us had even heard of it.

  My thought on the matter was simple: Good riddance.

  “He could at least try to be decent,” Riley continued to fume. It was a small consolation that at least her tears had faded. “I mean, after this weekend, he could screw every willing skank in a two-thousand mile radius and I would never have to know. Instead, he’s here, dry-humping Janessa in front of the entire graduating class. Who does that?”

  I knew it was a rhetorical question. One I was so very tempted to answer. I also knew it was best to let it go. I bit my bottom lip between my teeth in an effort to keep my mouth shut.

  “If he’s going to have one final…fling with anyone in this town, it should be me.” She took a wobbly step forward. I reached out, latching onto her arm.

  “No. No-no-n-o-o-o,” I chanted. I plucked the beer bottle from her hand. She scowled at me. “Give me the pissed-off face all night long if you want to. But you will be thanking me for this in the morning.”

  “She’s right,” Kira said as she joined us again. She handed me a glass. I knew I probably wouldn’t drink it, but I was good at pretending.

  “I know,” Riley finally relented.

  “We can’t all have guys as sweet as Noah,” Kira teased.

  “Sure you can. You just haven’t met the right guys yet,” I said. Honestly, I didn’t exactly believe my own words. No other guy was as sweet as Noah. I was lucky to have him.

  “I can’t believe the two of you are going to be apart this year,” Kira said. “That’s going to be so hard.”

  It wasn’t the first time she’d made the comment. The comment itself didn’t bother me. What I didn’t like was the implication behind her tone. ‘So hard’…sounded like too hard. Too hard to make it through. This was the time of year when couples were splitting up, ready to go their separate ways.

  Kira and her boyfriend had just decided to call it quits. I was pretty sure it hadn’t been her choice. I got the impression she was jealous that Noah and I were determined to make our relationship work.

  “It’s going to suck,” I agreed. “But we’ve got a plan. We’ll be fine. We’ve already marked dates on the calendar. We’ll see each other once a month. It’s not ideal. But we’ll make it work.”

  “If anyone can make it work, it’s you two,” Riley assure me.

  Kira raised her eyebrows and made a face that said she wasn’t so sure. “I don’t know. That’s a lot to ask of anyone.”

  “Kira!” Riley hissed.

  She shrugged. “I’m just saying. I’d never send a guy off to a college, full of girls, another state away and expect him not to stray.”

  I stared at her a second, stunned by her words. I knew she was definitely pissed that she’d been dumped, but she didn’t need to take it out on me.

  “Thanks for the vote of confidence,” I said sarcastically. “It means a lot to me.”

  Usually, Kira and I got along just fine, though she was more Renee’s friend than mine. But every now and then her catty side made an appearance.

  “Why are you standing here talking to me?” Riley asked as she gave me a nudge. “I’m the one that’s sticking around. You can see me whenever you want.” The same wasn’t true for Kira. She was leaving in the morning. None of us bothered to point that out.

  As for Riley, she’d chosen to stay in Ashton too. I knew I’d be seeing plenty of her over the next school year.

  “Go on. You should be spending time with Noah,” Riley urged again.

  “She’s right. Tick-tock,” Kira sang. “Your time together is counting down.”

  That was all the urging I needed. I moved away from them, easily finding Noah in the crowd. He was standing with Drew and a girl I vaguely recognized. I was pretty sure she was a junior. I wasn’t sure if they were dating or if she was just Drew’s pick of the night. I didn’t know. I didn’t much care.

  Noah glanced up as I neared them. A smile immediately lit up his face. The light of the bonfire danced across his skin, making it glow. It made his eyes sparkle and my heart skipped a few beats. After two years together, he still had that affect on me.

  “Hey, you,” he said as I slid up next to him. “I was hoping you’d make your way back to me.”

  He slipped his arm around my waist. I melted into his side. He and Drew were talking baseball, as usual. I didn’t try to be a part of the conversation. I didn’t need to be. Right now, I was happy just being next to Noah.

  Because Kira was right.

  Tick-tock…our time together was counting down.

  Chapter TWO

  “Are you sure you and Ty will be okay tonight?” I asked.

  Mom frowned at me, offended by the ques
tion. I didn’t care. I felt I had the right to ask it anyway.

  “We’ll be just fine. Thank you,” she said curtly.

  I wasn’t sure what I’d have done if she’d said no. There was no way I was going to cancel my plans for tonight. I guess I wasn’t really asking for her benefit. It was for my own. To give myself some peace of mind that Tyler would be watched after.

  “I won’t have my cell phone on,” I said. “So if you need anything…,” I shrugged, not sure what else to say.

  “I’m perfectly capable of taking care of Tyler. I’m his mother.” She went back to kneading her bread dough.

  “Good,” I said. “Because I don’t want to come home and find out that he had to take care of you.”

  I heard her pull in a sharp breath but I made my way out of the kitchen before she responded. I would have to take her at her word. I would have to trust that she would keep herself together tonight for Tyler’s sake.

  I ran up the steps to tell him goodbye.

  “I’m leaving bud,” I said.

  He glanced up from the racetrack he had spread out on his floor.

  “Hug?”

  He scrambled to his feet.

  Unlike most kids his age, he didn’t try to get away from my hugs and kisses. With Dad and Evan gone from our lives, he seemed to crave all of the affection and attention he could get.

  “I’m going to have my phone off tonight, but you know where Riley’s number is, in case you need it, right?”

  His little brow furrowed. “Why would I need it? Isn’t Mom going to be here?”

  “Of course she is,” I said as I patted his hair down. “But you never know. It’s always good to have a number to call. You know. Just in case.” I silently pleaded for him not to ask Just in case what?

  Someone must’ve heard my plea. Or maybe after what had happened to Evan, he was far too acquainted with the notion of an unexpected emergency.

  He nodded. “Riley’s number is taped to the side of your dresser. Aunt Aubrey’s number is there too.”

  I leaned over and kissed his forehead. “Good memory. I’ll see you tomorrow afternoon. You be good tonight. Keep Mom in line,” I tried to joke.

  “I will.” He gave me a small wave and then dropped to his knees again, already mentally absorbed in his race.

  When I was done with my goodbye to him, I went to my room. My overnight bag was on my bed, packed and ready to go. Noah was spending the morning with his family. I supposed it was only fair that I share him. I was anxious for my night alone with him, but I was dreading it too. I knew it was going to be over in no time at all.

  Then it would be weeks before I saw him again.

  I grabbed the bag off of my bed, waved to Tyler who was lying on his floor, a racecar in each hand, and then I left without saying goodbye to Mom.

  The ride to Noah’s was only ten minutes or so. It was a route I’d driven probably hundreds of times over the last few years. I parked my car at the curb.

  I pushed a smile onto my face. I wasn’t going to cry. I just wasn’t. Noah had been my rock. He’d supported me and sheltered me the best he could. When Dad had walked out without warning, I thought my whole world had collapsed. I’d been a wreck.

  At the time, I’d had no way of knowing that would be nothing compared to the death of my brother. Noah had supported me through all of it. He’d been there during my crying fits and pity parties after Dad had taken off. He’d held my hand and held me as I sobbed after Evan’s death. He never left my side the day of the funeral, and rarely left it in the weeks…maybe even months that followed.

  He’d been dreaming of going to Hudson for as long as I could remember.

  I hated the thought of us being apart but I was happy that he was getting to follow his dream. I didn’t want to ruin that for him. Not if I could help it. So I’d plaster on a smile now and wallow in my sorrow later.

  Before I could get out of my car, Noah opened the front door and lumbered down the sidewalk toward me. I’d told him I had a surprise planned. The only hint I’d given him was that he needed to plan to spend the next twenty-four hours with me.

  He was lugging along a duffel bag so it looked as though he had listened.

  Noah peppered me with questions as I drove. Luckily, the Timber Bay Lodge was just on the edge of town. It was a posh resort, perfect for tonight.

  When I turned my blinker on, after the sign came into view, he’d protested. He insisted that we could go somewhere less expensive, but I quickly shot him down.

  I’d been planning this night for a while. When I begged him to just let me do this, and not to ruin it, he’d finally relented. I made him sit in the car when I went inside to check in and pay. Another round of protests started up again when he realized that we weren’t staying in a room in the lodge.

  I’d gotten us a cabin instead.

  “I can’t believe you did this.” His duffel bag dropped to the floor as he walked to the wall of windows. The windows of the cabin overlooked the lake. The view was breathtaking. “This must’ve cost you a fortune,” he said with a small frown as he turned to face me.

  If by ‘small fortune’ he meant several hundred bucks for the night, he was right. Mom owned a high-scale, second-hand store for infant and toddler items. During the summer, I’d worked at Tiny Tots Boutique nearly full-time. I had put away quite a bit of money. I had known I wanted to splurge on a special night for Noah, but I also wanted to have enough money saved so that I wouldn’t have to work much during the school year.

  I wanted to be able to concentrate on my studies.

  “If you like it, it was worth every penny,” I said as I walked over to him. I slid my arms around his waist and looked up at him.

  He grinned back at me.

  “It’s amazing. But I should’ve been the one to think of it.”

  I shook my head. “You’re always doing things for me. I really wanted the chance to do something for you. I wanted our last night together to be something we wouldn’t forget.”

  The cabin I’d chosen was private, with its own strip of beach. It would’ve been less expensive to stay in the lodge, but I wanted absolute privacy.

  That was something we had very little of since we both still lived at home. Until I’d gotten my rejection letter, we’d planned on getting an apartment together when we left for Hudson. Now, he’d decided to live in the dorms. I’d decided to stay at home. I wanted to save my money for when we could be together and I’d really need it.

  But I wanted us to have tonight.

  Alone.

  “Did I make the right choice?” Noah murmured. His mouth was next to my ear as he nuzzled my hair. “Because I really feel like I didn’t.”

  He was leaving tomorrow afternoon. It was far too late to start questioning our choice now. I knew that. He knew it too. I also knew he wasn’t really asking. He simply wanted my reassurance.

  I cupped his cheeks in my hands. “Noah, we’ll be fine. It’s only for a year. No, not even a year. Nine months.”

  He nodded, and then smiled as he pushed away all trace of doubt. I knew then that I wasn’t the only one that wanted to make the most of tonight. No moping. No sadness. No fretting about tomorrow.

  “Let’s go have some fun,” I suggested.

  “It looks like there’s a lot to do around here,” he said.

  There was. That was another reason I’d chosen this resort. I wanted our time together to be fun. I wanted to build memories that would carry us through the next month, until Noah’s first planned visit.

  I grabbed his hand. “With the lake right out front, there’s a lot we can do. We can check out jet skis or paddle boats at the lodge. There are trails to hike on.”

  “Actually, I think I’d like to take a swim in the lake,” Noah decided.

  “Then that’s what we’ll do.”

  ***

  By the end of the day, we’d checked out just about every amenity that the resort had to offer. We’d used the jet skis, we’d gone for a hike
, but mostly, we’d bobbed around in the lake. It had been the perfect way to fight the heat of the day.

  We’d made one trip up to the lodge, to the restaurant. We’d eaten pasta on the patio.

  When the sun finally set and the bugs became a nuisance, we finally came inside. I insisted that Noah shower before me. I assumed he’d take less time than I would, and I was right. As soon as he came out, looking delectable in nothing but a towel, I’d hurried into the bathroom myself.

  I was anxious and nervous about tonight.

  Though we’d been together a long time, sex was a relatively new thing for us. A complete lack of privacy contributed to that. But mostly, it was Noah. I had been a mess after my dad left. I’d been absolutely wrecked after Evan’s death. Noah insisted he didn’t want to take advantage of me. It was a chivalrous thought but completely unnecessary. I wanted to be with him.

  When we’d finally decided that the time was right, months after my birth control was deemed effective, we’d finally gotten our chance. Noah’s parents had gone to a dinner party. We had known they would be out late.

  I wished I could say that our first time had been earth shattering.

  Sweet and mutually awkward was probably more fitting. We’d improved since then, taking private moments when we could find them.

  However, I’d never spent the night with Noah before. I’d never awakened in his arms. I wanted to. That’s why tonight was so important to me.

  I quickly finished showering, scrubbing off the grime of the lake water and the muggy day.

  I didn’t want to take the time to blow dry my hair. I brushed it out and then hastily wrangled it into a messy knot. I pulled on my short, silk, cream colored nightgown I’d purchased for tonight. It had thin straps and barely hung mid-thigh. The neckline hung low, leaving little to the imagination.

  Noah was in the bedroom, right on the other side of the door. I was anxious to join him. When I walked into the room he was sitting on the edge of the bed. He glanced up when he heard the door open. He was wearing nothing more than boxers as he scrubbed at his hair with a towel. I didn’t waste any time walking over to him.