Page 131 of Sunset Catchers

“Win.” His tone is pure softness. I shook my head, wiping a stray tear. “Come here,” he orders me. I push myself from the side of the couch to lean down on top of Levi. There’s an inch of space between our faces.

“Why are you crying?”

“Because I will miss you. I’m already missing you. I got used to spending every day with you. But now, you’ll be six hours away.” More tears stream down my face, I’m sure leaving dark tracks of mascara behind. His warm hands cupped my jaw, his thumbs swiping my cheekbones.

“We’ll be fine. We’ll see each other all the time.”

“You promise?”

“I promise.”

Levi bridges the gap between us for a salt-stained kiss. My face is snuggling his neck next, Levi’s arms wrapping tightly around me while I sniffle the last of my sadness. Levi crawled under my skin and made his nest right into my heart. And I am nowhere ready to be an empty nester. I burrow deeper into him.

“My beautiful, sensitive, big-hearted girl.”

I manage a wobbly curve on my mouth.

“She’s got a hard shell, but she’s all soft tissues inside.”

He smooths a hand on my hair.

“She loves me, and she’s going to miss me.”

“So much.”

Levi holds me even tighter.

Levi brings me to the last spot on his list of favorite places.

I ate burgers at Harry’s and watched the sunset at his favorite beach. I tasted the best ice cream on the night of one of his favorite events of the year. We shared delicious homemade pies while I listened to him rattle on about how a lake can find itself on top of a mountain. I sipped coffees and drank cocktails at his best friend’s coffee shop/wine bar. We spent a rainy day in Kit’s tea room while we kissed each other senseless.

Now, we’re walking toward a small park that overlooks the shores of Lake Ontario as the sun is slowly setting over the water. My hand is tucked into Levi’s, as he leads the way.

“So this is it? The last place on your list?” I ask as we take on the paved walkway leading into the park. The sad/happy smile is on my lips.

“This is it,” he confirms.

“I’m glad you kept this place for last.”

“Yeah?”

“Yes. It’s perfect.”

We make our rounds of all the spots in the park where you can view the water; a random staircase that goes up to see the lake better, then we go down another staircase, where you can dip your toes in the water.

After, we each pick a seat at the swing set.

“You know, I’m a pro at swinging on my own. I could easily push myself since I was four years old,” I announce proudly.

“Oh, yeah?”

“Yup. My mom would never agree to push me, so I had to figure it out on my own.”

“I’ll push you,” he says immediately while getting up from his own swing to go behind mine.

“I’m all grown up now, Levi. I can do it on my own.”

He reaches for the lengths of steel chains and tugs until my back is to his front, my feet on the ground.