Page 58 of Resisting the Fall

“I’m not worried.” I couldn’t quite muster the same energy as before. “Do you know when you leave?”

“The middle of August.”

Five months.

That’s all the time I had before Maven and I would spend a majority of the next four years apart.

But it was going to be okay.

Because it had to be.

And with the extra time I’d have, I’d be able to really focus on learning my trade. As well as remodeling the house I planned to buy once I got enough for a down payment. Plus there was always the farm. Dad would never say no to an extra set of hands.

See? I’d have plenty to keep myself busy until Maven came home.

“So, five months,” she said, repeating my own calculation.

“Well, if that’s the case, there’s no time to waste.” I was going to ensure these were the most memorable months of Maven’s life. I needed her to miss Autumn Ridge as much as I’d miss her being here. “Starting with this celebration of yours. Where to first?”

“The Maple Bar for burgers, then Keller’s for sticky buns.”

“Obviously.”

She smiled. “Then we can head back to my house to see if my mom’s awake. And I’m sure your parents would also like to hear the news.”

“Undeniably.” I lifted a hand to her neck, tracing my thumb downward along it to the bit of collarbone peeking out from beneath her sweater. “Anything else?”

She gave a contended sigh and leaned into my touch. “Want to take a drive later and see where we end up?”

“You read my mind.”

Tate approached the tractor I was operating, waving his arms above his head. I settled the bale of hay into place, then turned off the motor and stuck my head out the window. “Do you need something?”

“I’ll take over. Mom needs you up at the house.”

I’d just been up there less than an hour ago. “Why?”

Tate shrugged. “She didn’t say.”

I climbed down, exchanging places with Tate, then headed across the field. I had my gaze on the dirt path when I heard footsteps quickly approaching. I glanced up just in time to see Maven bounding toward me. She leaped into my arms, wrapping her legs around my waist and kissing me in a way that made me hope my mom wasn’t watching. Not that I’d stop her for anything.

“What are you doing here?” I asked when she eventually broke our kiss. “I thought you were coming home on Saturday.”

“I finished my mid-terms early and wanted to surprise you.” She bit at her lip. “Were you surprised?”

“Clearly.” I wrapped my arms more tightly around her and pulled her to me so her lips were against mine again.

“I missed you,” she said between kisses.

At the reminder of how long we’d been apart, a strange surge of emotion lodged in my chest, making it difficult to speak. The last two months had been the longest of my life. I didn’t even realize I could miss someone so much.

She pulled back slightly and dropped her chin. “This is where you tell me how much you missed me.”

“You know I missed you.”

“But I want to hear you say it.”

I grinned. “I missed you, Maven. Every minute you were away from me, I missed you.”