“What about you?” I cover his knee with my hand. “You’re really thinking of staying?”
“Yeah. The last week has been hard. I feel like I’m on an emotional roller coaster, and I don’t know if I can keep my head in the game on the court and in school. If I had to go today, I couldn’t. It’s too fresh. One minute I’m okay. The next minute, something triggers a memory of him and I’m a wreck.”
I take his hand in mine. “You’re grieving. It’s natural.”
“I know. But you’re right.” He sets the puppy next to him. “Maybe I take the rest of the semester off and go back next semester.”
“What did Dad say to you?”
He flattens our palms together, then slips his fingers between mine. “He told me to follow my heart and do what’s best for me.”
“Wise man.”
“I agree.” He smiles crookedly.
“So what do we do?”
“I don’t know, Parker. All I know is whatever I do or wherever I go, I want it to be with you. If I wake up tomorrow still unsure about what I want to do, I’m calling Coach and asking for another week.”
“Buying some time?”
“Sanity.” He brings our intertwined hands to his chest and places my hand over his heart. “You are my heart, Parker. Always.”
He sits up and runs his free hand up my face. Our lips meet and I shudder inside. I slide my hand up his chest and around his neck. He breaks contact and pulls away.
“What?” I ask.
“Arissa and Damian are waiting for us.”
“Right. You distracted me.”
CHAPTER SEVENTY-FIVE
Jason lays out the blanket and we sit facing the ocean. He called his coach this morning, saying he needed another week. Then, he called me, wanting to go to the beach.
He strips off his shirt and tosses it to the side. “Do my back?” he asks, handing me a bottle of sunscreen.
I squeeze some lotion into the palm of my hand and work it into his back until I can’t see any trace.
He takes the bottle. “Your turn.”
I slip off my tank top and skirt, turning my back to him. His warm hands work the sunscreen in methodically from my neck to the top of my bikini bottom. He winds his arms around me when he finishes. I cozy up to him and rest my arms on his legs.
Nothing needs to be said. You can say just as much in the silences with each other as you can with words. Our silences are filled with the ease of our friendship, the comfort we bring each other, and love.
He rummages around in his backpack with one hand. Unable to find what he’s searching for, he uses both hands. I twist around out of curiosity.
“No peeking,” he says.
I twist further.
He uses both hands to turn my head towards the ocean. “It’s a surprise.”
“J—“
“Shhh. Watch the waves,” he orders, digging through his backpack again.
The waves come in long sets of three. Taking their time, then spilling onto shore as if sighing with pleasure.
The rustling stops and his arms are around me again. I settle back into him.
“I meant what I said last night about wanting to be with you,” he reminds me.
“I know you did.”
“No, I really mean it, Parker. The only certainty in my life right now is I always want to be with you.” He opens up his left hand and picks something out of it with his right index finger and thumb.
The sun glares in my eyes and I squint, but it doesn’t help. I grab his wrist and pull it to my face. He’s holding a platinum ring with emeralds set on either side of a diamond.
My heart races and flutters. I turn halfway around to Jason, with serious, but shining eyes.
“I want to be with you always and forever, Parker. Will you marry me?”
“Yes!” I answer without hesitation.
His half-cocked grin breaks up one side of his face and he slides the ring on my finger. It slips on too easy.
“We can take it to get sized this week.”
“It’s beautiful.”
“It’s the ring Dad gave to Mom when he proposed to her.”
“I can’t take this,” I say, sitting up fast.
“Relax, Parker. She gave it to me after graduation. She hasn’t worn it in years. She wanted me to have it when the time is right.”