out loving a Somerled.
The hours flew by as they lay on the quilt and watched the sun go down and the stars come out. For her sake, he set an alarm on his phone; he only wished they’d gotten no reception up there. And maybe the car could have broken down. With his luck, though, Lanny would send out a search party for them around two so they’d have plenty of time to make it back to the ranch.
They talked about silly things; about how he needed to take the pig shed wood off the tree house. He tried to describe how it smelled, but gave up when he realized they could be discussing other things.
He told her how she was going to love flowers, how she could bite the tip of a honeysuckle bloom and taste what bees spend their short lives dreaming about. Cutting her finger, skinning her knee, and even being stung by those sweet-toothed bees were things that would pale in comparison to chocolate fudge, roller coasters, and band-aids when applied with a kiss.
They spent a good hour talking about kisses alone, then another one testing their theories. When they were done, Jamison nearly wished they’d stuck to the subject of food—nearly.
The final hour was anguish again. 2:05 he held her tight and sobbed, all promises and cheerful subjects forgotten. At 2:30 the alarm went off and he walked her, slowly, to the car, his eyes having finally emptied. By the time he left for home, those reservoirs would be full again, he was sure. Maybe he’d float half-way to Flat Springs. Save gas.
He drove up to the ranch, numb. Around back a single figure stood with a flashlight and waved them over.
“We’ll walk from here,” the Somerled told Skye and took her elbow.
“Let go of her.” Jamison couldn’t keep the growl out of his voice. He might have reacted differently if the guy hadn’t taken her arm, like he wasn’t giving her any choice.
He took her hand and started walking. She didn’t.
“You’re coming?” Skye’s mouth hung open.
“Of course I’m coming. I don’t want you looking at one of these dopes when you...at the last minute.”
She gifted him with a beautiful smile that wobbled through the few tears he’d neglected to shed earlier.
The field could have at least been a bit further away. He was so not going to be as tough as he’d planned.
Lanny stood there, smiling, damn her.
“I’m so glad we didn’t have to send the boys after you.”
Jamison realized she’d dug into his thoughts for that, that there had never been a plan to send anyone after them. He still toyed with the idea of not letting her go so he could see what would happen.
“Stop that.” Lanny gave him a little squeeze. “Be tough for her, Jamison. It’s the last thing you can give her.”
Buchanan was next. “Old Jamison gone, then?”
“Yes.”
Buchanan nodded.
He didn’t know anyone else. That Shawn kid tried to get her attention, but she ignored him, turning instead to Jamison. He started to lift his arms, but a tiny shake of her head stopped him.
“We’ve said it all, haven’t we?”
“Yeah. I guess we have. I love you, sweeting.”
“And I love you, Jamie. You’ll always be my high school sweetheart.”
She was backing away! He hadn’t noticed.
“And you’ll always be mine.” His voice was so small. Did she hear him?
“She heard.” Lanny put a hand on his shoulder.
Skye was near the center now. The Somerleds started humming.
He couldn’t do it. Couldn’t just stand there!
He pulled his shoulder out of Lanny’s grasp and ran to the center, throwing his arms over Skye’s shoulders as if she was that balloon and he couldn’t let her go.
Her face was twisted in a tearless cry.
“Let me go, Jamie.”
“Promise me! Promise me you’ll take the loophole!
“I promise, Jamie. Promise me you’ll speak to Lucas.” She lifted off the ground and put her hands out a little for balance. He would have grabbed her around the waist, but she shook her head. “Promise!”
“I promise.”
“I’ll love you forever.”
He fell to his knees, his empty arms wrapping around his body, his hands digging into his sides.
Skye was whisked into the air and was gone. Burning traces, like sparklers, rained through the air high above him and he watched until there was nothing left.
He rolled into a ball on the ground and waited for the Earth to open up beneath him. When that didn’t happen, he cried Skye’s name for hours, long after his throat was raw. That physical pain was