Chapter Fifty-Eight

Around noon the next day, we dock the boat back at the marina, hop in the Jeep, drop the top, and head over to meet Mar’s bus coming in from DC.

As Riel drives, my thoughts drift back to last night. It was a little awkward at first, but once we both relaxed, it got better. And better. And better. After he was done with me, I started to go down on him, but he was so excited, he lasted only seconds. Then he proceeded to get embarrassed and apologize, and I just squeezed him and kissed him. After that, there was a whole lot more snuggling and kissing and touching and whispering into the tiny hours of the morning.

Remembering it all now has my cheeks warming and a smile curving my lips. Yes, love.

We park at the junior high campus, and while we wait, Riel reaches over and links fingers with me in this natural way like we’ve been doing it for years.

I turn my head and look across the coastal highway to Ponce de Leon Academy sprawling in all its glory. The pang of loss I expect to feel, doesn’t hit me. Instead, there’s a peace. A contentment. A closure.

My eyes track over to the woods where Manny attacked me. That’s something that hasn’t quite set in yet. My ex-boyfriend, a guy I was intimate with, stalked and attacked me. How could I have been so wrong about him?

Riel squeezes my hand, bringing my attention over to him. “Thanks for going sailing with me.”

I lean across the gear shift and kiss him. “Thanks for inviting me.”

Mar’s bus pulls in then, and kids start to get off. A minute or so later, we see Mar and wave.

She grabs her stuff and runs over. “Viola!”

I laugh. I missed this kid.

Riel helps her put her stuff in the back and she climbs in. “Were you two just kissing?”

“Yes,” Riel immediately answers her.

“Does that mean you’re boyfriend and girlfriend?”

Riel looks at me. I look at him. It’s not like we sat and defined our relationship with the whole boyfriend/girlfriend thing, but we’ve exchanged some pretty heavy make-out sessions and I don’t just do that. So, “Yes,” I answer for both of us. “We’re dating.”

Riel grins.

“Cool,” Mar says and buckles her seat belt. “Can we get pizza for dinner?”

After pizza, Mar goes straight to bed. I want to go straight to bed with Riel and finish what we started on the boat, but not here. Not with Mar in the RV.

“Let’s go sit outside and have some coffee,” he suggests.

Good idea, because I might attack him if we stay inside.

So we each grab our coffees and settle into the Adirondack chairs under his awning. I take the first sip, sitting for a few minutes, just taking in the chilled night. From somewhere in the campground guitar notes float through the air, and across the way a fire glows in the dark night, settling its woodsy burn around us.

Tomorrow’s going to be a big day. Monday. The start of my new life. For the first time ever, I won’t be going to classes. I’ll be going to the office here and following through with the cabin. I’ll stop by the local high school. I’ll be a semester behind, but Riel’s right, maybe they’ll let me test out of first semester and into the second. Also, I need to start making a backup list to MIT. Yeah, big day. But I’m cool with it. I am. Fresh start. Amazing man beside me. Everything’s going to be okay.

I take another sip of my coffee. “I never realized campground living could be so welcoming and cozy.”

“A perfect lead in,” Riel says, pointing through the trees over to the right. “See that red one with the white fence and the lantern hanging in the tree? That’s your cabin.”

I sit up with a bubble of excitement. “It’s so cute. I’ve never had my own place before.” Oh, I can’t wait to see inside.

“But the best part?” Riel’s voice dips low. “You’ll be right over there.”

I love the way that sounds.

“As soon as I can ditch Mar, you and I are going to christen that place.”

Heat zings through my body. “That is absolutely a deal.”