Page 81 of The Sound Of Us

Me: Axel?

Axel: Hey.

Me: You’ll be here in a few minutes? I suddenly forget how to text people.

Axel: Yeah.

Me: I miss you.

Axel: I miss you more.

I glance up to look for Mrs. Dalton. I don’t need anyone witnessing my reddened face.

Me: Are you okay?

Axel: Yes.

And then:

Axel: Thank you. For everything. I’m almost there.

Me: Hurry.

Axel: You can come round the front and help me with an extra crate of books if Mrs. Dalton will be okay without you for a few minutes.

Me: Okay. Are you texting and driving? Please don’t do that.

Axel: No. Ben is driving. I don’t know how to drive haha.

I frown. Why doesn’t Axel have a driver’s license? Even around here, it's still a basic skill.

Axel: I’ll see you just now. Delete this chat.

Me: Okay, you too. Delete this chat.

I delete the chat and hand Mrs. Dalton’s phone back to her. She gives me a smile that tells me she’s for me and Axel all the way. I type on my phone, asking if I can go out to help Axel.

She slaps my arm playfully and shoos me away.

The girl at the book stall turns the last page of the book she’d been reading. Then immediately picks up another one from the table and begins to read. Wow. People in this town love their books.

It’s no surprise that my father had a whole library in his office and at home.

Chapter 45

Axel

When I look at him these days, it’s like I’m looking at the love of my life. I am looking at the love of my life.

To counter the cold weather, he has on a light sweater and jeans.

Ben hops out of the car first and lets Pepper out of the backseat. She bolts across the parking lot. Ben and I both watch her sprint.

“She knows Eli Saxon?” Ben asks while he opens up the trunk.

“Uh, yeah. She goes up to the woods for the squirrels, remember? Yeah, so he gives her a treat whenever she’s up there.”

“Oh, yeah. See, you should have married a guy like that. Look at how nice he is to Pepper.” Ben watches as Eli swoops down and takes the sixty-five pound golden retriever into his arms, carrying her like an overgrown baby.

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