Page 99 of Wish Lists and Road Trips

I felt stronger than ever, in more ways than one.

I’d been in Philly since the end of May. The day I’d graduated cosmetology school, Nick had driven to Boston for the little ceremony where I’d introduced him to Meri and Justin. We’d had a not-entirely-terrible dinner with my parents, then we’d loaded his truck with everything I owned and unloaded it here. I couldn’t believe it was all mine, every chipped floorboard and uneven countertop. The non-working fireplace that I dreamed of hanging artwork over.

Speaking of art, Nick’s beautiful body was splayed out beside me, face down on the air mattress that still served as my bed. We’d worn ourselves out last night, pulling down wallpaper and . . . other things. I’d still be comatose too if I wasn’t so excited.

I watched his naked back rise and fall, the curve of his strong shoulders, and I felt a dizzying sense of joy at the idea of waking up like this again and again. Nick was moving in at the end of the month (another reason I hadn’t bought a real bed yet, because of course he owned a real grown-up one and it was a dream). He was here every night anyway and he was rebuilding the place with his own two hands. It should be ours.

Besides, I wasn’t meant to be alone—another thing I’d stopped feeling bad about—and I didn’t think Nick was either. Every morning I woke up wrapped in his cocoon.

I slipped out of bed and pulled on a T-shirt. I couldn’t help exploring the place again even though I’d memorized every floorboard by now. The apartment was bigger than the one in my original house, airy and bright with an open concept and vaulted ceilings, but the studio was smaller. It had room for four chairs, max. Which made more sense. I was just starting out.

I planned on opening the doors to Álainn in exactly twelve months. Nick and Tom had worked with me on my timetable, helping me break it down into manageable and affordable steps, and I’d hit the ground running. My blog was getting more traffic than ever, enough so that my name might actually be recognized by the time I started seeing clients here, and I’d picked up a steady job doing hair and makeup at the local theater. They liked my influencer background and paid me a bonus to cross-promote on my Instagram by recording tutorials on the actors and actresses. In addition to weddings and other events, I was booked nearly every weekend this summer.

After a few moments of internal squeeing over the new life that lay ahead of me, I felt Nick come up behind me. He pressed into my back, heat from his sleep still radiating off of him.

“You are gorgeous in the morning,” he whispered.

I smiled, leaning back into his chest, and he wrapped his arms around me. “I can’t believe this is real.”

“I can’t believe we found a place worse off than the first.”

I pushed my elbow into his stomach, giggling. “We made it perfect.”

I turned in his arms and pushed my hands into his sleep-wrecked hair. His eyes rolled closed and he pulled me closer. “Come back to bed.”

“We have to go soon.” We were meeting his cousins at the lake, a rare day off from renovations and work, and I needed to pack.

Nick ignored my warning and lifted me off of my toes, walking back to the mattress in the middle of the floor and dropping me onto it.

“We’re going to pop this thing,” I said as he stretched out over me.

“If we didn’t pop it last night, I think it’ll be fine. But we could christen a few other places around here if you want.”

I giggled as he hooked my leg over his waist. “Whatever you say,sweetheart.”

Nick

Lake air would always smell like the best days of my childhood. I leaned my head back against the bench in my uncle’s speedboat, letting the sun warm my face while I thought about all the times I’d spent out on this water. Me and Alex, and Tom and Drew, packing marshmallows and chocolate, then later, stolen beer. We’d hang out on that floating dock full of splinters, the four of us Callaway sons shooting the shit until we were pleasantly buzzed and unpleasantly sunburned.

I was an idiot for staying away from this place for so long.

Apparently Tom thought so too. “Figured you’d be seasick the first time we got you back out here.” He handed me a beer, nearly toppling over as we bounced over the wake from a water-skier. Drew was driving today and I remembered why my uncle never wanted to let him take the boat out for a spin.

I tapped my beer to Tom’s. “I’m just fine, dickhead. Thanks for your concern.”

I glanced up the bow to make sure Brit was safe in her seat. She was, so I took a moment to appreciate her tan legs stretched out on the seat in front of her, the flamingo-print two-piece that matched the latest highlights in her hair. The huge smile on her pretty face.

Drew banked a hard right and Tom cursed. “Jesus, some things never change.”

I laughed. A whole lot of shit had changed. I think that was why I was finally able to come back here.

Working on Brit’s house woke some muscle memory in me. I’d forgotten how good it felt to put effort into something because I wanted to, not out of obligation. It didn’t hurt that she was so easily impressed when it came to basic construction skills, and mine were more than basic. Making her smile by fixing a broken light fixture or laying down new tile in her studio was my favorite reward after the long days at work.

She was surprisingly into the grunt work herself, wanting to get her hands dirty as much as possible as if that gave her more of a claim on the place than just her name on the deed. I understood, and I only tried to talk her out of the most dangerous tasks. Jesus, I’d nearly pissed myself watching her run a wet saw.

“The girls love her,” Tom said, pointing to the front of his boat where Brit sat in a captain’s chair across from Kayla and Hannah.

I nodded. Tom and Drew’s girlfriends had accepted Brit into their circle like she’d been there all along. It was less of a surprise to me than it had been to her. Anyone who didn’t fall immediately in love with Bridget Donovan wasn’t good enough to breathe her air. She just needed to find her people, and it turned out they were the very same people I needed to find my way back to.

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