Page 157 of Crystal Iris
“Only the dessert section. I got your sandwich and?—”
“My fries,” I say, taking a bite of one. I let out a sound of pleasure, and Hoyt looks at me.
“You’re going to be my undoing,” he says.
I laugh, taking my food to bed.
“Wow, this is really good,” he says, taking a bite of his burger.
I get up and go to the food cart again to bring the ice cream sundae to bed. I dip my fries in it, and he looks at me. At my lips. I know I have ice cream on them. I lick it.
“Fucking hot,” he says, and I laugh.
“What? Me eating ice cream and fries?”
“You, doing anything.”
“Want some?”
“Of you or the food?”
I smile. “Here.” I feed him the combo.
“Wow. I think we should scrap the beach shack plan and move in here.” He licks his finger.
“Definitely,” I say, taking another bite, and we both laugh.
I’m putting another pillow between us when he says, “I meant what I said earlier. I understand if you… can’t see yourself in Montana.”
“Let me finish this semester. I can take some leave. I meant it too, that we’ll figure it out.”
“I could move… here,” he says, surprising me.
“What? No, you can’t. Your horses, your sister.”
“Broc can take care of the horses, and Sawyer can look after Johanna.”
“Hoyt, what would you do in Boston?”
“What will you do in Montana?”
“I’m too tired right now, but I’m sure I can think of something.”
He pulls himself up, propping his elbows on our mountain of pillows, and says, “I love you, firecracker.”
I smile. “Stop looking at me like that! Go to sleep.” I push a pillow over him. He smiles, turning away.
“Iris, you’re going to be late,” Hoyt says, nudging me with a pillow.
“Shit! What time is it?” I ask, looking at my phone. “Did I turn off my alarm?”
“You have thirty minutes to be in the classroom.”
I’m brushing my teeth, putting my hair in a ponytail when he walks into the bathroom.
“I still think you should call in sick. It’s a shame we never made it to this amazing shower.”
I look at it; it does look amazing.
