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She patted his leg to get his attention. “Thank you for the food. You didn’t have to fill up my cupboards again.”
He flinched as if he were being scolded instead of appreciated. “I hope you use up all the food. Did you find somewhere to live?” He bit his lip, confirming what she’d known all along.
“Yes, I did, and I got it at an unreasonably low price. Wonder how that happened?”
A smile started on his lips but he shrugged and feigned innocence. “I wonder too.”
“You always look out for me. Thank you for that.”
“Even though I’m going far away soon, I want you to know that I’m in this for the long run. Long-distance will not beat us.”
She nodded, feeling one burden lifted. Surviving long distance wasn’t the issue. It was trusting him to make a relationship work no matter the circumstances. She needed to be sure he wouldn’t give up when things got hard, and with the amount of distance between them, things were certainly going to be hard.
Eric was as handsome as ever when he and his roommates picked up Holly and her friends. Again, they went into town and tried a new restaurant, although, this time, Holly was able to sit next to the person who matched her most, in color and personality.
Holly looked around at her friends, hearing their happy laughter as they ate and talked. It was the best of times, having all six of them together. Soon, her roommates would return home for their off semester, the guys had plans for internships, and she’d be the lone wolf left behind in Logan.
“What are you thinking?” Eric asked, pulling her from her thoughts.
She stirred her drink with a straw. “Just about school ending. Everything’s going to change. I’ll lose my support system.”
“Diane’s not doing her internship here?”
“Student teachers do that during their last semester. And Aimee’s going back home. Her degree doesn’t require one.”
“Well, Justin will be around. He lives not too far away.”
She scrunched up her nose. Hanging out with Justin was fun in context, with the group, but spending time alone with him didn’t seem appealing. If only Eric were sticking around, they wouldn’t have had issues in the first place.
“I know it’s not the same,” he said, cutting into her thoughts. “But at least you’ll be busy.”
She sure would. With her new internship at a local family-counseling firm, and it being a nine-to-five gig, all the spare time she had would be spent at the apartments, cleaning vacated rooms, the office, and doing any administrative tasks that could be delayed until the evenings.
Working wasn’t the problem. Working with no break in sight, no sweet boyfriend in sight—that was the bigger issue.
Suddenly, Eric took her hand under the table and squeezed it. “It’s all right. I’ll call all the time, and we’ll keep in touch. I promise. Even when I’m busy, we’ll find time to talk.”
She entwined her fingers through his, wanting only to make up, move on, and make memories with Eric before it was too late. “I promise too. Even when I’m busy. We’ll make something work.”
He perked up in his seat. “Does that mean our break is over?”
She nodded and squealed when he let go of her hand and pulled her close.
He pressed his lips to her ear as he held her awkwardly but sweetly. “Do you know how much I’ve missed you? I thought I was going crazy. I was such an idiot.”
“You were a little bit, huh?”
He laughed and pressed his forehead to hers.
“Did you two finally make up?” Aimee asked. The whole table was watching, but Holly didn’t care. She only had eyes for Eric. They were going to make things work.
The dance was the happiest memory she had shared with Eric so far. Every dance, he held her close, and she was never too far from his lips, his arms, and his sweet scent.
“Remember when we were here last?” he whispered into her ear during a quieter, slow song.
She tightened her grip around his broad shoulders. “After that kiss, how could I forget? I tried everything I could not to leave Justin and run to you.”
“Same, and I had to hold in my urge to punch Justin.”
