Page 119 of Summer Reading

“Our book does not take place in Martha’s Vineyard,” I said.

He reached out and took my hands. “Doesn’t it, though?”

I swallowed the lump in my throat.

“You showed me what a real relationship is,” he said. “I want that, Samwise. I want it with you. Despite my recent freak-out, the town has offered me a permanent position as director of the library. I’m thinking of accepting, but only if you’ll be here, too. Stay with me on the Vineyard, Sam. Let’s build a life together here.”

I stared at him. A flurry of images of us flashed through my brain—getting pastries at the Grape, paddleboarding in the ocean, catching bands at the Ritz Cafe, celebrating Grand Illumination, curling up together on the porch in the evening watching our mystery shows or while he read to me—it was everything I’d ever wanted.

It hit me then that over the past few weeks, we’d already built the foundation of that life. We’d had to prove ourselves to each other, we’d had to slog through some misunderstandings and some very real trauma, and sure, we’d both made mistakes but we were here, standing together, reaching for each other. That meant something.

It was in that moment that I felt it. My fear that Ben would eventually get bored or embarrassed by myneurodivergent brain and leave me just melted away. Like the book of Ben’s that I’d accidentally tossed into the ocean on the day we met, all of my anxiety about us was gone as if it had been pitched into the sea. I was free. I felt a tear spill down my cheek.

“I love you,” I said. His face lit up, his eyes sparkled, and a smile curved his lips. “But I can’t commit to us—not yet.”

His face fell. I reached into my bag and took out my phone. Ben turned away from me and stared at the ocean. He looked defeated.

I pressed the name I was looking for in my contacts. He answered on the first ring.

“Hi, Sam.”

“Hi, Stuart,” I said. “Listen, can I change my mind?”

Ben straightened beside me. One eyebrow went up and he was watching me so intently, it messed with my brain waves. I glanced away.

“You’re not taking the job?” Stuart asked.

“It’s more that something has come up, and I was just wondering if I could take the job on the Vineyard instead?” I asked. I glanced back at Ben, who was looking at me with an extremely exasperated expression as if he didn’t know whether to kiss me or dunk me in the ocean, which was pretty hilarious.

“Absolutely,” Stuart said. “I haven’t filled the spot here yet, and I know your dad will be as thrilled to have you stay as I am.”

“Cool, thanks,” I said. “I’ll stop by and see you tomorrow.”

“Looking forward to it,” he said.

I ended the call. I had just lowered my phone when Ben cupped my face and kissed me. I heard a cheer go up from inside the ferry. Our audience had gotten their happily ever after, after all.

“Say it again,” Ben demanded. He pulled me into a hug and my lips were right by his ear.

“I love you,” I said. He sighed and a shudder rippled through his powerful frame.

“I love you, too.” He kissed me, a long, lingering “oh, how I’ve missed you” sort of kiss. When he leaned back, he looked at me and asked, “If Stuart hadn’t said you could stay on at the inn, would you really have ended us for your career?”

“I think the more important question is: If I had gone to Savannah, would you have waited for me?” I asked.

“No,” he said. No hesitation. No thinking it over. My heart dropped. Had I just made the biggest mistake of my life in choosing a man who wouldn’t even wait for me?

“I would have followed you,” he said. He kissed me and then stared into my eyes with a depth of love and affection I’d never received from a man before. “I’d follow you anywhere, Samwise. You are my heart.”

“And you’re mine,” Isaid.