Magnolia Parks: The Long Way Home (Magnolia Parks Universe, #3)

by Jessa Hastings

That whole next week… it plays on my mind like a reel. These long days and late nights, stupid sunsets that weren’t half as good as her face was. Touched her in the most benign ways every chance I had. Put my arm around her chair anytime we were sitting at a table, bent my body around her to reach for some fruit, wrestled her for the remote even though we wanted to watch the same thing. Drank from her cup for no reason. Took her phone off her and held it over her head so she’d jump all over me to reach it. We’d play tennis and I’d help her with her swing even though her swing was better than mine and she’s had professional lessons since she was five. Climbed everything in sight to impress her. Scaled the house, palm trees, cliffs, the mast on boats, anything I could as long as she was watching me. She’d yell at me to get down and I liked the feeling of her worrying about me. I threw her off the side of yachts and would jump in after her. Put her on the back of a jet ski and drive like a fucking maniac so she’d hold me tight. As the first week dripped into the second, I got braver with how I’d try to touch her. Dove in a pool and went to hug her while she was laying in the sun. Grabbed her hand in a crowd. Pulled her onto my lap when we’d watch a film at night and there wasn’t enough space. There was always enough space. I just wanted to hold her.

AW