Frankie rolled down her window and snatched it. “Thanks.”

“See you in a few weeks,” Mattie said, still panting from her short burst of exercise.

“See you,” Frankie said. “And I promise, we’ll find somewhere more permanent to stay that’s not your basement.”

“No, stay.” Mattie pouted. “August flew by, I mean it. You can stay as long as you want.”

“I think Giles might prefer his privacy,” Frankie said.

I’d prefer my privacy too. The basement room had been fine, but I was definitely looking forward to having a place of our own.

I’d joked about buying us a camper, but while Frankie seemed excited about that idea when it was just for me, she hadn’t been too keen on it for us as a couple.

We pulled away, heading straight for Denver. The summer heat had finally faded as September brought the promise of fall with it. Pretty soon, winter would be here. I could practically sniff it in the air. I was looking forward to teaching snowboarding lessons for the entire winter season this year in Key Ridge.

The summer had been a blur of smiles and laughter and lazy nights spent wrapped around each other. After I’d made my grand gesture at the airport, Frankie had turned down that job in New York, almost having an anxiety attack in the process. But after she’d dropped the news and hung up the call, she’d giggled maniacally and jumped up and down. I was kind of worried I’d created a monster.

Instead of heading straight back to Key Ridge, I’d bought a flight to Atlanta instead so that Frankie could officially leave that phase of her life behind. She showed me around the city and we spent a few nights in her condo, slowly selling things online as she realized she didn’t really like anything she owned. Her roommates were less than welcoming; they had their noses stuck in the air the whole time.

“You turned down a job for a guy?” one had said.

“You’re moving to the middle of nowhere?” the other asked.

Frankie barely gave either of them the time of day, choosing to spend all her time frolicking around the city with me instead. She’d said it was funny how she’d had more fun with me in a few days in that city than she had in all the years she’d lived there. Seeing something through the lens of being stupid in love did that to you, I guess.

It also made me even more sure that even if I had followed her to New York, we would have been just fine too. Having a partner like her completely balanced my life in every way.

When we’d gathered all her stuff and caught a flight back to Key Ridge, Mattie’s squeal had nearly broken the sound barrier.

At first, I had thought I would bail on the rafting gig, but Jay had said Frankie was more than welcome to come and stay in a cabin. She could help out with meals and the place had internet. Driving down there had cemented for me that this had been the best decision. Arriving there with her hand in mine felt like winning the lottery. The summer that had started to dim, once again shone with possibility now that she was by my side.