I didn’t even care. I didn’t glance at the other students giving me looks, didn’t preoccupy myself with how Drew was going to respond, and just squeezed him as tight as I could.

“I missed you, too,” he said, hugging me back but with less force, probably because he was scared of hurting me. I loosened my arms but continued to hold on.

Then I pulled back so I could kiss him. And holy smokes did I kiss him. Hands on either side of his face, one leg looped around him.

When I finally pulled back, he panted a few breaths before saying, “Hell of a greeting.”

“Come on,” I said. I righted his luggage, then grabbed his hand and pulled him into my dorm.

Drew CHAPTER 61 I’M GOOD RIGHT HERE

Even Chicago weather couldn’t have kept me away (though I did cry inside when I saw the temperature would be below zero).

Chloe’s dorm room was so very her: photos of her family were tacked to the wall (I particularly liked the one of her and her mother sticking their tongues out at the camera); a large stash of jasmine oolong tea lay beside the electric kettle on her dresser; and her bedding was a mishmash of bright and bold colors.

I pointed to a poster of Barcelona hanging above her bed. “You been?”

She shook her head. “No, but I’m planning on studying abroad there in a future quarter.”

My heart soared at the life she was living. She felt different here. More clearly her.

And then I saw it. My painting. Right above her desk. It looked different among Chloe’s things, mounted with love. The tear in the corner now reminded me how far we’d come.

I may have gasped. My heart may have burst. And I definitely did wrap her in a bear hug. She leaned against me until we fell backward onto the bed.

She kissed me. Soft, sweet, and sure. The only thing better than being here with her was how familiar her lips and taste were becoming.

The next couple of hours were Ah-mazing with a capital A and added h.

At one point, with a laugh, she pulled her lips from mine and asked if I wanted to actually see some of Chicago.

“I’m good right here,” I said, looping my arm around her hips and bringing us back together.

But we did eventually grow hungry, and because we were half-dressed and it was frozen-boogers cold outside, we ordered Neapolitan-style pizza from the place next door to eat in bed. I felt bad about crumbs on her very clean sheets, but she didn’t seem to mind as she grabbed a slice and curled up beside me.