“Yes,” he said, without the slightest hesitation.

I warmed all over. “How would that work? With you, wherever you end up, and me here?”

“Maine isn’t that far from New York. Or Rhode Island, depending on if I get into RISD or not. Being on the waitlist was making me nervous, so I called to follow up. I actually have a good chance of getting in.”

I squeezed his hand. “Oh my gosh, that’s amazing.” I could be happy for him and bummed for me at the same time. “So a long-distance relationship?”

“Would you be into that?” he asked.

I didn’t even have to think about it. I didn’t want a part-time relationship after being able to see Levi every day, holding his hand whenever I wanted to. I didn’t want a relationship with a screen. Suddenly, I could see why a clean break seemed like the right choice for Elodie.

“We should have talked about this before,” I said softly. “Whether this was just a—”

“Please don’t say a fling.” He made a face. “That sounds so immature. Kleenex-y. Like use it once and toss it.”

I hesitated. I wanted to say yes because it would be easy. I wanted my time with him to stretch for as long as it could. But it would only be easy for right now. Long-distance wasn’t right for me, even if it worked for other people. I wanted someone here, someone who would be mine. Someone who I could belong to and wake up next to.

“Remember what you said about different paths leading to the same place? Don’t tell me that only applied to me,” he said.

“I can take my own advice.” I couldn’t. Every word felt like sticky taffy in my mouth. But I had to see this through, didn’t I? I had to try. I couldn’t be like Elodie, like Penny. Snipping people out. I wouldn’t be like them.

“So is that a…”

“Yes. It’s a yes,” I said. “I don’t know where this thing between us will go, but I want to find out.”

“Me too.” He leaned down to graze his lips across the knob of my shoulder.

I shivered at the cool sensation that tickled its way up my neck and down my arm. “That tickles.” When he started to move away, I quickly added, “But don’t stop.”

“Your wish is my command.”

“Anything?” I asked mischievously.

Levi moved to my neck, planting soft, open-mouthed kisses behind my ear. “Hmm?”

I cupped his jaw, stopping him. “Have you been in the ocean yet?”

“Babe?” Levi’s eyes were wide, luminous. “What are you—”