The sun drooped, coating the sky with amber glow, tingeing the water gold and fiery. Levi’s hair looked dipped in stardust. Impossible things suddenly seemed possible.

“What if you didn’t have to leave?” I murmured. “What if you weren’t a tourist anymore?”

“I kind of like the idea of being a townie.” His lips quirked into a smile. “Rest my oars here for good.”

“It sounds nice put like that.”

He caught my eye. “Yeah, it does, doesn’t it? I could paint, maybe go to college here, learn how to sail…”

My stomach happily squirmed. I wanted everything about the picture he was painting. If he could see a real future here, then we could just ax the whole long-distance plan. We could keep going just as we were. “Learn how to eat things with arms and legs.”

“Hard pass.”

I laughed at the horrified look on his face. “Oh, come on! You know things taste better when you cook them in the shell, right?”

“Fake news.”

“Baby,” I teased, throwing an arm around his shoulder. “But seriously, though. There’s cool classes at Oar’s Rest Tech, and if you wanted to paint, the art center usually has some highbrow artist in residence during the year to teach. Ralph could get you more info about it.”

“Great minds,” said Levi, pressing a kiss to my temple. “I’ve already spoken to him about it and he’s getting back to me.”

My insides thrilled. He’d done it on his own, without us even needing to talk about it. No one I knew had ever taken this kind of initiative in order to stay. Mouth dry, I managed to ask, “So … you’re thinking about staying?”

“I think I’d have to be an idiot not to at least consider it. I’m more creative than I’ve been in a long time, everything about Oar’s Rest is inspiring, and then there’s…” He broke off, lowering his eyes to the curve of my neck. “And then there’s you.”

I could feel my cheeks heating up. “What about RISD?”

“Still trying to figure it all out. School starts in September. It’s way too late to apply for any scholarships. I mean, if the money doesn’t come together, RISD could still be a big nope.”

It could also be a yes. If Levi was making plans for the future—our future—based on whether or not he got into his dream school, then he could just as easily unmake them. My hope faltered, squeezing my insides hard. Everything rested on the thin, flimsy edge of an envelope—acceptance or rejection. I squeezed my eyes shut.

“Hey, it’s okay.” He drew me into his arms, breathing into my hairline. “It’s not the end of the world if it’s a no. You have a college here, right?”