I squeezed her with everything I had while she rode out the shudders passing through our bodies, each thrust only strengthening our grips.

When she finally stilled, she stayed on top of me, our chests aligned with sweat, our breaths in sync.

“Whitney …”

Still clinging to me, she whispered, “I know.”

Emotions bled from those simple acknowledgments, from our fingers biting into each other’s skin. Even though there was only silence in the room, words were being shared between us, ones that I’d never felt so loudly before.

Sixteen

Even though Whitney had spent last night with Emily, celebrating her final evening in Boston, I was taking her to the airport. Alfred placed her things in the trunk while she climbed into the backseat, my arm circling her waist, bringing her as close as possible.

She kissed me and rested her head on my shoulder, her warmth immediately covering me. “Hi.”

I took a minute to breathe her in, my eyes closing, my lips pressing into her hair. Even her shampoo smelled of coconuts. “Are you ready for this?”

“I’m positive I forgot to pack everything.” She tilted her neck to look at me. “Yes … but no.” There was grittiness in her voice that told me she’d been crying.

I’d thought about this moment for the last four weeks, what it would feel like when we were finally here, how difficult it would be to watch her leave. Now that the date had arrived, the countdown minutes away, it felt unfathomable. That when I went to sleep tonight, my arms wouldn’t be around her, and there would be a cold, empty side of the bed instead.

And that would be true for the next twelve months.

“This is so hard,” she whispered, breaking a long pass of silence.

I pressed my nose into her cheek, signs for the airport in my peripheral vision.

“I knew it would be tough, but I didn’t expect to feel like this.” Her tone turned congested, signaling the tears weren’t far away. “First, Emily. Now, you.”

I squeezed her tighter, and Alfred pulled into the airport, taking the necessary turns to her departure terminal. He parked along the curb, where he set her things, and then he opened Whitney’s door and got back into the driver’s seat.

She gave me her hand and helped me onto the ground, and soon, we were standing on the narrow sidewalk, my fingers clasped with hers.

Her gorgeous eyes welled, each drip breaking my fucking heart. “I don’t know how to do this, Caleb.” She paused, biting her trembling lip. “Nothing I want to say seems right.”

As she inhaled, I surrounded her face, my lips against hers, tasting the saltiness as the tears dropped to my mouth.