I'll Be Seeing You

Seven.

I spent the first week of my vacation with Kasey. We binged our show, went out to dinner every other day, and on the rest, we just drove around aimlessly, soaking in each other's company. I even took her back to my favorite spot so she could see it in the daylight—it felt like sharing a piece of my soul.

When the weekend came, it was time for Kasey to head back to work. As sad as I was to see her go, I wasn't going to lie—I needed a break. That girl wore me out... in all the best ways. We packed up her things, and I drove her back to her apartment. Saying goodbye felt strange after spending nearly every moment of the past week wrapped up in each other, but she only lived fifteen minutes away. We could still see each other often—on the days we weren't both working.

I kissed her goodbye, and she promised to FaceTime me after her shift. We'd agreed to sleep on FaceTime on the nights she couldn't sleep over. I wanted her with me all the time, but it just wasn't practical—not now. We'd decided to keep things quiet for a while, and it didn't feel right having her around Mark's place too often when no one else knew the truth.

Still, I didn't doubt for a second that we'd make this work. Whatever it took, we'd do it. I was in love. Really in love. A feeling so foreign, it almost startled me. I'd never loved Chris. I'd loved the idea of him. The life he promised. The fantasy I clung to like a life raft. But love? No. That wasn't love. This? This was different.

When I got back to the house, Mark was already waiting—cooler packed and ready to go. My heart lifted at the sight of it. I couldn't wait to get a line in the water and spend some quality time with him. This new schedule had kept us from hanging out like we used to, and I missed it.

"So, I've got a proposal," he said as I walked in. "You can say no, totally your call."

"Okay," I said, curious. "Hit me."

"We head to the pond now, spend the whole day fishing. Maybe even some night fishing if you're up for it. I packed plenty of food and drinks, so we're covered. Then, once it's late, we crash at Dad's place for the night. Spend some time with him tomorrow before heading back."

I grinned. "That sounds amazing. Do we need to grab anything else?"

"Nope, I've got it all covered. You ready?"

"Let's go!" I was excited for our fishing trip—and just as excited to spend the night at Mark's dad's house. His family had this warmth to them, like stepping into a home that never made you feel like an outsider. The only downside was not being able to talk to Kasey tonight. But I'd text her the plan and we'd talk until one of us passed out.

Once we hit the road, windows cracked, the cooler rattling softly in the back, Mark glanced over at me. "So... you and Kasey seem to be getting close."

I felt a flutter in my chest. "Yeah," I said. "Guess people really do show up when you least expect it."

He nodded. "Well, I think it's great. You two finding each other like that? It might've been unexpected, but maybe it was exactly what you both needed."

"That goes for you too, you know," I said softly. "You came into my life when I needed someone the most. When I least expected it... and you saved me."

"And now you get to be that person for her," Mark said, glancing over at me with a small smile.

"I guess you're right," I replied, my chest tight with gratitude. "But no matter who comes along, no one will ever take your place in my life. You're my best friend, Mark."

"And you're mine, Lyssa. I love you dearly."

"I love you too. You'll never know how much you've changed my life."