Childhood Memories

31

Hunter

The wind whistles through the trees, swinging the bare branches through the air. Leaves cover the ground and the cool weather has Mae and I snuggled together and we've pulled our blanket up to our chins basically. We rock back and forth in the swing, in content silence.

"So Carson went back to Barcelona?" I wonder curiously.

"Yeah." She answers, sadness hidden in her voice. I know for a fact that she loves me but Carson is her best friend, so it hurts her that he's gone back home.

"It'll be alright, he'll be back soon." I soothe.

"I guess so." She sighs.

After a few minutes, she lightens up a bit.

"My editor has suggested something."

I raise an eyebrow, "what'd she say?"

"She says that people have been asking for a sequel to Childhood Love."

"Whoa." I breathe, "what will you do?"

"Well, I've been thinking about it, and I want to do it. This time though, it'll have a new character in it." She smiles.

"Oh?" I chuckle.

"Yeah, do you like the name Hutson?"

I smile, "I do."

"Good, because you're going to be in my new book."

Joy floods my stomach with a warm and gushy feeling. I can't believe she's putting me in her story, that makes me feel good. I started out as this unknown huge fan of her books and now I'm in one of her books. Two months ago, I would've killed just to get a real live glance at the famous Mae Carter, but now, I'm her boyfriend.

A lot has changed since then and I couldn't be happier with the results.

"What are you naming the book?" I ask.

"Easy, Childhood Memories." She answers.

Mae

"Why?" He questions, obviously confused.

I sweetly smile, "my last book ended with Cooper leaving, now with this book, he comes back for a wedding, messing with McKenzie, but in the end she still chooses her new love, Hutson."

"What does memories have to do with the story?" He says.

"I went down memory lane with Carson, but I learned along the way that I need to move on. You helped me understand that." I reply.

He grins down to me, looking adorable in the cold.

"I'm glad I helped you."

He kisses my nose and we then stay quiet again, admiring the scenery. The cold bites my nose and cheeks, which are probably rosy pink by now, and the blanket covering both of us is up to my neck right now.

If I never went on that book tour two months ago, I would've never met Hunter. If I refused to go to Starbucks that one day, I would've missed seeing him again. My life would be so entirely different if we never noticed each other.

Carson was good while it lasted but Hunter, he's just, beyond anything I could've ever imagined. I love him, and I hope he stays in my life forever, of course, it's all God's plan whether or not he does.

"I love you." He nuzzles my cheek and I giggle at his outburst.

"I love you too." I say.

He leans down and plops a kiss on my lips, sweet and kind.

Just me and him, like how it should be.