Arizona Sunsets - Sam Hubbard

XXXVII

As Sam and Liz left the gym on Monday afternoon, Sam immediately sensed a change in Liz's mood. Before they even reached his car, he stopped her and looked at her with concern. "What's wrong with you?"

Liz bit her lower lip and turned her head slightly, shaking it. "Nothing," she mumbled, but Sam knew that wasn't true. He placed his hand on her cheek and turned her face so that she had to look at him. He saw tears welling up in her eyes, and his heart grew heavy.

"Liz, talk to me if something's bothering you. I don't want you to be sad because of me," he lovingly stroked her cheek with his thumb as Liz sighed and leaned into his hand, allowing the first tear to roll down her cheek.

"That was our last time at the gym together," she choked out, taking a deep breath as she struggled to hold back tears, not wanting to break down in the middle of the parking lot. Sam sighed and pulled her close to his chest.

"Please don't see it that way, Liz," he kissed her forehead. "Why? You're going back in two days, so it was the last time we'll be here together," she muttered into the fabric of his shirt.

"But not forever, Liz. Just for this year. As soon as I come back next year, we'll train together every Monday and Wednesday again, okay? It's not the last time forever, just for this year," Sam tried to comfort her, but Liz sighed sadly. "You don't understand."

"Then explain it to me," Sam stroked her back gently as Liz wrapped her arms tightly around his upper body. "No matter where I go, I'll miss you because you belong everywhere. Do you know that I'll stare at the door of beans&bites every morning at eight, waiting until I'm ready to admit that you're not coming? How I'll look for you in the gym, hoping you're somewhere around, because it's been so long since I've been there alone?" She sighed, and now she couldn't hold back the tears any longer.

One by one, tears rolled down her cheeks and dripped onto Sam's shirt as he held Liz even tighter, while soft sobs escaped her lips. "And you have it easy. You're flying back to Cincinnati and continuing your life as if this summer never happened because there's nothing there to remind you of me," she added, crying.

"Are you serious, Liz? Do you really believe that?" Sam pushed her slightly away from him so he could look into her face before pulling her back into his arms. "Every coffee I drink will remind me of you. Every time, I'll think Liz made it better. Every morning when I open my eyes and lie alone in my bed, I'll regret not kidnapping you to Cincy," Liz chuckled softly.

"You'll be with me everywhere in Cincinnati, Liz. Every workout will remind me that it was so much better with you than with the bunch of sweaty jocks on my team. Every painting I see will make me wonder how you would've painted it. Every country song I hear will make me think of you. I can't escape you. I don't want to," Sam's words made Liz's heart race, and a faint smile appeared between the tears.

"Now, let's stop with the tears. I've been looking forward to tonight, and I don't want us to start with tears, okay?" Sam wiped the tears from her cheeks with his thumbs before kissing her forehead, taking her hand, and leading her to his car.

This morning, Liz had told him she had a surprise for him. Something he had to see in Scottsdale before he left, and as much as he had begged her, she hadn't told him what they were going to do.

They drove to Liz's apartment, where they both quickly changed. Sam put on denim shorts and a gray shirt, while Liz wore her baby blue favorite dress, which took Sam's breath away at first sight.

Then Liz banished him from the kitchen, and like a punished child, Sam had to wait on the couch while he heard Liz tinkering in the kitchen. She then stood in front of him with a large, fully packed backpack and checked her phone.

"We can go now," she explained as she handed Sam the backpack, packed a few more things into a second bag, and the two of them left the apartment together. "Will you finally tell me what we're doing?" Sam asked pleadingly as they descended the stairs, but Liz ignored him.

To his surprise, they met Ava, who seemed to be waiting for them outside the door and handed Liz a key. "With best regards from my dad. But make sure to bring his baby back in one piece," she winked at Liz, grinning, before nodding at Sam, muttering a "have fun," and leaving.

Confused, Sam watched her go before turning back to Liz and nodding at the key. "What did we just get?" he asked. A smile spread across Liz's face. "A car," she raised the key and pressed it, causing a large dark blue pickup truck parked on the roadside to light up.

Sam looked surprised at the car as Liz took his hand and led him to the vehicle. She got behind the wheel, threw the bag on the back seat, and closed the door, while Sam walked around the car and took the passenger seat.

They drove out of town onto a rather bumpy, dusty road that suddenly steeply ascended the hill. Sam, whose life passed before his eyes with each turn of the narrow road, clung to the seat cushion, while Liz amusedly sped up the road.

Once they reached the top, Liz parked the car in reverse on the slope and turned off the engine. "We're here," she said with a grin, grabbed the backpack, and got out. Sam, who still felt a bit queasy, followed her onto the loading area, where Liz had already spread out a blanket.

In no time, Liz unpacked a veritable feast and spread it out on the blanket as Sam slowly sat down. When Liz noticed Sam's still confused look, she grinned. "The sunset is still a little way off. So I'd suggest we eat first," she handed him one of the sandwiches, which he accepted gratefully.

Only now did Sam notice the breathtaking view that stretched out before the cliff. Desert landscape, distant mountains, and faint silhouettes of cities far away. It was simply beautiful.

While they ate, Liz explained a bit about the area. The stories from the time of the Wild West that had apparently taken place nearby. The cities that could only be guessed at in the distance. The animals that lived in the area they were in.

It was fascinating how much Liz knew about her home, and the beautiful view made everything even more magical. Liz could probably have recited the package insert of some medication to him, and he would have hung on her every word.

As they packed away all the food and Liz snuggled into Sam's arms, the sky began to turn a light shade of orange. With each passing minute, the natural spectacle became even more beautiful.

The sky took on countless shades of orange, yellow, and red, turning the landscape around them into an incredible radiant desert, while the sun, a red ball, slowly sank below the horizon behind the mountains.

"There's nothing more beautiful than an Arizona sunset," Liz whispered, her arms tightly wrapped around Sam's body, her head resting on his chest. Sam sighed and pulled her closer, kissing her hair. "Well, there is someone," he whispered to her.

WHO DEY 🧡