The Summer I Met You

CHAPTER 43

"This is so peaceful back here."

I let my eyes roam around the small area. From here you can barely hear the cars from the expressway.

"It's my favorite spot in the complex."

He starts to walk, but then stops and pulls me into him. His arms wrap around my entire body, and he holds on tight. His cheek rests against the top of my head, reminding me of the way he held me at Jones Beach that night. It feels like it was so long ago that I was in his arms like this. I don't move, because if I do then this moment will end. I know we have a lot more moments in our life together, but I'm not ready for this one to end.

"I'm so happy you're here," he whispers, his voice breaking a little at the end.

I lift my head to see some tears in his eyes.

"Max, is everything okay?" I ask.

He sniffles and wipes his eyes quickly. His entire face lights up when he looks at me, and he nods.

"It's perfect. I'm just still in shock that you're here."

"I'm still processing it all myself," I say. "Some days I want to just hop a plane and move out here again to be with you."

"I feel the same way."

"How's your mom been with everything?"

"She's been amazing, and that secretary job that Walker got her at that Media Lawyer firm has been so good to her. She loves it, and she just might have a crush on the doorman in the building. They have a date next week." His smile lights up his face.

My eyes widen. "That's amazing to hear. I'm so happy for her, she deserves it. How's your dad?"

A week after Max returned home, he went to visit his dad, and things went well. His dad ended up buying a farm up North and opened his own country story where he sells produce and other items from the farm. He's doing really well, and every other weekend Max goes up to help him.

"Really good. Maybe I could take you up to the farm and you could meet Raine."

Raine is one of the horses that his dad has, and Max's favorite out of all five. She's a sweet brown horse that was abandoned by her previous owners. Thankfully Max's dad was able to save her, and she's been with him ever since. He's sent me a few pictures and she's beautiful.

"I'd like that a lot. Believe it or not I've never ridden a horse before," I say.

"Well, then let me be the one to teach you."

One day, meaning that he sees a future just the way I do.

"Sounds perfect." I reach up on my toes to give him a quick kiss.

Max leads me over to the small garden that his mom talked about. If I lived here, I'd spent an insane amount of time just lying in the grass and enjoying the quiet. The only sound is nature at work, birds chirping, and bugs buzzing. It's perfect.

An older woman with snow white hair sticks her head out of her window as we come across the garden.

"Maxy, how's she looking?"

"Perfect, Mrs. Miller," he calls back.

"Who's the pretty girl, Maxy?"

She wiggles her white brows at him.

"This is Lennox, my girlfriend."

I don't think I'll ever get used to him calling me that.

"Oh, that's Lennox. I wish I could come out to give you a proper greeting, but my bunions are killing me today. I'm supposed to be resting," she laughs.