Jackson slips under the surface of the water and doesn’t come back up. Alyson screams, and I jump in, diving down and swimming across to grab Jackson. I hook my arm around him and push off the bottom of the pool. He’s thrashing, doing everything he can to get himself to the surface, and hits me in the face a few times. I bring him up out of the water, and Weston takeshim from my arms, bringing him out of the pool.“What were you thinking?” Weston asks, eyes wide with fear. Jackson coughs up water, and Wes holds him tightly against him. I pull myself up out of the water, eyes on the kid. “Are you okay?”Jackson is still coughing, and being hugged tight by his father isn’t helping. Alyson comes around, crouching down to Jackson. Mrs. Langford comes outside, panicked.“What happened? I heard someone scream.”“Jackson jumped in the pool and Jim saved him,” Alyson says, letting out a sha

Smiling, I take Alyson’s hand. “Things are quite different now than the last time we walked up and down this river.” “You’re not kidding,” she says back with a laugh. We just got done with dinner and are enjoying the night out together. “Though one thing is the same.”“What?”My heart is in my throat, but this time I’m not nervous. “I was in love with you then, like I am now.”Alyson stops short, grip on my hand tightening. Her lips are slightly parted with shock, but her eyes are sparkling. “What?”I pull her close, heart thumping away. “If you’re not ready to say it back, that’s okay. But I’ve been wanting to tell you for a long time. I love you.”“I love you, too.”“Really?”“Yes,” she says with a laugh, blinking back tears. “I kne

I hang up the phone and rub my temples. I wasn’t expecting that. Not at fucking all. I’m still a little stunned. Raising my arms above my head, I stretch and roll my neck. I’m used to standing in the same position for hours and didn’t realize I’ve been sitting and hardly moved for the last hour and a half.I go to the window, giving myself a moment to process everything, and look down at the city. I’m in Alyson’s kitchen, and the view is amazing. In my younger years, I would have loved to live here. I’d feel like a fucking baller up in this place, with its large white kitchen and lakefront view.But now…now I’m questioning raising a child in a place like this. Not because I don’t think it’s fitting, but because I know how Alyson grew up in a small town, and how I watched them, an outsider looking in, and thought the Langfords were fucking perfect.I press one hand against the cool glass, st

Izip up my suitcase and haul it into the living room. I’m on call tonight and then I’m home free, ready to spend a week on the Hawaiian coast with Alyson. Everything is ready, and I plan to sleep as much as I can until I have to go in. Then it’s come back here, take a quick shower and drive to Chicago so Alyson and I can board the plane together.The last time I went on a real vacation was my senior year during my pre-med schooling. Jacob and I went to Miami for spring break, stayed in a shitty-ass motel and almost got hustled by a pair of twins. Can I even consider that a vacation?“Did you pack the ring?” Sam asks, coming out of the kitchen.I turn, giving him a surprised look. “You know about it?”Sam’s eyes widen. “I was giving you shit. You really bought her a ring?” “Not quite. Her grandma gave me her ring to propose with.” “Are you going to?”I run my hand th

“A re you doing all right, babe?” I ask Alyson, wondering if the sun is getting to her like it’s getting to me. Though judging by the distance between us, she’s doing just fine.She stops, turning around and holds up her phone, taking pictures of our surroundings before taking one of me.“I’m fine, just like I was the last time you asked me. You’re a slowpoke.”I laugh. “You ran up ahead.”“I thought I saw a ferret.”“They’re mongooses. Mongeese? They were brought here to help control the rat population but took over.”“Well, they’re cute. I want one.”“I think they’re mean.”“They just want love.” Alyson puts her phone back in her bag and holds out her hand. I take it, lacing our fingers and pulling her in for a kiss. We’re hiking today, on our way to see a waterfall. It’s hotter