Chapter 42 Astrid
ASTRID
“Istill say Gwen should’ve come,” Renee proclaims as we make our way across the fairground after the Hocus Pocus magic show.
Today is the first day of the Vermont State Fair, and we’ve been here since three.
The guys checked out the monster trucks while we checked out the live shark exhibition.
We’ve gone on some rides and stuffed our faces with corn dogs, fried dough, and Roxie’s infamous French fries.
“I agree. It’s not like anyone would know her here, but I get why she didn’t want to.”
Gwen was charged with shoplifting several items of clothing and makeup from a Burly department store.
As it was a first offense and the value of the goods was under nine hundred dollars, she will get off without a conviction so long as she successfully completes a diversion program.
She has already paid a fine, and she’s in the middle of a theft awareness class and community service.
When it’s all completed, which should be by early next year, the case will be dismissed, and she’ll have a clean record.
Dad hired Peter Stevens to handle Gwen’s case, and they attended a meeting at Bennington Turo with her.
She was terrified she’d lose her scholarship and her place, but given the circumstances, the college is supporting her, but she has lost twenty percent of her scholarship, and it’s all conditional on her successful completion of the diversion program and her keeping her nose clean in the future.
Unfortunately, her arrest and day in court were covered by the local media, and everyone in Ryemont knows what she did. While some were sympathetic, given what she’s gone through this year, there are plenty who have shunned her, and she’s faced ridicule and cruel comments around town.
She lost her job at the resort, and if I hadn’t already quit, I would have quit then in solidarity.
Isn’t a person allowed to make a mistake?
What she did was wrong, and she was stealing long before she was caught, but she realizes it now.
She broke down and confessed everything to me, and she’s definitely learned her lesson.
She assures me she’s never going to do it again.
There should be no need, as she has the money Mara left her, and she plans to pick up a part-time job when we start college.
Scott stood by her, as did all her friends, but she’s retreated even further into herself, and nothing any of us said could get her to come with us today.
“Penny for them,” Callan says, tightening his arm around my shoulders as we head toward the Ferris wheel.
“I was just thinking about Gwen.”
His silence speaks volumes. Callan was good to her the day she was arrested, driving me out to Burly to pick her up and letting her cry all over both of us.
He didn’t say anything when I was spending a lot of my time with her, and he listened attentively when I spoke about the situation.
But it’s the things he’s not saying that tell me all I need to know.
He doesn’t like her, and it makes me sad because they’re both important to me.
“She’s with Scott. She’s fine,” he says in a neutral tone as we join the line for wristband holders behind our friends.
I purposely switch the subject to lighten the mood. “Are you still mad at Freja and me?” I fight a grin.
His shoulders visibly relax. “Never.” He tickles my side, and I giggle, trying to escape his clutches, but his arm is like a cage around my body, keeping me close. “I just didn’t realize my girlfriend was so devious.”
“To be fair, it was mostly Freja. She started it.”
“I fear for the male population when she starts dating. She’ll have boys wrapped around her little finger, and they won’t even know it.”
“You’re still the best boyfriend in the world, according to her. Not sure anyone can top you in her eyes.”
“All he’ll have to do is buy her cupcakes every Friday, and he’ll steal the title from me.” He tweaks my nose. “Still can’t believe I fell for it. I’m such a sucker.”
“Joe did buy her candy one time, so it was just a slight exaggeration of the truth.”
“Slight exaggeration?” He slaps my ass, uncaring who sees. “You two minxes let me buy cupcakes every Friday, for basically the entire year, without saying a word!”
“You made it too easy.”
“Small price to pay to earn your sister’s undying devotion, I suppose. At least I know I have one Nevan rooting for me.”
I rest my head on his shoulder, enjoying the sun on my skin. “All the Nevans are rooting for you. You’ve even won my dad over.”
“Not so sure about that. He still gives me the evil eye when I hold you too close.”
I giggle because he’s not wrong, but neither am I.
Dad has a lot of time for Callan, and I know he’s pleased he’ll be with me on campus.
“I’m glad we got a clear day.” I look up at the bright blue sky, untainted by a single cloud.
The sun is high, casting rays of warmth on the ground below.
“We’ll be able to see for miles when we’re at the top. ”
“I’m glad we got to do this on my last day.” He smiles, tucking my hair behind my ears. “Another memory for the book.” His fingers sweep against the side of my face, igniting a fiery trail in their path.
“I’m going to miss you so much.” I snuggle into his side.
Callan holds me tighter as we move forward. “I’ll be home next weekend, and in two weeks, you’ll be on campus too.”
The soccer team starts training two weeks before classes officially begin, so he’s heading up there tomorrow morning to get settled in his dorm before his first practice session in the afternoon.
He was going to drive home on Saturday evening and return to campus on Sunday night, but I told him not to do it.
It’s a two-hour trip each way, and he needs to bond with his team.
Separations are part of our future because he’ll have away games and overseas competitions, and we won’t always be together.
It’s better to start getting used to it now, even if I’m dreading it. “I know, but I’m going to miss you.”
“I can come home tomorrow night.” He presses a kiss to my head as we move nearer to the top of the line.
I shake my head. “You need to spend time with your team. It’s cool. We’ll talk every day on the phone.”
“You go ahead,” Callan says to Riley when he looks back at us with an inquiring expression. “The gondolas only fit six anyway.”
Travis, Simone, Riley, Nikki, Renee, and Thor climb into the waiting gondola, waving at us as they move up.
Callan whispers something to the guy manning the ride, discreetly passing him a fifty-dollar bill. The guy nods, opening the door to our gondola and ushering us inside. He closes it after us, saying something to the people in the line behind us.
“Did you just bribe him so we got this all to ourselves?” I ask as the gondola lifts. Normally, you have to book a private ride as they tend to fill the cabins to capacity when it’s busy.
“Yep.” He grins as his arm slides around my shoulders. “I didn’t want to share the experience with strangers.”
“You’re such a romantic.” I pepper kisses along his stubbly jawline. “I love it and you.”
He kisses me deeply as the cabin lifts, and I can’t tell if it’s the gondola or my heart swaying. “I love you,” he says, tearing his lips from mine a minute later. “I love you so much, Astrid. More than I ever thought I could love someone.”
Be still, my heart. Callan is such a romantic, and it comes so naturally to him. “I feel the same way.” I’m not even looking at the view as we ascend toward the top, too ensnared by the look in my boyfriend’s eyes to look away from him. “I feel so lucky to have met you.”
“We have found something most people never find in a lifetime.” Removing something from the pocket of his jean shorts, he clutches it in his hand. “It’s been almost a year since we first met, but it feels like I’ve known you forever.”
“It seems that way to me too.”
“I want to love you forever, Astrid.” Emotion gleams in his eyes as he unfurls his hand, revealing a small box.
“This isn’t an engagement ring,” he clarifies when my eyes almost fall out of my head.
“But it’s as close to it as it comes.” He pops the lid, revealing a silver and amethyst Claddagh ring.
My fingers curl around the matching necklace resting on my chest as I fight tears.
“This is my promise to you.” He extracts the ring from the inside padding.
“I promise that I will always love you and there will be no other girl for me. I promise that we will make a life together and grow old surrounded by the family we have raised.” He takes my left hand and slides the ring on my ring finger.
“As long as I live, my heart will only beat for you.”
“Callan,” I whisper, smiling at him through the tears clouding my vision. “I will love you for eternity, and I want a lifetime with you. Only you.”
Our mouths meet in the sweetest, most tender kiss, and I cling to him, my heart full of love and hope.
When we break apart, we’re back at the bottom, and I shake my head as Callan hands another fifty-dollar bill to the man, and we continue for another round.
“You’re insane. You should be keeping that for college.
” We’ve both been careful with our money this summer, saving as much as we can so our parents aren’t paying for everything.
I plan to get a part-time job, but Callan won’t be able to commit to a job with his schedule, so his money is precious.
“I earned good money on the site, and Travis’s uncle says we can work for him over the holidays if we want.” Callan enjoyed the physical nature of the job over the summer. He said it gave him the headspace to think while he worked. He found it strangely therapeutic.
“Thank you so much.” Holding out my hand, I admire the ring on my finger. It’s a perfect fit, and it looks like it’s always belonged there. “It’s beautiful, and I love it. Now I have a matching pair.”
“When things are hard, and they will be, because we’re both going to be busy and won’t always be able to see one another, I want you to look at that ring and remember the promises I’ve made you.
” He bundles me in his arms. “No matter what the future holds, know you are always a part of it, and my heart will forever belong to you. Don’t ever forget. ”