Chapter 25
Opinion: Dreams do come true. If you’re willing to open your eyes.
—Delilah Dune, opinion writer
L yla was on the edge of a sweet dream. She was half awake and half asleep, and indecisive about whether she wanted to keep snoozing or get up and face reality.
In the dream, she was with Travis. They were laughing about something. She wasn’t sure what, but the vibe between them felt amazing. It felt like love, which would have terrified her if she was awake, but since this was a dream, she soaked the sensation up.
The sun came through the blinds, warming her face. She stirred and slowly started to realize she was dreaming. Then the memory that Travis was lying beside her on her childhood bed came to mind. They hadn’t done anything more than kiss last night before their eyes had closed and they’d slipped off. Nothing physical had happened, but something more had.
Opening her eyes, Lyla turned to look at the space beside her. Vacant. She sat up and looked around, searching for proof that him coming home with her hadn’t also been a dream. His clothes were gone. “Travis?”
The house was quiet.
Lyla sighed and got to her feet, shuffling toward the bathroom to freshen up. Afterward, she headed toward the kitchen to pour a glass of water, stopping short when the doorbell rang. Who would be on her porch this early?
She opened the door and grinned. “Hey. You weren’t here when I woke?”
“I have to work today.” He held up a carrier with two cups of coffee. “But first, coffee. I wanted to make sure you started your day off right.”
“You are a godsend.” She grabbed one of the cups, feeling the warmth soak into her skin. “Come on in.”
Travis stepped inside and closed the door behind him. “I can only stay for a few minutes.”
“Long enough to discuss last night,” she said.
“That discussion is only for those who actually did something last night.” There was a teasing element in his voice. “You were snoring before we got to first base.”
Lyla laughed and lifted her cup of coffee to sip as the top popped off and hot liquid splashed the front of her sleepshirt.
“You okay?” Travis asked, following her to the kitchen sink.
She set her coffee down and pulled her damp clothing away from her body. “Yeah. Just a mess. Let me go change. Do you mind waiting?”
“Of course not.” He lifted himself up onto her kitchen counter and sat there. “I’ve got some messages to check anyway.” He pulled out his phone. “Take your time.”
“Great.” As Lyla pulled on a fresh shirt, her cell phone chirped from where she’d set it on her mattress. She excitedly picked it up. She knew what that sound meant. It was Friday. Her new opinion article had posted. And maybe, just maybe, this one would save her job.
“Yes!” Sure enough, there was an email in her inbox alerting her that “Delilah’s Delusions” had a new article available online. All her subscribers were getting the exact same alert right now. Soon their opinions would start coming in. They would either agree or disagree with her. That was the fun part.
Lyla quickly looked over the article, reminding herself of the key points.
· The promise of forever wasn’t necessary for a relationship.
· Relationships could be beneficial even if they were short-term and wouldn’t amount to anything in the long run.
· Waiting on forever was a pipe dream for fools.
On one hand, she sounded bitter and resentful. On the other, she sounded like an independent woman who didn’t need a man to feel whole. What would Travis think if he read this? Isn’t this what guys wanted anyway? To have all the fun without the commitment? Especially a self-proclaimed nomad like Travis.
Yeah, this article would probably give him a sense of relief. It was sure to get her readers writing in. On an inhale, she left her bedroom and walked back toward the kitchen where Travis was still seated on her countertop next to the time capsule and the unfinished bucket list.
“Hey. I’m fresh, clean, and ready for company,” she said brightly.
Travis looked up from his cell phone.
There was an indescribable look in his eyes. She wasn’t sure she’d ever seen it before.
“Bad news? Is it the hurricane? Bailey’s wedding?” Lyla hoped the weather didn’t require that the wedding be postponed. Then again, that would be reason for Travis to stay in Echo Cove longer.
He looked stunned. “I was, uh, just reading the new article for ‘Delilah’s Delusions.’ ” He cleared his throat as if something was lodged there.
“Oh? What do you think?” She sensed that he hadn’t liked what he’d read.
“No strings, no rings, no mess.” He offered a definitive nod. “Great opinion, Ly,” he said with a hint of sarcasm. He slid his phone into his front pocket. “I didn’t realize what your thoughts on relationships were these days. I mean, I should have. You are the best friend who lied about keeping in touch after high school. If I was so easy to discard then, why would things be any different now? Just because we kissed doesn’t mean you’ve transformed into someone different.”
“Travis. That’s just an opinion article.”
“Your opinion article, Ly. They’re your words and—I don’t know, I guess I just needed to hear them. I needed a wake-up call, because here I was thinking that things would be different. Heck, even after we slept together you told me that nothing had changed. You told me.” He laughed quietly and headed toward the front door.
“Travis, I already explained about that. I was just scared that you would get scared.”
He turned back. “You were just scared. You’ve always been scared, Ly. That’s why we started making those stupid bucket lists.”
“They were for you, too,” she shot back.
He shook his head. “I’ve always looked at fear as a challenge, and I’ve never regretted taking the challenge. There’s only one thing I’ve been afraid of as an adult, and that’s putting down roots. Home is not a place that represents stability for me. It’s not safe.” The muscles of his jaw bunched. “For the first time in my adult life, this summer, I’ve actually had the thought that maybe a home without wheels wouldn’t be so bad.”
“Travis . . .” Lyla didn’t know what to say. “It’s just a stupid opinion article. I’m trying to save my career.”
“Why?” Travis asked.
She lowered her brows. “What do you mean, why?”
“Why are you trying to save something that isn’t even you? Being some opinion writer isn’t what you always dreamed of being, Ly. Why are you working so hard to be something you’re not?”
“I need a job. I need to support myself financially. If my column sinks, then I’ll be putting in applications at Wal-mart.”
“At least you’d be happy. When we were young, I put items on our bucket list that I thought would push you. If I created a list for you this summer, Ly, I’d put three things on it.”
Lyla folded her arms over chest. She couldn’t decide if she was offended or apologetic. She needed time to process what was happening right now.
“One: Quit that ‘stupid column.’ Your words, not mine. Two: Write a real story. Something that makes you feel alive inside. Three: Figure out where home is. Even I know the answer to that, Ly, and I haven’t stayed in one place in more than a decade.”
“Travis . . .”
“I should go.” He opened the door and stepped onto the porch.
She stepped out behind him. “Don’t be angry.”
Travis turned to look at her. “I’m not angry. I’ve just realized, I guess, that time changes things. It changed us. We can’t go back.”
Lyla’s thoughts spiraled in her head, racing a hundred miles an hour.
Before she could respond, Travis jogged down the porch steps toward his truck. He kept walking, opened the door, and stepped inside. He didn’t wave. Didn’t look at her. He just reversed out of her driveway and drove away.
Lyla stood there, watching the road. She considered chasing after him, but instead she stood there frozen. Her editor was happy. Her readers were inspired. Her opinion had hit a nerve with everyone, including Travis.
August 30
Dear Diary,
The hurricane has come and gone. I’m still here, but our house took a huge hit. Mom and Dad are so upset. First the busted pipes and the leak in the ceiling. Now a tree is lying in our living room.
Life is strange.
I have another disaster to look forward to as well. I’m all packed up and ready to go to college. It’s almost time to say goodbye. Travis says that we won’t say goodbye because we’ll still see each other as much as we can. That’s supposed to comfort me, but it kind of does the opposite. I’ll never kiss a boy, ever, if I’m still focused on Travis. If I’m still having thoughts about him that I’m not allowed to act on.
Opinion: Sometimes goodbye is a good thing.
Lyla