Chapter 12: Gentleman's Farewell

James dropped me off at home.

We’d returned to the cottage to pick up our friends and their things. James had already dropped Addison and Sadhvi off. We’d told everyone about our bear story, and they were stunned.

Even Lucas hadn’t made any smart comments.

Now that the trip had ended, it was time to say goodbye to James. I knew it wouldn’t be long before I saw him again. He put the car in park and then got out, walked around, and opened my door for me.

James carried my luggage to the front door.

“You’re such a gentleman,” I teased, a smile playing on my lips as I followed him.

“Only for you,” he replied, flashing me a grin that sent butterflies dancing in my stomach. “You’re my little pookie-bear.”

I stopped in my tracks and shot him a glare that made him laugh.

“You better stop with those ridiculous nicknames.”

“Or what?” he asked.

“I’ll eat all your snacks,” I playfully threatened.

This made James laugh even harder. As we reached the door, James set my bags down with care. He turned to face me with a gentle expression.

“I had the best time with you,” he said, his voice soft and sincere. “I can’t wait to see you again. Soon.”

I felt a rush of warmth flood through me at his words, my cheeks flushing with happiness.

“Me too,” I admitted. “I’ll miss you until then.”

With a playful twinkle in his eye, James leaned in close, his breath warm against my cheek.

“I’ll miss you more,” he whispered, his lips brushing against mine in a sweet and tender kiss.

“I thought we had agreed not to lie to each other. It’s obvious that I’ll miss you more…”

He kissed me again.

“No—”

Another kiss.

“—You.”

Another kiss.

“—Won’t.”

I laughed. “Goodbye, James.”

“Goodbye, Keily.”

I lingered in the moment, savoring the feeling of his lips on mine. With a final wave goodbye, I watched as James disappeared down the driveway. And then he was gone. I already missed him.

Then I walked into my house.

The familiar scent of dinner cooking wafted through the air. My stomach growled. I set my bags down by the front door and made my way to the kitchen, where the sound of sizzling and the clinking of utensils greeted me.

My mother was at the stove, while my dad sat at the table, a glass of wine in hand. As soon as they spotted me, their faces lit up. They hurried over to greet me with hugs and kisses. They acted as if they hadn’t seen me in months. How were they ever going to survive when I went to MIT?

“Welcome home, sweetheart,” my mom said, her voice filled with warmth as she wrapped me in a tight embrace.

“Hey there, kiddo,” my dad chimed in, planting a kiss on my cheek before offering me a seat at the table.

I smiled back at them. It was nice to be home. I would miss them too when I left for MIT.

“Thanks, Mom, Dad,” I replied. My heart swelled as I took in the sight of my family gathered together.

“Tell us all about your trip! What were the highlights?” Mom asked as she cut her steak.

“Well... James and I went camping. We woke up and there was a bear in front of our tent!” I exclaimed.

My dad dropped his fork. My mom’s eyes shot to me.

“Did you get hurt?” My dad asked.

“Luckily not. The bear left without causing any damage. But some pesky kids did come and tear our campsite apart—they left food everywhere and that attracted the bear. They ended up getting arrested.”

I stuck some veggies into my mouth and began chewing.

“Really?” Mom asked, looking mortified.

“I know, it sounds crazy,” I admitted. “But it really happened.”

My mom and dad exchanged a glance.

“I’m happy that James was with you,” Dad said.

“Me too,” Mom added.

I loved that they accepted James and the role he played in my life. James really was incredible. He made me feel so safe. And he was so dependable.

“He’s been amazing,” I admitted. “I don’t know what I would do without him.”

As we continued to eat, the conversation turned to more serious matters, and I hesitantly broached the topic that had been weighing on my mind.

“Um, Mom, Dad. I’ve been thinking...about our college living situation,” my voice trembled slightly with nerves.

Mom and Dad exchanged a curious glance. Then their attention was fully focused on me.

“What about it, sweetheart?” Mom asked, taking a bite of veggies.

“Well, James and I have been talking...” I trailed off, unsure of how to articulate my thoughts. “We’ve been considering...moving in together.”

There was a moment of stunned silence as my words hung in the air. But to my surprise, my parents' expressions softened, and they exchanged a knowing glance. Had they predicted this?

“Moving in together is a big step, sweetheart,” my mom said.

But neither she nor my father seemed to be totally against the idea. That was a surprise. I’d half expected them to tell me ‘no’.

“Dad, what do you think?” I asked.

“I can sense that James has a good head on his shoulders,” Dad said. Then he looked at Mom. “It might be safer for her rather than getting up to crazy college shenanigans.”

Mom laughed. “Keily wasn’t going to do anything crazy.” She then looked at me. “Were you?”

I swallowed my steak and smiled. “I sure hope not.”

I cut another piece of meat. “So, do you think we should move in together?”

“It’s not our choice to make,” Mom said, cleaning her plate.

“I do think you should think about it more, though,” Dad said, finishing the last of his food. “Moving in together is a big step, and it can cause stress on your relationship. Especially with all of the newness of college and how busy you’ll be.”

Mom nodded in agreement, her expression thoughtful.

“Take your time, sweetheart,” she said gently. “Think it through carefully before making any decisions. You and James have your whole lives ahead of you.”

Their advice resonated with me, and I knew they were right.

“Thanks, Mom, Dad,” I replied. “I’ll definitely think about it some more. I want to make sure we’re both ready for such a big step.”

With their words of wisdom in mind, I knew I had some soul-searching to do. We cleared the table together before I went to my room, taking my bags with. After unpacking and taking a quick shower, I texted James.

Keily

I miss you the most.

Moments later my phone rang. I answered.

“Hey, James,” I replied softly. My stomach was suddenly in knots as I prepared to share my thoughts with him.

“Hey, Keily,” he greeted me, and I could hear the tiredness in his voice.

“So… I just had a talk with my parents…”

“About what?”

I rolled over on my bed.

“About us moving in together and they weren’t opposed to the idea. I want to live with you… but what do you think?”

There was a pause on the other end of the line, and my heart pounded in my chest as I waited for his response.

“I’ve been thinking about it too,” James finally said, his voice serious. “And I actually talked to my parents as well.”

My stomach tightened with nerves as I listened, fearing what his parents might have said.

“And?” I prompted, holding my breath in anticipation.

“They weren’t as positive about it,” James admitted, his tone heavy with disappointment. “My dad thinks it would be a bad idea for us to live together.”