You've Found Oliver (You've Reached Sam, #2)(29)

Have you looked outside?



There’s a clear view of Orion’s belt tonight



Was thinking about you too



Glad to see you interested in astronomy now



Eventually, Rami returns to the circulation desk. He was supposed to start his shift over an hour ago. I close my laptop and say, “And where exactly have you been?”

Rami sets down his sunglasses. “I was at Sweet Juice.”

“You went to lunch?”

“Relax, it’s Friday. People barely come to the library today. That’s why I take this shift.” He takes a seat in his usual chair, crossing one leg over the other. “What are you doing here anyway? I thought you were meeting that new boy.”

“He’s still on his way,” I say.

“I’m so glad he’s visiting you this time. It would have been a red flag if he made you take the bus to see him again.”

“The bus isn’t that bad.”

“What kind of car does he drive?”

“Not sure.”

“Hopefully something expensive. Like a Porsche.”

I shrug. “You know I don’t care about that.”

Rami rolls his eyes. “Okay, Oliver Twist. As long as I’m invited to your wedding.”

I lean back in my seat, sighing. “I still don’t know if he likes me yet.”

“Of course he likes you,” Rami says. “He’s not going to drive all the way from Seattle to be besties. He’s probably wondering the same thing about you. You’re not exactly the easiest person to read. Are you a water sign?”

I cross my arms. “I don’t subscribe to astrology.”

Rami looks at me. “That’s something a Cancer would say.”

My phone vibrates. There’s a text message from Ben, saying he’s here earlier than expected. I can’t believe he’s actually in Ellensburg right now.

Where should I park again?



Let me send you the location



I’ll meet you there now



I say goodbye to Rami and head out the door. It’s another beautiful spring afternoon. Most of the cherry blossoms have fallen, covering the ground with petals. I have the whole day planned out for us. There’s a river that runs the length of campus. You have to cross the bridge to get from the library to the south parking lot. Petals fall into the water as I’m walking over it. I text Ben, asking where he is.

Near the language and literature building



I stop short. Because I was just coming from that direction. Maybe he crossed one of the other bridges? Then someone calls my name, making me turn around.

Ben is standing on the other side of the bridge, the side I came from, smiling at me. How did he get there so fast? I make my way over and embrace him with a hug. I feel his arms tighten around me. I wish I never had to pull away.

“You’re almost an hour early,” I say.

“Couldn’t wait to see you again.” He adjusts the bag over his shoulder. “It’s also a curse of mine. I’m always early or the first to arrive.”

“As long as you didn’t run any red lights.”

“Only a couple.” He winks at me, obviously joking. Then he takes a look around and says, “You guys have a lot of bridges around here.”

“I can give you the exclusive tour,” I say. “But I was thinking we could grab coffee first. There’s this place in town you’ll like.”

Ben smiles. “Can’t wait to try it.”

There’s so many things I want to show him. Ellensburg might not be as big as Seattle, but there’s still plenty to do around here. Sun and Moon is a short walk from campus. Thankfully, there’s only a few people inside. We order our drinks and find a table in the back. Ben says the café reminds him of a coffee shop near his apartment. He glances at the hand-painted sign on the wall. “Sun and Moon,” he says out loud. “Wonder how they came up with the name.”

“Maybe the owner was an astronomy major,” I say.

“Sounds like a better use of the degree.” Ben takes a sip of his latte. “Have you ever thought about opening your own café?”

“I’m more of a donut shop guy.”

Ben laughs. “That reminds me.” He removes a small box from his bag and sets it on the table. I don’t have to open it to know what’s inside. “From the bakery we went to last weekend. I promised I’d bring you some more. You said your favorite place closed down, right? I couldn’t show up without it.”

“You remembered?” I take a look inside the box of pastries. There’s even a chocolate croissant. “I actually have something for you, too. But I didn’t bring it with me.” I went back to the pottery place this week. I painted a cluster of stars on a tea plate. “I can grab it when we stop by my dorm.”

“What is it?”

“You’ll find out later. Just promise you won’t hate it.”

“I’m sure I’ll love it.”

We finish our drinks and make our way out. The temperature has cooled a little, but it’s still a nice walk through downtown Ellensburg. Some of the shops have their doors open, displaying clothes on the sidewalk. We stop by my favorite record store and take a look around. Ben finds a Born to Die vinyl that’s practically brand new. He thrifted a vintage record player a few months ago and is building a collection. I make a mental note of this for the future. Then we grab some ice cream across the street and continue our walk.