“Are you going back to school after the holidays?”

Hugh asked as we sat in the tall grass on my parents’ property.

I shook my head.

“I suppose there isn’t much point,” he said thoughtfully. “Not with only two weeks left.”

“How’s school going for you?” I asked. “When’s your graduation?”

“Thursday after next. Still feels surreal.”

“Do you know if you’re getting it?”

“The student of the year award?” He grinned. “Yeah, I’m getting it.”

“I knew you would.” I smiled. “I’m so proud of you.”

He gently redirected, “Enough about me. Talk to me, Liz.”

“I’d rather not,” I admitted. “Can you just… distract me?”

His eyes held mine for a moment, but then he said, “Rugby’s been better since the Dub joined. We might even win some silverware.”

“Is that important to you?”

“Not really,” he laughed. “I just like the craic—and avoiding the hospital.”

“You’re good at it, though.”

“Yeah, but you know my heart’s in the water.”

“And swimming?”

“Came third at nationals last weekend.”

“You did?” I squeezed his hand. “That’s amazing.”

“Still not sure how, I’d been out of the pool for ages,” he said, flushing with pride.

“Oh—and I got into Tommen College. Highest exam scores in all three schools.”

I grinned. “First Tommen, then Trinity, then the world.”

“I hope so.” “I know so, you’re a genius, Hugh” I said softly.

“And when you’re a famous heart surgeon, you can come home and fix mine.”

“Liz…”

“Joking,” I murmured.

“I’ll fix your heart,” he said, pulling me onto his lap. “But I won’t be leaving you behind to do it.”

“You’re taking me with you?”

“To Trinity—and beyond.”

“But I’m two years below you.”

“You’ll skip a year. Turn eighteen the summer I leave, and we’ll go together.”

“And if my parents say no?”

“Then we’ll get married. Problem solved.”

I laughed. “Just like that?”

"Just like that.”

We held each other close as the sun dipped low.

“You’ve really thought this through,” I whispered.

“Since the day you said you’d say yes,” he replied.

“So keep that heart beating, Lizzie Young. I need you more than you know.”

“I will,” I promised. “I swear.”