Message from Nam by Danielle Steel

that’s not such a bad idea,” he said to both of them before he left, “maybe next year we could rent a place together, off campus.” The idea appealed to all of them, but next year seemed like a long way off, and Paxton wondered if he would still like her by then. A lot of things could change in a year. It was amazing to think of what already had. In three months, she and Gabby had become good friends, she and Peter had fallen in love, they had lost two roommates, and one of them was having a baby. It was amazing to contemplate when they went to sleep that night. And the next weeks seemed to fly by before they left for Christmas vacation. After Christmas, Peter was going skiing with friends, and Gabby was going to Puerto Vallarta, in Mexico, with her parents. Peter had asked Paxton if she wanted to come skiing with him, but she had told him that it would be awkward leaving her family early to come back to California, and he understood that.
    He drove her to the airport on the twenty-first instead and as they stood at the gate, making comfortable chitchat about Christmas, he suddenly looked down at her and her heart stopped when he spoke to her, suddenly looking almost as grown up as his father.
    “This isn’t going to work, you know.” It was almost Christmas, and he was telling her the romance was over.
    “What … I … I … I’m sorry …” She couldn’t look up at him, it hurt too much, and she resisted as she felt his finger under her chin, forcing her to look up at him, her eyes blinded by the tears he had just caused her.
    “You don’t know what I mean, Pax, do you?” His eyes were damp too, and she shook her head miserably as she watched him. “I can’t go on playing like this, pretending we’re just good friends and this is just a freshman flirtation. I’m in love with you, Pax. I’ve never loved anyone like I love you. I want to marry you one day. All you have to do is say when. Tomorrow, next week, ten years. You want to go to the Peace Corps, to Africa, to the moon, that’s fine. I’ll wait. I love you.” His voice trembled, and his lips, too, and he pulled her into his arms so hard, it took her breath away, and this time when she kissed him, he had her whole heart. She couldn’t play with him anymore either. She knew just how much she loved him.
    “Peter, what are we going to do?” She was smiling through her tears this time, and he was too. Just holding her, feeling her, kissing her, he knew she loved him. “I have three and a half more years of school. I have to finish,” she added.
    “So we’ll wait. No big deal. Maybe we’ll get engaged sometime. All I want to know is if you love me.” His eyes bore into hers and she nodded seriously.
    “I love you … I love you so much.…” she whispered, and this time he took her in his arms and kissed her more gently.
    “I hate not to be with you on Christmas,” he whispered into her hair, “do you want me to fly down to Savannah after Christmas?” She did, but she didn’t dare. If her mother knew that at eighteen she was serious about someone, particularly a boy from California, she’d be frantic.
    “No, it’s too soon. They won’t understand.”
    “Then come back soon.”
    They were calling her plane for the last time and everyone had already boarded. “I’ve got to go. I’ll call you from home.” … home … where was home now? “I love you.” But what if he forgot her over the holidays? What if he found someone else? If he met someone when he was skiing? All her thoughts were on her face as she pulled away from him and he laughed at her.
    “Stop that, you dummy. I love you. And you’d better remember that. One day, your name is going to be Paxton Wilson.” He gave her a last quick kiss, and she ran to catch her plane, waving to him, and calling over her shoulder that she loved him.

C HAPTER 5

    I t was strange arriving in Savannah that night. It was cold and dark, and very late. The plane had been delayed on the