The kiss wasn’t unwelcome, and part of him was disappointed that she’d pulled away so quickly. As her hand left his, he squeezed it, holding on even as she moved toward her ship. It was when his fingertips barely hooked onto hers that he reluctantly let go.

Zach wanted to yell after Jo to wait, beg her not to leave. He wanted to properly describe how much he was going to miss her and how anxiously he was going to await her letters. He already knew the days that would stretch between each correspondence would be nearly unbearable.

But he had to let her go.

"Soon," he promised, the word hanging in the air, drenched in all the things he didn’t have the courage to speak out loud. Phrases that would make it impossible for him to allow her to go.

There Zach stood, helplessly watching Jo climb aboard, and there he remained until her ship was but a speck on the horizon.

Soon. Merlin, it better be soon.