A Love to Last

Book excerpt: “Can I be honest with you for a second?” he asked. “Isn’t that what we’re doing?” she said playfully. “I don’t know very much about you, and that’s fine, but ever since you started at Middleton, there’s been something about you that I’ve been drawn to. And I don’t want to be presumptuous, but I think you might feel it too? If you don’t, that’s completely fine and I’m so sorry if this makes you uncomfortable, but I wanted you to know that before…”. “Before what?” she asked, breathlessly. “Before I asked if I could kiss you?” In an instant, all the butterflies in her stomach were jolted awake. Her hands and armpits instantly became clammy, and her mouth went dry. “Would that be alright?” he asked. “Yes,” she whispered. Jake leaned over the table and cupped her face with his right hand. Once their lips met, the butterflies went away, and a calmness overtook her. Jake kissed tenderly yet passionately, as if it were the last kiss he would ever have. When he began to pull away, Madison grabbed his shirt and brought him back. To say it was the best kiss she’d ever had would be a gross understatement and Madison knew right then and there that that was what love was supposed to feel like. Kendra Slee is a secondary teacher in Southern Ontario. While this is her debut novel, her writing has been featured in Althouse Literary Magazine, Canadian Stories Magazine, and The Meaford Independent. Kendra lives in Southampton with her husband and their son.