September 16. Pacey arrived at Capeside Yacht Club just before six o'clock on Saturday evening to pick Joey up from work. He instructed Buzz to keep the car doors locked while he went to collect her. Once inside the building, he followed the signs to the club's restaurant. The place was busy with plenty of tables filled with members. A tall young man with dark hair was standing behind the bar wiping down the counter. He walked over and approached.

"Hey, is Joey Potter here?" he asked the guy.

"She's probably out back in the kitchen polishing her sickle," he said before giving him the once over. "And who are you, if you don't mind me asking?"

He stared for a moment, shoving his hands in his pockets. "I'm her boyfriend."

The guy let out a breathy scoff of disbelief. "That shrew actually has a boyfriend?"

"You must be Drue Valentine." He finally could put a face to the name, featured in several ongoing rants about work.

"She's talked about me, huh?" the guy said with a cocky smirk.

Pacey blinked. "You've been mentioned."

A sly grin spread across Drue's face. "Funny she's never mentioned you," he said pointedly.

Rolling his eyes, he turned and saw Joey walking towards him, her face lighting up at the sight of him. She'd changed out of her uniform and into a pair of jeans and a red V-neck tank top. "Hey," she greeted with a bright smile. He returned her smile. "Hey there. Ready to go?" he asked, and she nodded.

"Well, Potter, aren't you going to introduce me to this boyfriend of yours whom you've managed to keep secret?" Drue interjected. "Or do you keep him locked in your basement?"

Her eyes narrowed as she clenched her jaw in annoyance. "Drue, this is Pacey Witter."

His brows furrowed as he considered the name. "Witter… Witter… Why does that sound familiar?" A look of realization dawned on his face and he snapped his fingers. "Got it. Sheriff Witter. You related?"

"Unfortunately," Pacey deadpanned.

"He's been in here a couple times," said Drue. "Of course, he's not a member of the club, but he's usually a guest of—"

"The mayor. I know." He turned to his girlfriend. "Ready?"

She placed her hand in his, threading their fingers. "Yeah, let's go."

Drue's mouth curved into a sarcastic smirk. "Witter, I have a friendly piece of advice for you. If by some miracle you actually get to take Ms. Frigid here to bed tonight, be sure to sleep with a silver cross and wear some garlic around your neck."

Pacey blinked while Joey glared, her jaw clenching, and then he turned to walk away from the bar, pulling her with him. Stepping out of the restaurant and into the hallway, she frowned and shook her head in disgust. "I should get hazard pay working with that cretin."

"He's a piece of work. So, you haven't told any of your coworkers that you have a boyfriend, Josephine?" he teased. "I'm crushed."

"I don't talk about my life at work, Pacey." She threw him a disdainful look. "Especially not with Drue Valentine."

Once outside in the parking lot, they walked towards the Witter wagon, where Buzz was waiting in the back seat. "You still wanna go to Eastham for the game?" he asked her.

Joey thought for a second. "Yeah. I mean, we should support Jack, and I did tell Jen that we'd be there. She's saving us seats."

"So, how was work?" he asked once they were on the road.

Joey groaned. "Oh, you know, it was eight delightful hours of serving food to tacky snobs who own yachts, pay a staunch yearly membership fee, and spend an average of fifty bucks a meal… and are the stingiest tippers I've ever encountered. I got better tips at the Ice House." She let out a sigh. "But I'm done talking or thinking about work, at least until ten a.m. tomorrow. How about you? I wanna hear about your day."

"It was good," Buzz spoke up, and she smiled at him over her shoulder.

"Yep, our day was good," Pacey said, glancing over at her as he turned onto Main Street. "We went for a hike through the woods this morning and then went out on the boat for a few hours this afternoon."

"I wish I'd been with you instead of at work," she griped.

He reached over the armrest and took her hand, holding it between them. "Well, you're with me now. Think of your paycheck next Friday and all the money you're saving. The yacht club is just a means to an end."

As they drove through downtown, they came upon Joey's wall. "Ask Me To Stay" was still painted in large red letters. Pacey slowed the car and idled in front of it for a moment, smiling at the memories it evoked. "The lease is up at the end of the month," he said.

"Well, that'll at least save you a hundred bucks," she commented. "What do you think the owner will do?"

"Paint over it so he can lease it or sell it to someone else, I suppose. The people of this town are probably sick of looking at it. One person in particular, I'm sure."

Joey gave him a side-eye. "Yes, I'm sure." She turned to look again at the words he'd painted on her wall, sadness welling up inside. "I'll miss it when it's gone, though."

Sighing, he pressed his feet to the gas and started driving away. "You never did get to paint your mural."

"No, I guess not. But I liked yours."

After a twenty-minute drive north, they arrived in the town of Eastham. Following the directions to the Nauset Regional High School that Jen had given them, they were soon parking his mom's Jeep Wagoneer in the visitor lot. Pacey and Joey walked hand in hand to the football stadium, Buzz beside them. To their pleasant surprise, Jen was waiting for them by the main gate to show them their seats. They followed her to the stands above the forty-yard line, started climbing the concrete steps, and soon found Andie seated on the aisle and watching the game.

"Thanks for saving us a spot," Joey said as they moved down the row and took their seats on the hard bleacher benches.

"Not a problem," Jen said, sitting down between her and Andie.

Pacey looked out over the small stadium. "What have we missed so far?"

"Not much," Andie replied. "Play just started."

The Capeside Minutemen were playing their rivals, the Nauset Regional Warriors. They watched the opposing team, in their black and gold uniforms, retake their home field following a time out. Pacey looked over at Jen and Andie for a long moment, before asking, "Why didn't Dawson come along?"

"He went back to working at the video store over the summer," Jen answered. "He tried, but he said that he can't really get out of weekend shifts. His boss doesn't like having the newbie he hired work unsupervised. He wants Dawson there on the weekends since he's not there."

Disgust rose up inside him. "Replaced with a newbie who can't even handle the store by himself. Good grief." He glanced over at his friends again. "So, you mean the reason Dawson didn't come to the game wasn't because I was gonna be here?"

Jen shot him a look, frowning, and shook her head. "No, Pacey."

He shoved his tongue in his cheek, thinking. "Did he even know I was gonna be here?"

"We might've… forgotten to mention it when we invited him," Andie replied evasively.

He nodded in reply and then sighed. He really needed to earn back the money he'd spent on their summer vacation. "I gotta get a job."

His girlfriend turned and smiled. "Maybe you should apply at the restaurants in town."

"I don't think I'd cut it as a waiter, Jo."

"I wasn't talking about waiting tables, Pacey, although I'm sure you could without a problem. I meant for you to work in the kitchen. Maybe some places are looking for a prep cook, or even a busboy or dishwasher and then you can work your way into a prep cook spot. You gotta start somewhere."

His brows furrowed as he thought about what she'd said. Cooking? "I don't know…"

She wasn't sure why he was so hesitant. "But you liked working at Steve's Hideaway, and you were good at it. You cooked the best fish—everyone said so."

"Yeah, well, that was in Key West, Jo. Imagine what my dad or Doug would say about me working as a cook."

"As if the video store was glamorous employment," she snarked. "Why would they care?"

"Retail, they get. Cooking, they wouldn't."

Joey didn't quite understand, but she let it go. "Well, I'm starving. Let's go get something to eat." She turned to her friends. "You girls want anything?"

"We ate on the way here," Andie replied. "But thanks."

They made their way down the concrete steps and out of the bleachers, taking Buzz with them. They found a small crowd had gathered at the concessions and got in back of a long line. Joey leaned back against Pacey, his arms around her waist, and he gently kissed her neck. "Are you having fun?" he whispered in her ear.

"Yes," she smiled, turning her face to look at him. "Are you?"

"Well, I'm with you, so of course I am."

She kissed his cheek and he smiled.

While standing at the concession stand, they overheard several women talking about how pathetic the Minutemen's offense was. One woman in particular was bragging about how great her son was, the Warriors' quarterback. That he would be meeting very soon with several college recruiters. A heavy-set, well-dressed man who stood next to the woman started making everyone in line laugh by berating Capeside's wide receiver for being gay.

"This is going to be a slaughter; we'll have our second team by halftime," the mother of the quarterback loudly predicted for all to hear. "There's no way that Nancy-boy is gonna get through our defense."

Pacey and Joey's smiles had now turned to anger. She stepped forward, his hands coming down from her waist, and confronted the man. Being taller, she looked down at him. She utilized all the colorful language she had in her vocabulary arsenal and informed him, in no small way, that that wide receiver was named Cape Cod's offensive player of the year last year. She then turned to the woman, and using the same vocabulary, informed her that her son would be in for a long, painful day as soon as Coach Leery turned his defense on him.

Pacey quickly covered Buzz's ears until the storm was over. Then, during a lull, he was finally able to pull Joey away before security arrived and threw her out. They finally made it to a different food stand, peacefully ordered, and went back to their seats. While they remained solemn and quiet while they ate, Buzz, however, went into great detail as he ate his hot dog and fries.

"All I can say is that it was a good thing I wasn't there," Andie said hotly. "No one talks bad about my brother and gets away with it. If I had been there, we probably would've been thrown out for sure. So, way to go."

Joey was still red with anger, mixed with embarrassment. A small smile then came to her face as Jen also responded in kind and praised her outburst in defense of Jack.

The referees stopped the game right after the Minutemen called time out. The referees were having problems with the game clock. This gave the Minutemen time to catch their breath and for Mitch Leery to regroup from the Warriors' quick start. Making use of the lull in play, cheerleaders donned in black and gold uniforms ran out in front of the bleachers, shaking pom-poms in their hands.

"We've got the moves, we've in the groove," the girls chanted below. "Now lemme hear your Warrior spirit!"

The crowd seated around them stomped on the concrete and clapped along to the cheer.

"We won't stop till we reach the top! Now lemme hear your Warrior spirit!"

The crowd again stomped repeatedly.

"We've got the muscle, watch our hustle! Now lemme hear your Warrior spirit!"

The stomping filled the bleachers.

"Heeeeeeeeeeeey! Now go Warriors!"

The cheerleaders then jumped and clapped and shouted, waving their gold pom-poms at the crowd. Pacey turned to Jen. "So, how badly do you miss it? Just think, you could've been over there on the other side of the field cheering with the Capeside squad right now."

Jen's mouth pursed into a thin line. "Don't make me hurt you, Pacey. That was a temporary lapse in judgment, one that I will never make again."

When the game resumed, Buzz was the first to notice that the Minutemen now had a different defense. During the entire first half of the game they spoke very little: a word of approval of Capeside's action, a groan and grumble when their quarterback fumbled the ball but luckily recovered it, and a big cheer when Jack caught a twenty-yard pass for a first down.

During another break in game play as the defensive and offensive teams switched up, the Warriors cheerleaders returned in front of the bleachers below. Their captain looked up and shouted, "Aggressive!" Everyone knew what she meant, and the crowd collectively whooped and hollered. Joey turned to Jen and grinned mischievously. "Hey, it's your favorite chant from last year. How about it for old time's sake?"

Jen groaned while Andie giggled. "Definitely. Let's."

"Be aggressive," the cheerleader shouted. "B-E aggressive! B-E A-G-G-R-E-S-S-I-V-E! Aggressive! B-E aggressive!"

The three girls turned to Pacey. "If I have to do it, then you have to do it," Jen told him.

"It's your signature cheer," he muttered. Eyes rolling up to the sky, he shook his head and then shrugged in defeat.

The four friends then began clapping along as the head cheerleader led the crowd into a repeat of the popular chant. "BE AGGRESSIVE!" they yelled at the top of their lungs, making their voices louder than everyone else around them. "Passive aggressive! P-A-S-S-I-V-E! Aggressive! Passive aggressive!"

The people sitting around them turned in their direction, giving them withering looks as they fell into a fit of laughter. The head cheerleader below looked up at them and scowled. The four friends waggled their fingers at her before she flipped her hair and walked off with the rest of her squad. When Jack finally scored a touchdown right before the half-time whistle, they were on their feet, jumping and yelling. "WAY TO GO, JACK," Jen screamed. "THAT'S WHAT I'M FUCKING TALKING ABOUT!"

While their neighbors in the crowd shot disapproving looks in their direction, Pacey hurriedly tried to cover Buzz's ears, but the kid grinned up at him. "Too late, Pissy."

"Please don't tell your mom."

His mentee only giggled in response, which wasn't reassuring.

Later on, Jack continued to shine in the second half, but having to get Buzz home by nine o'clock, Pacey soon said goodbye to his friends, and he and Joey left. Thankful to beat an overwhelming crowd for the exit, he didn't mind leaving the game a little early. It wasn't long before they were back in Capeside.

"So, where to now?" he asked Joey once they'd returned Buzz to his mother. "You want me to take you home?"

"It's still early. Bessie and Bodie are still up, and there's guests at the house. Let's go to your place. What's Gretchen up to tonight? Has she finally decided what color she wants to paint her bedroom?"

"I don't know about the paint, but she went to Provincetown with some friends to go shopping and see some band playing a gig up there," he replied. "When I stopped at home before coming to get you, there was a note she'd left on the fridge. She won't be back until late."

They could finally be alone for the first time in almost a week; she liked that idea. Joey squeezed his hand and smiled. "Looks like it's just you and me, then."

When they got to the beach house, Pacey opened the car door for her. After she slid out of the seat, she kissed him with tender promises. Then she smiled and took his hand in hers. Once inside the house, they kicked off their shoes and sat down on the couch in the living room. "So, what did you tell your parents to get us out of family dinner tomorrow?" Joey asked.

"I told them that we can't make it because we're getting fake I.D.s and buying a bunch of booze and sailing the boat to Nantucket for the day."

Joey stared. "Are you serious? Sheriff Witter would haul your ass back home and lock you in your old bedroom for the rest of the school year."

He scoffed. "More like I'd probably have to enter the Witness Protection Program."

"Your dad doesn't hate you that much, Pacey."

"Yes, he does."

She crossed her arms, frowning. "You know, there's only so much longer we can keep putting this family dinner thing off. I can't have your mother hating me."

He threw his arm up on the couch behind Joey's head and changed the subject. "So, do you know what you want for your birthday?"

Sighing, she thought for a second. "I already told you: I don't want anything."

He gave her a disbelieving look. "Jo, you're turning eighteen. It's a big deal. You must want something."

"I already have everything I want," she said, smiling sweetly. "And it's not like I need anything, Pacey. I have plenty of art supplies, plenty of books, plenty of clothes, more jewelry than I'll ever wear, probably…" She shrugged. "All I want for my birthday is you."

"Well, you've already got me."

"See? I have everything I want."

Giving up the birthday gift question for now, he leaned over and picked up the remote off the coffee table. "You wanna watch TV?"

Joey slid closer to him on the couch, anticipation building inside her as her stomach fluttered. Then, shyly, with a warm wide-eyed smile that was almost teasing, she said, "Not really."

His gaze lingered at her V-neck tank top for a moment, and then Pacey looked deeply in her brown eyes, which shone with love for him. He remembered something from earlier and decided to tease her. "Uh, you know that guy you work with, Drue?"

She frowned. Why were they talking about him? That was the last thing she wanted to talk about right now. "What about him?"

"You work with him a lot, right?"

"When I'm there, he's there, unfortunately," she grumbled.

Nodding, he thought for a moment. "You know, you called him a cretin earlier."

Her brows knitted. "Yeah? Well, I pretty much despise him, so…"

"You used to call me a cretin all the time, Potter. Do you despise him the same way you despised me?"

She slid closer and lifted her hand, caressing his soft buzzcut with her palm. "I never really despised you, Pacey," she murmured. "The exact opposite, actually, which is why I had to live in denial and act like I did."

He turned to look at her, their faces inches apart. "Hmm, sounds familiar," he grinned. "But you know, you work long hours with this Drue guy who you think is a cretin now and then eventually you might change your mind about him and realize you were in denial the whole time."

She smiled and kissed him. "Are we jealous for some reason?"

"No!" he answered quickly. "It's just that you neglected to tell him you had a boyfriend and I don't like the way he talks to you and the fact he's near you all the time," he said with a teasing smirk.

Chuckling, Joey nuzzled his neck for a moment before looking at him. "The guy is a jerk, Pacey, and I just so happen to be in love with someone else."

"Yeah, well, you used to be in love with Dawson…" he said. "And while you and Dawson had a very long, complicated, emotionally-fraught history that was frankly very steep competition that kept me waiting in the wings for months while you dragged your heels, I don't think I present that same kind of competition for some new cretin who walks into your life." He pursed his lips, giving her a look. "I'm not Dawson."

"No," she said, and her gaze swept over his body slowly, suggestively. "You're not." She'd dropped her voice and it slid over him, all husky sweetness. Pacey felt that tingling on the back of his neck, the butterflies in his stomach, the tightening of his groin. He loved how she affected him. Loved and needed it. There was no denying the pulse of longing inside him when that murmur of a voice slid over him like a curtain of silk and she went from innocent to seductress. She slid even closer to him; her soft lips curved into a knowing smile. Then she kissed him slowly and passionately, starting the fire deep within him.

Joey straddled Pacey's lap, grinding against his quickly hardening erection, and he groaned. And then they were kissing. And thrusting. His hands palmed her breasts through her tank top. Then they were kissing and thrusting even harder. Her body grew hot all over, her center wet and swollen and clenching around nothing, craving that indescribable pleasure she knew Pacey could give her.

Her hand slipped beneath the hem of his T-shirt. His body jerked the slightest bit when her cool fingers brushed his overheated skin, and she grinned. When her fingertips stroked over his stomach, his heart leapt. The feel of her touch and her lips moving over his and the delicate caress of her tongue and the sounds she was making; she was driving him crazy with lust.

"I want to if you want you," he suddenly said in a great swooping gasp after breaking apart from their passionate kiss. He hoped it hadn't sounded as desperate to her ears as it did to his own.

Her stomach instantly knotted. "Um…" Her breathing came in harsh pants. She paused, thinking. They had been together three months now. He'd been incredibly patient with her, and she wanted to say yes. She wanted this to be it. "You want to? Right… right now?"

"Well…" He searched her face. "I only want to if you want to. Do you?"

She made to speak, but stopped herself, confusion and uncertainty rising up inside. She did want to, she told herself. She wanted Pacey. She really did. But… she hadn't planned on this happening tonight. It still felt too soon, but then again, what the hell was she waiting for? Joey suddenly thought of her mother, and one of the last things she had said to her while she was delirious on pain meds, her body an emaciated shell, was that she should live with no regrets.

Smiling, he shook his head. "Forget what I said, Jo. It's okay. Now's obviously not the right time."

"I didn't decide yet," she said, her stomach still in knots. "I mean, maybe…"

"Jo, you hesitated. I don't want to unless you're one hundred percent certain, without a doubt. Until you are, we won't do it."

Despite his kindness, she felt like she was disappointing him. He had sex with Andie in sophomore year, and probably had a lot of it. And he wasn't a virgin then either. He'd been only fifteen when the whole thing with Ms. Jacobs happened. He obviously wasn't afraid. Andie was such a Type A, and knowing she'd only been sixteen and hadn't waited very long with Pacey, she probably hadn't really been all that afraid either. Joey felt childish and silly in comparison.

"I'm sorry, Pacey."

He watched her frown and caressed her arms reassuringly, feeling a twinge of guilt. "Don't apologize, Jo. Don't ever apologize for how you feel, especially to me. It's okay. I'm in no rush. I just… got caught up, is all. I thought you wanted to, but I shouldn't have just sprung it on you like that in the heat of the moment. That wasn't fair. I'm sorry."

"But I did want to." She swallowed. "I do. I'm just…" Afraid? Ashamed? Embarrassed? Why couldn't she just shake her fear and apprehension? "I don't know what's wrong with me." She covered her eyes with her hand. She suddenly wanted to cry, but had no idea why.

Pacey laughed. "There's nothing wrong with you, Joey. That's why I love you."

She peered at him from behind her hand. "There are about a hundred things wrong with me, and you know it."

"Please. You're smart. You're beautiful. Kind. Talented. Cute. Funny. An adorable book nerd." He paused, fighting a grin. "And some… might say you're… opinionated and have a temper… but I'll say you're passionate about your thoughts and feelings." He chest shook with suppressed laughter.

She lowered her hand, rolling her eyes and fighting a smile as her cheeks blushed pink.

Pacey thought for a moment. "Okay, there is one thing wrong with you, Potter."

"What?"

"You have shitty taste in music, but that's honestly the biggest fault I can find."

She hit him playfully on the arm. "How dare you?"

He pushed her over so that he was lying on top of her on the couch. "Maybe if I force you to listen to Pink Floyd nonstop, I can brainwash you into liking them."

"Or make me homicidal."

Pacey leaned down, brushing her nose with his. "As long as we're homicidal together, I won't mind."

Joey gazed into his blue eyes and melted. She wanted to tell him how terrified she was of losing him, terrified that he'd find someone better, more desirable and exciting, someone who would never make him wait for sex. An irrational fear, she knew, but one that still nagged at her in the back of her mind. But more than that, she was terrified that something would happen after graduation to send them careening in different directions. Terrified that they would end up at different colleges, in different cities, forcing their relationship into the murky waters of long distance. Or worse, that he would actually flunk out and then when she left Capeside, he either couldn't or wouldn't go with her and she'd have to leave him behind.

She didn't want to graduate with any regrets. She didn't want them to ever have to part, but especially without having loved each other in all the ways she wanted to, in every way possible. She could feel her heart breaking just at the thought. But before she could even begin to explain all the thoughts swirling around her head, Pacey kissed her gently.

"I love you, Joey, and I know you love me," he said. "Sex isn't going to change that. And waiting isn't going to change that either. Okay? So, we can wait as long as you want to."

She smiled; it was like he could read her mind. He rolled onto his side, taking her with him, his arms encircling her as he held her close, and for about the millionth time since that fateful June day when she'd run to the dock and left with him for the summer, she was struck by just how lucky she was. Joey leaned closer and pressed her lips to his, kissing him tenderly.

Passion between them quickly built again. She grasped his hand and placed it underneath her red tank top. They kissed while his fingers slid over her ribcage. The way she sighed and moved against him heated his blood. Heaven, Pacey thought, as her breast was suddenly nestled in the palm of his hand. He deepened the kiss when he heard her moan and felt her strain against him. He cupped her breast more fully as his thumb flicked over the sheer material of her bra. Through the thin fabric, he felt her nipple pearl in response.

"You are so perfect," he breathed. Pacey then shifted his attention, pressing warm kisses on the curve of her chin, along her jawline, and to the sensitive spot behind her ear. She moaned and squirmed in response. His senses filled with the scent of her. An intense need surged through him, leaving him breathless and shaky. Desire clawed in his gut, lower. Would he ever get enough of this woman? He wanted her. Forever.

Joey shifted, draping her left leg over his jean-clad hip. His hardness pressed against the warm vee of her inner thighs. He tightened his hold on her as his large hand palmed her backside. She rolled them again until she was on top, straddling him with one solid, fluid movement, and began grinding her center over the thick ridge of his erection. Soon they were both lost, and had forgotten all about the brief interruption as they succumbed to their desires.

September 22. The four picnic tables were lined up behind the weathered beach house. They would soon be covered with platters of food, guests seated around them. Joey's eighteenth birthday had arrived, and preparations were in full swing. Pacey was in the kitchen putting the burgers and hot dogs he'd gotten at the market in the fridge while Gretchen was getting dressed. Will Krudski, who had come down from New Raleigh for the weekend, was setting out chairs and hanging up decorations. Andie and Jen were expected to arrive soon to help out. He had invited their families and asked them all to bring a dish to pass so that he wouldn't have to make or buy a huge amount of food, and was sure glad he did once he found out his sister had also invited their new neighbors.

Gretchen walked into the kitchen wearing a figure-hugging purple dress. He stared. "That's what you're wearing? You're gonna give Jen's grandmother a heart attack. It's a little inappropriate for a backyard BBQ, don't you think? Who do you think is coming to this thing? Ben Affleck?"

She pursed her lips into a disapproving line. "Don't ever comment on a girl's clothes, Pacey, unless it's something nice."

"Duly noted, but you should know that Mrs. Ryan is probably gonna start praying for your soul in church."

Rolling her eyes, Gretchen ignored his comment and they started walking out of the kitchen and into the living room. "I think somebody should tell your friend Will how to put up the decorations," his sister commented when they reached the sliding glass doors.

Pacey stepped out onto the back porch to see Will on a ladder hanging sloppy steamers. "You gotta twist 'em, man."

"I think they look fine like that." They were hanging in a miserable fashion.

"He's right, Will," his sister interjected.

His friend blinked at Gretchen for a moment and visibly gulped. Pacey glanced at his sister's dress, frowning. "Well, then I guess I gotta redo them," Will finally said after drawing his gaze away from Gretchen.

"Sorry, buddy," Pacey apologized.

Will looked at him with kind eyes. "Don't worry about it. It's Joey's birthday, and I know you want it to be perfect."

He chuckled. "I don't expect perfection, just not…" His hand waved through the air. "Whatever this is."

"So, Pacey, when is Joey getting here?" Will asked. "I thought she'd be here by now. Didn't school get out, like, an hour ago?"

"That was the plan, but her boss wouldn't let her have the night off. At least she's getting out a few hours early, but making her come in on her birthday just to work two hours? Spiteful witch. Anyway, Dawson is picking her up at five o'clock and bringing her to the party. Everyone else should be here around six."

"Dawson?" His sister arched her brows in surprise. "You're not picking her up?"

"Well, I was... According to Jen, he'd initially refused to attend a gathering at our humble abode, but the being-alone-with-Joey carrot was dangled in front of him and he reluctantly agreed to be of service. It was probably the only way to get him here, and I knew if he didn't show up for her birthday, she would've been unhappy about it."

Will smiled as he twisted the streamers. "You're a good guy, Pacey."

He shook his head and muttered, "Yeah, yeah, yeah. I'm just glad Jo's still gonna get here a little earlier than everyone else. I've got a surprise for her."

"Well, you should. You're her boyfriend," Gretchen snarked, and Pacey gave her an exaggerated, sarcastic smile.

Less than ten minutes later, Andie and Jen arrived and helped Will finish up with the decorations. Blue and white streamers soon hung from the back porch, wrapping down the posts and around the railings. The gas grill was checked to make sure they had enough propane. The picnic tables were covered in gingham tablecloths.

Across town at the yacht club, Joey bounced around between tables, frequently glancing at the clock, willing it to move faster. Fridays were usually her busiest shift and most members over the age of sixty loved to dine early. Although Drue and Mrs. Valentine were doing their best to make her afternoon as miserable as possible, the club's hostess, Charlotte, made sure to mention it was her birthday when she seated members at their tables. It may be the shortest shift she'd ever had, but the tips weren't stingy for once and she was pleased she going to make out pretty good by the end of it.

When the clock struck five o'clock, Joey rushed out of the club restaurant and made for the exit. As promised, she found Dawson's SUV was sitting out front on the curb, and she smiled. She quickly opened the passenger door and hopped into the front seat. "Thank you so much for doing this, Dawson."

"It's no problem." He put the car into Drive and pulled away from the curb.

"Pacey is just so busy with getting things ready for the party, and he's got his sister and Jack and Jen and Andie helping him, and Bessie and Bodie are busy checking in B&B guests and getting them settled in before they can come to the party. So, I really had no way of getting to Pacey's house, and so I really apprecia—"

"Joey, it's okay. You don't have to explain. Jen said you needed a ride, and I'm happy to give you a ride."

She gave him a half-smile and then leaned back in her seat, glancing out the car window.

"Happy birthday, by the way."

"You already said it to me earlier in school, Dawson. Remember?"

"Well, there's nothing wrong with wishing it more than once."

She again smiled awkwardly and they both chose silence for the remainder of the drive. When Dawson turned onto Bridge Street, she directed him to the beach house's driveway. They were soon parked in front of the house, and Joey thanked him again as she unbuckled her seat belt.

"Wait," Dawson said when she reached for the door handle. "I want to give you your gift before you go in."

"But you can just bring it inside and I'll open it later with the others," she replied with a smile. As he averted his eyes from her gaze and opened the console between them, lifting out a wrapped box, realization dawned and her smile faltered. "You're not coming in to the party, are you?"

Dawson heaved a sigh. "Joey, I'm sorry. I thought maybe I'd be able to, but I can't."

A wave of disappointment washed over her. "Why not?"

"Do you really need to ask that? It's honestly a little unbelievable that people expect me to attend a party being thrown by my so-called best friend for the girl he stole from me and just act like everything's cool. And I did consider it, for your sake—even on the drive over here I was still considering it—but I can't grin and fake it with Pacey, Joey. Not even for a couple hours and not even for you, and I'm sorry, but that's just how it is."

"But Dawson, we've had over ten years' worth of friendship before this stuff ever happened between the three of us. Doesn't that count for anything?"

"I'm not setting a foot inside Pacey's house. I'm sorry, but I just can't." He handed her the wrapped gift. "Happy birthday, Joey. I wish we could've been celebrating it under different circumstances."

She stared, tears pricking her eyes, a flurry of emotions swirling inside her as she tried to process what had just happened. She took the gift from his hand, and then quietly exited the vehicle without saying another word. He had already backed out of the driveway by the time she reached the front door. Before she could even knock, the door flung open.

"Hey there, birthday girl," Pacey said excitedly, standing there in a dark blue bowling shirt and khaki pants. She rushed forward into his arms. "Happy birthday," he whispered in her ear.

"Thank you, Pacey," she whispered, clinging tightly to him.

He rubbed her back. Then his brows furrowed as her body language told him something was wrong. He pulled out of the hug to look at her. "What's the matter, Jo?"

She frowned, not wanting to be upset, not wanting to bring him down. "Dawson isn't coming to the party. He dropped me off and… left. He, uh, just can't bring himself to attend."

Anger rose in his chest, but he suppressed it with a sigh. "I'm sorry, Jo."

Taking a deep breath, she shook it off. "It's fine. We're going to have a great time. It's his loss, right?"

"That's right," he replied with a big smile. "Anyway, I've got a couple things to show you," he said enthusiastically, taking the car keys from his pocket. Joey's eyes popped. "Come on, we're goin' for a ride."

"What about your guests?" she asked curiously, looking around at the two other vehicles parked in the driveway alongside the Witter family wagon. She was pretty sure one of them was Andie's car. "Aren't people inside waiting?"

"A few," he said evasively. "But most either have work or other commitments—like football practice, for instance—that prevent them from being here for at least another hour. We have some time. I won't make you late for your own party," he joked.

She smiled, placing her hand inside his larger one. "I'm ready. Let's go."

They drove down Main Street and Joey kept glancing over at Pacey behind the wheel, intrigued as to what the surprise could be. "Don't I even get a hint?" she pouted.

"I'm going to take you to the place where I fell in love with you for the first time."

She had no idea where they were going. They passed the high school and kept driving. Soon he was making a left turn and her eyes widened. "We're heading towards the creek."

"Yep."

"Are we going to the B&B?"

"Nope."

"The Leery's house?"

"Definitely not."

When he turned left onto Ridgevale Road, she became confused. "Are we bypassing the creek and going to the beach? Wait. Are we going to the marshes? Are we hunting for snails again, Pacey?" she teased.

He laughed. "Just be patient, Potter. And no, we're not bypassing the creek. We're gonna be right next to it, actually."

They never went as far as the marshes or Ridgevale Beach. When he turned left onto Cranberry Lane, her jaw dropped. "We're going to your parents' house?"

"Sort of."

She felt even more confused. She could count on one hand the number of times in her whole life she'd been to the Witter's, and she hadn't been inside their house for a year. How could Pacey have first fallen in love with her there?

He smiled when his family's house came into view. "I have to say, Jo, I do love the fact that I now live clear on the other side of town from my parents."

"Yes, but that also means you live clear on the other side of town from me, Pacey."

"Well, you win some, you lose some," he joked. "But at least you're closer to me than my parents since you live on the other side of the creek."

He parked the wagon a little further down the road from the house to keep it out of sight. When they got out of the car, Pacey took Joey by the hand and they walked across the street to the woods on the other side of the road. He led her to an opening in the tree line. The path was white and sandy. The warm dirt cushioned their footfall. Green pine needles and spurts of grass aligned the narrow path and tall trees surrounded them on either side. The sun was sneaking through the trees, and Joey thought the green pine against the blue sky was beautiful.

"This is something else, back here," she remarked.

"It's nice, isn't it? I took Buzz hiking through here last weekend and I came upon something I hadn't seen or even thought about in God knows how long. Do you remember the last time you were in these woods?"

Her brows knitted, wondering what he was referring to. "Um…"

"1993." He looked at her confused expression and smiled. "Do you remember the summer after fourth grade? Dawson got the chicken pox real bad and he was stuck at home sick, quarantined inside his house, and the two of us were forced to fend for ourselves without him for several weeks."

"I remember," she laughed. "He even missed the entire last week of school."

"Do you remember playing in these woods?" he asked.

The short path suddenly led them to an open area where a dilapidated miniature house was sitting. The bright blue paint that once coated it was peeling and the small white door and shutters were clinging to their hinges. Joey stared at the house that she hadn't seen in years. Her mouth fell open. "This was our little playground," she reminisced as she let go of his hand and walked around the clearing.

Pacey observed the house and the wide circular space in which it sat. The trees were like towers that seemed to cover them from the outside world. He couldn't help but admire Joey as she spun slowly around, taking everything in. "Carrie and Amy used to come out here and play when they were kids," he told her as she walked over and touched the rough, wood roof. "My dad built this little house for them. Me and Gretchen would come out here, too. And then… that summer you and me played here a lot."

"And this is where you fell in love with me for the first time?" she said with a teasing smile, running her fingertips over one of the crooked white shutters, her brows knitting as she tried to rack her brain for the long-forgotten memories.

"As much as a ten-year-old can possibly fall in love, yes." That summer he'd finally gotten Joey all to himself, and for about three weeks he was truly loving life for the first time. Her smiles, her laughter, her big brown eyes, and her undivided attention had made him come alive. He'd wanted to be with her every moment of every day. And all the days, for the rest of his life. But she hadn't been nearly as interested in him, and soon Dawson was well again. By the following summer everything changed. She was no longer the same and had become encased in a sarcastic, angry shell.

The memories were now coming back. Joey now remembered those days spent with Pacey, riding bikes and swimming in the creek and playing in these woods. She remembered his keen imagination and all the adventures he'd cook up for them. She remembered the blue house with the white door and pretending they lived all alone in a magical forest. She hadn't thought about it in years.

That had been her last summer she enjoyed as a child, the last summer before her life turned upside down, before her mother became sick with cancer, when she was still a happy and free kid, without a worry or care in the world. There was life before her mother's cancer, and then life after her mother's cancer, and the life before had become a blur that was sometimes difficult to remember.

Joey stared at the small house for a few more seconds, and then walked back to him, wrapping her arms around his neck. "Thank you," she murmured. "Thank you for finding this place again and showing it to me."

"You said a couple weeks ago that we were creating our own history," he said, his hands holding her by the hips, and glanced around the clearing. "This is part of our history. Who would've thought you and me would end up together, huh?" He smiled.

"My mom, probably."

His eyes widened in surprise. "Really?"

Joey giggled at the memories. "I'm pretty sure she had us pegged." Then she gazed up at him, her face softening. "My mom adored you, Pacey. I think she'd be really happy, you know, about you and me."

He smiled, his heart swelling. She pulled his head down and captured his mouth with hers, kissing him softly but firmly. Their kisses were an expression of their love and what they felt, a magnetic pull, sweet and irresistible. He pulled gently away from her and they gazed at one another. "This isn't your only surprise, Jo. There's still one more thing I wanna show you before we return to your party."

"What?"

"You'll see."

They were soon parked in front of her wall downtown. She slid out of the front passenger seat and walked onto the patch of dirt and weeds below the large painted sign that read, "Ask Me To Stay." He came over to stand beside her and then held her hand.

"Pace, what did you do?" she asked, turning a wide-eyed pointed look in his direction.

"I may have extended the lease."

Her stomach flipped with excitement. "For how long?"

Squeezing her hand, his heart filled with happiness. "I signed a twelve-month lease."

"A year?" She was shocked. It was too much. They wouldn't even be here a year from now. Well, hopefully.

"And… well, when the lease is up, I'll sign another one. And then when that one's up, I'll sign another one. And another one every year after that, or at least until I've made enough money to buy the thing outright. I sort of entered into a lease-to-own agreement with the guy."

Rendered speechless, she could only stare at him. She couldn't believe he would do this.

He smiled and squeezed her hand again. The expression on her face was something he would remember for the rest of his life. "The wall is yours, Jo. It belongs to you. Forever. Just like me."

A surge of emotion tightened her throat. She swallowed. Tears filled her eyes as she shook her head. "Pacey…" Unable to contain her amazement and the love and joy that overwhelmed her, she pulled him into her arms and hugged him fiercely. "Thank you so much, Pacey." Her voice choked with emotion. She was so pleased she began to cry into his shoulder and again whispered, "Thank you."

"Now you can finally paint your mural," he said, holding her close. "Happy birthday, Jo."

He pulled away from her embrace and wiped her tears with his thumbs. Then he bent his head and kissed her gently. Joey's arms went around his neck and she deepened the kiss. Pacey made a soft sound at the back of his throat, that distinct sound of pure pleasure she loved so much. She wanted to hear it again. And again, and again…