Goodbye Isn't Forever by Melanie Blake

well.
    For
almost everyone, that is.  Alex, who was always the most adaptable to any
situation, was finding this arrangement more difficult than she had
thought.  She had been spending most of her summers here since she was a
small child until this year.
    The
decision for her to attend the camp instead had been one from a purely social
stand point.  Although Alex had met a lot of their business associates,
she wasn’t acquainted with their kids unless they attended her school. 
Since her summers were spent in North Carolina, she didn’t attend the round of
social events the others did, either.  The Kensingtons had hoped to
rectify that problem and give their daughter the advantage of befriending the
people that would invariably be part of her adult life.
    Normally,
Alex loved her time spent here with her Gran.  She didn’t begrudge having
to be here now, she just missed a certain camper more than anything else.
    They
had talked on the phone every day, usually more than once.  Alex had her
film developed from camp, and most of the pictures were of Zand.  She had
taken care to arrange them on her memory board hanging on her bedroom wall.
    Her
favorite was one that her parents had taken of them after the awards ceremony
and it was in a place of honor beside her bed.  She loved Zand in that
power suit.  It was the last image she saw at night and the first one she
saw every morning.
    It
was also the last time that she had physically seen him, and that was beginning
to takes its toll on Alex.  After the kisses they had shared and then
nothing.  She wanted to hold Zand at least one more time.
    Who
was she kidding?  That would never be enough!  Would a lifetime even
be close?
    Alex
doubted it.  Even at eighteen, she knew that she had felt something
special for the young Gabriel.  And it had been six weeks.  Six,
long, excruciating weeks!
    Maybe
it was time to talk to her parents and see if she could borrow the jet. 
Even in her mind, Alex realized what an absurd request that was.  She
would have laughed if she hadn’t felt so damn serious.

CHAPTER TWENTY-FOUR
    Although
Zand had been able to talk to Alex every day since she had left, it just wasn’t
the same.  He hadn’t realized how addicted he had become to the presence
of Alex Kensington.  God, she was like a drug!  Every day without her
was taking its toll and putting Zand in a current state of withdrawal.
    He
had completed the last week at camp in a zombie-like state.  He finished
his classes and ate all of his meals alone.  He wasn’t in the mood for his
friends when all he could think about was Alex.  And the kisses.  Oh,
those kisses.
    Jackson
offered to bring Bree to attend the last night mixer, but Zand had begged off
with a fake stomach ache.  The last thing he wanted was Bree’s
companionship.  The thoughts of dancing with her didn’t appeal to him and
a good-night kiss?  Out of the question!
    When
six weeks had officially passed, Zand’s patience had worn thin.  He
understood how fragile Alex’s grandmother was and didn’t want to pull Alex
away, so the natural course of action was for him to go to her.
    Surely
Jackson would understand the need to comfort your best friend?  School had
officially started, but Zand had a long weekend coming up.  It would be
the perfect time to travel to see Alex.  He had flown on the company jet
hundreds of times with Jackson.  How hard would getting together a quick
trip to North Carolina be?
    He
was anxiously awaiting the arrival of Jackson from work.  Zand had already
gone over his speech in his head too many times to count.  It was flawless
and he would not take no for an answer.
    And
he didn’t.  He was on the company jet alright.  It just wasn’t bound
for North Carolina.  Zand should have known that Jackson agreed much too
quickly.
    Zand had been so excited that he had everything packed
and waiting on the jet.  For some reason he held off telling Alex. 
He had wanted to surprise