Total pages in book: 67
Estimated words: 63174 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 316(@200wpm)___ 253(@250wpm)___ 211(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 63174 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 316(@200wpm)___ 253(@250wpm)___ 211(@300wpm)
“I wanted to leave some sort of legacy… to know I’d made a difference somehow and changed someone’s life for the better. An idea came to me right away, so I called my lawyer, and he used part of my trust fund to set up a scholarship in my name. It’s for kids who want to study music but can’t afford to take classes.”
“That’s wonderful!”
“I never wanted my stepdad to give me a trust fund. It made me feel way too spoiled, but then I realized I could do a lot of good with it. Those funds are in an account that earns interest and will keep replenishing itself, so the scholarship will keep going for years to come. It’ll be like a piece of me lives on, even after…”
Neither of us needed to finish that sentence.
Kit turned back to the book and scanned the items I’d added over the last three years. “You’ve done so much,” he murmured, as he turned a page and kept reading. “Everything from driving a race car and seeing the northern lights to skydiving and—oh wow, swimming with sharks. Were you in one of those protective cages?”
“No. Actually, I added that one to the list and checked it off after it happened unexpectedly. I was snorkeling in Costa Rica when a gorgeous school of hammerheads swam by. I don’t usually add things after the fact, but it was an amazing experience, and I decided it belonged on the list.”
His dark eyes went wide. “Were you scared?”
“No, not at all. I knew they weren’t dangerous.”
Kit looked skeptical, but he turned back to the list and kept reading. “There are a few things you haven’t crossed off yet, including performing onstage, driving a tank—and solving a Rubik’s cube? Really? There are all kinds of videos on YouTube showing how it’s done.”
“I know, but that seemed like cheating. I wanted to figure it out on my own, but I don’t think I ever will.” I fished the jumbled cube out of the pile of stuff in front of me and held it up to show Kit.
He took it from me and gave it a few quick twists. When he handed it back totally solved, I exclaimed, “You did it!” He looked pretty proud of himself. “YouTube videos?”
“Bored kid with a lot of time on my hands. One of the waitresses at the diner gave me one when I was nine or ten. She was always bringing me little puzzles and games. I think she took pity on me because I was always there, sitting at my little table in a corner of the kitchen while my dad worked.”
“How long did it take you to solve it?”
He shrugged. “A week, maybe? I don’t remember exactly. But once I solved it, I started teaching myself to do it faster and faster.”
“I feel like a moron.”
“Don’t say that. You’re obviously an intelligent guy.”
“Then why can’t I solve a toy meant for a child?”
“Everyone’s different. I just happen to be good at patterns and puzzles.” He turned back to the list in an obvious attempt to distract me from getting down on myself. “I don’t know where you’re going to find a tank, but riding a bull is doable, as long as it’s the mechanical kind.”
“I’d prefer the real thing.”
“So, you want to sit on an actual, live bull that’s trying its damnedest to throw you off and stomp on you?”
“Yes.”
A crease appeared between Kit’s brows. But instead of trying to talk me out of it, he turned his attention back to the journal and started flipping the pages. They were filled with doodles, notes, Polaroid photos, and random bits of ephemera from my travels, like post cards and brochures.
After a moment, I asked him, “If you were going to write your own bucket list, what would be on it?”
“I’ve never really thought about it, but I know it would include a lot of travel. I can see why it’s a big part of your list.”
“There’s a second list too, which I’ve never really talked about with anyone. It’s up here.” I tapped my temple with my index finger. “After I’m gone, I hope this book finds its way to my mom and stepdad. I have their address written on the inside cover, so maybe someone will send it to them. But there are some experiences they really don’t need to know about.”
“Like what?”
“Like the three-day weekend I spent tripping on mushrooms, or the time I tried a menage a trois. To be clear, I didn’t do those things at the same time.”
Kit lowered the book and turned to me, curiosity written all over his face. “How was that? The menage a trois, I mean.”
“It was… interesting. I also tried a menage a quatre and a menage a sept, but those were just confusing. Too many body parts.”