I want you to challenge me and help me see the world through your eyes. I want to see your crooked, sexy smile every morning and I want it to be the last thing I see every night. I want you to wink at me so I can pretend it annoys me. I want to feel your hand on the small of my back, because as long as you’re behind me, I know I can keep moving forward. I want you to open all the doors, always, because it’s what you do. You open doors. You opened the door to my heart.
That day I left was the worst mistake of my life. Please give me another chance. I know there are no guarantees. I know this thing with us might not work, but it’s a chance I’m willing to take. Like your brother said, it’s not how fast you get there, it’s the journey. Take a journey with me. Take one more risk. I promise I won’t leave unless we’re leaving together.
Yes, it’s love. Not for now. For always.
Lizzy
Liz, Beth, Bethany, Elizabeth, Betsie, Eliza, and Lizbeth
(I don’t care what you call me, as long as you call me.)
I close my eyes. I should have said more. I should have told him sooner. What if he doesn’t read my stories? What if he doesn’t believe me? I scroll right on my phone and see the pictures Emerson sent me from New Year’s Eve. I stare at Finn’s face. I hope I haven’t lost him forever.
Sitting up straighter at my desk, I check my resolve. I’ll give him one more day. One more day and then I’ll ask him. No, I’ll go to his house and beg him to talk to me. I’ll figure it out. I’ll stand on the side of the road with a blow-up doll to get his attention if I have to.
Gloria hurries around my desk. “You’re not going to believe this.”
“What?”
“Sam Wittaker is waiting for you in the conference room. She said she’d like to speak to you.”
My eyes pop out of my head. “Samantha Wittaker, from the big guy’s office?”
“Yep. Holy shit, what did you do?”
I shake my head as I stand and straighten my skirt. “I… I don’t know.”
Making my way to the conference room, I notice eyes staring at me from every direction as chairs spin to watch me. I walk a little taller and smile. Fake it ‘til you make it, right? Isn’t that what they said in training?
I knock on the door.
“Ms. Wittaker?”
She smiles. She’s even prettier in person than she was on TV in the reality show,The Fabulist.
“Call me Sam. Come on in.”
I close the door behind me and she directs me to sit in a chair with my back to the door. She sits at the head of the table.
“I’ll get right to the point. I know you’re probably freaking out a little bit. I saw how everyone reacted when I asked for you.”
I nod my head.
“I’m just another person, there’s no need to be nervous. All this stuff is new for me too.”
She smiles as she leans her elbows on the table and I relax a little. She seems really nice. I guess the rumors about her temper weren’t true.
“When I first started working here, it was under the condition that I had a bit of freedom when it came to new projects. I don’t know if you heard, but I opened up my own bookstore here in L.A. I love books. I love stories. Different stories. Ones that make me laugh or make me cry. That’s exactly what your story did. I loved every second of it.”
I twist my head and lean forward. “Did you saymystory?”
She smiles and reaches into her laptop bag, pulling out my blue notebook.
I jump from my seat. “Where did you get that?”
“I gave it to her.”
I turn and Ernesto is standing behind me. “It’s fabulous, Liz.” He leans around me and motions to Sam. “No pun intended with the fabulous thing.”
