“What in the world?” she says, looking into the box. “Did you order these?”
“Nope. Alex said he was going to send me a bunch to sell in the restaurant. I assumed he wouldn’t, or that he’d forgotten.”
“Guess he’s the kind of guy who does what he says he’s gonna do.”
“Yeah.” He really is. He’s someone I could trust, and I left him.
“Man. I wonder how many are in here.”
I shrug. “You should have one. They’re delicious.”
Val pulls one out of the box and begins unwrapping it. “So how are you feeling?”
“Not great.”
“This is so good,” Val says through a bite. “Sorry you’re not feeling great. Wanna talk about it?”
“I miss him. I’ve been keeping myself so busy so I wouldn’t think about him, but I keep thinking of things I want to tell him. Or having random memories.”
“But having evidence ofhimthinking ofyouis harder, I imagine.” Val takes another bite.
“Yes. He’s so thoughtful and so kind. And I trust him. Youknow that’s a big deal for me.”
“I know.”
“I didn’t realize how much I trusted him until now. I mean, he had to have ordered this recently, right? We’ve been home awhile. So he remembered what he told me, and even though I did what I did, he did what he said he would. But I know I trusted him before. He never gave me a reason not to.” I stand and begin pacing around the kitchen.
“You didn’t trust him when he told you he would give things up for you.”
“I believed he would. I just didn’t want him to have to.”
“Maybe he had weighed the cost and knew it was worth it. He told you he loved you.”
“He did.”
“I bet he still does.”
“After how I rejected him and left? You should have seen his face. I think I broke him too much for him to still want to be with me.” I stop by the box and unwrap a second Crunchie. “Maybe I made a mistake. But it’s too late.”
43
Alexander
ALEX
I don’t want that role. I have other things I want to focus on.
I shouldn’t be surprised when my phone lights up with my agent’s name.
“Hey, Isaac.”
“Starring in that movie will catapult you into a stardom the likes of which the world has never seen. You have to do it.”
“I don’t want stardom the likes of which the world has never seen. Whatever that means. And like I said, I have other things I’m focused on in my career and my personal life.”
I hear him sigh over the phone. “You’resure? I have to let them know tomorrow.”
“I’m sure.”
