I set everything else into the giant suitcase I have and zip it up, rolling it to the side toward another small bag I won’tbe taking, meeting Tate’s questioning expression with a small smile.
“Just that one?” he asks.
“I’m only going to take a carry-on,” I tell him, shrugging as I plop back down on the bed. “I wanna…save the money.”
“For…?” He trails off, cocking his head in a confused manner as he fidgets with his hands in his lap.
Please take this better, this time.
“I think any money should be saved for…you,” I manage to say without my voice shaking with how nervous I feel. “For your stay here and for your trip home.”
I can see the way his shoulders rise as he inhales deeply, his chin hitting his chest as he gets ready to fight me on this, but I interrupt him by placing my hand on his leg that’s hidden underneath the blanket.
“Just listen for a sec,” I plead gently, waiting until he lifts his head to look at me before I continue. “I know I came off too strong the first time about this. I should’ve let you feel how you needed to feel before forcing my help on you like that, but Iwantto help, Tate. I need to. Please let me? Please let me help, and if it’s that much of a weight on you, just…pay me back later. I don’t care, truly. Just…please.”
“But that’s…” He shakes his head as his words trail off again, searching for the right thing to say, and this time, I don’t cut him off. I let him process what he’s thinking and how he wants to convey his feelings to me; I owe him that much.
“That’s a lot to do for someone you’ve only known for a month,” he finally says, his eyebrows furrowing like even he’s not satisfied with how that came out. “I don’t need handouts, Maeve. I’m not…a charity case. I don’t w-want a pity party.”
“You’re forgetting one thing,” I mumble.
He studies me with a soft, scrutinizing look. “What?”
“I love you.”
It’s like Tate’s entire body melts, relaxing exponentially as his frown disappears and his pupils dilate. My hand on his leg slides up further as I crawl over toward him, my face colliding with his chest as I fall into his waiting arms. One of his hands brushes through my hair as the other rubs at my back, squeezing me in tighter at the same time.
“I’m not giving you handouts. You’re not a charity case, Clark. I’m not throwing you this crazy pity party,” I say into his hospital gown, closing my eyes as his fingers comb through my hair over and over again. “I just love you, okay?”
“Okay,” he says, pressing a kiss to the top of my head, his lips lingering there as he mumbles, “I love you, Mae.”
And he holds me like this for a few quiet moments, his palm sliding across the span of my back slowly, up and down, as he plays with my hair. His warm cheek presses against the top of my head, and my body relaxes more every second that ticks by. I could stay like this all day; I want to. The nagging reminder that my flight leaves in six hours makes me squeeze my eyes shut even tighter, leaning into him as if I’ll disappear if I let go.
“I’m really dreading you leaving,” Tate whispers, breaking the silence.
Lifting my head, I peek up at him with a sheepish half-smile. “Me too. But you’ll be there before you know it. It’ll be okay.”
“Two weeks from now, atleast.”
“Can’t go two weeks without me?” I tease, batting my lashes faintly and having to avoid kicking my feet as he leans down to press a chaste kiss to my lips. Except my playful grin fades when I notice his face stays serious.
“Can I be honest for a second?”
“Always,” I murmur.
“I’m more concerned that Landon is going to…” he stops for a second, trying to gauge my reaction, “I don’t know. He said he’dbe seeing you. That’s all I can think about because I’m not going to be there to?—”
“To what?” I ask.
“Help.”
“Help?” I counter.
“Be there to…protect you, I guess.”
A gentle sigh leaves my lips as I push to sit up, watching as he avoids eye contact to stare down at his hands instead. My heart swells inside my chest at the thought of him wanting to protect me, even though I know he wouldn’t hurt a fly.
“Tatum, nothing is going to happen. I promise you. And even if something were to happen, I would immediately tell you. Please don’t worry about him. Don’t worry about me. You need to focus on you. Making sure you’re okay and getting back to campus. Tome.”
