He hums. “We’ll revisit this someday, but I think we can fix this issue so you’re comfortable in a suit.”
“You think so?”
Torin nods. “Yes. Don’t mistake me for a fashion phenom or anything. But I have a couple ideas.”
I offer him my hand. Torin’s is smaller than mine, though not like a woman’s. He’s not dainty or soft looking. His hand looks like a man’s and still fits perfectly in mine. Like his hand was always meant to be there.
“You can dress me any time. But first, let’s go have ice cream and cry our loss away. And also listen to Owen gloat about his win.”
Torin smiles.
Chapter Twenty
TORIN
It’sabout an hour before the sun sets, which means it’s only about three-thirty when Hugo parks his car in an empty lot overlooking a field. In the distance is the airport. Somewhere…
Without comment, he climbs out and I follow. “This is the part where you kill me and bury me, right?” I ask.
Hugo flashes me a beaming grin because that’s the only way he smiles. “No.”
Shutting my door, I walk around to the trunk where he’s got the hatch open. He hands me a big bag that’s surprisingly light before putting on a large backpack one might take on a week-long camping trip, then pulls out a metal cart with enormous off-road wheels. Though I can’t make out the contents of the cart since they’re inside a protective sleeve of some kind.
With another smile, Hugo shuts the trunk, locks the car, and takes my hand. “We have a little way to walk. Is that too heavy?”
If it weren’t for the legitimate concern on his face, I might have been offended that he thought I was too weak to carry what feels like five pounds. I sling it on my back and shake my head. “It’s fine. Where are we going?”
Hugo is clearly very excited about today’s trip. His smile is huge. “It’s a surprise. But don’t worry; it’s just us. There’s no one else around.”
“What d’you mean?”
“You don’t like crowds, so I thought of a few things we could do where it’s just us.”
My heart nearly stops at how ridiculously sweet that gesture is. Once more, this man nearly makes me cry with his thoughtfulness. I don’t think anyone’s ever taken into account how crowds make me feel. Not even my parents.
Anxiety is one of those things you can’t see and if you don’t suffer from it, it’s very hard for you to understand how crippling it can be. My parents tried to understand, but I could see how frustrated they got when something as simple as going to a restaurant could cause me to ‘have a fit.’ Even when my doctor confirmed I had anxiety and attempted to explain it to them, they just didn't get it.
In my experience, not many people do. It can be just as exhausting and anxiety-inducing trying to explain it, so I’ve stopped trying. Instead, I’ve modified my entire life just to accommodate it.
Hugo putting thought into how my anxiety makes me feel? It definitely gets me choked up. There’s nothing that says how much you mean to someone more than how they’ve taken into account how you’re going to feel in any particular situation.
“Thank you,” I say after I catch my breath. He can’t possibly understand what it means to me.
His smile is just as beautiful as it usually is, but I think I see even more beauty in him now. It’s so rare to meet someone truly kind and courteous without it being a front. There’s not even a hint of him hiding how he truly feels the way so many people pretend to take your feelings and mental state into consideration, but when it comes down to it, they just don’t give a shit. There’s none of that with Hugo. He doesn’t even realize he’s done something so big for me. It’s just who he is.
We walk for only a minute before a roar fills the air. Just as I look up, a plane that feels awfully close to the ground screams over our heads as it takes off.
My heart feels like it’s in my throat as I look around and realize we’re right outside the airport. I should have known that. We were driving along the back of the airport for what felt like ages. I even acknowledged it was somewhat close when we parked. I just didn’t realize how close until now.
Finally, we stop. We’re in a wide-open field that isn’t mown. There are wild flowers everywhere, filling the air with a hint of floral mixed in with airport. Hugo pauses and looks around before moving a few more feet and gently setting the bag from his back onto the ground.
He takes my bag and unzips it, pulling out a big blanket and spreading it out.
“Can I help?”
Hugo nods. Once he’s finished making sure the blanket is perfect, he pulls out a canteen from the side pocket and hands it to me. “Here. Make sure you’re hydrated.”
I raise a brow. “Is that how I’m helping?”
