“No, thank you for telling me. I’m glad you didn’t just take the apartment without saying anything.”
He jerks back, eyes narrowing. “No way, Chloe. I wouldn’t do that. I’m not going anywhere.”
Does he know how long I have wanted to hear someone say that to me? To feel inmy bonesthat they mean it?
This must show on my face, because Warren’s expression shifts, now full of something longing to be spoken in a swelling moment. His mouth parts as if he can’t keep it in a second longer, but he removes his hands from mine and brushes them over his knees.
“Your tea is going to get cold,” he says.Not what I was expecting.
“It probably already is,” I say weakly.
Warren stands and offers a hand to me. I put my hand in his, and he pulls me into him. Our eyes meet, and I long to kiss him. To feel his firm but gentle lips on mine. But there is something uneasy stirring in him that gives me pause.
“Busy day ahead… I’m going to get ready.” He lets my hand go and turns away.
He doesn’t get far before he turns back and speaks. “You okay, though? Do you need—”
“Yeah, I’m okay,” I interrupt. “Better now.”
Warren nods, turns back around, then walks down the hall towards his bedroom without saying another word.
CHAPTER TWENTY-FOUR
“Good luck today, Chloe. I’m sure it’ll be fine.”Luke pats my shoulder before he opens the door and walks to the school’s entrance.
“Did Luke know about the apartment?” I ask as Warren looks over his shoulder to pull out into traffic.
“Yeah, I told him.”
“Will he be disappointed?”
Warren laughs to himself as we approach a red light on the end of the street. “No. He won’t be.”
“What’s so funny?” I ask.
“Nothing. Just… staying was his idea. He made me promise I’d ask you.”
“Really?”
I can’t help but feel a tinge of disappointment rise—had he only asked for Luke’s sake? Would he not want to stay otherwise?
“He knew I’d never ask for myself.” Warren looks me up and down, noticing whatever bit of insecurity must have played across my face.
“But you want to stay too?”I have to be sure.
Warren takes his right hand off the steering wheel and places it on my knee. I put my hand on top and follow the hills and valleys of his knuckles with my pointer finger.
“I want a lot of things, Chloe. But… that’s a conversation for another day.”
He moves his hand out from under mine and to the wheel.I want it back.
I turn up the dial on Warren’s stereo and hit the CD button. Warren switches it back to the radio without saying anything.
“Hey! Put it back! I actually have been meaning to ask, who is the band? I took it out, but it’s just a blank disk, you… pirate.”
He laughs, then stills, narrowing his eyes at the road ahead. “You’ve been listening to that?”
“Yeah, I couldn’t figure out the stereo the first few times I borrowed the car, and it was on repeat. Track four is my favourite. I’ve tried googling the lyrics but nothing comes up. Who is this?”
