I swallow and take a step back. “That’s a bad idea.”
I still want to do it.
My friends pointed out that I won’t beheartbrokenafter he leaves because I know it’s coming.
But I could become addicted to…things…that I can’t have again after he’s gone.
“Is it any consolation that I’m worried about being ruined by you, too?” he asks.
I feel my eyes widen and my heart thump hard.
Yes, actually, that is some consolation.
“We shouldn’t do that to each other,” I say.
He nods. “Maybe not. But I really, really want to.”
Yeah, same.
“Nora! The tables are in your truck!”
I jerk out of the little daze Alex put me in and look toward Henry and Wilson. Wilson gives me a thumbs up from beside my truck, where it’s parked at the curb.
“Thank you!” I call. I look up at Alex. “See? They help. I just need to take down all the balloons and the screen and carry any boxes of leftover treats to the truck.” I glance toward where the snack tables were. There’s only one box, which means most of the snacks got taken. Awesome. “And load up the popcorn machine. I’ll clean it at the office. So, I won’t be too long. Don’t worry about my late hours.”
“I’m still going to.”
I don’t say anything to that or protest when he begins taking down the balloons from around the screen as I unfasten the sheet from the wooden poles.
I like that he’s thinking about me. He doesn’t need toworry, but I like being on his mind.
Once he’s back in Portland, that won’t be the case, so I’ll enjoy it for now.
It’s not like my family and friends don’t sometimes worry about me.
I frown as I start to fold the sheet. Actually, I’m not sure they doworry. What would they worry about? I don’t do anything dangerous. I don’t go anywhere dangerous. The people I spend time with are people I’ve known—and my family has known—for years, if not their entire lives. Hell, my grandfathers know the grandparents of most of my friends.
I’m healthy. I do a very public job where they all see me every single day. I’ve had some emotional ups and downs—who hasn’t—but I’m generally a happy, positive person.
There’s simply no reason for people to worry.
“Let me,” Alex says, nudging me out of the way as I start to pull the first of the wooden poles out of the ground
“I can do it.” I’ve done it dozens of times.
“I know,” he says simply. Then picks me up, sets me to the side, and pulls the pole out of the ground.
I simply start laughing.
He looks over. “What?”
“People don’t tell you no very often, do they?”
“A few do, but I don’t listen.” He pauses. “Generally.”
I watch as he pulls the other pole from the ground, then turns to face me with them both.
“There’s someone youdolisten to?”
