Jake looked like she'd punched him. "Space. Okay. If that's what you need."
"I think it is."
They stood there for another moment, neither quite willing to walk away first. Then Lucy forced herself to turn and leave.
She made it halfway down the block before she started crying.
Jake watched Lucy walk away and felt something crack in his chest.
He got in his truck and sat there for a long time, not starting the engine, just breathing.
Marcus knocked on his window. Jake rolled it down.
"What happened?"
"She wants space."
"Space? You guys just started dating."
"I know. But she's panicking about the bakery and she thinks we moved too fast and—" Jake's voice cracked. "She thinks we're just two lonely people who convinced ourselves we were in love."
"That's bullshit and you know it."
"Is it? We barely know each other, Marcus. We had three real conversations and then jumped into this thing. Maybe she's right. Maybe it's too fast."
"Or maybe she's just scared and she's pushing you away because that's easier than dealing with her actual fears."
"Either way, she wants space. So I'm giving it to her."
Marcus climbed into the passenger seat uninvited. "Jake. Listen to me. You spent three years in this town not letting anyone in. Not building relationships, not putting down roots, just waitingfor your real life to start. And then you met Lucy—really met her, not just Wednesday morning transaction met her—and everything changed. You chose to stay here. You chose to build a life. Don't let one bad day destroy that."
"She said we might not know each other. That maybe we're just convenient."
"Do you believe that?"
Jake thought about Monday night—cooking dinner, watching westerns, Lucy falling asleep in his arms. About Wednesday's lunch at Giuseppe's. About Thursday night, supporting her through the bakery meeting. About every moment of the past week.
"No," he said quietly. "I don't believe that. This is real. What we have is real."
"Then fight for it. Don't just give her space. Give her time, yeah, but let her know you're not going anywhere. That you're in this even when it's hard."
Marcus got out of the truck, leaving Jake alone with his thoughts.
Jake drove home slowly, his shoulder throbbing, his mind spinning. Lucy wanted space. Fine. He'd give her space.
But Marcus was right—he wasn't going anywhere.
Lucy climbed the stairs to her apartment and collapsed on her couch, still wearing Jake's jacket.
Her phone buzzed immediately. Rei.
Rei:What happened? Saw you leave separately.
Lucy:I told him I need space.
Rei:LUCY WHY
Lucy:Because I'm panicking and I don't know if anything I'm doing is right and I needed to be alone.
