“Stellan?”
I look back and realize that I’m still gripping Margot’s hand so hard that it’s probably painful for her. I drop it apologetically. “Sorry,skatter. I’m just…”
She steps in front of me, pressing me down with two gentle hands on my shoulders. “It’s okay. Sit down, Stellan.”
I bury my face in my hands, feeling like a fool. “God damn it.”
“I’ll be right back. I’m just going to get your phone, okay?”
She disappears and then reappears, holding my phone up. “Here. When you’re ready, you can text somebody to get in touch with your father.”
“Thanks.” I exhale, pushing myself backward into the pillows. “Fuck!”
Margot doesn’t say anything. She just sits down beside me and runs her hand over my knee, looking distraught.
After a minute, I look at her.
“My grandmother was right about one thing.”
She arches a brow. “Which thing? She said several.”
I pin her in place with my gaze. “My life is about to become very complicated, Margot.”
“I know,” she says softly.
I stare into her dark blue eyes. “Are you still willing to run the gamut with me?”
“Of course,” she says. “I’ll do whatever you want.”
“But what doyouwant? That’s what I am really asking here.”
She nods a little, taking a deep breath. “We shouldkeep seeing each other, obviously. And I don’t have any real objection toward you making things between us more…” She pauses and takes another gulp of air. “More official. I just want to be in the background.”
I sigh. “I don’t think that the press will let you just hang out in the background, Margot.”
She nods again, looking down. “I know. But you asked what I wanted, not what’s realistic.”
She looks so sad that I can’t help but pull her closer, pressing her small body against my larger one. My head rests on hers. My heart beat drums against my chest.
I close my eyes, inhaling. The sweet scent of Margot fills my nose.
“I want that too,” I admit.
My heart aches. For my father, who I have yet to see. For my grandmother, who is just trying her best, though it may not seem that way.
For Margot, who is coping with the change in my status way better than I am.
And for this, this closeness. I have a very real sense that these moments are under threat now… though I swear I will do what I can to protect them.
My phone chirps. I open my eyes, sighing before I even read the words on the screen. They’re from Lars.
He wants to see all of us right away.
I shoot off a reply before flinging my phone down.
Be there soon.
Then I look at Margot. She looks so anxious; I almost can’t stand to look into her sweetly heart shaped face.
