Too close, then not close enough.
But somewhere between the second verse and the lazy sax solo, she sinks into me.
Her head finds my chest, and my hand slides to her lower back.
We move as one. Like the world outside this hidden room no longer exists.
“What happens in the fall?” I ask quietly, barely above the music.
She exhales.
The thought of her leaving physically pains me.
Fall isn’t that far away.
Fuck.
Just the thought of it makes me want to vomit.
She looks up at me then, like she already knows what I’m thinking. I feel like she always knows.
“It’s not that far,” she whispers. “A few hours, tops. We’ll make it work.”
I want to believe her. But my mother’s voice echoes in my head.You’re not a prince.
“What are you thinking about?” she asks, tipping her chin up to study me.
I shake my head, forcing a small smile. “Nothing.”
She squints at me. “Liar.”
I just kiss her temple because it’s easier than explaining. Instead, the unspoken words settle in my chest.
We dance a little longer. She hums along to the music. Off-key but perfect.
Eventually, we collapse onto the couch..
“You planning anything big for school?” I ask, tilting my head toward her.
She shrugs, the movement brushing her shoulder against mine. “A few things. I want to intern at a paper. Maybe join a writing group. You?”
“Avoid jail,” I joke.
“That sounds perfect,” she giggles.
The record finishes its song, but neither of us moves to change it.
I let the moment take me in.
Because she’s next to me. And everything else can wait.
15
Victoria
The staffnever speaks to me directly unless it’s to pass along something dumb. A menu change. Sometimes staffing issues, but that's about it.
So when Helen, one of the longtime housekeepers, stops me in the hall with her hands clutched tightly in front of her apron, my stomach goes cold.
