And why can’t people mind their own damn business?
The social media stuff is a lot. I looked and I know I shouldn’t have, but it’s too late.
Why does everyone need to know everything about our relationship?
I don’t know how you deal with it.
I feel like I’m drowning in all this worry.
I probably shouldn’t have said that.
Oh God.
I’m coming off as clingy and needy.
I don’t want to be either of those things.
Can you just erase all these without reading them?
I feel sick as I read them over. I’m falling apart, and now Flip has a front row seat through text messages. Why would he want a girlfriend who can’t keep it together, not even in text messages? I don’t want to be the kind of person who can’t handle it when things get hard.
Flip
You’re not clingy or needy, kitten.
Everything you’re feeling makes sense.
OMW. Be there soon.
Parsnip comes down the hall and curls up in my lap. I let him sit there for a few minutes before I drag my ass off the floor. Flip pokes his head in the door while I’m sweeping stuff back into my bag.
“Tally?” The rest of his body follows, and he flips the latch behind him, letting the door fall closed. Parsnip abandons me to rub himself on Flip’s legs. Flip is wearing a suit and holding his travel bag, plus flowers and cookies from my favorite bakery.
He sets the bag on the floor, and the cookies and the flowers on the side table and opens his arms. “You have a rough day, kitten?”
I step into them and press my face against his chest. “I’m a hot mess.”
“Sounds like maybe you have a good reason.” He hoists me up.
I wrap myself around him and cling to him like a burr and lose the battle against the tears.
He grabs the cookies and his bag and carries me to my bedroom. Parsnip follows on his heels, meowing loudly.
Flip deposits his bag on the floor and the cookies on the nightstand. Then he sits on the edge of my bed with me still wrapped around him. “Let it all out.”
“I don’t want you to break up with me,” I mumble into his skin.
He takes my face in his hands. “Baby girl, sweetness.” He wipes my tears away, then kisses both of my cheeks. “Why would you think that?”
“Everything feels like it’s falling apart on me,” I whisper.
He nods. “Yeah, I’m sure it does.” His eyes are so sad. “Can I be honest with you?”
I swallow past the lump in my throat and nod.
“I’ve been worried you’ll be the one who breaks up with me.”
I frown. “Why?”
