“They…” Her face softens. “Are wonderful. You can see the connection and love for one another. Teasing is part of having a tight family.”
I play with a strand of her hair while she nuzzles into my touch. “You didn’t really have that, did you.”
She shakes her head. “My parents are great, we just weren’t playful or took time to have moments together. I love visiting my parents, but they are a bit reserved and struggle to show emotion, ya know?”
“I’m lucky.”
We pause for a beat and both get lost in a stare, knowing the time has come.
“And here we are,” I rasp.
“The big conversation.” I can’t figure out her tone.
It’s a stalemate for who will lead this conversation, until I decide to be tribute in what I’m scared could specifically be an ending, even though we feel closer than everyone.
“I don’t want to let you go.”
Harlow snickers. “Stone, nor do I. But we both know we have a few obstacles in our way.”
“We can either continue as we are and see where we land or accept that we drew the bad card and that nothing is realistic.” My throat feels tight, with a near salty taste from emotions that I’m not used to. My next words seem lost in the back of my mouth.
She scoots closer to me, taking both of my hands into hers. “I’m lost. Scared. Wishing I would be fortunate that the one thing I need would drop from the sky; clarity. But I was lucky that you entered my life, even if for a fleeting moment across the map, and maybe that’s all I get.”
“I don’t think luck had anything to do with it.”
“I enjoyed meeting your family, it’s what even friends do. But I’m aware that it’s more than that. Discovering pieces of you is better than finding a new kind of freedom in my life.” Her eyes dip down, and I see sorrow.
My stomach churns, and the future suddenly seems bleak, yet a glimmer of hope that we can take hold of us is in sight.
“Harlow, I wish you didn’t experience the things you did, but I’ve only ever seen you as broken.” I pull her close, tight against my chest, to kiss the top of her head. “Let’s not give up.”
“You live here, I live there. Maybe eventually in a moment, we’ll get tired due to an atlas.”
“Damn it, Harlow, I think our biggest concern is that you hate apples,” I say in an attempt to bring her smile back.
A line draws on her mouth as her eyes strike up to me. “Fine, it’s the distance that will drive us apart. Won’t it?”
I let her go to hold her strong by her upper arms with pure reverence, giving her no opportunity to look anywhere but at me. “If we didn’t have distance between us, then what obstacle would we have? I don’t think anything would be in our way. Without that factor, tell me what you want.”
An honest smile brushes her lips. “You.”
“Then that’s what you get. We’re still fresh, we don’t need to make any jumps, it’s just that it seems the next step would be...” Moving, which she has already connected in her head.
Her bottom lip gets attacked by her teeth. “It’s not new, Stone. We were meant for a chapter together the moment we laid eyes on one another.”
“It’s stronger between us, isn’t it? Not a momentary click.”
She nods. “We’ve laid out the risks.”
“I’m willing to take them. I’ll do it for both of us.”
Her tongue slides to the inside of her cheek as she seems to be suppressing a grin. “Okay… I think we’ve laid out what we’re both avoiding.”
My brows furrow. “And?”
She breaks from my hold and circles her arms around my neck. “Facts are out, and now we have discussed it like responsible adults. We don’t have an answer yet. Which only means we should pat ourselves on the back for at least listing the obvious and then do what we want.”
I wasn’t expecting that. “Which means?”
