He’drunafter us.
That must’ve hurt.
“Just,” Felix said, swallowing as he got his breathing under control. He raised his hand, holding up his phone and waving it at me. “Hold on.”
I couldn’t have moved if I’d wanted to. Whatever the hell was happening, I couldn’t look away.
Felix tapped his phone a few times, then held it up to his ear.
I heard the call connect, and a faint, “Hello?”
“Annabelle,” Felix said.
He met my gaze and held it. I couldn’t look away.
“No, I… everything’s fine, it’s just… your offer was extremely generous.”
Oh. I thought he’d already accepted, but clearly he was about to. Right in front of me.
Ihadtold him he should. This was what I’d said I wanted.
And if I couldn’t say what Ireallywanted…
“Felix—” I tried, but he cut me off with a raised hand.
“I’m flattered, truly,” he continued on the phone. “And I know I said I’d be heading down tomorrow, but…”
My heart pounded in my ears.
But?
“I’m going to have to disappoint you,” Felix said, still holding my gaze. “Because the thing is, Idowant to stay in this little town.”
What?
“You haven’t seen it, but you should, because it’s incredible. Where I’m standing I can see a sliver of the bay, and there’s salt on the breeze. The sun’s about to set, and the sky’s turning all these incredible pinks and oranges. When it gets dark, there’ll be a hundred times as many stars as you think there are in the sky. And it’s got the cutest little ice cream parlor and a coffee shop where they make the most incredible baked goods and there’s a really cute dog. And…”
Felix licked his lips, taking a step toward me.
“And right in front of me, there’s this man. You saw him at the competition, but I didn’t really get a chance to introduce you. I’m sorry about that, because meeting him is the best thing that’s ever happened to me.”
My mouth fell open so automatically I felt like a cartoon character.
“He’s kind and sweet and funny and thoughtful and he brought me flowers,” Felix said. “And invited me to dinner, and made me feel like I was worth something when I was convinced I wasn’t. He also comes withthemost adorable kid in the whole world.And I love them both. I don’t know if I can have this life, I don’t know if it’ll work out. But I know that if I have to pick between going to Los Angeles to work with you or staying here and hoping for thepossibilitythat I haven’t screwed up beyond repair, I’d regret not staying here more than I’d regret not going there. And it wouldn’t even be close. He’s, umm…”
Felix took a breath, looking me right in the eyes. I had no idea what my face was doing, except that I was fairly sure my mouth was hanging open.
“He’s my next act,” he continued. “So. Thank you so much for your time, and I hope you find the right person for the role.”
Felix paused, listening to whatever Annabelle was saying on the other end of the line.
“Yeah,” he said. “Yeah, he’s pretty incredible. Thanks. Bye.”
The tip of Felix’s tongue poked out between his lips as he hung up the phone, tucking it deliberately into his bag.
When he looked at me again, his eyes were bluer than they’d ever been before.
I took a half-step toward him on unsteady legs, gripping Benji’s hand way too tight.
