“What are you doing here?” I ask.
He pauses. “I—we can talk about that later.”
“You said you were going home. You’re mad at me. So,why are you here?” I nearly yell it. Not because I’m angry, but because I don’t understand. I hurt him. I pissed him off.
I fucked up.
He sighs and runs a hand through his hair. It’s nearly soaked by now. “I ... I regretted leaving you at the airport. I should’ve stayed. But by the time I went back, you were gone. So, I waited here.”
“Y-you said you weren’t watching me do this again, that you were goinghome.”
“I shouldn’t have said any of that. I’m sorry, Maisie.”
I shake my head. Nate shouldn’t be the one apologizing. I should be. I need to tell him that wasn’t what it was at all, that I only wanted to be civil with Rob, and that I’m so fucking sorry for not being clear.
But the words get clogged in my throat. I’m so relieved he’s here, so angry at myself for letting us even get to this point, and hurt by all the things Rob said.
Before I can stop it, tears are running down my cheeks and mixing with the rain. I’m a complete mess, and Nate is seeing it all.
“Come on,” he says. “Let’s get dried off.”
Tears turn into sobs as he leads me to the house. He grabs my keys from me and unlocks the door before finding me a towel. I don’t understand why he’s willing to be herewith me.
Didn’t I mess this up?
Warmth wraps around me as he dries me off. I step away and take the towel myself, trying to get it together so I can saysomething.
“Don’t be with Rob.” Nate says it softly, and the words are so shocking that I finally look at him. “That’s what I came here to say. Don’t give him another chance. Not this time.”
“I—”
“I want the chance instead. Just one. Let me prove that I can be better. If you say no, that’s fine. I’ll let it go and we’ll be friends. Butplease, let me be better than he is. It might be too late. Maybe he already got through to you, or maybe not, considering you were in the rain, but still. Just ... one chance. Please.”
“You came here ... while angry at me for going with Rob to ask for me to be with you?”
“Yes. And it might be stupid, but?—”
“It is,” I say. “Because you ... you walked away.”
He winces. “I did.”
“You’re angry.”
“Was.And I stupidly hoped for more when I knew I was just a rebound to you.”
All the breath rushes out of my lungs. “You ...what?”
“I know you’ve never felt like that about me. But maybe there’s an inkling there. If there is, then let’s try it.Please.”
“What ... are youdoing?” I manage to ask.
“I’m telling you how I feel?”
I shake my head, still stuck on what he believes has happened. “You thought I was using you as a rebound and got back with my ex. You should be pissedat me.”
“I’m not, I?—”
“Don’t make excuses for that.” I push his shoulder and his eyes go wide. “If that’s what I did, then you should absolutely never talk to me again.”
