“I think so.” I tapped on my temple. “This is my problem.”
“No, it’s not.” She clutched my shoulders, her dark eyes boring into mine. “You will be fine.”
“You really think so?”
She nodded. “You’re tougher than you give yourself credit for. I bet when you leave,he’llbe the one crazy in love with you and begging you to stay.”
I burst out laughing.
“Right.” I pulled her into a hug. “I stopped believing in fairy tales a long time ago.”
“You can believe, just shift your hopes a little bit. Save the silly fantasies for the ones who are worth it.”
And that was always the bitch of it. Lee would never not be worth it in my eyes. He just wasn’t meant for me.
“Either way, I’m happy not to live out of a suitcase for a while.”
“Attagirl. And it’s nice to talk to you in person, not on-screen,” she said, arching a brow at me. “And that’s why, whatever happens, you’re staying put, right?”
“Yes, ma’am,” I said, chuckling at her wince when a baby whimper wafted down the hall.
“And I guess that’s all the time we have for today.” Her gaze drifted toward the hallway. “Text me later.”
I gave her another quick hug and headed down her outside steps to my car, texting Lee that I was arriving early, and headed straight to his house with no additional detours.
When I did leave Lee’s house, I wouldn’t be running anymore. I’d be moving on. I’d get an apartment, a job that allowed me to sleep in the same bed every night, and accept what never was so I could plan for what could be.
It would be amazing—or I’d manifest the shit out of it all until it was.
The chime of Lee’s doorbell echoed through the windows. When no one came to the door after a few minutes, I rang it again. I set my bags down to call Lee before I registered the creak of the door.
“Sorry about that,” Lee said, winded. “We didn’t expect you so soon, and we were trying to finish up after you texted that you were on your way. Come in,” he said, lifting my bags before I could stop him, and jutted his chin toward the inside.
“I’m sorry for coming too early. I thought we could have extra time to go over things before you left tomorrow,” I said, leaving out the restless and antsy reasons I’d left my mother’s apartment early.
“No, I’m glad you did.” Lee set my bags down, a smirk tilting his lips. “We were planning a surprise for you and had to hurry up to finish it before you got here.”
“A surprise?” I repeated, narrowing my eyes at Lee.
“Stella!” Bennie’s voice drifted from behind Lee as her heavy footfalls grew faster. “Come on,” she said, pulling me by the arm.
I craned my neck to Lee while I stumbled behind her, but he only shrugged, laughing as Bennie yanked my arm and led us upstairs.
“Okay, you have to close your eyes.” Bennie stepped in front of me, blocking me at the top of the stairs with her hands on her hips.
“Okay,” I said, clenching my eyes shut. “But someone has to lead me to wherever I’m going.”
“I got you,” Lee whispered behind me, framing my waist and shifting me forward. His breath fanning hotagainst my neck, combined with his light, almost-intimate touch, sent goose bumps down my back.
I rolled my shoulders and padded down the carpeted hallway, hoping to shake off the jolt from Lee’s touch and proximity without looking like I’d come down with hiccups.
“Okay, you can open your eyes,” Bennie said, tapping on my arm.
I blinked my eyes open, and my jaw dropped. The carpet was covered with pink and white balloons, matching the pink-and-white bedspread and curtains. White bookcases lined the headboard, and I spotted a couple of stuffed animals within the mountain of pillows, as well as a pink alarm clock on the nightstand.
“You said you loved my room, so we made your room pink too!” Bennie said, tugging on my hand.
“But not quite as Pepto-colored as her room,” Lee said, a laugh rumbling out of his chest as he set my bags next to the bed. “I dialed her back a little when we went shopping, but she was the mastermind of most of it.” He pointed to the bookshelves. “Not quite a library, but it was the best I could do.”
