“Will be fine,” she said. “I got here in one piece, and I can findmy way home. You want to go see things. So go see things.”
Bas laid a hand on my elbow. “What do you want to do, Chelsea?”
I stared at where he touched me, awed that I had this extra time with him, praying Elizabeth would forgive me for taking it, and wanting nothing more than to explore the world with this man beside me. When I told him of my dream of travel, I wasn’t just talking, and here was Bas, handing me a map. “I don’t know. Where should we go?”
“You said you’ve always wanted to explore the Mediterranean coast. I thought we could drive to Monte Carlo tomorrow, then on to Venice. From there, we could travel through Croatia and Montenegro until we get to Greece. I don’t know much about any of these places, so jump in here anytime.”
“When you said you’d show me the world, you were already planning this?”
He shook his head. “Ha. No. That was like”—he rubbed his chin—“November. Elizabeth called me earlier this week.” He winced like he expected me to hit him. “You’re not mad we surprised you, are you?”
“Mad? I’m going to cry. Feel free to surprise me anytime with travel. I can’t believe this.” I took a breath to steady my nerves. “Does this mean you’re done with whatever you were doing in Greece?”
His body tensed, and his hand went straight to the back of his neck. I knew something was up before he said a word. “Yeah. About that.”
I clenched my fists, pleading with the universe he wouldn’t say what I felt deep down he was about to say. This was our last hurrah, our last week together.
“I’ve been considering staying here. In Greece, that is. It turns out you were right. My uncle’s restaurant is a really great opportunity. Maybe too good to pass up.”
Iknewit. I was so tired of being disappointed.
“But—” I whispered. I hated myself for putting my own needs first, hoping he was going to saybut it’s only temporary.“When were you planning on telling me?”
His lips flattened into a solid line. “I’m telling you now.”
I forced myself to say, “I’m sorry. I’m just surprised.” But inside, I was reeling. What if I hadn’t come over here? Would he have just disappeared from my life?
“You’ll see. The hotel is unbelievable.” He grinned, and a twinkle lit his eye. “But let’s not worry about it right now. We’ve got this time together.”
I processed his words. I should’ve been thrilled for him. After all, I’d urged him to give the idea a chance back when he’d first mentioned it. But I was too focused on the one thing that mattered. “And then you’re going to stay. In Greece.” I stared at the sea, trying to shake the betrayal I didn’t have the right to feel. It was almost more painful to entertain the brief hope only to have it snuffed out again.
“Look, if I do, it won’t be forever.”
“But—” I didn’t have a valid rebuttal. It made sense, and I’d given him no reason to come back home.
“My family is right. I could work in a successful restaurant and get some better experience on my résumé. My uncle would let me have some freedom on the menu.”
“Bas. What about—” I’d created this problem and now couldn’t in all sincerity ask him to weigh me into his decision. I hadn’t given him any indication we’d ever have a future together. I guess in the back of my mind, I’d truly believed there’d be time, that when we were both back home, we’d sort out our feelings.
“Let’s have a fun week, okay? And I’m taking you to Greece with me. You can see where I’d be. I think you’ll really like it.”
My eyes filled with tears. I didn’t want to shit all over his plans, but I couldn’t help wondering if he’d change them if I asked himto. Had I forfeited that right? It would be selfish to drag him away from a stepping stone in his career, but nobody had ever confused me with a saint. I squared my shoulders.
“Okay.” I tried to smile. I’d gobble up whatever time Bas was willing to give me, and maybe this would give us the chance to figure things out now. I wouldn’t go home without taking my best shot.
We walked back to our hotel, where I hugged Elizabeth and asked her a dozen more times if she’d be okay. I’d stay with her if she asked, but she laughed at me. “You’d be even more miserable knowing what you’d be giving up. Besides, I’m planning to do karaoke.”
I shuddered. I would never do karaoke. “You win. Call me as soon as you get home.”
Bas grabbed my suitcases, and I followed him out to his rental car.
He punched something into his phone and started to drive, following the navigation. I stared out the window, watching the new terrain unfold, but my head was filled with a world of competing concerns.
What if Bas decided to take his uncle’s job? What if this was the last week I ever spent with him?
The irony wasn’t lost on me that I seemed to have found myself on vacation with an attractive man I’d never see again after I went home. The very situation I normally sought out. But it wasn’t the same. This was Bas. We’d already crossed the streams, and I knew he wasn’t the emotionally unavailable one in this scenario.
What if I’d told him how I felt? Was it too late now? What if he still stayed? What if he rejected me anyway?
