I sigh. "But you're here for another week and a half. I've got the shop. We're still three states apart."
"Distance is just geography."
"Is it?"
He turns onto his side, facing me. "What are you really worried about?"
Everything. That this won't work. That Luke will change his mind. That we've built this up so much in our heads that reality can't possibly match. That I drove nine hours in the middle of the night for something that's going to fall apart.
"I don't know," I finally say. "I just know that everything feels different now. And I'm not sure if that's good or bad."
"It's good." He kisses my forehead. "It's scary, but it's good."
I want to believe him. I do believe him. But the doubt sits in my chest anyway.
We lie there in the darkness. His arms around me. My head on his chest. Both of us pretending we're not worried about what comes next.
Eventually, exhaustion wins. I drift off with his heartbeat under my ear and his breath ruffling my hair.
When I wake up, sunlight is streaming through the window. Ethan is already awake, watching me.
"Hi," he says.
"Hi."
"You snore."
"I do not."
"You definitely do. It's cute."
I bury my face in the pillow. "What time is it?"
"Eight."
"Shit." I sit up. "I need to call Luke. He's going to wonder where I am."
"What are you going to tell him?"
Good question. I can't tell him the truth. Not over the phone. Not like this.
"That I needed to get away. That I drove to Denver to clear my head."
"You don't have to lie."
"I'm not lying. I did drive to Denver to clear my head."
"And ended up in my bed."
"That too."
Ethan's expression shifts. Something serious settling in. "We need to tell him. Properly. When I get back."
"I know."
"I don't want to hide this."
"I don't either. But can we have a few days? Just us? Before everything gets complicated?"
