She looks at me and emphasizes the word with a single nod. “Obsessed. Don’t give up if you really don’t wanna give up.”
If I do what Daisy wants, I’ll be halfway around the world. If I go against her wishes, she may never let me back into her life. My throat constricts at the thought of never hearing her or seeing her again.
“C’mere.” I squish my too-wise sister into a hug. “Text me.”
“Obviously. Have fun in Londontown.”
I make it ten minutes down the road before I pull out my phone and stare at her number, wondering if she’ll pick up this time.
Chapter Forty-One
Daisy, 22 Years Old
“And how’s Max?”
My mom and I didn’t talk about Max anymore, but his parents would have found it odd for her not to ask. The mention of his name picked at the scab over what I let happen between us.
“Graduated in June,” his mom said with a forced smile. She slid her grocery cart to the side of the aisle.
“He was doing an internship with some museum over there,” his dad added. “He’s full-time, so we’ll see.”
I smiled, proud of what he’d accomplished. His dad downplayed it, but Max was doing something with a museum start-up. Not his own work, but curating, which he would be amazing at. I didn’t quite understand the job, but it seemed to keep him busy.
Sometimes I wondered if I made the right decision, but whenever I heard about his achievements, I had zero doubt. It had been a while since I’d gone on an internet excavation—aka social media stalking session—to find out what Max was up to. I checked in on him occasionally. Curiosity and all.
“And how’re your classes going?” Max’s dad asked me.
“I have a couple semesters left,” I said sheepishly. Mom had assured me that retaking classes was sometimes part of the college experience. And by the time I figured out which degree I wanted and which courses I needed, I’d earned super-senior status. But in a year or so, I’d have an Environmental Science bachelor’s, and hopefully I could figure out what to do from there. Maybe a ranger position would open up by then. My destiny hadn’t been as clear as Max’s, but with a degree, I’d have options.
Mom and I said goodbye to the Webers and went through the checkout line. We packed the bags into the trunk, and I pulled out some chips to comfort me on the way home.
“You could always call him up.” Mom eyed me as she closed the trunk. “You know he’d answer.”
I wasn’t so sure, and I didn’t want to risk rejection. Max had achieved so much barely out of college, and what had I done? I got secondhand embarrassment just thinking about calling him and giving him a brief and boring life update.
He’d moved on, and that was for the best. It was what I said I wanted.
Chapter Forty-Two
Daisy, Now
When I lug myself back to the check-in area, Stacey has claimed a chair behind the desk. She’s reclined, eyes closed as she fans her armpits. If she’s sweltering in our open-air lobby, I can only imagine how the guests are doing in their rooms. I had to run out this morning to buy extra fans for everyone.
“What’d the technician say, hon?” she asks, aware of my presence without seeing me.
My soul sinks. I wish I could blame this catastrophe on anyone else—Max, the repairman, even my mom—but this is on me.
“You should get out of here.” I lift my sticky, unbrushed hair off my shoulders and twist it into a rat’s nest of a bun. “You’re already past your usual time.”
“This week’s been a busy one, that’s for sure.”
“You’re an angel.”
“Tell my husband that.”
“Put him on the phone right now.”
“You really oughta consider hiring some additional help around here.” She turns to me, her brows furrowed. “You look tired.”
