She’d gotten used to him, and overall she loved dogs anyway. Maybe she could stop by and visit him sometime. She petted his head.
There was another male she’d miss as well, but as much as she wanted to, couldn’t go and visit. Not without hurting her pride, anyway. Besides, what could she achieve by saying goodbye? She’d thought hard about it, but always came down to the same answer: wanting to see him one more time wouldn’t fix anything.
But man, she did want to see him. So badly.
A warm flutter of regret washed over her as Madison’s words echoed in her ears. Had she been unfair with Knox? She tapped her fingers on her chin, pondering. She never shared with him that she met her mother at the bowling alley restroom because she didn’t want her two worlds to collide. Because she was also ashamed. And a part of her also wondered if she’d been acting like her mother.
Ugh. Okay, so maybe she had been unfair with him. But, would acknowledging that at this point change anything? She obviously was more into him than he’d been into her. She loved him, and she’d felt he did her, but maybe it was her wish speaking. And his too.
He meant well, but now that summer was coming to an end…
She shook her head. No wonder why she kept away from relationships… maybe she was bad at them.
Her phone buzzed.
Come see me. I have something for you.
Something for her? A thrill went up her spine. She couldn’t think of anything he borrowed from her. Would it be a parting gift, then? Or some kind of weird confidentiality contract post-affair to make sure she wouldn’t say anything about their time together to the media? He was successful but wasn’t a celebrity, but she’d heard all kind of stories living in Los Angeles for so long.
Though she was probably being paranoid. Another solid reason why she didn’t succeed at romantic relationships. Another buzz pulled her from her thoughts.
Please.
Okay, she typed.
A smiley face emoji flashed on her screen. The one with glasses, which was extra interesting because he didn’t wear glasses. But she assumed he wouldn’t have her sign any sketchy agreements if he’d used that emoji.
She put her bag aside and ran out her door, careful not to let Mr. Fluffers out accidentally as she opened the door. She could try to have the upper hand and let him wait an hour or so, but who was she kidding? She was curious, and anxiety crept in with every step.
This could be the last time she saw him. She doubted that she’d attend any family events after this whole thing, and make things beyond awkward to herself and Madison, if their friendship continued like she hoped it would.
She knocked on his door. Evening fell, and she remembered the first time she knocked on his door, a couple of months ago. She’d been looking for Mr. Fluffers, and now, she was looking for closure. Or just for the answer to her questions. Or for a miracle.
He opened the door, wearing a long-sleeved linen white shirt and jeans. The first button was undone, and her knees wobbled. His eyes sparked, the green irises flashing. “Thanks for coming.”
“No problem,” she said, but the second she walked in the interior of his home and heard the door close behind her, she knew she was lying. Her heart hammered in her chest, and damn it, being here was a big fucking problem. How did she think she was ready to handle seeing him again, on his turf? “What do you have for me?”
He walked to the living area, and she followed him. Then, he grabbed a large stack of papers from the coffee table and handed it to her. “I finished my script, and I’d like for you to read it before anyone else,” he said.
She glanced down at it, and took it from him, her fingers running along the crisp edges. She knew how important his work was for him, and the fact he shared it with her first… her pulse skyrocketed. Calm down, Alyssa. What if he just felt bad for what happened? What if this was his parting gift?
She cleared her throat, blinking, her temples throbbing. “I… I don’t know what to say. I’m happy you finished it.”
“You helped me through it. More than you know,” he said.
She hugged the script against her chest, her emotions teetering between hope and disappointment. The way he looked at her, with the green in his irises flashing, lit her up inside. But he hadn’t said anything very personal yet. She chewed on her lower lip.
“I also have something else for you, Alyssa.”
Please God, let it not be some weird confidentiality contract. She sat on the oversize chair, afraid she wouldn’t like the news. He must have sensed her discomfort, because he bridged the gap between them and pulled a chair, sitting in front of her. Eyes on hers.
Her stomach sank. Holy crap, the man was still gorgeous. How was she going to be able to survive this chat? “What is it?”
He picked up her hands in his, and the warmth from his skin caused goose bumps on hers. “It’s me. I wanted you to come here, to my home, the place where we fell in love… to give you my script, myself, and hopefully a future,” he said, then squeezed her hands in his gently. “I wasn’t as assertive about us to Madison as I should have been. I was caught off guard, and I’m sorry. But I don’t want to lose you.”
“You told me you were falling for me, the day before she arrived. Did you really mean it?” she asked, feeling silly for needing to hear it again. Two different sensations wrestled inside her, the growing hope sweeping over her, and the little part of her that wondered if this was too good to be true. The part that needed reassurance, even if she hated herself for it.
“Yes. The only person I want is you.”
