where she was coming from. I just wished she understood where I was coming from. “I just want to show you a good time, an all-expenses-paid trip to New York to show my gratitude for you helping me out.”
She focused on the view of the Chicago skyline, the skyscrapers in the vicinity, the lake in front of us. Finally, after a long beat, she spoke, “I don’t want to see your life in New York and think about your life there, when you’re gone. I want to remember you with your life here, in Chicago, with me.”
“Charlie …” I paused, thinking of how I could say this without scaring her away. Because the only way I knew I could survive this was if she came with me. I’d been dreading the time ticking away until the drop date of when I had to leave. Before her, I couldn’t wait to get back to my life in Manhattan, but after being with her, time had been going by so fast, and I needed it to stop. There was only one solution to my situation. “I want you to come with me, to move with me to New York.”
Her eyes flipped to mine and then widened, but any hope of her coming with me got crushed at the look on her face. She huffed out a long breath, released me, and pushed the passenger door open. “You know I can’t do that. I don’t understand why you are making this more heartbreakingly difficult.”
She stepped out the door and into the humid air, hugging her center.
Immediately, I exited the car. I walked toward her and held her at her elbows to face me. “Why not?”
“Because my life is here, with my mom, with my new friends.”
“So?”
“So!” she scoffed, her voice high-pitched. “You might not love your family. But I love mine, okay?” she snapped.
“The family who won’t even go to your exhibit.” The instant those words left my mouth, I regretted it.
She reeled back as though I’d slapped her.
“I’m sorry. I didn’t mean that.” I reached for her, but she crossed her arms over her chest. I tugged at the fabric by her waist, feeling the silk between my fingertips. “Charlie, I’m sorry. Really.”
Her gaze lowered to the ground, her chin to her chest.
“I shouldn’t have said that. I’m sorry, okay?” I hated how our interaction had turned sour in the matter of minutes.
She nodded, but I knew she was lying. I pulled her into my arms, but she stiffened, distant and disconnected.
I wrapped my arms fully around her so she couldn’t escape. “I’ll come visit. Nana is here. Kyle is here. You’re here.”
Long distance. Could I do that? I’d tried that before, and that hadn’t ended well, but this was different. This was with Charlie. I knew I’d do everything in my power to make us work.
“Yeah, maybe I’ll be with my new boyfriend by then.”
My whole body went rigid, and I knew she felt the shift in tension because she added, “And you’ll be with your new girlfriend by then too. Then, we can all double date.”
The thought of her with someone else, someone touching her, kissing her, made all of my muscles tense and had me wanting to punch something badly. I didn’t want to be with anyone else but her.
“You’re just being mean now.” A weight settled in my gut, making me feel nauseous. “I don’t want you to be with anyone but me, but I know that’s not how the circumstances go.” I pulled back and cupped her face. “Just think about it, okay? Think about New York. If anything, it’ll be our last big hurrah before I’m scheduled to go back to my bank job.”
She turned toward the lake, to the crew of people set up to film us. After she pulled away from me, her gaze dropped to the ground. “We should get started. You pay them by the hour. I’m sorry … I’m just not in the best mood.”
She turned to leave, but I gripped her hand and locked eyes with her. I wouldn’t be able to handle her being with anyone else, so I had to try again.
“Charlie … promise me you’ll think about it.”
She smiled and nodded but didn’t say a word as she walked to the crew.
Charlie
The air brushed against my skin, my neck, my arms, and my bare back. The dress was beautiful with its alluring halter top, the way the neck scooped and revealed just the right amount of cleavage,