AllFreeNovel
Share Us
“Three weeks? That’s soon,” I said quietly as my stomach plummeted.
He nodded. “I told them I hadn’t decided yet if I’d be back for it.”
“You should go, Leo. They need you, and you love singing. I can hear it in your voice when we talk about it.”
“I love you,” he said then, looking back into my eyes.
“I love you, too, Leo. But...”
“But what?” he asked.
“But it’s complicated, isn’t it? Both of our lives.” The magic of our song, of the night in the Italian restaurant, was dim now that another day had dawned. Realities were settling in. It wasn’t a fairy tale—it was real life, which involved turned-down loans and parents who needed Leo and responsibilities. We couldn’t just wash it all away in the summer sea and glow on the beach forever. And, as I’d learned in New York City...maybe love wasn’t actually enough.
I wanted him to say to Leo that love was enough—because I wanted to believe it despite everything. I wanted him to proclaim that love would win, that we’d figure it out. I wanted him to have the confidence in us I was too afraid to. But he didn’t. Instead, he sipped on his coffee, and I chewed on the chocolate chip muffin. We sat in silence, perhaps exhausted from decision fatigue and the closing in of the world. We finished breakfast without really talking much. We’d run out of things to say. Leo paid, at his insistence. We headed out to the boardwalk, but the ocean breeze didn’t feel so lofty anymore. We leaned against the cement wall, looking out at the ocean.
“Tillie, I’m sorry,” he said. “I am.”
“For what?” I asked.
“Everything. That you didn’t get the loan. For Brad and what happened. And for this, the fact that I have to go back eventually. I feel like I’ve come along and just complicated everything.”
“You don’t have to be sorry. I’ll sort it out.”
“I know you will. But I’m here, too. I was serious about the offer to help.”
I stared at the boards of the boardwalk, focusing on one that was lifting slightly. He was just trying to help. I should be thankful. But I looked up at him, finally willing to be vulnerable.
“You’re not going to be here forever, Leo. You’re not. It isn’t even about the money. It’s about this. I know what it’s like to build a life, a business with someone only to have them leave.”
Saying the words aloud to him brought out the real emotion I was feeling.
Fear.
Leo reached over and grabbed my arms. “I know it’s scary. But I’m not him. I’m not going to do that to you. I would never hurt you like he did.”
“You wouldn’t mean to. But Leo, you can’t hide from your career forever. You can’t just disappear here and pretend you don’t have a life in London. You do. And I have a life here that I’m building. You’re going to end up leaving eventually, and it’s going to hurt. So, I just...I don’t know. I’ve had the most amazing time with you, and I want you to be a part of all this so badly. But it’s just going to be easier overall for me to pick up the pieces if I stand on my own two feet.”
And there it was. The truth that had been lingering behind the summer sun, the painting nights, the karaoke. I needed to stand on my own two feet. The crutches would be gone soon, my ankle almost healed. But was my heart? Could I stand on my own when it came to love? I’d had to learn how to after Brad, but Leo had come along and made me question if I could. I was attached to him. I couldn’t be.
I needed to be my father’s daughter. I needed to rise to the challenge, to take care of myself. I needed to find the stability in my life I’d been lacking.
“I know I can’t stay here forever. I miss singing. But what we have is magical. Special, Tillie. And I’m not ready to let that slip away.”
It was magical. Looking into his eyes, I knew that what we had was something stronger than I’d ever had. It took what I thought had been love with Brad and flipped it on its head. The love was there, real and strong and beautiful. But would it be enough when he went back to London?
He leaned in to kiss me then. Without thinking, I pulled back. Instantly, I could see the hurt in his eyes. I opened my mouth to explain, to apologize, to...I didn’t even know.
And then, I didn’t have a chance.
“Leo?” a female voice shouted. “Leo?” We both turned to see a man and a woman, both in sunglasses and hats, heading toward us. And I knew that just like that, the magic of summer had officially died. A piece of me died with it.
