“Why?” I wish she would just talk to me.
Her hands start brushing up and down her arms like she’s cold, but really I think she’s just itching to get away from me—from this situation. It stabs at me, but I keep my face neutral. I don’t like it, but I can take a hint. “It’s fine, Ellie girl. Go ahead and enjoy some time with your interns. I’ll leave you alone.”
Closing her eyes, she lets out a long exhale. “I’m sorry—I’m not trying to—I’m sorry.”
I take a sip of tequila to keep my voice from cracking. “Nothing to apologize for.” I raise my hand at Rhonda to get her attention so I can close out my tab. “I’ll leave. That way you can relax.”
“Fuck,” she hisses under her breath. “You don’t have to go. I’m sor?—”
“Stop apologizing.” Risking even more rejection I stand and step close to her. “I’m the one who’s sorry. I’m sorry I keep pushing you when you’re clearly not interested.”
Her shoulders slump, eyes meeting mine since we’re nearly at eye level now. “So, are you giving up now?”
“No,” I say, huffing a laugh. “Do you want me to?”
“I don’t know.” She looks down, swallowing harshly.
That’s not a yes, but it’s also not a no.
Rhonda slides the check across the bar to me, and I retrieve my card, setting it down without shifting my focus from Ellie.
“I’m not going anywhere, querida mía. I’ll be here when you’re ready.”
“And if I’m never ready?”
I lean down to whisper in her ear. “I’ve never given up on us. I’m not about to start now.”
CHAPTER 23
Elyse
BARELY SURVIVING MINUTES
17 YEARS OLD
“Never leave me.”
Dominic is tagging along with me for my tour of UW. It’s supposed to be for upcoming students only, but it’s not like they’re checking IDs. And since they already separated the parents for their own guided tour, it’s just me and him and a bunch of future students I’ve never met before.
He runs a comforting hand up and down my back, his touch the only thing capable of soothing me. “I'm not going anywhere,” he murmurs.
When I first signed up for this tour, I was riddled with excitement. UW is the school I always hoped to attend, and the one I was expected to get accepted in, despite their low acceptance rate. The grounds are beautiful, like the kind of college you see in movies—brick buildings, sprawling green spaces, a combination of dark academia and timeworn architecture. But now, standing in the middle of this massivecampus with students bustling past like they know exactly where they're going, my chest tightens.
Seattle feels too big, too loud, too overwhelming. Everything is moving so fast, and I'm used to the quiet, slow lifestyle of Red Mountain. If Dominic wasn’t by my side, I’m not sure how much longer I’d be able to keep going through this tour, pretending I’m not terrified out of my mind.
The tour guide is rambling about something—libraries or resources or something. I'm barely listening. My eyes keep darting around, trying to take everything in, but it's too much.
“You okay?” Dominic asks, leaning down so only I can hear him.
I nod quickly, but it's a lie. “Yeah, just...a lot to take in.”
He doesn't push, just gives my shoulder a gentle squeeze and stays close. It's like he can sense I'm one wrong word away from bolting.
As we walk to the next stop, my steps are so shaky, I find myself clinging to his arm to keep from tripping over my own feet. He doesn't complain or pull away, just stays steady beside me, letting me hold on.
When the group pauses in front of the student union building, the guide starts talking about clubs and activities, but my attention drifts again. I glance at Dominic, and he catches my eye.
"You want to step away for a bit?" he asks quietly.
