Page 51 of The Fall

“Well, yeah. Eventually, I imagine he’ll find someone who wants an actual relationship. I would, of course, remove myself from the equation.”

“What about you?” I ask.

“What about me?”

“What if you find someone else?” Like me.

She’s silent for a moment. “I guess I never really thought about me. It’s so hard for me to meet people, and I’m always so busy… I don’t know.”

That’s not exactly the answer I was hoping for, but I feel like, out of anyone, I’m more than qualified to understand what she’s talking about. I mean, I’ve never been in a serious relationship, either. Ever. And I’m five years older than her. I’ve had a string of hookups, but skating always came first. That’s where Savannah is in her life right now, and I respect that. As her coach, I should love that about her. As the man who can’t stop thinking about her, it kind of sucks.

We’re quiet on the rest of the way back to her apartment. There’s so much I want to say to her, so much I want to ask, but I can’t find the words.

I find a parking spot outside of her building and turn my car off.

“Thanks for coming to get me. Sorry I ruined your night,” she says.

“You didn’t ruin my night. This is exactly where I wanted to be,” I tell her truthfully.

She laughs. “Driving my sorry ass around? I doubt it.”

“Last I checked, your ass wasn’t sorry at all. In fact, it looks pretty nice to me.”

She pushes my shoulder playfully as she smiles. “And when was the last time you checked?”

“About twenty minutes ago when you bent down to get in my car.”

“Oh my god.” I love it when she smiles. It lights up her entire face.

I shrug one shoulder. “It’s hard to miss.”

She laughs even harder at that. “Yeah, well, yours is hard to miss, too.”

She might think she’s calling me out for having a big ass, but really, I just love that she confirmed that she looks at me.

“Do you, um, want to come in?” she asks, nodding towards her building.

My eyebrows raise in surprise. “Do you want me to come in?”

“Yeah. I do.” Thank god.

“Then I’ll come in. I can’t wait to find out what else you’re going to make fun of me for.”

She smirks. “Don’t worry. I’ve got a list.” She taps her temple.

“I’m sure you do.”

I follow her up to her apartment. It’s quiet, and I conclude her sister is sleeping based on the way Savannah quietly puts her keys on the counter and then tiptoes down the hall to her bedroom. I follow her and try to shove down the butterflies about being alone with her in her room.

She turns on the lights and shuts the door behind us.

“Do you want to watch a movie?” she asks.

I think I’d do pretty much anything she asked me to at this point, so I nod and follow her onto her bed.

EIGHTEEN

SAVANNAH