Page 128 of Where Roads Lead

I smiled, staring into the fire, lost in thought.

“You know, it’s really nice actually getting to talk to you for once, Elsie. It’s been sort of a weird night.”

I cringed internally, feeling even sorrier for what I was going to do.

“Can we talk for a minute?” I asked suddenly, the guilt that had been gnawing at me all night finally coming to a head. “Away from here?”

I nodded a few feet away from the fire, where groups were scattered, making conversation in the dark.

It wasn’t exactly private, but it would be away from Ava’s listening ears, which had been on us all night.

“Sure,” he said easily, getting to his feet. “Need a hand?”

I accepted his outstretched hand, letting him pull me to my feet.

“Watch your step,” he said, leading me away from the light, over the twigs and roots that I certainly would’ve tripped over if it weren’t for his steadying hand.

He was a really nice guy. He just wasn’t the guy for me.

“So,” he said, hands slipping into his pockets once we were a safe distance from the fire. “Were you as desperate to escape Ava and Will as I was?”

I laughed. “They’ve definitely made their presence known tonight.”

“I’m sorry about that. They’re usually not so intrusive. Hopefully, our next date will be more private.”

I winced and immediately regretted letting it play out on my face before I’d even found the words to explain it to him.

“Oof.” He laughed. “There won’t be a next date, huh?”

“This is totally and absolutely going to sound like a line, but I promise I mean it from the bottom of my heart when I say—” I paused, sighing at myself. “God, it’s such a cliche, I can’t even get the words out.”

“Oh, no. You’re not really hitting me with the ‘it’s not you, it’s me?’ I haven’t heard that one since college.”

I groaned, “Theo. I am so, so sorry. I am the worst. I agreed to come out on this date with you, when I really shouldn’t have. Not because of you, but because I—” Am lusting after your friend. “Am not in a place to try dating. And I probably should’ve figured that out earlier, but—”

“Elsie, breathe.” He laughed. “Relax. It’s cool. I promise. I mean, it was just supposed to be a casual thing. I just thought you were cool and fun to hang out with. No harm done.”

“So, I’m not completely breaking your heart, then?” I teased lightly, immensely relieved at his easy-goingness about it all.

“Would it make you feel better if I pretended you were?”

“A little bit.” I nodded. “It would fluff my ego.”

“Then I’ll let you have that.” And with that, he clutched his chest, as if he’d been fatally wounded, and lamented: “Oh, Elsie. The dearest object of my yearnings. How will I ever get over this agonizing ache left behind by the unrequited nature of your love?”

“Hey.” I laughed. “That was pretty good. Are you watching period dramas in your free time?”

“I did a theater class in college.” He shrugged, almost embarrassed. “Romeo and Juliet was one of them. I never really understand all the bitching and moaning, though. It seemed a little dramatic to me. But I aced the class, anyway.”

“No way!” I gasped. “I never would’ve guessed.”

A guilty pang went through me over having sort of misjudged him.

“Hey,” he said hopefully, “maybe now that I’m not trying to woo you, maybe we can try being friends? There’s plenty about me that might surprise you.”

“Were you really trying to woo me?” I rolled my eyes playfully.

“I never got the chance!” he exclaimed. “My damned friends were always popping up.”