AllFreeNovel
Share Us
“You know,” starts Tanner. “We’ve been getting along really well for the past few days.”
“Yeah, I’ve noticed that,” I reply. Consider the unspoken tranquility kaput.
“And?” I ask. I’m not sure why he’s even mentioning it.
“And nothing. I just wanted to say I’m enjoying it. I hope I’m not out of place on that,” he explains, flashing me that award-winning smile
.
Goddamn that smile.
“I can’t say you’re wrong,” I admit to him.
We exchange a brief, hopeful gaze before I snap back to reality.
“But I’m also not holding back when I say, I didn’t expect this to be going the way it is, Tanner.”
“Things are just so much more intense between us than I could have ever imagined. It’s making it a little hard to draw the business line in the sand, you know?”
And I do know. Because I’m feeling it as much as he does. Only I would have never been the one to start this conversation, especially wandering around Times Square. But I suppose it’s as good a time as any.
It’s not like I have anything less serious to discuss with him.
And that’s when I freeze. It hits me like a ton of bricks when I remember what I wanted to tell him.
I take off my sweater and just hold it draped over my arm as I continue to gnaw at my everything bagel. Why are these so delicious?
As my sweater taps against my torso because of the momentum during our walk, I feel that little plastic indicator gently poking me, gently reminding me of our much-needed discussion.
How am I even going to break all of this to him?
We turn the corner, and I hear Tanner let out a deep sigh.
“What’s wrong, Tanner?”
“Nothing. Nothing at all, Elsa. I just have something I need to talk to you about. I know I said I didn’t have a reason to say what I said a few minutes ago, but I do. And I need to discuss it with you.”
Oh, shit. I knew he was being so nice to me for a reason, and he’s about to lay it on me.
“Well, let’s find a place to sit down. My legs are getting tired,” I say.
“Alright, yeah. Good idea.”
We make our way over to a little bench along the sidewalk next to the mailboxes and a cute little donut shop.
The people are still hustling and bustling all around us. and it makes it hard to really focus on one another. But we manage.
I grip onto the positive little test in my sweater as I take the last bite of my bagel. I take my sweet-ass time chewing it, knowing full well that Tanner will try to lay something thick on me.
But I can’t even really talk. I’m about to do the same thing to him—something way more intense than what he has to tell me!
I see Tanner hesitantly start to speak. “Elsa, um...Why don’t you go first? I’m sorry.”
“No, no, I insist. Let’s start with you,” I counter.
“Well, alright. I’ll start,” he says.
He must be dying to get this off his chest.
