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“But by then, Lukas and I were dating.” My heart sank at the realization.
Wyatt trailed his fingers up and down my arm. “I was furious at my brother. Lukas could have dated any girl he wanted, but he had to pick you. My brother never attended college, but in the end, he was the smarter one. It took him only a short time to see how special you were.”
His hand stopped and he placed a soft kiss on the top of my head. “I’m sorry to bring him up. I don’t mean to hurt you by stirring up bad memories.”
“No. It’s alright. Time has lessened the sting.” I stared out into the darkening skies. Breaking up with Lukas hadn’t been the worst part. The worst part was having my name and character dragged through the mud while dealing with the heartache.
Wyatt rubbed his thumb against my knuckles. “Talk to me. I want to know what’s going on in that beautiful mind of yours.”
Not wishing to discuss Lukas again, I changed the topic. “Are you excited about your book signing at Landry’s?”
“Sure am. But I’m more excited about my talk at FanCon.”
Just like that, my bubble of contentment popped. “Thanksgiving. Then FanCon. And then you’re back in Oakland.”
Fear crept in like a thief during the night. Perhaps this wasn’t such a good idea. I cared for Wyatt, but he’d be leaving again in a few weeks, and I was already falling for him: too hard, too fast. “We should probably take things slow. You’re busy getting your webcomics project off the ground, and I’m putting a lot of time into running my school.”
“Everly, would you please look at me?”
Noting the edge in his voice, I reluctantly turned my face toward his.
Wyatt placed a soft kiss on my lips and leaned in so that his forehead rested against mine. “I don’t know what the future holds, but I do know that where I’m meant to be is by your side. We’ll figure this all out together.”
I nodded, trying to accept the gift of this moment. We’d only just figured out our feelings for each other. I didn’t need to ruin it all by thinking too far ahead.
Neither one of us spoke about what would happen after FanCon again as we began our journey back down the hill. Instead, we talked about his roommate Cole’s new app, the upcoming event at Landry’s, and my plans for next year’s Halloween decorations.
By the time I drove home, the sky was completely dark, and uneasiness rolled in my stomach like ocean waves. This thing that Wyatt and I shared felt tentative and new. It was something to be nurtured and grown, but how could I do that, knowing that he was leaving soon?
“How did the date go?” Indie asked the second I walked through the door. She was watching one of her favorite K-dramas while working on another knitting project, a pair of socks by the looks of it.
I plopped down on the couch and rested my head on her shoulder. “Wyatt kissed me.”
“Finally!” she shrieked. “People, this is not a drill. It’s really happening. Good for Wyatt. It took him long enough. Glaciers move faster than him.”
I couldn’t believe it. “You knew he liked me?”
Indie pulled away and gave me a long look. “Who was in our dorm room all the time? Who brought over soup when you got the flu? Who watchedHocus Pocuson repeat every Halloween? And if that wasn’t obvious enough, who volunteered to dress up as Flynn to match your Rapunzel?”
That was for one of my birthday party events. The parents wanted two characters for their daughter. “Well, I did offer to pay him.”
“Please. Wyatt didn’t do it for the money. The man wore tights for you, Ev.Tights.” She scrunched up her nose and made a face. “Nobody likes wearing tights. They’re way too constricting.”
Okay. She had a point.
Indie stood and picked up her knitting project and laptop. “If you still have any doubts about his feelings, you should read StarFire. It’ll give you some insight into the man’s mind.” She patted me on the shoulder and left the living room.
What could Wyatt’s fantasy series reveal to me? Curious, I went online and downloaded the first book in the series. It was around midnight when I finally finished, and I had to force myself not to start the next book.
The novel, which recounted the story of two brothers who traveled to a neighboring kingdom to save a cursed princess, was incredible. While I didn’t typically read fantasy, Wyatt drew me in with the brothers’ strained relationship and their joint quest to find the truth. I rooted for them when they faced trial after horrible trial, and I cried when I learned that it was the elder brother who’d cursed the princess in the first place.
Indie’s suggestion that I read the novels made complete sense now. The two brothers in the story obviously represented Wyatt and Lukas. And the princess with the pink hair who they both loved was me. At the end of the first novel, the younger brother declared his love for the princess, and they left to find the missing obsidian blade.
But where did that leave the real Wyatt and Everly? Wyatt had just confessed his feelings to me, but we had less than three weeks together before he headed home. While some people could handle long-distance relationships, I wasn’t sure if I could. Not being able to share my day with the one I cared about would be torture.
Perhaps I could move there? I briefly entertained the thought, but logic kept me in check: Wyatt and I had only just started dating. I recently purchased a house. And all of my closest family and friends lived here. Plus, if I moved up north to be with Wyatt, wasn’t I losing myself in another person’s life again?
