AllFreeNovel
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“Uh huh. What’s going on?”
“Don’t laugh at me.”
“Never.”
“I met someone.”
I’d never said that before. Characters said it in movies all the time where it caused knowing smiles and butterflies. I’d always wondered what it would feel like if I ever had a reason to say it. The butterflies were there, but tears stung my eyes, too.
That’s not how it’s supposed to go.
“I’d say I’m happy for you,” Silas said slowly, “but you sound serious.”
“No, I’m being silly. I don’t know why am calling you. I just…”
“Wait, slow down. You met someone and you really like him?”
I looked to the ocean. It stretched out into forever, and I lived on the other side of it.
“Faith? Talk to me.”
I heaved a steadying breath, firmed my voice. “I will. I’ll tell you everything when I get home. Tomorrow. I’ll be home tomorrow.”
There was a pause, and I knew Silas was trying to figure out what I needed him to say. Finally, he said, “I’ll pick you up at the airport.”
Correct answer.
“Thank you, Si. I’ll see you then.”
That night, I packed my three bags, and Sunday morning, I called an Uber to take me to the airport. I waited on the lanai, staring at the ocean, my fingers toying with the pendant around my neck.
When my app said the driver was a few minutes away, my front door opened and Asher barged in. My heart pounded as he joined me on the lanai. He sat on the other chair, arms on his knees.
“Hey.”
“So that’s it?” I asked, my voice trembling. “You just walk in the door without knocking? Like we live together or something?”
“No,” he replied in a low voice.
“Because we don’t live together, Asher. Do we?”
He sighed. “No, we don’t live together. But I always just walk in. Because you leave the door unlocked. For me.”
“Well, that’s…stupid,” I said, my eyes filling. “And unsafe. To let anyone bust in and…and hurt me.”
“I’m not anyone,” he said. “And I’m hurting too.”
I glanced over at him helplessly. “What are you doing here?”
He shrugged with a small smile. “You have my shirt.”
A sound that was half-laugh, half-sob burst out of me. “Well, too bad you came all this way for nothing. I’m taking it with me.”
“Good.”
“Don’t you have work?”
“I moved some things around.”
