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Tilly nodded politely, forcing a smile. Marissa smiled and walked back to Ruben and Dahlia. Tilly swallowed hard and looked away. I wasn’t ready to let her go back to work. I wanted—no, I needed more time with her. And I had to see her again.
“You still like Harrison Ford, huh?” I asked, referencing the Sabrina movie box.
“Yep,” she said, pressing her lips into a thin line, giving me a pained smile before glancing back at the desk.
“I guess some things never change,” I said, my tone optimistic and just a little bit flirty. I tilted my head to the side and smiled wide. But Tilly wasn’t having it.
Her eyes bored into mine. “Yeah, but some things do.”
“Till.”
“I have to get back to work.”
“Okay. So, how can I reach you?”
“What?” She looked annoyed. Annoyed and surprised in equal measure.
“Till, c’mon, let’s get a cup of coffee or something. Catch up.”
She sighed. “No, thanks.”
“Tilly.” My eyes were pained as I said her name. I couldn’t hide the desperation in my voice.
She shook her head, undeterred. “Seriously, Wyatt, I have to go. Enjoy your movies.”
She walked past me, her shoulder brushing past mine as she stormed toward the back of the store. Without skipping a beat, Marissa, Ruben, and Dahlia walked toward me and urged me toward the front desk. Ruben carried a stack of videos, and Marissa grinned happily as he placed them on the desk.
Wanting to be polite, I reached into my pocket and grabbed a twenty-dollar bill from my wallet, passing it to Ruben.
“Thanks, man. I owe you one.”
As I placed my wallet back into my pocket, staring off into space, trying to pull myself out of my funk, Dahlia touched my elbow.
“Hey. You okay?”
“Um, yeah. I’m fine.”
She leaned in and whispered, “Who was that?”
I shook my head, holding back the emotions that threatened to burst out of me. “Long story. A very, very long story.”
After grabbing the door and gesturing for the others to head out, my eyes searched past the desk to where Tilly had disappeared. And I saw her. Her red curls called to me from behind the shelves that blocked her face.
C’mon, Tilly. Come back to the desk.
But she didn’t. And I knew I looked like an idiot standing there with the door open. Strangers thanked me as they walked out of the store, and I pretended that’s all I was—a polite customer that was simply helping others.
But I wasn’t.
I was a heartbroken, stupid kid who just wanted one more glimpse of the girl who still controlled every beat of the heart that pounded inside of me.
“Wyatt, c’mon, man. Let’s go!” Ruben called from the sidewalk.
“Coming,” I muttered, walking through the door, knowing it wouldn’t be long before I’d be back to Spotlight Video. Seeing Tilly again sparked something inside of me—something even more powerful than I’d realized. And I wouldn’t stop trying to fix what I knew I had broken.
I just needed her to give me a chance.
Just one more chance.
