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I shifted in my seat, putting my arms back on the table, hoping that she’d meet me in the middle and reach for them. “That’s why I came here tonight. After I finish filming in London, I’m announcing my exit on the show and slowing down. One to two movies a year, max. I’ll be moving back home permanently. I want a relationship. I want a partner. A best friend. I want to do normal things. I miss hanging out at the beach and watching the sunset.”
“I feel like I haven’t done that in forever.”
“But you live in Newport.” I knew I sounded surprised.
“And I run a million-dollar company.”
“Sounds like I’m not the only one who could use a break.” I tried to tease, but I was only partially kidding.
“I’m too young to stop working.”
“You don’t have to stop, but maybe you can do what you always said you wanted.”
A half of a smile appeared. “And what was that, Mr. Hunter?” she questioned, convinced that I remembered nothing of our time together.
“You wanted to be the designer, but you didn’t want to have to be the one who actually decorated. Remember? You wanted a staff for purchasing, ordering, and setup. Your plan was to eventually be the visionary only and open offices in multiple locations. You said you could work remotely and meet with clients virtually as long as you had trustworthy staff in those locations.”
She actually looked shell-shocked, and I knew that she couldn’t believe I’d recalled those details about her dream, but I remembered being so impressed with her vision. We’d had a hundred conversations about our respective future careers, and I’d kept track of them all.
“I can’t believe you remember that.”
“I remember everything.”
Her breath caught, and it made an audible sound.
“What can I do to fix this?” I wagged a finger between our bodies. “I want a second chance. I know I royally messed up the first one you gave me, but I promise I’ll never let you down again.”
Her features changed in an instant. She hardened somehow when I’d assumed my words would elicit the opposite reaction.
“I need some time to think about it.”
Time was the one thing I didn’t have much of. “I leave for London in a few days.”
“And?”
“I really want us to be on the same page before I go.”
“Why’s that?”
I started laughing. “I don’t know,” I answered honestly. “Because that was in my plans. I thought I could ix this before I headed overseas, and we’d be together while I was there.”
“Everything doesn’t get to be on your timeline, Tyson.”
How selfish had I been, expecting her to forgive me simply because I asked? I’d romanticized our getting back together. In my head, it’d played out like a movie, where the heroine forgave the hero and they fell into each other’s arms like nothing bad had ever happened and never would again.
But life wasn’t a movie.
And this wasn’t a script.
“You’re right.” I shook my head, chastising myself. “You’re absolutely right.”
“Getting back together might not be a new concept for you since you’ve been prepping for this moment, but it’s all new to me. I need a little time to process.”
I blew out a quick breath, knowing that it was my cue to leave. As I pushed to a stand, she did the same.
Looking into her eyes, I hesitated before asking, “Can I hug you before I go?”
She laughed. “Of course.”
