AllFreeNovel
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“I’m not going to get hurt,” I say, mostly to make him feel better.
I don’t actually have any idea what’s going to happen to me. This thing has already expanded so far past what I imagined…I couldn’t predict the ending any more than I could predict what people are going to be wearing on Rodeo Drive in the year 2080.
But I don’t feel quite so terrified anymore.
This week has been one of the best weeks of my life. I cooked some of the most delicious meals I’ve ever made and ate them under the stars with my new favorite people. I didn’t have to spend hours in traffic in my crappy car or even visit my shit apartment. Instead, I worked out with Sully in his gym, slept on a memory foam mattress, played cribbage with his dad on the back steps, read a stack of Stella’s old thriller paperbacks, and got tipsy on wine coolers and played Sully in Mario Kart until two a.m. on a work night.
And best of all, I didn’t cry once. Not over some frustration at work or some slight from Angus or some unpaid bill or some shit Tinder date.
It was a brilliant week, one that boosted me up beyond what I would hardly have believed possible.
I think the real difference was that I didn’t feel lonely once. Sullivan was always right there, down the hallway or only a phone call away.
And maybe I should be terrified because all I’ve bought myself is a couple more days. This has an expiration date; it will end eventually. And Reese is probably right that when that happens, I’ll be fucking devastated.
But I was already miserable before.
Now, at least I’ve had an incredible week.
I wouldn’t give that back for anything.
And I’ll take all the additional days I can get. Even if I know it’s only temporary. Even if it will hurt like hell when it goes away.
I’m okay with that now. Because it’s better than never having this week at all.
Sullivan isn’t so easily convinced. He’s still got that pained look on his face. “Reese might have a point. If Angus figures out that you lied to him?—“
“He’s not going to find out.”
Sully’s jaw flexes as he considers, hands stuffed in his pockets.
At last, he says, “You haven’t said anything to Martinique?”
“No, of course not. I promised you I wouldn’t.”
“Okay.”
He looks stressed and uncomfortable, which I find endearing. Sully wasn’t stressed at all when we started this thing. But now he’s worried about me.
“It’s going to be fine,” I assure him. “You’re taking Angus out this week—knowing how convincing you are, you could wrap this whole thing up by Friday.”
Sully lets out a barking laugh. “No pressure!”
I shrug, saying simply, “I believe in you.”
Sullivan tilts his head, searching my face. “Thank you. That means a lot, actually.”
“I’m not rushing you, but I am feeling confident. I’ve never seen Angus so wound up. I thought you were crazy when we started, but after that double date, I’m feeling more than ever like this might actually work.”
Sully finally smiles, that smile that seems to dissolve every bone in my body as it spreads across his face. “You’re the convincing one—how do you flip my mood around so fast?”
He makes a move toward me like he might sweep me into a hug but stops himself.
I try to hide how much I brightened and even opened my arms.
Now we’re both avoiding each other’s eyes.
Sully’s smile fades. “We probably should quit with the hookups, though. It could make things…complicated.”
