Page 7 of Stay With Me

She narrows her eyes at me and tilts her head to the side. “Hmmm.”

“Now that we’ve cleared that up. Do you want to tell me why Teddy left looking upset and you’re sitting here by yourself instead of enjoying the get together?” I ask.

I wait in silence and watch as she fidgets with the edge of her T-shirt, her pretty gaze avoiding mine.

“Remember how I told you and Tri that I got that job at Elladine Elementary teaching kindergarten, but I have to start in the fall?” she asks.

“Yeah, of course I remember. You were bouncing off the walls, you were so excited. Why?”

“I told Teddy about it today and that I’d have to go to school this summer instead of going back to finish in the fall. He got upset. It’s probably my fault because I kind of sprung it on him.” She hesitates, and peers up at me. “Being apart has been hard on him. He gets… Well, he gets down sometimes and not being together makes it worse. We got in a fight over it. Maybe I should decline the job and just stick to the original plan to finish in December.”

I count to five in my head because I know I need to pause before I speak or I’ll say something in anger. I’m immediately pissed at Teddy for letting his feelings make her doubt whether she should take this opportunity she so clearly wants.

“If you do that, will they hold the job for you until January?” I know the answer already, but maybe she needs reminded. Mrs. McFadden has held the position of kindergarten teacher at that school for twenty-eight years and is retiring. God knows when it will open again.

“No…” she whispers.

“Look at me,” I tell her, careful to keep my voice gentle. When she does, I stare into her misty eyes. Her sadness right now dulls the usual brightness they hold. “This is an opportunity you may not get again, and it’s only another two and a half months of school. How long have you been with Teddy? Five or six years?”

“Almost six…”

Jesus, she’s never even dated another man. Does Teddy realize how lucky he is to have her?

“I don’t profess to know a lot about relationships or love, but I am a man. And I can tell you if I loved someone enough to be with them that long, I’d want all her dreams to come true.”

She pierces me with her gorgeous cobalt gaze, hanging on every word I’m saying.

I have to clear my throat to continue. “So, I’m sure Teddy will come around. And if he doesn’t, it’s still okay to pursue this dream.”

“You don’t think that would be selfish of me?” Her voice is timid, which she is anything but. It infuriates me that their fight has made her so unsure of herself.

“Hell no, Em. You’re the least selfish person I know.”

She drops her eyes, and a pretty flush creeps across her cheeks.

Something comes over me and I tilt her chin up, so she has to look at me. “Hey, I mean it. If you want this job, you do what you have to do to make it happen and if you and Teddy are meant to be together, he’ll get his head out of his ass and deal with it.”

A sense of relief washes over me as Emily chuckles and a sweet smile breaks out across her face.

“Thanks, Charlie. You always make me feel better.” Before I know what’s happening, her arms wrap around me and she squeezes me tight. Just as quickly as she hugged me, she releases me and leaps to her feet, holding her hand out to me. “Come on. Let’s go join the party before Trina gets mad at us.”

“You go on ahead. I’m gonna sit here for another minute.”

Her brow narrows in confusion. “You sure? Are you okay? Shit, I didn’t even ask if you were dealing with anything.”

I force a chuckle. “I’m fine. Just not big on crowds. Go in. I’ll be right behind you.”

She stares at me for several long seconds, then listens to me and is almost to the door when Teddy’s voice calls out to her.

“Em!”

I watch as she turns around, looking toward the path leading from the driveway.

Her eyes are wide and her jaw slack with shock as Teddy runs to her, pulling her into an embrace.

“Teddy? You came back,” she says softly. Yet it’s loud enough that I can hear.

“Yeah, baby. I’m so sorry. I was an asshole, and I didn’t mean to react so poorly. I just miss you so much when you’re gone.” He continues to hold her tight.

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