Page 79 of Love Off-Limits
There was some shuffling, and then Rosie’s voice sounded from the background. “Hey!” she said, “we’ve missed you.”
“Thanks. I’ve missed you guys too.”
“How’s the weather up there? Have you been to Pisgah yet? We’re legit baking down here.”
“Uh, no hiking yet. I...actually, I’ve been working.”
“What? Where? Darcy didn’t mention anything.”
“Yeah, no...it...I told her not to say anything. Is Rosie still there?”
“She’s here. Let me put you on speaker phone.”
“Hey,” Rosie said, her voice even clearer now. “What’s up?”
There wasn’t really a way to tell them only part of the story. If I was in, I was going to have to beallin. “Um, have you talked to Olivia lately?” I said.
It took a full ten minutes to give them the complete rundown, minus a few key details, though I was pretty sure they read the situation well enough.
“So let me get this straight,” Isaac said. “You’re like, working on an actual farm. Driving tractors. Cleaning barns. What about your poor pretty hands?”
I laughed. It was an old joke—one that had started back in high school when I’d been hired for a short-term gig as a hand model for a jewelry company that made high school class rings. My hands had been in all the promotional materials that had circulated through our high school, and my friends had naturally believed this was the funniest and most ridiculous thing ever. They’d called me “Sir Pretty Hands” for months. “Very funny,” I said. “They’ve got a few new callouses, but I think they only make me look more manly.”
“Is the tractor fun?”
I grinned. It was such an Isaac question.
“Yes. The tractor is definitely fun.”
“Man,” Isaac said. “I wish I could see you right now. The idea of Tyler on a tractor...”
“Wearing work boots and dungarees,” I added.
“Nooooo,” Isaac said with a laugh. “Are you serious?”
“Guys,” Rosie said, cutting through her husband’s laughter. “You’re missing the point. So Tyler’s a farmer. Big hairy deal. The most important question here is whether or not you think you’re in love with Olivia.”
I sobered at the question and leaned my head against the slatted back of my chair. “I don’t know. It’s early yet, but... I at least think I eventually could be. But I can’t do anything about that right now. She asked me for space, for time, and I have to respect that.”
“You can always come home,” Isaac said, his tone sincere. “Your job’s ready for you the minute you want it.”
“I appreciate it. You know I do.” I hesitated, knowing I wouldn’t be able to walk back my next statement. If he hadn’t done so already, Isaac would eventually have to replace me. If I told him I was well and truly out, it would only prompt him to do it sooner. I wouldn’t be able to change my mind after that. “I’m not coming back, Isaac,” I finally said. “I mean, I might come back to Charleston, but...I’m not coming back toRandom I.”
Isaac paused for a long moment, then breathed out a low sigh. “I’m sad to hear it, man.” As optimistic as Isaac naturally was, he’d probably assumed I would be back. That I’d take a little time away to explore myself and then decideRandom Iwas the future I wanted after all. “Have you decided what youaregoing to do?”
“Not entirely. But I’ve been working on something...” I hesitated, suddenly not wanting to admit out loud my hope to help Olivia. “I don’t know. I think I might be good at it, so we’ll see what happens.”
“You’re...nottalking about the goats right now, right?” Isaac said, literal concern in his voice.
“I really like the goats,” I said, smiling at the thought of baby Penelope. “But that’s not what I’m talking about. I promise I’ll pull you in as soon as I have something more to share.”
“Tyler, do you want me to talk to Olivia?” Rosie said. “I will. I’ll call her right now.”
“Nah. Olivia has enough people trying to talk her into what to do or how to be. She doesn’t need it from anybody else.”
Rosie sighed. “If she could hear you say that, she’d understand how perfect you are for her.”
“She heard me say it. I’m just not sure she was in the right headspace to listen.”
