Page 142 of Infatuated as They Come
“I guess Mom told you about the exhibition then,” I said, my voice just as small.
“Yes, she told me. She’s very excited about it, actually.”
I looked past his shoulder, spotting nothing but the empty hallway. “Where is she?”
“She’s at the hotel. We’re staying at the Four Seasons. We came down a bit early. Figured we’d spend some time in the city since it’s been so long. She…” He paused, dragging in a long breath. “She wanted us to talk.”
Still holding the door handle tight, I gave him a stiff nod. “Right. Maybe I’ll go see her later.”
His head tilted, that vulnerable look in his eyes fading into one that screamed hurt. “Holly, this is the longest we’ve ever gone without speakingto each other.”
“Yes, I know.”
“The last time you took a break from speaking to me you were nine and wanted to change schools,” he said. “That only lasted a few days, and it was still pretty painful. This hurts a lot more…”
“I’m not exactly having a fun time not speaking to you,” I mumbled before stepping to the side. “Come in.”
No hug, no kiss to the forehead. It was awkward and uncomfortable as he stepped inside mine and Sawyer’s apartment for the first time ever, standing there in the middle of the living room like he was looking for permission to make his next move.
“You can sit, you know?” I asked.
He did so, taking a seat in front of the coffee table, his gaze landing on the glass flower in the vase. “That’s nice. Where’d you get it?”
I could have laughed. “Sawyer made it for me.”
He raised his eyebrows. “Oh.”
“There were more, but…”
“… Oh.”
I crossed my arms over my chest. “One survived. It’s beautiful, right? And special and thoughtful and sweet, just like everything he gives me.”
Eyes on me, he patted the spot on the couch next to him. “Please sit with me. You’re looking at me like you don’t even want me in the same room as you.”
Arms still crossed, I did as he asked, not really sure what else to do. We both sat there in silence, the quietness painful and uncomfortable, and part of me wished Mom had come along as well, but I understood why she had done what she did.
My breath caught in my throat when he suddenly reached forward and pulled the flower out of the vase.
“Please be careful with it,” I said, caution drenched in my voice. “He worked so hard on it.”
He turned to face me, brows furrowed. “I was just looking at it. I won’t break it. It’s… nice. It’s very nice, Holly. You’re right. He got you something special.” His thumb ran along the stem before he slowly slid it back into the vase. “How many more were there?”
“Four.”
His throat cleared as he nodded. “I’m sorry, Holly.”
“You should be saying sorry to him,” I said bitterly. “He’s at work right now in case you were wondering. He’ll be there tomorrow and the next day too. That’s pretty much where he’s always been since we moved here. You think he can’t take care of me, but he puts me first every single time.”
“If he was here, I would say sorry to him too,” he said with a whisper.
Turning to face him, I eyed him closely. “I’d have to see it to believe it.”
“I understand. I don’t exactly have a good track record when it comes to him. I haven’t been the person you need me to be. The person Ishouldbe.”
“What kind of person is that?”
“Not so harsh and judgmental. Not so quick to judge. It’s something I know I need to stop, it’s just that your boyfriend is very good at bringing out that side of me.”
