Page 104 of The Rebound
“Kind of.”
“He’s just Luke.” I don’t know how else to explain it. At least not in way that doesn’t make me sound like a complete stalker. I don’t know how to tell her that running into him that first night feels more like fate whenever I think about it. How whenever I look at him, I feel safe and warm in a way I never have before, even when I was with Tyler.
I don’t know how to tell her but she must hear it in my silence because she stares at me, her hands stilling on her stomach as she turns suddenly serious.
“What are you going to do?” she asks when I don’t continue.
“I don’t know. I’m not sticking around here. He knows that.”
“Does he?”
“I haven’t given him any indication otherwise.”
“That’s not the same as him knowing. You need to make that clear if you’re going to pursue each other.”
“No one’spursuinganyone. He’s not the stable boy, Louise.”
“Look, obviously a lot has changed since you left. Luke’s a grown man and you’re a grown woman and you can do what you like. But just be careful. Actions have consequences and you never know what someone’s thinking. Don’t get his hopes up and leave, okay?”
“I haven’t even gotten the job yet.”
“And if you did get it? Would you take it?”
“I don’t know.”
“Yes, you do.”
I pick at my nails, not able to meet her eyes. “Well, what would you do?”
“Abby.”
“If it were Tomasz,” I push, “what would you do?”
She sighs. “I don’t know. There’s never been a choice between Tomasz and something else. Maybe I always chose him and it never occurred to me to do otherwise.”
“It’s only been a few weeks,” I say. “When we were kids doesn’t count. I’ve only known this version of Luke for a few weeks.”
“I knew Tomasz was the one the first night I met him.”
“You were drunk,” I scoff.
“And I still knew. Do you know what he did when he introduced himself?”
“Made a speech about rising sea levels?”
“He kissed my hand.”
“I can’t believe you’re a secret romantic.”
“He kissed my hand,” she repeats with a smile. “And we talked all night. And in the morning, even though it was raining he went out and bought me a coffee and a croissant.”
“In the morning?” I stare at her. “You slept with him on the first night?”
“No need to sound so surprised.”
“I’m not surprised. I’m impressed.”
“What I’m saying is, if you feel you have to make a choice, then sometimes you already know. Sometimes you’re not making a choice at all. You’re just delaying the inevitable.”
