“Do you even like superhero movies?”
“Not really. But this one looks good. I’ll see it if you want.” She glances up at me, nibbling on her fingernail and looking innocently adorable. “Unless you’d rather go with your friends.”
I point the spatula at her.
“Right. ‘Cause I’d love to share a bowl of popcorn with Kai.” Scrunching my face, I add, “Nah, gorgeous. I’d take you in a heartbeat.”
The sides of her mouth curl and she returns to her tablet as I glance at the calendar on the side of the fridge.
“Two weeks? Oh. Shit.” I plate the eggs before they burn and flip the waffle iron. That’s the weekend of the Kick Off party.
“What? What’s wrong?” she asks.
I shake my head, waving her off. “Nothing.”
“Did you burn something?”
“Nope.”
I haven’t told her about Carissa, and I don’t plan to. She wouldn’t understand. It would put a damper on these last two weeks we have together.
Besides, if it were the other way around, I’d be beside myself with jealousy just imagining her on another man’s arm on a Saturday night. Even if she said it didn’t mean anything. Even if she explained up, down, and sideways that she was coerced into going. It would still hurt just the same.
If I hurt Delilah, I’d never forgive myself.
“I can’t do a movie that Saturday,” I say, checking the calendar one more time. A handful of appointments and meetings are scribbled into Friday’s spot. “Maybe Sunday afternoon? I’ll plan something special. Maybe we’ll take a drive to the coast?”
She rests her chin on the top of her hand and gazes through the window toward the backyard.
“What’s this party you have to go to?” she asks.
“Every year, the owner throws a kick off party just before camp starts. The players are all required to attend. It’s a black tie thing. It’s pretty lame.”
“I’m sure you’ll make the most of it.” She lets it go, and despite the fact that she and I both know we’ve had to keep our little arrangement under wraps all summer, it still makes me feel like a giant piece of shit for not being able to take her.
I bring her plate over and take a seat beside her, watching her tear off soft pieces of waffle as she’s engrossed in some online article about the psychology of advertising.
Two weeks from now, Delilah will sit here for the last time.
Three weeks from now, she’ll be gone.
The reality of that smacks me across the side of the head, weighs me down, and zaps my appetite. I don’t want to eat now. I just want to sit here, watching her, irrationally trying to hold on to the beauty of this present moment before it turns into a future unknown.
Chapter 31
Delilah
“I don’t trust packers. I never have.” Rue tosses some books into a cardboard box Thursday morning, and I hand her the packing tape. “When I moved across the country, they put my stuff in storage in Denver, Colorado for three months, Delilah. Three months!”
I’ve heard this story dozens of times, but I smile and nod and continue carefully wrapping her knick-knacks and placing them in a padded box.
“I appreciate your help here,” she says. “I really do. I just don’t trust many people to handle my things with same kind of love and care.”
“It’s fine, Aunt Rue.” I fold the box corners together and drag the packing tape across until it’s all sealed. This is the tenth box we’ve packed today and we’ve barely made a dent. Aunt Rue’s entire life is scattered about this big house, and we’ve both decided tackling each room one-by-one was the best plan of attack. “This is why I’m here.”
“How are things with you and the boy?” she asks, peering at me from the top rims of her glasses.
“He’s been busy this week. Charity events with the Cougars. Team meetings. Physical therapy. Personal training. There really isn’t an off season for those guys.”
“You sound sad.” She pouts her lower lip.
“Yeah, well. I’ve had fun with him. And in less than two weeks, I’ll be back home.”
“All good things come to an end.” Rue sighs. “Oh, to be young again. I’ve forgotten what it feels like to miss somebody who isn’t even gone yet.”
Rue rises, knees cracking, and claps her hands together.
“I think we’re done for the day,” she says. “You ready to take a load to the new place?”
My hand goes to my phone in my back pocket. I pull it out and check the screen for any missed calls or texts from Zane – not that they could have slipped past me. I’ve been clinging onto this thing lately, desperate not to miss another moment with him as our days together dwindle.
I know he’s been busy, and it’s not like I’m his girlfriend, but I was hoping we could spend time together tonight.
Rue’s doorbell rings, and I pop up. “I’ll get it.”
Seconds later, I’m peeking through the peephole, heart lit when I see who’s standing on the other side.
“Hey.” Zane stands before me, hips wide, wearing navy basketball shorts and a tank top. “I’m going on a jog; you want to come?”
“Oh.” I glance down at my yoga pants and bare feet. “I was just finishing some packing. Rue and I were going to drop off a load at the condo tonight.”