I shook my head. "No," I said, but my heart hammered hollowly in my chest because I understood what he was saying, too. I didn't agree, and as far as I was concerned in that moment, there would be no reason on earth that I would ever leave him, but his insecurity hit me square in the gut because it made sense.
Archer reached down and tilted my head slightly, his eyes moving to the side of my neck where the hickey he had given me was–still dark red and angry looking, I was sure. He cringed and let go of me and then brought his hands up. I don't know how to do any of this. You deserve better than the nothing I have to offer you. But it hurts even more to think of letting you go. He sighed, his eyes moving over my face. There are so many things I feel like I still need to figure out and so many things working against us. He brought one hand up and raked it through his hair, his face pained. My brain hurts when I think about it all.
"Then let's not think about it now," I said gently. "Let's take one day at a time and just figure it out as it comes, okay? It feels overwhelming now because you're thinking about it all at once. Let's just take this slowly."
He gazed down at me for several seconds and then nodded his head. I stood up and sat on his lap and hugged him close, burying my head in his neck. We sat that way for several more minutes and then he picked me up and carried me back to bed. As I drifted off to sleep in his arms, it occurred to me dreamily that I had thought saying we loved each other would make us stronger–but instead, for Archer, it just made the stakes higher.
CHAPTER 26
Bree
The next morning I got up early for work and Archer got up with me, kissing me at the door. He looked sleepy and sexy and I took a few more minutes than I should, lingering at his lips, just rubbing mine over his. I still needed to go home and shower and get my uniform. Hopefully Natalie had taken Phoebe out and fed her. When I leaned back away from Archer, I said, Natalie and Jordan are picking me up right after work, so I'll see you as soon as I get back, okay?
He nodded at me, his face going serious.
Hey, I joked, take this time to get some actual sleep. Think of it as a week long break from having to service my insatiable sexual needs constantly.
He grinned a sleepy grin and signed back, I love your insatiable sexual needs. Hurry back to me.
I laughed a small laugh and breathed out. I will. I love you, Archer.
I love you, Bree. He smiled a sweet smile at me and I lingered, not wanting to say goodbye. Finally, he smacked me playfully on the butt and said, Go. I laughed softly and waved at him as I walked up the driveway, blowing him kisses before I shut the gate behind me. He stood there in his jeans, no shirt on, his hands in his front pockets, a small smile on his face. God, I'd miss him.
**********
It was a busy day at the diner which was good since the day passed quickly, and I didn't have too long to linger in my thoughts over how much I was going to miss Archer–hell, how much I was going to miss the entire town. It had been such a short time, really, but already I felt like this was home. I missed my friends back in Ohio, but I knew that my life was here now.
Natalie and Jordan picked me up right at three o'clock, and I changed into jeans and a t-shirt in the bathroom and said quick goodbyes to Maggie and Norm. We hopped in my car, Jordan driving and Phoebe chuffing softly at me from her carrier, and got right on the road.
"What'd you guys do all day?" I asked, trying to distract myself from the ball of emotion that was already moving up my throat as we got on the highway and moved further away from Pelion.
"We walked along the lake for a little bit," Natalie said. "But it was so cold we didn't stay long. We drove across the lake to the town on the other side for lunch and checked out some of the shops. It was really nice, Bree. I can see why you like it here."
I nodded. "The summer was beautiful, but the fall is–" My phone chimed, cutting me off. I frowned. Who could that be? Maybe Avery? The only other people who ever texted me were sitting in the car.
I picked my phone up and looked at the text from an unknown number. I frowned, clicking on it. It said:
Is it too soon to start missing you? Archer
My eyes widened and I pulled back from the phone, surprise taking over. I sucked in a breath. Archer? How in the world?
I looked up to the front passenger seat where Natalie was sitting. "Archer's texting me!" I said. "How is Archer texting me?"
Natalie just smiled a knowing smile. I gaped. "Oh my God! Did you get him a cell phone?"
Natalie shook her head, smiling and pointed next to her to Jordan in the driver's seat. He looked in the rearview mirror at me sheepishly.
"You got Archer a cell phone?" I whispered, tears springing into my eyes.
"Whoa, whoa. Don't get all emotional. It's just a cell phone. How else are you guys gonna communicate while you're gone? I'm surprised you didn't think of it yourself."
Tears were sliding down my cheeks now, and I choked out a little laugh, shaking my head. "You're… I can't…" I sputtered, looking back over at Natalie who was crying and laughing now, too, swiping the tears off of her cheeks.
"Isn't he?" she asked.
I nodded, a new flood of tears falling out of my eyes as I laughed and wiped them off my cheeks. We were a mess–both of us laughing and crying.
I looked at Jordan in the rearview mirror, and he rubbed a fist into one eye, cringing slightly and saying, "Something in my eye there. Okay, stop all the blubbering. You two are embarrassing. And text him back already. He's waiting, I'm sure."