Footsteps approached her from behind and she spun toward the bedroom, letting out a sigh of relief.
“You came,” he said. He’d changed out of his work clothes and cleaned up since she’d seen him last, though he still seemed to be sweating. In his hands was a box with a letter on top.
“What’s going on?” she asked, gesturing toward the empty apartment in case he hadn’t noticed.
“I’m moving,” he said simply.
“Moving? Leaving New York?”
“I have some things I need to take care of.” He set the box down on the countertop, lifting the envelope and turning it over in his hands.
“Will I ever see you again?” she asked. She hated the pain that filled her voice, but there was no hiding it.
“I…” He pinched the bridge of his nose, looking down and letting out a breath. “I don’t think so. Here.” He slid the envelope to her.
“What’s this?” she asked, staring at the shaky handwritten ‘Blythe’ on the front of it. She ran her fingers over the ink. His hands were on her arms before she realized it, and when she looked up, his lips found hers. She tensed up for a moment, thinking she should resist, but her body melted to his touch instantly. His kiss was soft, gentle, his lips warming her in ways she hadn’t known possible. The world stood still. None of the confusion mattered. The empty apartment. The endless opportunities held within the envelope in her hands. The eminent heartbreak his leaving was sure to cause her. For just that split second, with her lips on his and his hands cradling her head, nothing else mattered. When the kiss ended, he pressed his forehead to hers.
“God, what I wouldn’t do to kiss you forever,” he whispered.
She sucked in a breath, feeling cool tears stinging her eyes as she realized how real it all was. Her feelings for him. The rush he sent from her fingers to her toes. And the fact that he was about to walk out of her life forever. “Don’t go.” It was a command. A plea. A promise.
His nose touched hers and, for just a moment, she thought he was going to give in, that his lips would find hers again and time would stop for them. She was wrong.
His hands left her head, and she heard his feet shuffle as she closed her eyes. “Finn, please…”
“Just…just read the letter,” he whispered. “Take care of yourself, Blythe.”
With that, the door clicked shut and hot, angry tears flooded her cheeks. Damn it. She ripped open the letter with force, furious thoughts radiating through her. She could still catch him. She could still stop him from leaving.
But could she? Would he listen? She had to find out what was in this all-important letter.
Blythe,
I did a search for the number you used to call your aunt from my phone, and this is the address it pulled up. I hope it’s right.
It’s Finn, by the way. If you hadn’t figured that out. Guess that’s where I should’ve started.
If you’re wondering why I didn’t just scrap this letter and start all over, it’s because this is my eighteenth attempt, and my hand is getting sore.
I should just text you, I know. Who writes letters anymore? Do you know how hard it was to even find a pen in my apartment?
There I go rambling again. I won’t waste too much of your time.
I wanted to let you know that I’m moving. Leaving the city for a while to clear my head. I have some things I need to do, stuff I need to get taken care of, and…my head just isn’t in the right place. It seems New York isn’t big enough for the both of us.
Yeah…I really should just scrap this and start over, shouldn’t I? Maybe I’ll get lucky and this won’t ever get to you. Then I’ll just have wasted a bunch of money but save my dignity.
Money. Yeah, that’s where I was going with this. You’ll find a key in this envelope, too. I’m not including my address just in case this does happen to end up in the wrong hands, but if it doesn’t, Blythe, if it ends up in your hands…the apartment is yours.
I’ve paid up the rent for a full year. Okay…technically eleven months by the time you get this. Do what you want with it. You deserve a fresh start, Blythe. If anyone can understand that, it’s me. I’ve signed the lease over into your name, which you’ll also find a copy of in this envelope. Use this start wisely. Save your money. Travel. Whatever you want to do. I hope this helps you in some way.
Stay safe. Take care of yourself. Don’t think about me too much.
I’ll say this now because I’ll never have to see you again…I think maybe you changed me, Blythe. For the better. You made everything different. I was worried I would do the same for you, but in an opposite way. I’m not good for you. My life is dangerous. Don’t look for me. I learned a long time ago how to disappear, and you won’t find me. Trust me when I say it’s for your own good.
You told me once that you wanted it all. The fairy tale. Well, I can’t give you that, but consider this your pumpkin carriage. That’s what Cinderella got, right? Something along those lines. This is yours.
I hope you get the full fairy tale.
Your friend
Your fairy god—wtf
The damn idiot who needs more sleep and is leaving you an apartment and isn’t going to write any more,
Finn
She read through the letter twice as tears continued to blur her vision. She laughed through parts and sobbed through others. The key and lease fell from the envelope when she turned it over, just like he’d said. She opened the lease, reading through it carefully. He had, in fact, signed it completely over to her. There was a yellow receipt stapled to the front that showed twelve months had been paid in full.
She turned the key over in her hand, rushing toward the window and looking out, wanting to see him walking away. Which direction would he go? Could she follow him? Should she?
She thought back to the letter. I learned a long time ago how to disappear…
He didn’t want to be with her. She had a man who loved her waiting for her just a few blocks away. Finn didn’t want her to find him. He’d made that incredibly clear. Finn planned to disappear. The only question…could he just as easily be erased from her heart?
Chapter Sixteen
“That’s the last of the boxes,” Asher said, setting it down on her couch with a loud groan. “And, thank God.” He wiped his forehead dramatically. “You know they make movers for this kind of thing, right?”
“Why on earth would I need movers when I have such a handsome and strong boyfriend?” Blythe popped up from behind the sink, walking toward him with one hand on her hip. She patted his cheek playfully, kissing his lips. He ran a finger over the bandana headband tied around her ponytail.
“Fair enough,” he said. “So, what room are we unpacking first?”
“I was thinking maybe the kitchen? Then I could whip us up something to eat while you put my bed together.”
“Ah, an ulterior motive if I’ve ever heard one,” he said, patting her bottom as she turned to walk away. “I didn’t know you cooked.”
She scoffed. “You do know I work for a caterer, don’t you?”
He laughed, opening a bottle of water from the fridge and taking a drink. “Of course, I know that. I just didn’t know it was something you really enjoyed. I thought it was…I don’t know, just a job. You said you liked baking before, but not cooking.”
“It is just a job, I guess,” she told him. “Baking is my favorite, you’re right. I actually do really love to cook, though. Since I moved to the city I haven’t been able to do it for fun, but now that I have my own place, maybe I can start again.”
“As long as I can be the taste tester.”
“You have my word.”
He grabbed her waist, spinning her around so that she was leaning up against the counter, his lips on her ear. “I think I have a better idea of what we can do first.”
She giggled as his hands slid up her stomach, his fingertips tickling her skin. “Stop it!” she squealed. “If we don’t get to work, we’ll spend all day doing that, and
I desperately need to get unpacked.”
He pulled back, a giant grin on his face as his hands went up innocently. “Okay, okay,” he teased. “Whatever you say.”
She set a box up onto the counter, and they slowly began unpacking, being careful of the glass dishes she’d purchased with her most recent paycheck. She wished she had something of her parents’ to make it feel like home, but nearly everything had been lost in the fire. She’d purchased a few candles that smelled of her mother’s favorite scent and planned to burn them every chance she got. Truth be told, the apartment reminded her more of Finn than anyone, but with enough time, and enough memories made with Asher, she knew that would fade.
In the weeks since he’d disappeared, she’d gone from thinking about him constantly, to only thinking of him once or twice a day. It was progress. Besides that, Asher was everything that she wanted in a man. He was stable. Loving. Kind. He made her laugh. He made her feel safe. Anything she felt for Finn, however fleeting and overwhelming it had been, was pure lust. It would pass.
“Hey, I forgot to ask you. What are you doing for Thanksgiving?” Asher asked, interrupting her thoughts as he leaned across her to set a glass bowl into the cabinet.
“Oh, gosh, that’s next month, isn’t it? I don’t have any plans. Why do you ask?”
“You have plans now,” he said.
“Oh yeah? What kind of plans?” She leaned against the counter, watching him work.
“My parents have a huge dinner. More food than you could ever eat. And they asked that I invite you.”
“To Thanksgiving dinner? I don’t know,” she said, wringing her fingers. “Isn’t that a family thing?”
“You’re part of our family.”
“I know,” she said, rolling her eyes playfully. “I mean, they all seemed to love me at the party. And what’s not to love?” she joked. “But—”
“No buts,” he said, pulling her to him. “They love you. As do I. And you’re coming. It wouldn’t be Thanksgiving without you there.”
“Are you sure?” she asked, studying his face.
“I’m positive.” He kissed her nose. “It’s going to be great.” He pulled away, grabbing another dish and stacking it in the cabinet carefully. She watched him, the man she’d grown so close to in such a short time. He’d invited her into his world, into his family. He’d taken care of her. Protected her. Loved her in a way that no one else ever had. Sure, their start hadn’t been perfect, but he’d made up for it tenfold since then. He was good to her, and for the first time, she was realizing she didn’t want to take advantage of that anymore.
“Asher?” she said, her voice wavering.
“Yeah?” he asked over his shoulder.
“I love you, too.”
He froze, lowering the dish and turning around slowly. His brown eyes were wide with shock as they met hers. Without a word, his arms were back around her waist, lifting her up to sit on the countertop before he kissed her. His fingers tangled in her hair as his kiss grew more passionate, as if his mouth were searching for oxygen only hers could give.
“I love you so much,” he told her. It had been a month since he’d said the words the first time, and never once had he pressured her to say them back, even though he’d said it a few times since then.
Her first experience with love in high school had been awkward and forced. They’d said ‘I love you’ between classes, in a note passed on the first day they’d become boyfriend-girlfriend. It was just what boys and girls did. They were fifteen and had no idea what love meant. With Asher, it was different. The feelings were real. The sentiment was there. Her heart fluttered at his touch, not because a teacher might catch them at any moment, but because he made her feel like no one else could. This was real love. The kind she’d spent her whole life dreaming about.
“I love you, too,” she whispered as she felt cool tears filling her eyes again. The last time she’d cried in this apartment, it had been over a man who she knew hardly anything about. This time, it was because her heart was overflowing with emotion. Asher pulled away from her slightly, his breath warm on her face.
“That’s the first time you’ve said that,” he told her.
“Mhm.”
“I was starting to think you just enjoyed torturing me.”
She laughed softly. “Maybe just a little.”
“Oh yeah?” he teased, lifting her up and carrying her down the hallway with heavy footsteps.
“Yeah.”
“Maybe we need to make that bed first priority,” he said, lifting his lips to find hers again as they reached the bedroom.
“Who needs a bed?”
Chapter Seventeen
The week of Thanksgiving came quickly, though it was a month later. Blythe had requested the entire week off due to their out-of-town trip. Tony hadn’t been happy about it, and she sensed that he was getting tired of her requests off even though she tried to keep them minimal. But he couldn’t deny that she was one of the best workers he had when she was there.
If she lost her job, there would be others Asher had assured her. Better ones even. He had connections. Time and time again, he’d tried to get her to let him set her up at a restaurant, making double what she made as a caterer, and with a better schedule, too.
As much as she wanted to take the offer, she desperately wanted to hang onto the only piece of her life that still felt like hers. She was living in Finn’s apartment. Her days were spent with Asher. Her childhood had relied heavily on her parents, friends, and boyfriend. Her job was the only thing she’d acquired on her own. She’d grown sentimental about that.
On Wednesday, Asher took her to the cabin, though this time it wouldn’t be all theirs.
“My parents will stay at their house, but we’ll have family in from all over, so all of the bedrooms in each of the cabins will be taken. Luckily, we still get the master in our cabin and most of the kids will be in the West cabin, so we shouldn’t be bothered too much.”
“Did I meet most of your family at Grandmother Lorene’s birthday?”
He chuckled. “Not even close. My family is pretty big.”
“Wow,” she said. “You never told me that.”
“I don’t see most of them that often.” His jaw went tight as he said it, and she sensed there must’ve been some tension there she didn’t know about just yet.
She reached across the car, taking his hand as they pulled up to the cabins. “It’s going to be okay. I’m excited to meet everyone. It just means I’ll get to know you even more.”
“Yeah,” he agreed, though his voice was distant. When the car came to a stop, she looked around at the full driveway, loaded with luxury vehicles. Several men stood around talking and laughing while their wives wrangled kids and sipped on glasses of wine despite it being barely three o’clock.
“Asher!” one man called, and all heads turned their direction.
“Hey, everyone!”
“And this must be the lovely Blythe.” The oldest of the bunch took her hand, kissing it lightly and then patting where his lips had been with his free hand. “Archibald Grace, Asher’s great-uncle.”
“It’s nice to meet you,” she said.
His eyes lit up, his face as animated as a kid at Christmas. “And listen to that Southern twang.” He giggled along with the others.
“Easy, Archie,” Asher warned, his voice a low growl. Blythe squeezed his arm.
“It’s all right,” she assured him. “Honestly, I’m used to it. Besides, y’all sound strange to me, too, so we’re even.”
Archie looked positively giddy as she spoke. “Your mother is absolutely thrilled about her, Ash. I can certainly see why.”
Asher wrapped a proud arm around her shoulders. “She may be the one thing I do right by my parents,” he said, and the others laughed, though Blythe couldn’t help blushing at his comment. “Anyway, we’re going to go settle in.”
“Sounds good. You’d better call dibs on your room. I think a few of them are alr
eady full,” a younger man she hadn’t been introduced to yet said.
“Sounds good, Eric. Good to see you, man.”
“Likewise,” he called, waving a casual hand over his head as Asher threw their bags over his shoulder and turned to lead her toward the cabin.
“You weren’t kidding about the big family,” she said once they were out of earshot.
“You haven’t met half of them yet,” he whispered in her ear. When they reached the door, he let go of her shoulders, turning the knob and pushing it open to let her through. “Ladies first.”
She stepped into the cabin, taking a look around. It hadn’t been so long since she’d been there last, but this time the home looked incredibly different. The living room was filled with suitcases and bags, scattered shoes, scarves, coats, and purses.
“Excuse the mess,” he told her. “I told you it would be crowded.”
“I see that. Where is everyone?” she asked.
“Anyone home?” he called loudly, his voice echoing through the quiet house. “Most of them are probably out back or they’ve run to town for a bit. We’d better get these bags in our room before someone claims it.”
“Well, I certainly hope they weren’t napping,” she teased, turning to head up the stairs. When the top floor came into view, she took a step back, convinced she must be seeing things. She clutched her chest, her tongue sticking to the roof of her mouth like glue as she opened her mouth. She couldn’t form words to describe what she was seeing. There was no way it could be real. No way he could be real.
“Finn?” Asher cried, quickly bounding up the stairs past her with his hand held out. He pulled Finn into a hug, patting his back. “Holy shit, man, where have you been?” Finn looked equally shocked to see her. His dumbstruck expression in no way matched the joy on Asher’s face. “I can’t believe you’re here. Dad didn’t tell me you were coming!”
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