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He needs to see me tonight. Of course he does. I groan. So much for my appointment at the leasing office. I was supposed to sign my paperwork today and he knows that. I hope this doesn’t delay my move in date. The sooner I’m out of Sean’s house, the better.
We both need a fresh start and to move on.
But tonight, I’ll play friend, only because it’s urgent, and because it’ll be the last time I adjust my life to help him. With that self-promise, I call the leasing office after school to try and reschedule. Whatever is going on with Sean must be important. I can sign the paperwork tomorrow. It can wait. But I don’t want to no show and miss my appointment without telling them first.
The phone rings a long time before anyone picks up. I check my watch. I suppose it is late for the office, but they knew I was coming today, or I was, so surely someone is there.
“Hello,” a chipper voice finally answers. “This is Meredith. How can I help you?”
“H-hi. This is Astrid Kinsley. I’m calling about my appointment tonight,” I say, holding my phone with my shoulder against my ear as I pack my things up to go home for the day.
“Oh, Astrid. Hello! Don’t worry, dear, your boyfriend already called to cancel.”
My brain freezes. Your boyfriend already called to cancel. It’s like she said the words in a different language. “You said my boyfriend called?”
“Yeah, he called this morning. He said that you two had found somewhere else to live.” She sounds proud of him for calling on his own.
“R-right. Thank you,” I say, and hang up, quickly, too stunned to say anything else.
Sean cancelled my apartment viewing. It leaves me feeling breathless and bewildered. Why would he do this? He’s the one that told me I needed to leave. It’s not like this was what I wanted.
I drive home faster than I should when he refuses to answer the phone. It is ridiculous for him to make decisions in my life without talking to me first. And then to be unresponsive… it makes me want to scream.
I pull into the garage and slam the door with more frustration than I should. I panic for a moment, thinking Violet could be home, but then relax when I remember it’s still Victoria’s week. Good. I don’t want her to witness this.
“Sean,” I yell. I clench my jaw as I wait for a response. But there is nothing, and I don’t see him, despite his car being parked in the garage.
He can’t fucking hide from me now.
“Sean,” I call again, my voice echoing in the quiet house. I hold a breath as I strain my ears to listen for the subtle hint of his footsteps or movements, but it is completely silent.
Where the fuck could he be? And what part of my life is he trying to upend now?
I turn the corner and walk into the kitchen and see Sean, standing next to the island, a giant bouquet of flowers spilling across the entire countertop. I didn’t even know they made arrangements that big.
“What did you do?” I ask, breathing heavy, my heart pounding. Why am I so nervous?
He steps towards me, determination in his eyes. “I did what I should’ve done a long time ago.”
I cross my arms against my chest, feeling more guarded than usual. “And what is that?”
Sean takes another step, closing the distance between us. “Astrid, will you be my girlfriend?”
I’m stunned into silence, not believing what I’m hearing. I close my eyes, expecting that when I reopen them, I’ll realize this has all been a dream.
“Sean—"
He reaches into his pocket and my pulse quickens as his fingers grip a box.
“Sean, what is that?” If I thought I was breathing heavy before, I was mistaken. My pulse races. I can feel my heartbeat into my throat as my knees start to shake. I want to ask a thousand questions, but the weight of the moment sinks in, smothering any attempt before I can move my lips.
He opens the box, fingers shaking slightly, pulling back the small lid.
Inside is a gold key. I look up at him in confusion as Sean gazes down, eager, hopeful. A key. The anticipation swells in the room and it’s in this moment that I realize that maybe, just maybe, there is something deeper here, something that neither of us will be able to deny.
“I want you to be my girlfriend, Astrid. And I want you to stay here. With us. I want this to be your home. Officially.”
CHAPTER 43
