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Was that what this was about to him?
An unlikely friendship-fling between coworkers.
If this was nothing more than an immediate friendship—with benefits tossed in—I would be totally crushed.
Because, in the secret parts of my heart, I’ve been thinking about love.
This thing with Jack has felt like love to me.
“Hm… yeah,” I mutter. “I guess I could tell her that.”
His hand moves to my cheek. He shifts a strand of hair off my temple. “Don’t get sad,” he says, tucking it behind my ear.
“It’s just tough to have this week come to an end.” And to know I have to say goodbye to you…
I will have to say goodbye to the goofy Jack, who dances in the kitchen with his nieces.
The one who smells of body wash and wears his towel tucked around his waist.
The Jack who shares pie with me and gives me piggyback rides in the pool in those few minutes before it closes for the night when we have it all to ourselves.
Soon, we’ll be back to our stuffy emails. I’ll only get to interact with Jack through work, and it will be much more complicated if I get promoted.
I don’t want to think about this…
And all of this was nothing more than a new friendship to him.
We shouldn’t have started this discussion. It would be better to try to enjoy the last few hours here in this magical place without letting the future intrude.
I pull my floppy, black sun hat off the sand and give it a shake. Then I fit it over my head and tilt the brim over my face.
Now, all I can see is a screen of blackness.
It’s good, not to look at him.
I try to let the sting of his words fade, but they’ve burrowed in my heart.
He said it so casually. ‘We hit it off.’
I’m being too sensitive. It’s because I don’t want to leave. I know that, and I still can’t help it.
Bright light sneaks under the brim of the hat as his hand shifts it up.
Soon, he’s leaning over me, peeking under the floppy brim. “Hello in there?”
“Hi.”
“You mad?”
“Not at you. Just in a funk.”
“You got the Vacation’s Ending Blues.”
“You got that right.” I nip the inside of my cheek.
Should I say something?
Part of me wants to clam up. But another part needs him to know that this week was really, really special to me.
