Page 37 of Tides and Tidings

I started towards the hotel.

“I have heels on, you ass. I can’t walk that quickly!” She yelled from behind me as I stopped walking. Blythe caught up. “What I’m going to need from you is to lose your freakin’ attitude.” Her arms were crossed against her chest and she shrugged her shoulders. “Honestly, the way I look at it? We just saved a whole bunch of money on food that was going to leave us hungry in two hours.”

She wasn’t wrong.

“Here are your choices.” Blythe’s voice was firm. “Either we get changed and go out or we’re packing our stuff up and driving home. The ball is in your court.”

“Bee—”

“What?”

“I—” I lost all my words.

“You what?

“I was going to p—” Alarm bells rang in my head. Stop talking.

“Going to what?” Blythe’s eyelids narrowed ever so slightly.

Think. Think. Think.

“I was going to order the Caesar salad.”

“A salad?” Blythe looked at me, confusion plastered on her face.

“Yeah.” I nodded slowly.

“You don’t like salad. You think it’s stupid.” She mocked me, eliciting a small smile.

“I heard it was good.” Bad lie. “The best.”

Blythe

I do believe Charlie has short-circuited.

Charlie

There’s not a chance Blythe actually believed that.

I’m heartbroken. Tonight was my only chance to propose to her. I had a rooftop reservation because it would be romantic under the stars.

“What if this is the universe’s way of making us go out tonight?” Blythe asked.

“This is the universe’s way of telling us we should stay in.” My skin was on fire with anger.

“Stop being so negative. If I’m honest, I’m relieved.”

She was relieved?

“I was thinking…” Blythe paused, her eyes trailing off. “The money we would’ve spent on dinner, we should give it to Dickie.”

I shook my head, “I don’t think he would accept it.”

“We could donate it anonymously. I’m not suggesting we walk up and hand him money.”

I thought about it. It could work. “Let’s do it.”

Blythe stepped forward and looked at me, “I know you were looking forward to your… salad.” She scrunched her nose. “I don’t believe you for a second with that.” She shook her head. “We could have sat home all weekend and I would’ve had the best time. Every day I spend with you, Charlie Hannigan is the best day. You make my life worth living. You’ve picked up my pieces and put me back together. You’ve hung the galaxy for me.”