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He deserved to be loved.
And while she thought of him as a dear friend, that’s all they’d ever be, even if they took this further.
“I’m so sorry, Marcus. I’m just not feeling up to this. Would you mind taking me home?” She’d talk to him there in private and let him down easy.
“Of course.” He left a few dollars on the table to tip the waitress for bringing them water, which she found sweet, since they hadn’t even ordered anything yet.
She smiled at Marcus when he stood and walked out of the restaurant with her to his car.
They didn’t even hold hands.
That made her sad. The little things mattered.
Marcus did hold her car door open for her. “Your brother suddenly leaving really upset you.”
She took her seat in the car. “It’s just not like him.”
Marcus closed her door, went around the car, and took his seat beside her. “It is strange the way he left today. But I’m sure everything is fine.” His reassurance didn’t help, because he didn’t sound so sure.
She nodded at him anyway.
Marcus drove to her place. They chitchatted about the weather getting colder, the possibility of more snow this December and Marcus’s hectic schedule coaching basketball again this year.
It felt like they were an old married couple on date night.
Not like two young people hot for each other in the beginning of a relationship.
He didn’t steal a kiss before he helped her into the car or even put his hand on her thigh.
The signs that she was right about breaking things off to preserve their friendship kept adding up.
As they approached her door, she stopped short and turned to him. “Marcus.” Just the way she said his name, tipped him off.
“You want to end this.” He sighed and looked her in the eye. “I could tell my feelings had grown faster and deeper than yours. I just hoped, given time...”
“I’m so sorry. The last thing I want to do is hurt you.”
He took her hand, squeezed it, then let it go. “Never be sorry for the way you feel.”
“We are such good friends.”
“And that won’t change,” he assured her, not taking her words as a bad thing.
Her heart felt lighter because of it.
“I can’t say I’m not disappointed. But I agree. We both have to have our hearts in it for this to work.” He was such a grown-up, facing this head-on.
While she’d avoided ever having the conversation she should have had with Max when she found out the truth. Two years ago. “Thank you for understanding. I don’t know what’s wrong with me. You’re the perfect guy. A great catch.”
“Just not for you,” he added, a slight, self-deprecating grin on his handsome face. “And there’s nothing wrong with you. You’re sweet and kind and beautiful. Some lucky guy, who appreciates that and more, like I do, will come along and sweep you off your feet.”
“You’re sweet, too. Thank you for saying that.” It made her feel better and worse about ending things.
“Then I’ll see you at school tomorrow.”
She was about to return the sentiment when something heavy dropped inside her apartment, drawing both their attention.
She turned and walked toward her door and sawthe splintered wood, the door ajar. She pushed it open. “What the fuck?” The whole place had been trashed.
