Page 47 of Heart Strings

I smile, warmth spreading through me at his words. He always knows how to make me feel better, even from afar.

Looking into some college courses. Thinking about maybe going back to school.

His response is almost immediate:

That’s fantastic! You’d be amazing at that. We can look at options together when I get back?

I’d like that

I reply, the weight on my chest lightening slightly.

I spend the next hour or so diving deeper into the educational opportunities, jotting down notes and potential questions I might have for admissions counselors. By the time I hear the click of the door, indicating Connor’s return, I feel a renewed sense of purpose, a plan beginning to form.

Connor finds me amidst a pile of scribbled notes and open tabs on my laptop. Dropping his wallet and phone on the table, he comes over and peeks at the screen. “Getting serious about this, huh?”

I nod and turn around to face him. “Yeah, it feels right. Like something I need to do for myself.”

He pulls me into his arms, kissing the top of my head. “I’m proud of you, you know that? Anything caught your eye?”

I scroll back to the top of the page, showing him the literary arts program. “This, mostly. It’s about writing, literature, everything I love. I think it might be good for me,” I explain, trying to sound more confident than I feel.

Connor nods, his gaze thoughtful. “I think that would be right up your alley, but you have all the time in the world to still think about where you want your passion to lead you. Hopefully, this trip can help with that.”

His unwavering support brings a smile to my face, but the shadow of my recent encounter with Ava still lingers. I hate that she knew which buttons to push with me.

“Connor,” I start, hesitant, “do you think... do you think your exes used to see me as an interference? Ava made it seem like I was this... obstacle to your happiness.”

Connor frowns, his jaw clenching slightly. “Gracie, Ava was trying to hurt you. She was trying to put doubts in your mind because she’s unhappy. You’ve never been an interference. You’re the best part of my life. My friends, the band, everyone who truly knows us, can see that.”

I nod, taking comfort in his words, but the seed of doubt isn’t easy to shake off. “It’s just hard, you know? I never wanted to be seen as the person who breaks things instead of making them better.”

“You’re not, Gracie. You never could be,” Connor says firmly. “You make everything better. Don’t let Ava—or anyone—make you feel otherwise.”

His affirmation warms me, easing some of the tension that has built up over the past few days. I lean into him, resting my head on his shoulder. “Thank you, Connor. I needed to hear that.”

“We’re in this together, right? Whatever comes, we handle it together. Even miserable exes with nothing better to do with their lives,” he reassures me, his arm wrapping around my shoulders.

“Right,” I agree, feeling stronger with him by my side.

The conversation shifts as Connor starts talking about our upcoming trip to Milan. “It’s going to be a new adventure for us. Just think about all the places we can explore, the things we can see.”

“And the gelato we can eat,” I add, managing a laugh.

“That’s my girl,” Connor says with a grin, his mood visibly lifting. “Always finding the sweet in everything.”

We spend the rest of the evening planning our trip, discussing the sights we want to visit in Milan, from the Duomo to the fashion boutiques. The excitement of exploring a new city together slowly pushes the remnants of my worries to the back of my mind.

By the time we go to bed, I feel lighter, the plans for school and our shared adventures ahead serving as a reminder of all the good things that lay before us.

He holds me tight to his chest and sighs. I don’t know why, but I can feel something is bothering him. “Your mind is incredibly loud, you know,” I say as I bring his hand up to kiss it. “What’s wrong?”

Hesitating for a few seconds, he eventually kisses my shoulder and sighs again. “There’s something I need to tell you,” he says softly. “About the business meeting today…”

Chapter 36

Connor

So, I’m not exactly at a real business meeting.

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