Page 89 of From Fling to Ring

It’s the first time I’ve seen him since he stormed out of my apartment. I’ll admit I’ve spent a lot of time looking at the photos I have of him in my phone, but here he is onscreen in the flesh, if not thousands of miles away.

“Hey stranger.”

There’s silence between us. Neither of us knows what to say. I know I don’t.

“How’s Paris?” he finally asks.

“It’s good. Really pretty.”

More silence.

“Petal says you’re a nanny for a woman you guys grew up with?”

I nod. I’m not really in the mood to talk about Frenchie. In fact, I try not to think of her too much, squandering her opportunity to dig in and experience a different country.

She has no idea how fortunate she is.

Tyler’s hair is a mess, like he just woke up. He has dark circles under his eyes and just seems sad.

Guess I’m sad too.

“Why don’t you come back, Lu? We can go to Paris anytime you want.”

“For one, Tyler, I sublet my apartment. So I have nowhere to stay.”

“Stay with me. At my place.”

Yeah, right. We go from barely speaking to living together? I think not.

“The woman I work for is helping me get some sort of visa that will let me stay longer.”

He sighs. “Fine. I wanted to say it in person, but I’ll say it here. I’m sorry. Sorry for everything.”

I nod. “I’m sorry too, Tyler. But I’m not coming back.”

I get a message that my ride is downstairs, waiting to take me back to Frenchie’s.

“I gotta go, Tyler. You take care.”

I swipe the call closed and drag my stuff down five flights of stairs. It feels like my belongings have doubled in the week I’ve been here. I had to buy two large duffel bags I picked up at the Paris Ikea to gather all my additional crap into.

I fight tears as my Uber takes me across town, the driver babbling about something I have no idea of. I’m flattered he even thinks I speak French, and I keep nodding like I can really fake him out.

But the only thing I’m faking, at least right now, is that I don’t miss Tyler, or at least what we had for a moment in time, so damn much that my heart is breaking.

47

TYLER

“I have to go to her. That’s all there is to it. I’ve waited long enough. She’s not coming back. If I want to make something happen, I’ve got to do it myself.”

Even though we’re on the phone, I can practically hear Rake rolling his eyes. He’s getting tired of hearing me talk about this. I’m getting tired of hearing me talk about it, too.

“Are you gonna do it during bye week?” Rake asks.

My intercom buzzes and I see it’s Ruby. Weird. She never just shows up at my place. I buzz her up.

“Hey man, my sister’s here so I gotta go in a sec. But I may be able to go next week. I’ll pretty much have to fly in and out, and I have to check in with Coach. I think we’re not supposed to leave the country during bye. Anyway, this is important Rake, so please listen. If I do end up going to see her, I’m relying on the element of surprise, so DO NOT mention this to your wife. Please.”

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