Page 73 of Forever Home

“If it isn’t important… then there should be no issue telling me.”

Stubborn as hell, aren’t you?

Groaning, I frown. “Fine. I was just thinking how it sucks you’re going to be leaving soon.”

He’s quiet for a moment. Moving to lean against the kitchen counter as his hands reach for the kitchen towel he disregarded to the side. “About that… I wanted to actually talk to you about something.”

“Okay,” I reply hesitantly. Watching as his hands fiddle with the towel for a moment before placing it down, clearing his throat.

“I know I’m leaving in a few days… but, I want you to come with me.”

Shock fills me at his admission, my lips parting as he stands staring at me. Waiting for a response that I don’t even know how to respond to. I’ve never thought about leaving Willowcreek before, and with my mom and the bakery… how was I supposed to do that? How was I supposed to just say yes and go with him? Even if I really want to.

“You want me to go with you?”

Standing a little straighter, he nods. “Yes, but only if you want to go.”

“Like… for the weekend?”

“No,” he chuckles. “Like for a long term extended trip… to see if this can be more.”

Speechless is the only thing I am. Any girl would jump at the opportunity to go with Jaxson anywhere, especially his home in New York.God, why can’t I say yes? What’s wrong with me?

“Uh… well, I mean—” I stutter over my words trying to collect my thoughts as he begins to chuckle, stepping closer to me.

“Just think about it. We still have a few days.”

As much as I want to give him an answer right now, perhaps he’s right. Because I don’t want to end up regretting my choice later… especially because the feeling of confliction continues to weigh down on me wanting me to say no when truly all I want to do is say yes.

***

Two hours later, and much laughter and conversation with my mother and Jaxson. I decide to stay a bit longer while Jaxson runs off to have a drink with Knox and Callum. He’d tried to protest in going, not wanting to leave me here but after my mother explained she would drive me home and that we needed some girl time, he gave in and agreed.

“Madi, I don’t understand why you seem so upset today," she remarks as I slide on a pair of pajama pants and a tank top I have stored at her house.

She knows me better than anyone, so there’s no point in lying or trying to hide anything from her because one way or another she’s going to get it out of me. Turning to face where she’s stood in the doorway of my old bedroom, I slowly nod. My hands smooth out the bottom of my tank top as I fold my leg underneath me and sit on the bed.

“It’s not that I’m exactly upset, mom.” I reply, trying to find the right words to explain everything including how Jaxson dropped it on me that he wants me to come with him to New York.

“Okay,” she replies, crossing her arms over her chest. “Then spill… What's going on with you? The past few weeks you have been over the moon spending time with him. Why the sudden change?”

A heavy breath escapes me as I gaze down at my fingers in my lap. The fidgeting behavior is something I’ve always done as a kid when I had to come clean with her about something I wasn’t ready to talk about. “He’s leaving in a few days…”

Her eyes widen at my admission as her mouth forms an ‘o’ shape as she nods. “Well, sweetie… you knew this was coming. Have you guys talked about what you want to do?”

In all honesty, we hadn’t really talked about any of it. Our time together always spent in the moment while we stayed entangled with each other in bed. My mind trying to live on the edge as he called it as we stayed in the moment and just enjoyed being around one another. Part of me had wanted to ask him what we were… or what our situation was.

But I never did.

I never got the courage to ask him what we were or what the future held. Honestly, we haven’t been seeing each other for long, despite knowing him since childhood. I don’t want to seem like a fucking psycho expecting us to be more when he may not even want that.

“Not really… well,” I sigh, glancing up at her. “He did ask me tonight if I’d go with him to New York.”

“He did?” she exclaims with a smile. “Well, what did you say?”

“I agreed to think about it… but I mean, I can’t go so it doesn’t matter.”

“What?” she asks, her brows narrowing with confusion as her forehead creases. “Why? Don’t you want to go… I mean, I figured you would want to continue to see where things go with the two of you. Unless I misread things.”

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