Page 122 of Keep Me

“You’re still waiting for me, aren’t you?”

I swallow, frozen as I stare straight ahead. I could lie. I could tell him that I’ve moved on and maybe that would be better for him in the end, but I can’t bring myself to do it.

“I will always wait for you.”

“I—”

I wince at the sound of Anna’s voice in the background, interrupting him. The miles between us feel so vast at moments like these.

“I have to go,” he replies. “And Sylvie?”

“Yeah?” I reply softly.

“I’m really proud of you for writing that book.”

“Thank you,” I mumble just as the phone line goes dead.

Chapter Thirty-Nine

Killian made sure I don’t need to make ends meet financially, but I still have a shit ton of boredom to stave off and time to kill. So, for fun, I sometimes help Enid out with her new gallery. I dragged my feet about it for the longest time because I couldn’t stand to even be around art, but she finally wore me down and talked me into helping, to at least get out of the house.

Besides, Enid’s place isn’t anything like my parents’ gallery. It has a younger, fresher vibe. Fewer pretentious ass-sniffers and more expressive realism from modern artists. She actually sells a lot of reprints at prices real people can afford, making it all so much more accessible, and I like that. It’s something my parents never bothered to do.

On the weekends, I come in and help answer phones or do other menial stuff she doesn’t care for anymore. And as much as Enid drives me nuts with her uptight attitude and crass sarcasm, she’s started dating a woman named Nikki from England, who I adore. So most days, it’s just me and Nikki sitting up front, making conversation and cracking jokes while Enid does all the work in the back.

By this point, Enid and Nikki know everything aboutKillian—then and now. They find our story both bizarre and romantic, and I can’t say I disagree.

“We still talk from time to time,” I say as I unpack a box of paper bags and tuck them under the cash register.

“You’re not thinking of seeing other people, are you?” Nikki asks.

“Fuck no,” I reply. “If anything, I’m just going to board a plane and march right up to his doorstep and sayenough.”

“Why don’t you?” she asks. “Go over there and whip your tits out. That’ll do the trick.”

With a sad smile, I let out a sigh. “Because he needs me to be supportive, and I am. I do support him and everything he’s doing. It’s incredible, but…” My eyes trail downward, and I clench my jaw.

“You miss him.”

Solemnly, I nod.

“You can’t wait forever, Sylvie. At some point, you’re gonna have to move on.”

Despondently, I nod. “I know.”

The door chimes as someone comes in, and Nikki greets them casually. “Welcome in.”

My eyes lift to the door, expecting it to be another customer, but I’m struck silent when I see the person standing there, staring at me in surprise.

“Mom?” I mutter as I stand up.

“Sylvie?” she says at the same time. “What are you doing here? I didn’t know you were back from Scotland.”

I close my mouth and square my shoulders. I won’t fall silent like I did the last time I saw her. “I’ve been back since August.”

“August?”

Immediately, I recognize how my mother puts me on the defensive, whipping questions around on me. So before answering her, I turn toward Nikki. “Handle this customer, please. I’ll be in the back.”

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