Page 52 of Two Weeks in Tahoe

“We could all help watch him…your parents, me…”

“No. I appreciate it. But he needs stability. Structure. He’s been through enough.” I sigh.

“Yeah, you’re right,” he sighs in return. “Don’t worry, bud. This will pass, and it’ll all work out. I know it.” Dex says, sounding truly optimistic.

“You always were a hopeless romantic,” I force a smile.

“Yeah,” he says a little glumly, “I am.”

I study my friend for a moment. At the best of times, Dex can be the most lively person in the room. And it’s genuine, but sometimes he keeps up that façade to hide when he’s really hurting. I’ve seen him go through two big heartbreaks in his twenty-seven years, and he took them both incredibly hard. Now he’s here supporting me while I go through a tough time.

Truthfully, I’ve never been this messed up over a girl before. I never met anyone who was all that worth it. Then Layla waltzed into my life and turned that notion upside down.

I’m going to visit her in Sacramento next weekend. After that, she’s starting her new job. I was more than a little bummed that she ended up taking it. But I didn’t tell her that, of course. It’s not that I don’t want her to succeed, but where does that leave us if she’s embarking on a new career there? Not to mention, I don’t even think she’s crazy about the job. I think she just hasn’t admitted that to herself yet. If it were her true passion and she was completely ecstatic about it, I’d want her to follow her dreams and succeed, and I would sit back and support her as she did that. But this doesn’t feel like that.

“Alright, dude. Let’s go,” I say to Dex, tired of moping around and talking about how shitty I feel. I want to do something to take my mind off it. We’ve been doing a lot of snowboarding, snowshoeing, and snowmobiling while Jackson is at school. Everything is snow-related around here in the winter.

While all of this keeps me busy physically, it hasn’t stopped my mind from wandering back to her.

38

Layla

It’s been three weeks since I left, and Liam is coming to see me tomorrow. I wanted him to bring Jackson, but Liam really wanted some one-on-one time, and honestly, I’m not too upset about it. He’s only staying a few days, then we’re heading back to his place for Christmas. I cannot wait to see him again, and I have a lot of exciting news to share with him when he gets here.

I’ve felt completely foreign and out of place in my hometown since the day I got back. I accepted that new job on my drive home, and I’m not even sure why now. I don’t know what I was trying to prove to myself or anyone else by staying here and clinging to this so-called independence. When I first applied, I thought maybe it was my dream job, but my priorities have changed since then. And it took me coming home to finally admit that to myself. My heart isn’t here in Sacramento. It’s in Lake Tahoe. And not with the boy from my past I once shared a magical night with, but with the incredible, supportive, man of my dreams—the man of my present and future. If he’ll still have me. I’m just scared he’s starting to change his mind in my absence.

I don’t know if I’ve changed or if that job was never what I wanted at all. Either way, I’ve done a lot of reflecting since I got back, and I’ve made some big decisions. Liam has no clue yet.

I’ve been rehearsing everything that I want to say to him when he gets here. I haven’t told him half of what I’ve been up to this week because I want it to be a surprise.

After spending most of last year absolutely miserable over the loss of my parents, I’ve decided I’m going to try harder to pursue my own happiness. I’m going to live for me, for the people I love, and screw what anyone else thinks.

Just a few days after I got back, I decided to call the newspaper back and tell them I wasn’t taking the job after all. And this week, I’ve been putting together a business plan for something that I’m genuinely excited about.

I’ve saved nearly all of the substantial inheritance my parents left me. With that buffer, I’m finally going to follow my true passion, which has always been working with books. The newspaper job was close to what I wanted, but it wasn’t quite it. After a lot of research and debating, I’ve decided to start my own online editing company. I’ll focus on books to start, but maybe, as it grows, I can bring more people on board and expand into other areas as well. It feels like a dream, and I’m so excited to tell Liam. He has no idea I’m not starting the new job, and no idea about what I’ve up to all week. And one of best parts of this plan is that I can do it while living anywhere. I’m just taking a blind leap of faith and hoping he still wants me there with him, and with Jackson.

**

I’ve been busy cleaning the apartment all day, getting ready for Liam’s arrival tomorrow, when I realize that it’s getting late and I haven’t heard from him. It’s unlike him to go hours without calling or at least sending a quick message. I kick my feet up, taking a break, and dial his number. No answer. He’s probably busy with Dex or Jackson. I send him a message to call me, then make myself some dinner.

**

An hour passes and Liam still hasn’t responded. I’m starting to get worried. Is he going to back out of his visit? Is he having second thoughts? My body starts to feel cold at the thought. Did I ruin this incredible, special thing we have? Trying not to panic, I tap his name to call him when my phone lights up with a call from Daniela.

“Hey, I can’t—” I start, but she cuts me off.

“Layla.”

The urgency in her voice makes me freeze. My chest turns to ice. I don’t respond, waiting for the bad news.

“Dex called me. He and Liam had an accident.”

I jump off the couch, grabbing my keys, my vision narrowing as I go numb. I’ve been here before. I just need to get to my car. I hold the phone tightly to my ear as I make my way there.

“Is he okay?” It’s the only thing I need to know at the moment.

“He’s not in great condition. They had him at the hospital there, but they flew him to Sacramento for critical care.”

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