Page 51 of Texting My Valentine

Tori:Sure. I’ll text you later.

As I shower, I can’t shake the feeling that things have become weirdly distant between us. But maybe that’s how they’re supposed to be. We haven’t known each other very long.

Sure, I was willing to risk my life for her, and I’d do it again, but that doesn’t mean I own her. Fuck. I feel like I do, though. That’s the savage truth.

After showering and getting ready for work, I return to the kitchen. Elliot has changed into his school uniform now, and Catelina brews coffee. She offers me one for the road.

“Sure, thanks.”

“Uncle Alex,” Elliot says, with that heartbreaking hope in his voice. “You finish at six today, right?”

“Sure do.”

“Do you think we could go to this archery place? It’s only a couple of miles. We could even walk there. Or drive. I’m cool whatever you want to do. It’s supposed to be really good.”

He looks so hopeful. He always does. He’s reached out so many times since the crash. Have I been good enough? Have I been the father figure he deserves? Just because he looks like Robin doesn’t mean I should thrust the sins of the father upon the son.

I can’t say no.

“Sure we can,” I tell him. “We’ll go right there after work.”

He leaps up from his chair and throws his arms around me. I let my hands rest on his back.

“Thanks, Uncle Alex.”

“We’ll get some pictures, too,” I say, looking at the walls, which are mostly blank except for some stock art. “It’s time we livened this place up a bit.”

“Sure,” he beams.

Walking down the driveway, I suddenly realize this means I’ll have to rearrange with Tori. I don’t want to. But it’s not like I can cancel on the little man now.

Alex:Hey, Tori. Sorry. I just promised Elliot I’d take him to the archery range. I couldn’t tell the little man no. He looked so hopeful. Maybe we could meet once your performance is done?

Tori:We can call it a raincheck.Maybe tomorrow? I’m easy. It’s no big deal.

She’s firmly planted her flag in casual territory again, which means I’m going to have to chill for now. I’m not sure I can do that, though.

Alex:Fair enough. Let me know if there are any problems with Damien. Call the cops first, but I also want to be kept informed. I want you to be safe.

Tori:I’ll be fine.But thank you.

On the way to work, I call Julian on the hands-free. He sounds shocked and uncharacteristicallynotsarcastic when I give him the rundown about everything.

“You didwhat?” he says. “Jesus, bro, that’s like something out of a movie. What were you thinking?”

I look over at the beach, seeing couples walking hand in hand, a pang in my chest. “It was pretty damn simple. I’m not going to let anybody hurt her. If that means staring down the barrel of one gun, two, or twenty, I’ll do it. Nobody gets to threaten her. End of story.”

“And the cops haven’t given her a squad car or anything?”

“No,” I snap. “She’s supposed to contact them if she notices anything strange. It’s ridiculous. If I had my way, I wouldn’t leave her side. But since last night, it’s like she’s determined to keep things casual again.”

“She’s young,” Julian says. “Maybe she doesn’t want to make commitments so fast. You’ve got to respect that.”

“It’s not like I’m going to propose to her. But I can’t ignore the fact that I care about her. Hell, I cared about her the first moment I saw her.”

“You didn’t feel this way about Lena. Even after what Robin did.”

“No,” I agree. “I’ve never felt this way about anyone. Truth be told, I never thought I could.”

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