Page 130 of Loving You

Henry will probably quit because I’m a grumpy asshole, then I’ll bury myself back into work and put myself right back where I was before Quinn walked into my shop this summer to change my entire world.

Fucking great.

That’s what I have to look forward to.

I glance at my watch. It’s almost lunch.

I need to talk to someone, and Hudson will be my best bet right now. Luca’s been MIA the last couple of weeks. I’m not kidding when I say the two of us pulled a switcheroo.

Guess who’s buried themselves into their job now? Luca.

“Henry,” I call out. “Want a burger from Hudson’s?”

“Ugh. Sure. I don’t have cash. Can you just take it from my next check?”

I shake my head. “This one’s on me.”

He smiles wide. “Thanks, Miles.”

“Be right back,” I say, even though I’m not sure how quick I’ll be. Quinn went with the girls to Wind Valley to look atwedding dresses for Sadie. I want to get my thoughts out before she gets back so that tonight can be nothing but us making a plan.

I can’t be alone in thinking that we have to give this a go, right?

It can’t just end once the summer is over.

It can’t.

Hudson’s bar is packed by the time I get there for lunch.

It’s been a couple of months since I’ve walked in here to eat lunch alone. Just another reminder that this is what my life will return to once Quinn leaves.

Unless I ask her to stay.

I’ve had plenty of opportunities to do so. Every moment with her is a chance to ask, but I want the moment to be perfect. I want to be the kind of man she’ll say yes to.

Yet if she were to ask me to give up the shop and my dream so that I could travel with her, I’d say no.

It doesn’t seem fair to ask her to do something I wouldn’t do myself.

I hate that I’d say no, but my life is here. Everything about me is here.

And her life is travel.

We knew this when we started fooling around, but it doesn’t make it suck any less now that the end is nearing.

The truth still remains that I won’t know until I ask her, and I need to do it sooner rather than later.

“Miles, hey,” a man next to me greets me.

It’s Danny.

I quickly glance to his other side for Cherry, but the spot is empty.

“Hey!” I offer my hand. “How are you?”

“Good,” he answers on the shake. “Just enjoying the last week here. The summer went fast.”

“It always does.”

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