Page 62 of The Story of Us
“Only a few days because of the visa application.” She swallowed and pretended the spotty pattern on her socks was the most interesting thing she’d ever seen.
Nate met her in the middle of the room. “I know change is scary.”
“You still did it. When you were much younger than me.” Eloise groaned. Her eyes were tingling again, the telltale warning that tears weren’t far away. “What would you do?”
True to form, Nate’s response was gentle. His words soft and considered. Body language relaxed and … defeated? He was going to tell her that this was too much pressure. She was already too invested in their relationship or whatever it was. A couple of kisses and she’d basically just asked him to tell her to stay.
“I’d go.”
Even though Eloise expected it, her heart twisted painfully.
“Opportunities like this don’t come around often, and you might regret it in a few years.”
“But what about …”
“… all those things you said before?” Nate took her hand and led her to the kitchen where tomorrow’s loaves were ready to be mixed. Without speaking, he pushed his sleeves up and got some flour out of the big canister and covered a square of the bench with it. “Art therapy is your specialty. Bread therapy is mine.”
* * *
“Movement doesn’t always haveto be something big. It can be as simple as making bread,” Nate said. It was also a handy distraction, hopefully for the fact that he’d totally sidestepped Eloise’s questions about what was happening between them. He hadn’t missed the way her shoulders had slumped when he told her to go. No way was Nate going to be the asshole who told her to give up her dreams for him. But he’d needed time to figure out what he wanted to say. He placed his dough back onto the bench.
“Why aren’t you covered in flour like me?” Eloise asked when he’d finished washing his hands.
Nate flashed Eloise a grin. She was wearing more flour than her loaf. “I’ve had more practice.”
She rolled her shoulders, her long hair falling forward, hiding her face from him. She tossed her head, clearly trying to get it out of the way.
“Let me.” Nate stepped into her personal space, savouring the way she relaxed against him. Her hair was soft and silky, and he resisted the urge to wrap it around his wrist and tilt her head back towards his. He twisted the hair tie around a few times, his hands resting on her shoulders once it was done.
Sod it.
Facing their fears was something they could do together.
“What if we made a deal?”
Her loaf plopped onto the bench, and Eloise’s nose crinkled adorably as she considered what to do next.
“We both agree to say yes to adventure.”
The wrinkles on her nose deepened. “You really think I should go?”
“I don’t want you to have regrets.”
“What’s your adventure?” she asked.
Her.This. Whatever they could have before it had to end, but he couldn’t say that.
“I’ll finally agree to the contract for SMK’s adaptation with Jemima Jenkins. And while you’re away, I’ll run the sports programs and art classes at KPs. It’ll give me something to do while I figure out what’s next.”
She blinked up at him, her eyes far too watery for his liking.
Nate reached for Eloise’s flour-covered hand, needing skin-to-skin contact to ground them both for the next bit. “I don’t want you to look back and wish you’d done things differently. I’ve still got contacts in Arizona, too. We can find you somewhere to live, a car, all that kind of stuff.”
“But what about …”
He knew what she was asking.
“It’s kind of perfect if you think about it. This way, we can explore what’s between us without any pressure. Keep it light and fun. I’m not going anywhere. I’ll be right here when you come back. I promise.”
