Page 106 of Hang the Moon
Her fingers trailed down his front, freezing, splayed against his stomach when it rumbled. Her eyes widened with mirth.
“Hungry?” she asked, dropping her hand.
He smiled sheepishly. “Starving.”
She hefted herself up onto the counter, legs swinging, her bare feet knocking gently against the cabinet beneath her while he dug into the bag. She took the spinach piroshki he offered her and smiled.
“Thank you,” she said, stretching her leg out and tapping him with her toes.
He leaned back against the counter. From across the room he spotted the tiny succulent he’d purchased her sitting neatly on Darcy’s coffee table atop a coaster.
“Did you ever find out if you can bring plants on a plane?”
“Plants on a—” She followed his gaze, her eyes widening as understanding dawned on her. “Oh. Right. No, I didn’t. I guess I should check the TSA’s website?”
“You could do that.” He licked at his suddenly dry lips. “Or I could”—he gave a chuckle that sounded as desperate and confused as he felt—“hold on to it for you.”
Until you get back.
The way Annie’s face fell freaked him out. She lifted a hand, resting her fingers at the hollow of her throat. “I’m not sure when that’s going to be.”
He picked at his thumbnail and shrugged, as nonchalantly as he could manage when it felt like he’d swallowed a brick and it was trapped in his chest. “Annie.”
Her brows rose but she didn’t lift her eyes, staring resolutely off into space over his shoulder.
He pressed off the counter and stepped toward her. “Look at me.”
His request went unmet for one breath, two, before she lifted her eyes, gaze steady but guarded.
He tried not to let the frustration he was feeling leach out into his voice. “You’re getting on a plane in twelve hours.”
“Thanks, I’d almost forgotten,” she sniped. As soon as the words were out of her mouth, she shut her eyes, lips flattening inward in obvious contrition. “I’m sorry. It’s just... IknowI’m leaving and I know there’s plenty we need to talk about but... I don’t know what to say.”
“If you’re open to suggestions, I have a few,” he joked. “I’ve decided not to move to Londonis a good one. Or,I’m moving to Seattle.”
She frowned. “It’s not that simple.”
Wasn’t it? He shoved his hands in his pockets and rockedback on his heels. “Last night you told me this is what you want. I think you’re making this more difficult than it needs to be.”
Her eyes lifted and widened, goggling at him. “You think this is easy? This is my whole life we’re talking about. What I want is only one piece of the puzzle. There are logistics to consider if I...if.” She shook her head. “Figuring out what to do for work—”
“Here.” He reached for the folder, Annie’s name scribbled across the front in thick black Sharpie. “A dozen career ideas involving linguistics and foreign languages.” He tapped the folder. “Freelance ideas and even a few places that are hiring here in Seattle.”
Annie took the folder from him and traced the swoopingAof her name with one trembling finger. “This... you didn’t have to do this for me, Brendon.”
This was small, but it was something for him to do, and he’d needed to dosomethingso he didn’t feel like he was sitting around andwaiting. There was nothing he hated more than feeling powerless, unable to help, spinning his wheels and getting nowhere. “I know I didn’t have to. I wanted to.”
“Thank you. This is wonderful and—really helpful.” Her throat jerked as she lifted her eyes. “There’s still packing and hiring a moving company and—and looking for an apartment because I refuse to overstay my welcome at Darcy’s—”
“You’re welcome to stay at my place.”
For some reason, she blanched. “Brendon.”
She’d spent the night at his place more often than not since the night of the wedding. “I’m not asking you to move in with me. Not that I’d complain.”
She was welcome to stay with him as long as she wanted and she’d hear not a single peep out of him. He’d gotten used to waking up next to her, her body curved into his, her hair in his mouth. Or the cold press of her feet against his when they crawled beneath the covers.
“That’s—that’s...” She trailed off with a hard shake of her head as if to dismiss the suggestion entirely. “I’m going to pretend you didn’t seriously say that.”
