Page 55 of Puck Drop
“I know, I’m so sorry!”
I drop my head to her lap and hug her to me. I let out a sigh of relief when I feel her hands coming to my hair, playing with the strands.
“I messed everything up,” she whispers after a few long moments of silence.
I’m not sure what grabs my attention more, her words or the sad tone of her voice.
“You didn’t mess anything up, Lizzie,” I assure her. “I feel guilty as fuck for not waking you up earlier this morning. I just… I misunderstood, thought it was a nine-to-five job,” I explain. “Who works eight to five?”
“I don’t even know,” she shrugs. “This was my first real job. I don’t know how any of this works.” Tears roll down her face. “What am I going to do, Logan?”
I grab both of her hands and bring them to my mouth, kissing each one of her knuckles.
“We’ll figure it out, Lizzie. Whatever you do next, you’ll rock at it,” I promise her.
She gives me a sad smile, tears still running down her cheeks. “I am too impulsive sometimes,” she says. “I moved here to be with you, but I didn’t really have a plan. I just wanted us to be together. That was the plan,” she laughs in self-deprecation.
I squeeze her hands into mine. “That was the best plan, Lizzie. I’m so happy that you’re here.”
She pulls her hands out of my grip, acting like she wants to put some distance between us. I lean back on my heels and wait to see what she says next.
She leaves me hanging for a little longer as she drops her elbows onto her knees before resting her face in her hands.
“I have no idea what other job I would be qualified to do,” she finally says. “I hate the whole office setup idea. What if what happened today will happen again at the next place? And the one after that?”
Panic is obvious in her tone as she comes up with scenarios where she fails in each one of them.
“I can’t afford to stay in this apartment,” she continues. “Or any apartment, period.”
Another big sigh ensues. I am still sitting back, mulling things over. I can afford to help her, and, considering that she is my girlfriend, it wouldn’t be weird if I supported her for a while. Right?
“I can pay for your apartment.” The words spill from my lips like that was the plan all along when in fact I just make shit up as I go. “I got money.”
The gasp of shock coming out of Elizabeth tells me that I may not have said the right thing.
“That’s a terrible idea, Logan!” She pushes at my shoulders, almost causing me to topple over. ‘Besides, I need a job to support myself. Are you planning on paying for an apartment for me for the rest of your days?”
That throws me off. “Uh, maybe not all of the days…”
“God, what a fiasco!” She throws herself back against the couch. “I can’t believe I have to go back crawling to my father,” she suddenly says. “It will be the most humiliating thing I will ever have to face, I’m sure of it.”
The thought of her father gives me the chills up and down my spine. That is no surprise considering my experience with him. But I’d hate for him to hate me even more for destroying his daughter’s life.
The logical part of my brain tells me that I didn’t force Elizabeth to move to Texas. She followed me here of her own free will. Not only that, but she never even told me that she was doing that. With that said, I don’t think I have any responsibly toward her, which she also acknowledges.
The part of my brain that is so in love with her that it causes me not to think straight tells me that she is absolutely my responsibility. It is something that I want, crave even, just as much as I want her.
“I have an idea,” I tell her on a whim.
She huffs in annoyance. “Does your idea make me money?”
The wheels move in my head at a slightly faster pace. “Possibly.” Okay, I’m not sure at all about that part.
“What’s this idea, Lo?” she prods.
“Well…” I let out a long puff of breath. “Hear me out, okay?”
Elizabeth doesn’t say anything. Her eyes go all around the room, the sadness on her face breaking my heart.
