Glancing back at the living room, I walked over to the sofa and sat down with a sigh.
“You sound tired.”
“Truth is, I’m exhausted.” An unsettled feeling took over me. “No matter how hard I try to fix things, I still feel like a villain.”
“You’re not. All you did was choose yourself.”
“At their expense.” Closing my eyes, I pinched the bridge of my nose. “If only we could go back to the Amalfi Coast. Things felt simple there.”
“We should go again, then.”
“We really should, shouldn’t we?”
“Yes.”
The lack of air in his voice made me open my eyes and perk up.
“What are you doing?” I asked, hoping he was—
“Tying my shoes. I’m going for a run.”
There go my dirty thoughts.
“Isn’t it a bit late?” I checked the time on my watch. It was 7:00 a.m. here, which meant that in New Zealand, where he currently was, it was 11:00 p.m.
“It is, but we were shooting the whole day, so I couldn’t work out.”
I’d be the first person to advocate for physical activity, but moderation was important. “Aren’t you pushing yourself too hard?”
“I must if I want to stay in shape.”
Leaning back on the couch, I snorted. “Nothing will happen if you miss a workout or two, you know?” Not to mention, he was already beyond fit. I’d kill to have his fat percentage, although probably not, given how much I loved my pastries.
“I’m in New York next week,” he said, changing the subject. “Do you think it’s okay if I stay with you?”
“Of course. It’s why I got such a big place, with closets for all your clothes.”
He chuckled, and the soft sound of his laugh reminded me that despite the hardship, it was all worth it. And not a single part of me regretted my decisions.
“I can’t wait to see you,” I added, my heart full of love for him.
“Me too… But I have to go now. And you should probably get to work yourself.”
He had a point, considering I’d be late if I didn’t get my ass moving.
“Have a safe run.”
“Thank you.”
“And Elliot?”
“Yeah?”
“I love you.”
32
ELLIOT