Little Lies(105)

“You’re a rare talent,” Priscilla continues. “I would love to help you foster that. Of course, I understand that it’s something you’ll need to think about. I wanted to give you time to consider it.”

“It sounds like a wonderful opportunity.” My mom threads her arm through mine and gives it a squeeze. “And it sounds like Lavender has some pretty big decisions to make for the fall.”

I’m not sure if she actually thinks it’s a wonderful opportunity or not, but I appreciate her speaking, because I don’t think I can right now.

“She certainly does, and of course there’s no rush. I just wanted to put it on the table. Regardless of your decision, Lavender, there will always be a place here for you.”

My mom waits until we’re outside the theater before she grabs my arm and turns me so we’re facing each other. “Gut reaction, no thinking—do you want to stay in New York?”

“Yes, but—”

She raises a finger. “Hold the but. What makes you want to stay in New York?”

“I love what I’m doing, I love this theater, everyone has embraced me, and I’ve found my people. I’m not weird or different. It’s okay that I’m quiet sometimes. People like my ideas, and we spark as a team. And surprisingly enough, I like the city. But the subway sucks.” I prefer walking over using public transit.

My mom wrinkles her nose. “Exhaust and urine are not a winning combination of odors.”

“So true. Besides that, I’ve made friends who aren’t my relatives, I feel like I’ve gained some real independence, and I’ve found something I’m really good at. Robbie has botany, River is great at school and football and being angry at life, and Maverick is great at hockey and one-month relationships.”

“Is that actually a thing for Maverick? You know what? Don’t bother answering that. It’s irrelevant to this discussion, and we can come back to it later. Or maybe never. Now, tell me the but side to this.” The right side of her mouth quirks up at the way she stresses the word but.

“Stop being such a twelve-year-old boy.”

She taps her temple. “My maturity level is at least fifteen. What’s holding you back?”

“It’s far from home and my family and friends.”

“We’re a plane ride away, and I love shopping, so I’ll come visit all the time and bring the people you love and miss with me.”

“Kodiak will have training camp in August, so I’ll be out here on my own.”

“But you’ve made friends, and he was always going somewhere, honey. So the way I see it, you have two options. You come back to Chicago and finish school there, or you stay here and take this amazing opportunity to do something you truly, wholly love.”

“What do you think Dad will say?”

“He’ll say the real estate is a good investment once I calm him down. Don’t worry about your dad, Lavender. He wants you to be happy, and he realizes that in order for that to happen, we can’t helicopter-parent you or smother you. You came here for a reason. It looks to me like the universe is giving you something else to stay for.”


____________________

My mom, Lacey, Lovey, River, and Josiah leave for the airport midafternoon. Kodiak isn’t due back until later in the evening, so I sit in front of my sewing machine, unable to relax. We made a deal that he wouldn’t tell me where he was going until he got home. But he did message me a picture of his very neat signature written on a contract.

Which brings with it equal parts relief and terror.

Now I just have to prepare myself for what’s coming next, which is a lot of change for both of us.

It’s almost nine when he walks in the door, looking exhausted. He drops his bag on the floor and opens his arms. I’m wearing socks, so I skid across the slippery hardwood into his hard chest.

He folds me into his embrace. “I missed you so goddamn much.”

“Same.” I breathe him in—his cologne, the scent of his laundry detergent, stale airplane, and possibly some kind of pizza. His heart thunders, and mine matches the frantic rhythm.

He cups my face between his palms, tips my head back, and covers my mouth with his. I sink into the kiss for a few minutes, allowing myself the fantasy that this isn’t going to come to an end in a month, that every day he’s going to walk through that door and kiss me like this for the rest of our lives, that I won’t have to go weeks at a time without him.

Eventually I pull away. “You signed with a team.”

He nods. “For three years.”

My heart skips a few beats. That will feel like an eternity. “We’ll make it work.”

“We’ll have the off-season, and the flight to Chicago isn’t that long. We’ll be able—”

“I won’t be in Chicago.”

“Wait. What?” His brow furrows.

I swallow my fears. “While you were away, I got an offer from the production company. They want to keep me on.”

“Here? In New York?”

I nod. “I really love it, Kodiak. I love what I’m doing, and if you’re already going to be all the way across the country, it makes sense.” I run my hands over his chest, working to find some calm when my nerves are going haywire. “New York and Chicago are pretty close to the same distance from Vancouver.”