“Yeah, I think I might.”
“Gardner, that’s nuts.”
“Why?”
“You already have a great position at a grea
t art school. Why would you trade down? That doesn’t make any sense!”
He looked down at his hands in his lap for a minute and shrugged again.
“I’m just getting to know you,” he finally said. “I know you don’t want to move, and I understand your reasons—they’re valid reasons. I want to be part of your life. If I have to change jobs to do that…”
My chest clamped up on me, and I had to sit down. I had no idea how I was supposed to react to this news. He was going to move all the way from Chicago just to be closer to me? Why would he do that?
“I don’t understand,” I finally said.
“I just…I…” He stopped and started fucking around with his hair again. He finally took a deep breath and blew it out. “You don’t want me to.”
My chest felt heavy again.
“That’s not what I meant,” I said. “I just don’t understand why you’d give that up.”
He turned his eyes to me again, and they were warm under dark brows that knitted together.
“I already missed so much of your life,” he said quietly. “I don’t want to miss anything else.”
I still had no idea how to react. Thoughts of my dad—Lou—went through my head as I tried to think of something he had ever done that even came close to this. Though he had constantly reminded me of how much he had sacrificed for me, none of it compared—not even close.
“You don’t have to do that,” I finally said.
“I know I don’t have to,” he responded. He stood up then and walked around to the other side of the bed where I was sitting. He dropped down next to me before speaking again. “I want to do this, Thomas. I want to be closer to you. This way you wouldn’t have to deal with a plane again—I know how much you hated that—and I’d be able to see you a lot more often. I want to get to know you better. Nicole, too.”
I looked into his eyes, and there was no doubt about his sincerity. His mouth turned up into a familiar, lopsided grin.
“Speaking of Nicole…did you ask her yet?”
“Not yet,” I admitted, and my face felt hot. “I don’t know how to bring it up.”
“I don’t think I’d be much help in that department,” Gardner said. “Just ask?”
“I haven’t had a minute alone with her yet.”
“Judging from the way you two are, I can’t imagine she would say no.”
“But she might,” I said quietly. I quickly glanced toward the kitchen, but I couldn’t see her. I could hear the sounds of plates and silverware being placed on the table. “I’m not sure how I’d handle that. She told me how her mom often says marriage shouldn’t happen before you are thirty or something.”
“Nicole isn’t her mom.”
“True.”
We didn’t say anything for a minute, and I just stared down at my hand, which covered the pocket containing a small, black satin box.
“So…you’re okay with me moving closer?” Gardner asked.
“Yeah,” I said. “That would be great.”
“Will you consider going to the same school for art?”