“It wasn’t about handling it. First and foremost, I didn’t want to screw up our friendship. I valued it too much. I also didn’t want to make things uncomfortable between us. Plus…” I gave him another easily readable look.
“Dahlia.”
“Yeah.”
I hadn’t wanted to bring her up while we were lying in bed after just having some awesome sex. He was much more confident in that department now, too. That stemmed from me letting him do whatever he wanted to me to build that confidence. And we’d tried just about everything. Except for him bottoming for me. I hoped one day he would.
When I thought he was more comfortable, I’d approach that subject.
We lay there quietly for a while longer, letting the fact sink in that we both loved each other and that love wrapped a sort of cloak around us both.
At the time, I was stupid enough to assume our love would protect us. Of course, also at the time I didn’t know how wrong that would be.
“I’ve been thinking…” he started.
“Haven’t we both?”
He ignored my ribbing and finished, “About this summer.”
“What about it?” Truthfully, I wasn’t looking forward to us being apart. I certainly couldn’t go home with Tate since his parents still had no idea about him or us. I also didn’t know how they’d take it once they did. He’d already broken the news to them about Dahlia, but didn’t tell them why he broke it off. They’d been extremely disappointed since they thought she’d been a perfect match for him. Tate also hoped Dahlia wouldn’t tell them out of spite before he was ready.
Personally, after what she spewed in my dorm room the night Tate broke up with her, I wouldn’t put it past her to make trouble with them. He had a lot more faith in her than I did. But then, he had loved her and I didn’t.
But as much as I loved him, I wasn’t sure I could live with spending months away from each other. Maybe he felt the same way and that was why he was bringing up our summer break.
I had no firm plans whether to stay in Pittsburgh or head home. I needed to either find a better job or continue to work at the Power Center, if I stayed and was allowed to remain living on campus. I wasn’t sure yet if I could since I wasn’t enrolled in summer courses.
However, staying on campus would be cheaper than trying to rent an apartment on my own. I had planned on looking into it until Tate released my hand and rolled onto his side to face me.
“I applied for a summer internship at KDKA.”
I blinked and let that sink in since KDKA was a local television station and not in his home state of Virginia.
“And if you get it?” I asked, rolling to my side, too, so it was easier to read his face.
He smiled. “I already got it.”
I didn’t smile back because he’d kept it a secret from me. “Why didn’t you tell me?”
“I am.”
“I meant tell me that you applied,” I spelled out.
“Because I didn’t know if I’d get it and I didn’t want to disappoint you if I didn’t.”
“How would it have disappointed me?”
“Because I hoped…”
I raised one eyebrow as I waited for his explanation.
“I plan on getting my own place. Our current lease doesn’t cover the summers, so I’m going to find another apartment near campus. Once I do, you can stay with me.”
“For just the summer?”
“Until I graduate.”
“Without Thom and Jack?”
He nodded. “With you instead.”
My heart thumped. He wanted us to live together for both the upcoming summer and his senior year? Was I awake or was I dreaming?
While I was excited he wanted to take that step… “You know I’m required to live on campus my first two years, Tate.” Reality quickly smothered any eagerness about living with the man I loved.
“Well… you will be officially living on campus during the school year. You just won’t be spending a lot of time in your dorm.” He winked.
My stomach sank. “T, you know I can’t afford both room and board on campus, as well as half the rent and expenses of an apartment. I barely can afford my room and board. Without my scholarships and grants and—”
He pressed a finger to my lips to stop me. “I got it.”
I jerked my head away. “You got what?”
“The rent. The expenses. You worry about your room and board and I’ll worry about the rest.”
Whoa. “Tate, no. It was bad enough you bought me a damn MacBook. This is way bigger than that. It’s too much.”
“I don’t care.”
“I do!” I shot up in bed and stared down at him. Anger was beginning to bubble to the surface and I didn’t want us to have our first fight. “I’m not a charity case.”