Page 63 of Flights and Sights

They both nodded and the next thing I knew, we were going down a rabbit hole talking about new flavors to put on the menu. It wasn’t going to be the easiest thing I’d ever done, loving someone who lived so far away, but… Wait. I pulled myself up short. Do I love him? Is that what we’re doing here?

I swallowed the lump forming in my throat and blinked away the tears stinging my eyes. I didn’t want to think about any of that right then. I just wanted to focus on my job.

***

By the time we closed up for the night, I was exhausted. I felt like I hadn’t stood that much or talked to that many customers in years, even though it had really only been less than a week since I’d stepped foot in the building. I collapsed on the couch at home, kicking off my shoes and taking a long, slow breath. My feet hurt. My eyes burned. All I wanted was to sleep.

Well, that and Callum. I wanted to be with him, have him there in my arms, way more than I wanted to sleep.

I let my eyes close for a second, and when I opened them again, it was to the sound of someone knocking on my door. Before I could reorient myself, Callum called my name.

“Pax? It’s just me.”

I sat up and rubbed my bleary eyes with the heels of my hands. “Hey,” I murmured sleepily, reaching out for him.

Callum came to the couch and sat next to me, where I put my arm around him and pulled him close for a quick kiss. “How was work?”

I sighed happily. “It was good. Tommy and Matty held things down pretty well. No problems, kept the taproom and the fermentation room under control, even came up with a new flavor they want to try.”

“That’s amazing,” he murmured, snuggling into my shoulder.

“I know. It’s nice to know I can count on them. Not that I ever doubted it.”

Callum nodded slowly but didn’t speak for a long moment. When he did, his words made my stomach clench with icy dread. “We need to talk.”

I pulled away from him so I could look him in the eye. “What’s wrong?”

His smile was sad and didn’t reach his eyes. “Nothing’s wrong. I just have something I want to tell you.”

I’ve decided we need to break up. I can’t do long-distance. It’s too much. The thoughts raced through my mind before he could say a word.

“I quit my job.”

My mouth fell open and I blinked at him a couple of times. That was not what I’d expected him to say. “You what? Why?”

He shrugged in a clear attempt to look casual. “I realized I didn’t want it anymore.”

“You’re going to go freelance for this trip?” I didn’t understand what this meant.

“No. I mean, not right now. I canceled the trip. I don’t have concrete work lined up for right now. I just…” He took a breath and swallowed, his throat working, his Adam’s apple bobbing.

I longed to kiss him, to suck a bruise into his throat right there, to claim him as mine and let the world see.

He sighed again. “I realized I couldn’t do both. I couldn't travel full time and have you in my life. It would be too painful to leave, knowing you’re here missing me. But it’s more than that. It’s not just that I can’t. I don’t want to.”

My mouth went dry, and words escaped me.

He paused for a long moment and I wasn’t sure if he was expecting me to speak, but I didn’t have words. Finally, he opened his mouth again. “I love you, Pax. I don’t want to be anywhere you’re not. And I understand if—”

My stomach somersaulted and heat bloomed in my chest. “I love you, too,” I said quickly.

Callum smiled slowly. “You do?”

I nodded. “Yeah. I do.”

“Okay then.”

We were both quiet for a bit, staring at each other with goofy, love-struck grins. “Now what?” I asked eventually.