Page 105 of Fake It For Love (Faux Love)
RYAN
Ifelt like I was swimming in shark-infested waters. I kept my eyes open and waited for Claire to return. I spotted her gliding across the sidewalk toward the tent. Once again, she took my breath away. She was smiling and laughing with Norah. She looked so free and pretty.
“There you are,” I said and pulled her into my arms.
“Here I am,” she said. “I am officially done for the night.”
“I’ll get you a drink.”
I returned with a mojito, which seemed to be one of her favorites. We stayed out of the way of the crowd and watched people dance and enjoy themselves. “Dance with me,” I said.
She looked up at me with surprise. “Really?”
“Really.”
“Let me take off my heels,” she said and sat down.
I took off my shoes and stuffed my socks inside before rolling up my pantlegs a bit. I took her hand and led her out to the sandy dance floor. Luckily for me, it was a slow song. I pulled her against me and rocked back and forth. Overhead, the twinkle lights swayed in the wind. I could hear the waves swishing in and out whenever there was a lull in the music.
It was a perfect moment. I wanted to tell her I was ready for more. I had fallen for her and wanted her to know how serious I was about her. After spending this evening with her, surrounded by love and the talk of a future, it felt contagious. I could see my future and it included her. There was something about her that I had never found in anyone else. She was genuine. There was nothing fake about her. She said what she felt. And I loved the idea of her looking out for me. My whole life I’d been the biggest in class. I was an older brother. I was always supposed to be looking out for someone else. I didn’t know if I necessarily needed a protector, but I was glad she was in my corner.
“I’m not a terrible dancer when I don’t have to move,” I joked.
She smiled up at me. “You’re not a terrible dancer at all.”
“You’re a liar, but I’ll take it.”
A sad expression crossed her face. She looked down and rested her head against my shoulder. I felt a change in her. Earlier, she’d been so happy. I sensed sadness. Maybe it was because the wedding was over. Her best friend was starting a new journey. I could understand a sense of sadness with a chapter in her life coming to close.
“I hate that this is all over in a week,” she murmured.
I wasn’t sure I’d heard her right. I pulled back just enough. “What?”
“It sucks that this is all coming to an end.”
“It doesn’t have to,” I said.
“We need to be realistic,” she said. “I’ve had so much fun, but we both know this ends when we leave here.”
“What are you talking about?” I asked.
“I live in Geneva. I work full time ten months out of the year. You fly around the world all the time. You told me you have houses all around the world and you never stay in one place long. A relationship would never work.”
I couldn’t believe what I was hearing. This wasn’t happening. I took her hand, pulled her off the dance floor, and headed for the beach. “Where are we going?” she asked.
“I want to talk.” I stopped walking when we could actually hear each other without shouting. “What did you say back there? I don’t think I heard you right.”
“You heard me,” she said.
“What changed? Things are so good.”
She sighed and shook her head. “I don’t know. I guess I’m looking around us and realize this ends soon. It’s not realistic to think we’re going to be able to have a relationship. This thing is nothing more than a stunt for the people we used to know. We both wanted to try and prove something to a bunch of stuck-up, trust-fund kids. They aren’t those same people. They’ve grown up. They would have accepted us regardless of if we’re single or together.”
I shook my head as if it would clear out the words. “Why would you say that?” I asked. “I thought we had something good here.”
“Here, we do. Back home, we don’t.”
“You don’t even want to try and make something work?” I asked with disbelief.
