“Oh . . .” I think for a moment. “I could stay here with him.”
Christopher frowns.
“Yeah, why not?” I shrug. “I don’t have to be back for anything. I’ll just stay here with him, and you and he can keep working, and then when the paperwork is ready, you can come back and collect him.”
“You’d do that for me?”
“Of course I’d do that for you. I’d do anything for you, Christopher.”
“Really?”
“You’re my best friend.” I smile.
His face falls. “You’ve friend zoned me?”
“Babe . . .” I shrug as I put my hand over his on the table. “We started out as friends, and we will always be friends.”
“But what about . . .”
“Our situation hasn’t changed, and no matter how much we care for each other . . .” My voice trails off, not wanting to say the words out loud.
“You’re right,” he agrees. “We will never work. I do know that.”
My heart drops. I was hoping he would tell me that there’s a solution to our problem.
Nothing has changed.
“So when will you leave?” I ask to change the subject.
“Tomorrow.”
“Oh.”
His eyes hold mine.
“So soon?”
“Yes.”
I nod, deflated. “Okay.”
“I’ll get you a nice apartment to stay in.”
“No, we’re okay here. Eddie can still work then, and it’s not so different for him.”
“Are you sure?”
“Yeah, of course.” I smile. “You go back to London and do what you have to do. We’ll be fine.”
I want to blurt out that I don’t care about my life plans anymore. As long as he is in them, then I can make do. But I know I can’t. I made my bed, and now I need to lie in it.
“I’ll be back as soon as I can for him.”
For him.
“Okay.” I force a smile. “He’s a lucky boy to have you take him on.”
“I’m the lucky one.”
We stare at each other and . . .
Oh . . .
My heart aches for this beautiful man.
Eddie saunters into the restaurant like a rock star, and Christopher smiles and waves him over. “Eddie, my man.”
“Hello, Hazen.” He smiles as he sits down beside me.
“Good morning, bubba.” I smile as I wipe the hair back from his forehead. He smiles down at me, and my heart melts. I do love this boy.
“Good news,” Christopher tells him. “They are organizing the paperwork for you to come and stay with me.”
Eddie’s eyes widen in excitement. “They are?”
“They are.” Christopher smiles. “But . . . it’s going to take a little while.”
“How long?”
“A few weeks, and I have work to do, so I’m going to go back to London.”
Eddie’s face falls.
“But Hazen is staying with you until I get back.”