73. Ollie
Chapter 73
Ollie
I don’t bother with the radio, and we’re quiet the whole drive home.
It’s my fault, I’ve burst the bubble. What should feel like the start of something is now the beginning of the end. It was stupid of me to think this would ever go any other way. Megan doesn’t take chances, she needs plans. What the fuck am I playing at?
When she heads inside, I stay behind to clean the van and make a few adjustments to storage. You can spend hours researching the best way to design a van layout, thousands in my case, but only spending time in it will show you what works and what doesn’t.
Fitting a drawer for Megan’s stuff was a dumb fucking idea. I should have known how badly this would end the minute I started asking for her opinion on handles.
I tuck our photos from the cafe into the visor, the only evidence I’ll have of her. A montage plays in my mind. That day in her parent’s house when I bumped into her coming out of the shower, her trying to fit a lock on her bedroom door the wrong way round. Friday nights and Saturday mornings. Facemasks and movies and requests on the guitar.
This year has been unexpected in so many ways, but mostly because she’s shown me what home can really feel like. Of course, she wouldn’t want to leave all of that behind.
She’s curled up in a ball, reading on the sofa, when I finally drag myself inside. Sunday nights should be spent snuggling, soaking up every second together before the start of a new week of work. I want to join her, but won’t let myself take another step.
“I think it would be best if I sleep in my room tonight.” She looks up from her book, and I stare at my feet. “We need to go back to being just roommates.”
“Roommates,” she repeats.
“Cohabitees.”
“Cohabitees?” she bursts out laughing, but her hand flies to her mouth as she tries to catch it. Nothing about this is funny and I’m sure if I looked up, I’d see tears in her eyes. “Since when are you so serious?”
“Since the woman I’ve fallen for doesn’t want me back.”