Chapter 29
“OKAY, OKAY, BUT HOW DID HE FIND OUT?” Henry asked.
It was almost eight, and we were alone in the hot shop.
He was perched on his stool while I focused on the furnace and twirled my blowpipe, gathering glass.
James and Isa had left late in the afternoon, and my parents had gone to bed an hour ago, still operating on Paris time.
Henry had raced over after I’d texted: My dad thinks “Fair Winds” has a nice ring to it…
“Do you remember Sandy and Ron?” I said. “Our first guests?”
“Of course. Sandy wanted to explore every corner of Connecticut while Ron wanted to binge every corner of Netflix”—he wrinkled his nose—“and season every meal with Old Bay.”
I rolled my eyes. “Henry, I suspect it was only one meal.”
“It certainly didn’t smell like it!”
“Well,” I said, “it turns out Ron and my dad used to work together.”
His eyes widened. “What?”
“Yes.” I nodded. “Before we moved to Vienna, my dad and Ron were colleagues. They weren’t that close, but they’re still Facebook friends. Sandy posted some photos from their trip and tagged Ron.”
“Which means it showed up on your dad’s feed,” Henry concluded. His brow furrowed. “He didn’t show your mom?”
Henry waited as I blew a bubble and then capped the pipe with my thumb so it would inflate.
“Nope,” I said. Luckily, my mom found Facebook insufferable; she’d deleted her account ages ago. “It turns out he’s always thought the carriage house would make a great Here-to-Stay, and he thought this looked like a promising trial run.”
When I’d asked him why he didn’t immediately call me about it, he reiterated my mom’s mantra: We trust you, Audrey.
I was still shaking my head in disbelief.
Henry whistled. “Are you going to tell your mom? Now that it’s over?”
“We agreed I should, but not until I’m like thirty-five… when it doesn’t matter anymore.” I giggled as I flashed the bubble. “She might even find it funny.”
He looked at me wryly. “Here’s hoping!”
We shared a smile, and as I worked on a vase, I told him about my conversation with my parents.
About us finally being on the same page, or at least in the same chapter.
“My dad said he’d help me plan a gap year, but I’m really excited to hear back from Temple, and to talk to Trina again.
It could work, you know?” I sighed. “I mean, of course you know. It was basically your idea.”
“Not really.” Henry shook his head. “The gap year suggestion, sure, but the details are all you.” He smiled. “Who knew that you would find something close to clarity by throwing a kegger?”
Laughing, I turned to flash the vase, but took a clumsy step and accidentally knocked it on the edge of the furnace.
It promptly broke off my pipe and shattered on the concrete floor.
“Shit, I’m sorry,” Henry said. “I’m distracting you.”
“No, it’s okay,” I replied. “I’m just messing around.” I quenched my blazing pipe to cool it off, then started cleaning up the shards. Henry moved to help, but I waved him away. Even if my work broke, it felt like such a luxury to be able to blow regularly again.
But I found I had neither the patience nor focus to start over, not when I felt endless threads of energy coursing through the room, from Henry to me and from me to Henry. I had no idea how to bottle them, yet I wanted to—desperately.
“Henry Chen,” I said, putting down my blowpipe. “I think we should be together.”
Something flashed in Henry’s eyes.
I held up my hand so he wouldn’t speak. “I know part of why you don’t want to be is because you want to protect our friendship, but I’m afraid I have some disappointing news.
” I took a breath. “It’s too late to play it safe.
After last night, I cannot be solely best friends with you.
I can try, but it’s not going to make me happy.
” My voice wavered a bit. “And I don’t think it’s going to make you happy either. ”
“Audrey, I meant what I said at prom,” Henry said as I closed the distance between us. “I want you to be free to do anything and go anywhere you want. I never want you to pass up an opportunity because of me.”
My cheeks warmed. “God, what is it about that line? Everyone’s been using it lately.
” I snorted. “What if what I want is you? Why can’t I have both?
Why can’t I work at becoming a great glassblower and also have you?
” I reached to run a hand through Henry’s hair, hoping it wasn’t for the last time.
“Whether I’m in North Carolina or Philadelphia…
” Tears pooled in the corners of my eyes at the realization that I had a real plan in the works.
One I was truly excited about, confident in, and that my parents would support.
If glassblowing at Temple was possible, I knew my path involved Wharton after my Blue Ridge fellowship.
My gut told me it was possible, and the perfect match for me.
“I want other things, too,” I resumed, “but I especially want you, Hank.” I squeezed his hand.
“Long-distance relationships are intimidating, but they don’t always end.
My parents are mostly long distance, and they thrive off it.
” I tried to smile. “And I know we’re not like my parents, but we’re also not like your parents.
We’re Audrey and Henry, and we can figure it out.
Especially with the help of a calendar and an Amtrak schedule—not to mention the fact that I am obsessed with you.
” I took a deep breath. “And I know you feel the same.”
Henry blinked before nodding slightly, and then we stood there in silence. The longer I waited, the more my heart throbbed.
Is this what heartbreak feels like? I wondered. I was teetering on the edge of it. He had to feel the same way, right?
“I had a dream last night,” Henry finally said.
Before I could stop myself, I rolled my eyes.
A dream? Really?
“I have a point,” he added quietly. “I promise.”
I swallowed the lump in my throat and indulged him. “You never remember your dreams.”
He shook his head. “Untrue. I remember one where—”
“You solved New York City’s rat problem,” I finished for him. “Fine, who could ever forget that…”
“I still think releasing all those cats could work.”
I snorted. “What was this dream about?”
He smirked. “It’s a real roller coaster.”
I mimed buckling a seat belt.
“It all started at Sandwitch,” he said. “You and I were getting lunch, but then Griff Keeler appeared out of nowhere and had this absolutely deranged plan to…”
As advertised, his dream went all over the place.
And it sounded like something I’d heard before…
Or, more accurately, something I’d lived already.
It involved renting my carriage house as a Here-to-Stay, an entire tin of Old Bay, getting high off pot brownies, falling asleep in my pool, wondering if I’d save Henry if he started to drown, a broken pitcher and stolen family heirlooms, Ellie in tears over him instead of Chase, Griff letting everyone down in little ways that never seemed to add up, Henry fighting with me in a phone booth, his Uber refusing to take him to my house after prom, my letting absolute strangers inhabit Fair Winds, and throwing a party that was not only unhinged but also highly illegal.
It ended with Henry needing to navigate roadwork on the way to see me.
(Henry hated construction.)
“How is that a dream?” I asked once he finished, trying to keep a straight face. “It sounds like a nightmare.”
“No way.” He shook his head. “It wasn’t a nightmare; it was definitely a dream.” He tilted his head, smiled a little. “Because you were in it.”
My stomach stirred. “Henry…”
Henry stood there looking at me, his deep-brown eyes numbing the backs of my knees. His voice was low. “I’m a little more than obsessed with you.”
I sheepishly smiled, feeling heat swirl in my chest. “I know.”
“If we can survive the craziness of the last few weeks, Hepburn, I know we can do anything together.” His free hand went to my waist and my breath caught, my heart going molten when he leaned close. “I love you, Audrey. So much more than I can ever express.”
“Try,” I murmured before his lips brushed mine. “Give me a Hollywood kiss.”
He grinned and did.