More Issues In Aruba | ✔️

Chapter 25

"I hope I can keep it that way."

Keep it that way.

Right.

Of course, gravity pull me back down from the clouds. We still had important things to discuss.

I took a deep breath and leaned forward. "I wanted to ask you something."

"Shoot."

I bit my lip, terrified of what this conversation was going to do to our relationship. "What is going to happen with us when we go back home?"

He paused before placing hands in his lap. "Does anything have to change?"

"Nate, we haven't even established if we're actually together. We agreed to take it slow and see where things are going, but how easy is that going to be once we get back home to our busy lives?"

He thought this over. "Have you decided on an answer yet?"

I furrowed my brows. "An answer about what?"

He pursed his lips, his eyes flashing disappointment. "About my trip to Europe."

I slowly closed my eyes and leaned back in my chair.

What a fool I'd been. How could I have forgotten about that? I had made my decision, I was just postponing my delivery about it.

"I...can't go."

He crossed his arms. "I see."

"No, you don't understand Nate. I want to go, but I literally can't," I explained in a hurry before he got more upset. "I have something to do when we get back. Something very important that I haven't told anyone about yet."

This concerned him, and he leaned forward a bit. "What is it?"

I actually felt nervous saying it aloud because I hadn't even admitted it to myself that it was real yet. "I have an interview for Time magazine. The editor-in-chief called me about a first writer position that opened up and I was recommended."

Nate's jaw dropped for a few seconds before he collected himself. I couldn't help but smile at his expression because of how endearing it was. "Haley, no one is more deserving of that opportunity than you. I mean it."

Ugh. His words...

"Thank you so much, Nate. I appreciate that," I nodded, letting out a breath I had been holding awaiting his response.
"It still hasn't hit me. It doesn't feel real, I mean, Time magazine? Not in a million years did I ever think I'd even have a chance there."

"I don't, for one second, think that this job could go to anyone else. Literally anyone else. I'm incredibly happy for you. And so, so proud!" He continued. Then, his face slowly faded of any joy. "But, that does mean you can't go to Europe with me."

I shook my head solemnly. "I would love to Nate, I really would."

He nodded, forcing a half-hearted smile. "I know. And for an opportunity of a lifetime that is way more important than some silly trip. It'll be good for me to have some time for myself since I haven't had any in years. But...it would have been fun to have you there with me."

"I'll be waiting for you when you get back," I offered him my word and truly meaning it.

"Honestly, Haley...I don't think either of us were ready for each other three years ago. But, we know better now. We've grown up and we know what we want. Do we have to wait until I come back to pick things back up?" He looked at me with hope.

"Well, let's walk through it. We get back home on Friday, we have the weekend, then you leave for Europe on..."

"That following Monday," He answered me.