12 - Tom

I'd tried calling her as we finished up this morning but got no answer, and all of my texts sat unread. I knew she'd be up by now; her shop had opened two hours ago so to say I was starting to get worried is an understatement. I'd decided I'd just swing by and tell her good morning, that seemed like something a normal boyfriend would do.

"Isn't that Chris?" Gerald asks, drawing my attention. "Guess we know where he ran off to."

Sure enough Chris was just getting into his car that was parked outside of Eliza's shop, smiling at the cameras as they flashed. What was he doing here? He hadn't been any help yesterday evening when I'd needed advice, and made no attempt to hide that he didn't like what Ericka and I were doing so why was he here.

Gerald pulls into the spot Chris's car had been in and gets out, opening my door for me. I walk through the door, smiling at the cameras as well and look around but don't spot Eliza.

"She's upstairs." Calls one of her employees from the kitchen.

I node my thanks and head up, my nerves stretching thinner with each step climbed. The door at the door wasn't closed all the way so I push it open slowly. Everything seemed to be in order but Eliza wasn't in the kitchen or living room which meant she was in her bedroom.

I raise my hand to knock on the door only to have it swing open startling me.

"For the love of Odin!" Eliza hisses, jumping back, startled as well.

"Odin?" I ask raising an eyebrow with a chuckle.

She rolls her eyes and wipes her hands across her face. Had she been crying? It looked like it.

"How was the shoot?" She asks slipping past me heading for the kitchen area.

"Cold. What's wrong?"

She didn't answer, just pulling out a box of strawberries they'd bought the day before. Rinsing them in the sink she sets them on the counter and turns to look at me, her face set in a pleasant smile.

"Nothing. I'm surprised you aren't at your hotel heading to bed. Did you need something?"

She'd schooled her face but I still saw the difference from the way she looked at me only yesterday. Had Chris said or done something to upset her? He knew how I felt for her after last night so surely he wouldn't have done something stupid.

"I wanted to check on you, I haven't been able to reach you all morning. Wanted to make sure you were alright."

She glances at the far side of the kitchen and I follow her gaze. Her phone laid there, plugged in and I was more confused than ever.

"I'd forgotten to plug my phone in before bed last night and was dead when I got up. Why wouldn't I be alright?"

"Oh. I just hadn't heard from you."

She grabs a berry from the box and eats it as she crosses to her phone and powers it up; it had indeed been completely off. Unplugging it she watches the screen as she walks back to the berries. Her eyebrows knit together as I hear several notifications start popping in and she looks up at me raising her eyebrows.

"Four missed calls and seven texts? Why didn't you just ask Gerald if you were that concerned, he was here right before the shop opened dropping the coffee tanks back off?"

I'd been surprised when I'd seen the tanks but hadn't thought about how they'd have gotten there really. Of course it'd been Gerald.

"Because I wanted to talk to you. About yesterday after we left the market..."

She holds her hand up, berry between her thumb and index finger, "You've nothing to explain. Katy says they got some pretty good pictures."

They had indeed. I'd swiped one of the crew's copy of the gossip magazine and had read it. I'd been surprised by how nice they were being about how quickly I'd started seeing her after the rejected proposal. They seemed to like her and that was rare for a magazine that thrived on gossip. Had she not read them herself?

"You sure everything is okay?"

She might've been doing a good job of keeping her facial features in check but there was definitely a wall between them that hadn't been there before. Was she mad I hadn't walked her in yesterday? I guess I couldn't be too mad for her putting up a wall since that'd basically been what I'd done the whole ride back here. Come to think of it, it was the first time they hadn't held hands while in the car.

"I'm sure." She nodes, "What party Friday?" She asks finally looking up from her phone.

"Filming wraps up Thursday and there's going to be a big party Friday night. Press will be there; kind of like a movie premiere."

"Oh okay. What do I wear?"

I wanted to tell her she could show up in her pajamas as far as I was concerned but I didn't think she'd appreciate it. Whatever had caused her to build her wall I had to find a way to fix it.

"It's a formal event."

"Then I guess I'll make it a good last night together. Any particular color or style dress you'd prefer?"

"I just need you there." I say smiling shyly.

The smile I'd been hoping to get in response isn't as bright as it should've been and I know I'd messed something up.

"Then I'll be there. Was there anything else? I'm sure you're tired and ready to crawl into your bed."

I didn't miss the way she'd specified my bed as if her's was off limits now. I knew she couldn't get in bed with me like she had before, she had to go downstairs, but if I went back to my bed I'd be across town. But I wouldn't push it when I'd already strained our relationship. I had four days to make it up to her and make things right again. Hopefully it wasn't too late.

"You can sleep here if you'd rather." She asks, a crack forming in her wall.

"You sure?" I ask feeling hopeful for the first time since I'd walked in.

"Up to you. I'll move my laptop out here so I don't disturb you."

"If you're sure it's okay. I don't want to put you out if you've got work to do."

"Good thing about writing, I can do it anywhere."

She puts the berries back in the refrigerator and crosses to stand in front of me. My hearts starts racing having her so near. She reaches up with both hands and cups my face, rubbing her thumbs lightly across cheeks.

"Get some sleep Tom."

She smiles sadly up at me and then walks into her room, bringing her laptop out with her and setting it on the couch. I didn't like leaving things as they were, knowing she was upset because of me but I didn't know how or if I could fix it.

"Hey, what was Chris doing here?" I ask as she places her hand on the door handle to go back downstairs.

"He came to get Elsa a treat. You've got a good friend."

"He didn't upset you did he?"

"He's just looking out for you; can't fault him there. I'll be downstairs if you need me."

And with that she slipped out the door, closing it softly behind her leaving me alone. After a quick text to Gerald that he had the afternoon off and I was ready to shower and get some sleep.

Remembering what Eliza had said at the farmers market I go into the bedroom and look at the shelf above her desk. There were several books, fourteen in all, of varying sizes as well as dozens of screenplays. Did she really have that many out in the world? Judging from a separate stack of screen plays on the corner of the desk itself it appeared so. I debate picking one up to read but I decide against it. She hadn't said I couldn't read them, but she hadn't said I could either and I'd already put our relationship on rocky ground; I didn't need to possibly make it worse.

Pulling my phone out of my pocket I send Chris a quick text.

"What did you say to Eliza?"

"What did she say I said?" He replies back almost immediately.

"I didn't ask her but she's upset. You didn't tell her what we spoke about did you?"

"Of course not. But she deserves to know the truth."

What was I supposed to do, go up to her and tell her I was falling in love with her? That wasn't what she'd agreed to. That the thought of leaving her in four days and never seeing her again filled me with a complete sense of dread?

"I know you're scared of getting hurt again, but isn't not telling her going to hurt just as much?"

He did have point but it didn't make it any easier to say the words; especially now that she'd put up a wall. What if she didn't believe me? What if she thought she was just a rebound for me? I didn't want to hurt her any more than I apparently had yesterday. Could she have gotten hurt because she was developing feelings for me to and I'd seemed to pull away on the ride back?