“Oliver!” I scolded, shaking my head.

Maybe it should feel strange sitting with a guy I was only casually dating in the hospital, but it didn’t. Nothing felt weird with Oliver.

I chewed the inside of my cheek before finally spitting out the words I had been dreading. “I got the job. Found out yesterday.”

Oliver’s eyes widened and he sat up in bed. His smile never faltered, but I noticed the vein bulge slightly in his neck. The same way it always did when he tensed. It was so rare, but I’d come to recognize it.

“Of course you did! Congrats, Frankie.” He grabbed my hand and tugged me toward him, wrapping me in a hug.

“I’ve been waiting to hear back for so long, it’s surreal to finally have a start date and everything.”

His grip tightened around me and my heart cracked a little. “When is it?”

“Next week.”

He pulled away to cup my face before brushing his lips to mine. “I’m so fucking proud of you.”

That familiar burn of tears roared at the back of my eyelids. One escaped before I could stop it.

Oliver’s eyebrows pinched together as he brushed my cheek with his thumb. “No crying on my watch. This is amazing news.”

I let out a shaky breath. “I’m happy.” I sounded like I was trying to convince myself.

“You look it,” Oliver said with mock seriousness.

“Shut up.” I tried to pull away, but his gentle grasp held me in place.

“What’s going on in that head of yours?” he asked.

I sucked in a breath through my nose, trying to sort through my thoughts like I was rifling through a jumbled file cabinet. “I’m happy I got it,” I repeated. “I’m-I’m excited about the fresh start in New York.”

“Then why the tears?” he asked.

“I guess I’m just mourning this.” I waved my hand between the two of us. “This tiny little taste of whatever this was. Dinners with you at Marie’s. You trying to drag me on some outdoorsy adventure I’m bound to be terrible at. Learning something new together—we haven’t even conquered cooking yet.”

“The last dish was almost edible,” he said.

That made me laugh through my tears. “Being close to my sister too,” I continued. “Having coffee with her every morning and seeing her whenever I want. It’s stupid, but I never realized how incredible all the little things could be.”

Oliver wiped away another tear. “That isn’t stupid at all. I’ve thoroughly enjoyed experiencing all those things with you too. And hey, we still have another week of it. Don’t go saying your goodbyes to me already.”

I sniffed and leaned into his hand, letting him tangle his fingers in my wild, bedhead-riddled hair. “I know. It’s just bittersweet.” Even as I said the words, all I tasted was the bitterness.

Oliver offered me a lazy grin. “Why waste energy on feeling the weight of an ending when we should be celebrating what a ride it was?”