That was such an Oliver answer. I forced myself to nod in agreement, but the casual way he delivered those words stung a little.

This was all expected. Me getting a job. Him heading off to another adventure. Everything was right with the world. Yet I found my own personal universe thrown completely out of orbit.

Logically, I knew that Oliver was never going to make some grand gesture, like begging me to come with him. And logically, I knew I’d have no business exploring a life like that. However, the irrational, subconscious parts of me that I’d been working overtime to quell desperately wanted Oliver to make a move. Say something. Say that he couldn’t imagine letting me go. Or say that he didn’t have the answers, but we’d figure it out together. I secretly wanted him to tell me that losing me wasn’t an option.

Finally, I said, “Who knows? Maybe you could swing by New York sometime. I could show you around.”

Oliver’s face fell, and my stomach dipped when I saw the pained expression twisting his features.

“Probably best to remember this as it is now. The perfect, fleeting moment in time.”

I bit down hard on my lip and forced my gaze not to drop. Something like embarrassment ate away at my gut. Here I was, fantasizing about him not letting me go. Meanwhile, he was all too fine with never seeing me again. It wasn’t like he hadn’t been up front about who he was. He wasn’t a long-term type of guy.

It didn’t matter if I had fallen for him. This was ending in the way it was always supposed to. I couldn’t wish for a rule change this late in the game.

Oliver’s eyes scanned mine. “Frankie…” But his words trailed off to nothing as his eyes jerked to the doorway. I turned.

An older woman with dark hair pulled back into a braid entered the room. Her features were dark and her eyes all too familiar.

“Mom?” Oliver questioned.

I sprang from his bed and took a step back.

“Are you alright? The doctors wouldn’t tell me anything.” Her voice shook as she walked into the room.

Oliver sprang up from where he sat perched on the hospital bed, the thing in his arm monitoring something pulling taut as a result. “What are you doing here?” he demanded, clearly in shock.

I winced, feeling guilty. This was definitely my fault.

“Nathan told me, and I caught a flight late last night. I spent the night in the Denver airport, and flew straight here.”

Oliver groaned. “How did Nathan know? I haven’t called anyone.” He pulled his hand from his face and turned to look back at me.

“I texted Lila,” I offered. “I thought Harrison would want to know. He must have told Nathan.”

Oliver let out a jagged sigh before opening his arms and giving his distraught-looking mother a hug. He still towered over her, but she was tall. Maybe five foot ten.