Sign Your Name Across My Heart

Chapter twenty-nine

Hawthe drove me home and the whole time, I felt giddy. I couldn't believe he gave me enough money to cover all my bills and even more. I definitely didn't need as much money as he gave me but he said it himself - he's a helpful guy and this kind of money is like pennies to him. Maybe luck has finally found its way to me and I shouldn't be questioning it - just like how I question everything else in my life. Perhaps it's my turn to be pampered and treated right. And this way, I'll stay afloat for another month and a half - which gives me more time to focus on finding a job.

When he parks in front of my building, I unbuckle my seatbelt and I look at him. For some strange reason, I almost feel obligated to kiss him, but I don't. I simply lean across the middle compartment between us and I give him a tight hug. He gladly hugs me back and it actually looks like he wasn't expecting me to hug him at all.

I give him a happy smile as I leave the car but before I shut the door, I lean down and I say, "Thank you so much for tonight. I really appreciate it."

He's quiet for a while and it makes me wonder if he's going to say anything at all. I take a step back and he quickly opens his mouth to speak. "Libby, I want you to know that this is the kind of treatment you deserve. You're an amazing girl and I want to give you... Everything. I have this weird connection to you - this weird need to provide for you." He licks his lips swiftly. "I don't want you to work. I want you to stay home, I want you to relax. You've been through enough. Please, let me pay your rent, your groceries, whatever you need or want, okay? I wanted to tell you this over dinner but it just didn't feel like the right time. I also didn't want to... scare you off with how intense I'm probably being. I just want you to be taken care of." He rambled on and on and all I could do was hold my breath as my heart started to slam repeatedly against my chest. Intense is the right word to use for this whole situation. Despite it all, I only had one thing on my mind - why?

I decided it's only right to ask. "Why?" I blink rapidly. "Why do you want to do any of this for me? You don't even know me." I shake my head.

He lets out a deep sigh. "I don't know." He then lets out a tiny chuckle and shakes his head as well, running his hand through his hair. "I like you. You're just... different. You don't expect anything from me, you know how much money I have and what I do but you treat me normally. And I've never experienced that before. I want to show you how good I can make life for you. I like you... What can I say?"

I gulp. This is too much, all at once. Even with the thorough explanation, I still don't understand why he's saying any of this - why he wants to provide for me. "We're not even together, Hawthe. I-I just got out of a relationship wi-"

"I know. I know." He repeats. "I'm patient. I can be very, very patient. But I really like you Libby... Dinner tonight really showed me that the feelings I've been trying to suppress are impossible to ignore. Take your time, please. I don't want to pressure you. The choice is completely yours, of course. Just know that I can give you a lot." He rubs his lips together.

"Goodnight, Hawthe." I say, not knowing what else to add to this conversation. I feel overwhelmed, like my knees are about to buckle.

"Goodnight." He replies as I walk away, heading into my apartment.

Do I even like Hawthe like that? I know now that he does like me, this is why he's been doing all these favours for me - but I truly don't know how to feel.

Am I a petty slut for getting with Ash's boss or am I my own woman? I know it's the latter but I'm scared to be thought of by others as the petty slut.