Page 58 of Promising You
“Yeah. My family rents a place on the beach every summer.”
“Harper said summer rentals in California are like $4000 a week. That’s way too much. I can’t make enough money to pay for that.”
“You’re not backing out on this, Jade. We both want to do this and I’m not letting your stubbornness prevent us from going.”
“But it costs a fortune. And that doesn’t even count food and—”
He kisses me while I’m still talking and keeps kissing me until I stop.
“We’re done talking about money. We’re going to California this summer and we’re getting a place right on the beach. And we’re getting a good place, not a cheap, run-down place.”
“Yeah, but—”
“Jade, I don’t want to hear it. You don’t get many opportunities like this. Once we graduate and get jobs we won’t be able to do stuff like this anymore. Now is the time to just have fun and not worry about shit. We’re going. And I don’t want to hear one more word about how much it costs, now or when we’re there. I have it covered. Rent, food, and anything else we need.”
“You know I can’t just go there and not pay for anything.”
“Why not? I swear, I don’t understand you and this money thing. Just let it go.”
“I can’t. I still feel like I owe you when you keep buying me things. Like I have this huge mountain of debt to pay back.”
“You don’t owe me anything. Stop thinking that. And stop saying it.”
“What if we broke up? Then I’d owe you.”
“We’re back to this now? Dammit, Jade. I thought you were done with this breakup shit.”
He’s mad because I spent all of last semester telling him I was sure we’d break up. We’d had several fights about it.
“I’m not planning on us breaking up, but that doesn’t mean it won’t happen. And if it does, I’ll have to spend the rest of my life paying you back. I already owe you a ton of money for those plane tickets.”
He takes a deep breath and lets it out. “Okay. This is the last time we’re talking about this. Just so you’re clear. If we break up, you will not owe me anything. You will not owe my family anything. You can leave free and clear with no debt. Do you need that in writing? Because I can have something official drawn up by my dad’s lawyer.”
I smile. “No. I believe you.”
“So you promise you won’t bring up the money issue ever again? And you’ll let me pay for stuff?”
“I can’t promise you that.”
“Then I’ll withhold sex until you do.”
The comment along with the stern look on his face makes me laugh.
“I’m serious, Jade.”
“There’s no way in hell you wouldn’t have sex with me. All I have to do is put on a skirt.”
He thinks about it. “Nope. I could resist you. That’s how tired I am of this money discussion. I just want it to end.”
I consider testing him and seeing if he actuallywouldhold out on me. But I really don’t want that. And I did secretly make a New Year’s resolution to stop worrying so much about money.
“Okay. I promise.”
“Wow, that was easy.” He kisses me, then stays close to my lips. “Guess you’re not willing to give up sex. I must be good.”
“You’re okay,” I say, taking his ego down a notch. “I was really just trying to avoid arguing about it. That’s all.”
His cocky grin appears. “Yeah, I’m sure that was the reason.”
