“Who knew you were there?”
“Only Helen and my mom. Mom moved in with me three months ago to keep me company. Oh, and of course Taylor and Lance knew. It’s a miracle they didn’t say anything. We couldn’t even tell my aunt, uncle, or cousins.”
I shake my head, amazed. “What have you been doing this whole time?”
“Netflix, mostly. I saved anything time travel related for us to watch together, though. I also reada lot. I did leave the cottage sometimes, just not often. I stayed in the area and wore a face mask and hat.”
I laugh when I realize something. “Wait, you told me your mother’s boss’s cottage is near Alderville! You’ve beentwenty minutesfrom my hometown this whole time?”
He nods, grinning. “I mean, the Instagram post I left you did say Wednesday was taking mehome.”
I laugh. “I didn’t think you meantmyhome!” I realize something else. “Holy shit, you went to the Alderville library, didn’t you? My mother told me about you.”
He chuckles, turning a little bit pink. It’s adorable. “Busted.It wasn’t hard to find the science fiction–obsessed Indian librarian. What did she tell you about me?”
“She was delighted with you. She wanted to set me up with you.”
He laughs. “Really?” He lowers his eyes with a smoldering yet playful look. “So that means your mom would already approve of me asking you out?”
I can’t believe this is happening. I raise one brow. “Do you think I need my mother’s approval?”
He chuckles again, then slowly moves the computer and papers aside and stands. He’s taller than I remember. And soreal. Seeing him standing so close to me, I’m nowsurethat he’s the same person who made me feel like less of a disaster at the Halloween party. I remember that picture of us sitting together—me with my head on his shoulder. I want to be that close again.
He takes one step toward my bed and stops. I know this guy. I’m an expert on Jay Hoque. But I’m not an expert on his body language yet. So I wait for him to speak.
“Can I sit with you?” He indicates the bed I’m on.
I nod.
He sits. I can feel the warmth of his body. Smell his scent. It’s what sleeping in his bed smelled like. I’m aching to touch him, feel him really here instead of the ghostly sensation I felt sleeping in his bed. I lean toward him.
“So?” he says, looking into my eyes.
I squeeze my lips together. “So what?”
“Will you go out with me?”
“After everything, that’s all you want? Just a date?” I move closer to him. I can’t help it. He’s like a magnet. I decide this is my favorite momentever. Right now beats everything else.
He chuckles and leans even closer, and I can feel his breath on my face. “Well, no. I want a lot more than just a date. How about we start with this.” He puts a hand on my cheek, and my whole body tingles with the touch. I slip my hand in his hair, wanting to feel those dark waves between my fingers.
And finally, our lips touch. And it’s ... amazing. His lips are soft, and his arms wrap around me. I move closer, and it’s complete magic.
We fit here, in this physical space, as well as we fit together on ResConnect. He pulls me closer, and soon we’re half reclining on my bed. Soft kisses. Getting to know each other’s lips. I clutch him tight. This is Jay.MyJay that I’m kissing.
I could kiss him like this forever.
We almost do kiss like that forever, but eventually slow down. We end up lying on my bed with my head resting on his chest and his armaround me. My T-shirt is riding up a bit, and his fingers trail lightly across my skin, giving me goose bumps.
“Does that mean youwillgo out with me?” he says. I can feel his voice through me louder than I can actually hear it.
I smile. “Of course I will. I’m delighted you’re not dead.” I scoot up so I can lean into his neck and inhale. “I can’t believe this is real,” I whisper.
His hand moves to rub my back. “For five months, all I wanted was to talk to you,” he says softly. “Watch movies with you. Laugh with you. But mostly, I wanted to hold you. Like I used to when you were sleeping.”
He shifts so we’re face-to-face, and reaches out and puts his hand on my cheek. It’s warm, real, and alive. “Me too,” I say. “Except ... not the five-months part. The part I still don’t get is ... why are you here now? Why are you out of hiding?”
“Yesterday was my birthday. I’m twenty.”
