Jackson’s eyes softened. “Crush, huh?”
I shook my head.
“No, that’s a lie.”
He quirked an eyebrow at me.
“He’s my best friend, actually. And I’m in love with him.”
Jackson’s smile was so wide and warm that I almost melted to the floor. He motioned his head forward, and I turned to where he was looking, my gaze landing on the Polaroid board.
The empty space I’d left when I ripped down the photo of us at graduation had been filled by the photo Jackson took of us at the beach, back in July during our perfect day in Holland. Jackson was resting his chin on my shoulder, his arm tucked around me, smiling so wide his eyes crinkled. My eyes were closed in the photo, but I was facing toward him with a smile on my lips. We looked happy, and we looked in love. It told me everything I needed to know.
I turned back to Jackson, and he took a step toward me.
“Can I touch you now, Addie?”
“Yes,” I whispered.
He was up against me in an instant, pushing me back against the shelf, causing empty containers to fall to the ground around us. A hand was in my hair, his thumb rubbing against my jaw, the other on my hip, keeping us pressed together.
“Don’t ever stop touching me again,” I pleaded as I lifted his shirt off his head, kissing along his collarbone to the freckle I’d missed so much.
“I’m in love with you, Addison,” Jackson said as he kissed down my neck. As if I didn’t already know.
I ran my fingers up the back of his head, feeling the strands of his hair. “Say it in my favorite way,” I teased.
He stood up straighter, with a smile so beautiful I took a mental picture and buried it deep in my memory bank.
“You’re my best friend, period.” He leaned forward and kissed me; the kind of Jackson kiss I remembered. The one that felt like a beginning. Then he said against my lips, “And I love you, period.”
Epilogue
July, Two Years Later
Igasp when I feel the baby kick under my hand, my eyes shooting up to look at Jackson. He chuckles at me, shaking his head. I had already felt the baby kick three times today, but every time I felt that little foot, I get just as excited as I was the first time.
“Okay, leave the poor thing alone,” Jackson says as he guides me away from Julie.
“But I love feeling her little feet!” I whine, my arms outstretched toward Julie’s belly, attempting to get one last feel.
Julie clasps her hands over her round bump, rubbing a thumb back and forth. “I promise when she’s born you can hog her all you want.”
“It’s a deal,” I say with a megawatt smile.
Jackson and I move to our seats, watching Marie try to get everyone to quiet down so she can announce the rules of the baby shower game we’re about to play.
Julie and Britt are having a daughter in a month, and we’re all over the moon with excitement.
Jackson grabs my hand under the table, bringing it up and setting our intertwined fingers on the table.
It’s been two years, and I still get giddy over the fact that I can hold his hand without worrying about who’s around to see.
Once I finished up the house, I put it on the market. I sold it to a family that could create their own happy memories inside it and make it a home.
Jackson no longer owns a portion of Delvecchios’ Restaurant. He had a long talk with his family about selling his side of the partnership to Rami. Everyone was ready to let it go—it was no longer the same with Phil gone, anyways. Sophie even graciously let us keep our Polaroids.
Jackson and I decided to move out to California to be closer to Julie and Britt now that they’re having a baby, and we’ve been here for almost a year now.
