Page 75 of Always Be My Pumpkin

‘Just let me finish, please.’ I press my fingers to his lips. ‘You’ve been honest with me. Let me be honest with you.’ My voice wobbles. ‘I have a whole party piece prepared.’

I try a shaky smile and his face softens. I reach up and touch his cheek with my fingertips. ‘Let me ask what I want to ask, in my own crazy way. And then I promise, it’s up to you.’

I lift my hand to signal Sarah, and she nods and leans over the jukebox. Then Audrey rings her bell again and roars, ‘Time!’ And everyone stands and holds up their signs again.

I hop onto the table and sit sideways, so I’m facing Flynn, but the crowd can see me too. I promised them a party piece, and I think they’ll have my back, even if I lose it and start crying halfway through.

The opening chords of my song start. Then it hits me that I haven’t told Flynn there’s a theme with this song. I doubt he’s seen those movies in ten years, and I’m not sure he realises I’m Bella. He’s still sitting on the couch, gazing up at me, and I lean down and take his face in my hands. ‘By the way, before I start, this would make much more sense if you were dressed as a vampire.’

He looks up at me, lost, then the corners of his mouth twitch a smile.

‘Twilight,’ he whispers.

And my breath catches because he’s so beautiful to me, even as a fluorescent orange pumpkin. I drop my hands from his face, prod his middle, and smile back. ‘Yeah. But this is way cuter. And more you.’

‘Sing the damn song, honey!’ Sarah yells at the top of her voice, and the crowd cheers.

Christina Perri is already through the first verse, so I summon all my courage and gaze down at Flynn as I belt out the chorus. And I absolutely kill it, though not in a good way.

Then Sarah joins in, and soon everybody’s singing ‘A Thousand Years’ at the top of their lungs. And Flynn wraps his arms around my hips and drops his head into my lap, and I feel him shaking, and I know he’s crying, but I hope it’s because he’s happy, and then I remember.

‘Shit, shit, shit,’ I blurt wildly. Then, ‘Keep singing everyone!’

I lean down to Flynn, head still buried in my lap, and I curl my fingers in his hair. ‘I forgot my signs.’ I kiss the smooth skin at the side of his jaw and my skin sizzles at the warmth of him, the sweet heady scent. ‘They’re the most important part. You have to look.’

He sniffs and wipes his eyes with the heel of his hand. And I grab my bundle from behind him and do a quick check that they’re in order.

And as the crowd belts out the last chorus, I hold them to my chest, and show them to Flynn, one by one. Just like Love Actually, and a million cheesy copies that I’ve seen. Because sometimes you want to be as cheesy and embarrassing as it gets, to prove you don’t give a damn about anything, except the person right in front of you, the person you love most in the world.

I watch his face as he reads.

Stay

Flynn

Please

Stay

With

Me

Always.

Flynn’s body trembles but his eyes are warm and bright as he wraps himself around me and pulls me close. So close I know he’ll never let me go. And I see the promise in his gaze as he holds my face in his hands and whispers the only word I need to hear.

‘Always.’

Epilogue

New Year’s Day

‘Promise me,’ I say as I look out over the lake.

‘I promise.’

‘You won’t take any crap.’