Page 153 of Fall Fake-Out

“I just came out here to get the stuff from Ethan to decorate Jaxon’s car.”

“Ohhhh.” I glance around, my brain fully catching up.

Ethan laughs. “I offered to bring the decorations for Luke and Tate. I wasn’t stealing your girlfriend.”

“Oh, good.” I backpedal. “Glad we cleared that up.”

He points toward the wedding reception. “I'll give you guys a minute.”

He immediately disappears, leaving Ari and me standing alone in the parking lot.

She takes a step toward me. “So you love me?”

I laugh softly. “It appears so.”

Another step. “And how many other women have you said that to before?”

“You’re the first and the last.”

Her brows lift. “The last?”

“Yep.” It’s my turn to step toward her, closing the distance. I cup her face in my hands. “And you got my last first kiss too. I meant it when I said I saved the best for last.”

She smiles softly. “That feels like a big accomplishment.”

“Not an accomplishment.” I rest my head against her forehead. “Just the honest truth.”

“Would you like some honest truth from me?” She pulls her head back, looking into my eyes. “I love you too.”

I smile, loving the way those words somehow give me confidence and set everything right in my life.

“I’ve loved you for a while, actually.”

“Yeah?” My smile grows.

“Yeah.”

“Same for me.” I pull her into my arms, kissing her tenderly. She comes willingly, like she could live there forever.

And with Ari in my arms, forever doesn’t sound like this big scary thing anymore.

It sounds exactly like what I want.

Ari

THE WEDDING is over.

The guests are gone. The getaway car successfully escaped beneath a storm of cheers and sparklers.

Only a handful of people remain beneath the giant white tent.

The cleanup crew.

Which mostly consists of family members pretending they’re helping while actually standing around talking.

I stand near the edge of the dance floor, holding a stack of centerpiece boxes, when a hand appears and steals them from me.

“Put me to work, Miss Langford.”