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“Is it me you don’t trust or yourself?” I ask when she doesn’t say anything. I’m pushing my luck, but I do so because I know she feels something for me. It’s been communicated in her words, her body’s response to mine, and in her everyday actions.
She swallows, the column of her neck giving away her apprehension. “Both.”
Her honesty is a relief and a burden. Maybe she’s stopped to think this through longer than I have, or maybe she hasn’t, but either way, I can’t let go of the chemistry between us.
“We have a wedding this weekend.”
“Yes.”
“And a long list of social media content to get across in the next two months, which means we’ll continue seeing a lot of each other.”
“Yes.”
“I’ve got this thing at the end of the month I need a plus-one for.”
She frowns. “Oh-kay?”
“Probably something next month, too.”
“So, you’re saying I’m easy?” She arches her brows and crosses her arms over her chest. It’s damn cute.
“I’m saying this works. I’m saying you put the ‘awe’ in awesome. I’m saying I’m not looking for a relationship. I’ve got baseball records to break and a team I want to help get to the World Series again, and you’re not looking for a relationship either, but we do like being together, so this is the perfect arrangement.” I take her face in my hands. “Now please tell me I can kiss you before I lose my mind.”
“On one condition.”
“Name it.”
“I steer this boat.”
“Done,” I say, before I devour her mouth, feeling so much more than I can ever tell her for fear she’ll abandon ship.
Chapter Nineteen
#FiftyShadesOfFinn
Chloe
There are momentsin your life that are surreal and tonight is one of mine. My very best friend and her new husband are standing on stage at their wedding reception and singing a love song to each other. Robert is strumming along on his guitar while Jillian serenades him—and all their guests—at the mic. I’m standing on the middle of the dance floor with other members of the bridal party swaying to the romantic lyrics while tucked inside Finn’s arms.
My back is to his chest. My head leans on his shoulder. His lips graze my ear, and every time they do he whispers how beautiful I am, how sweet I smell, how incredible I feel, filling my head with dizzying delight. He’s been extremely attentive all evening, his hand on my lower back, around my waist, and his fingers laced with mine under the table. We’ve kissed when no one’s looking. We’ve laughed when someone says something funny. (Robert’s family is a bunch of comedians. Literally.) We’ve stolen glances at each other too many times to count.
Wrapped up in Finn right now is equivalent to a warm bath that leaves your skin silky soft and smooth, your body light, and your mind serene.
In mine and Finn’s movie, this would be the moment when everything changed. When I stopped fighting my feelings for him and put off thinking about our precarious future until some distant time.
Up on stage, Robert and Jillian look into each other’s eyes, sing the last verse of the song together, and then kiss. The crowd applauds like crazy and hollers compliments. I put my pinkie fingers in the corners of my mouth and give a high-pitched whistle, so happy for my best friend. The entire wedding has been flawless.
Once the accolades die down, the bandleader speaks into the mic. “Chloe Conrad, you’re up!”
What? I look left, then right, like there must be some mistake. What am I up for?
“It’s karaoke time!” Jillian shouts, while a member of the band wheels out a karaoke machine.
Oh no. No way, Jose. I am not singing. Jillian knows I suck at singing, but she’s always said one of her favorite memories of the two of us was at a karaoke bar right after she met Robert. She wanted to impress him (because she has an amazing voice) and being the best friend that I am I went up on stage with her because she was super nervous. The two of us sang “Lean on Me.”
Correction: she sang while I chirruped the words and plotted ways to get even with her.
“Get up here, best maid of honor ever!”
