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The apartment is silent. I’m sitting on the couch, biting the tip of one finger. My legs are bouncing, my heart pounding.
My phone says it’s 7:43. The dance ended at 7:30. Landon should be back any minute with Rae.
I can’t wait for them to get here.
I can’t wait to hear about their night, because I just know it was great.
And I can’t wait to get him alone so I can tell him how I feel about him.
This afternoon, I was the tiniest bit nervous about handing my heart to him because I wasn’t sure how he would feel, but I was filled with confidence after he showed up to get Rae.
He was concerned he wouldn’t be good enough for her.
He surprised her with a corsage and me with a flower.
He brightened her and warmed me.
He hadn’t changed one damn bit.
The way he looked at me and everything he said and did was so familiar and wonderful, even after all this time, and I just can’t—I can’t…
…hide.
I can’t hide from him.
And I’m tired of trying to. God knows I’ve realized it’s not what I really want, and it’s definitely not what Rae wants. I’m tired of thinking we’re a team that can’t possibly be made any stronger, because it’s just not accurate. We’ve found someone who wants to join us, not break us—and hedoesmake us stronger.
It was a hard lesson learned, but I learned it, and I have to tell him that.
I’m trying not to be nervous about the possibility of him not wanting me anymore. Most of me believes he does, but I’d be stupid to think there’s no chance—
The front door opens, and I spring up off the couch.
Landon comes in slowly with a sleeping Rae curled up in one arm, her head on his shoulder—and while it’s adorable on the one hand, it’s super hot on the other. Seeing him toting my niece around with so much care and so little trouble is a damn fine sight.
I hurry over to shut and lock the door behind them.
“Hi,” I whisper, wondering if he can hear my heart thundering with affection.
He gives me a smile and whispers, too, “Hey.” Then he points at her. “Bed?”
Nodding, I walk ahead to her room. After I pull back her blanket, he carefully shifts her around and lays her down. She draws a sleepy breath and then lets it go as she immediately gets comfortable. She doesn’t wake up the slightest bit as I remove her shoes and headband.
“I’ll put her pajamas on her later,” I say after I cover her up, flicking a look at him. Despite the shadows all over the room, I can see he’s already looking at me. “I want to talk to you for a minute, if I can.”
Another smile. “Sure.”
He looks at Rae now, and his smile softens before he turns to leave the room.
I switch on her nightlight and follow him, pulling her door halfway closed.
In the kitchen, he turns to me and says quietly but enthusiastically, “We had such a great time. Thank you so much for letting me take her. We danced and took pictures—oh, I need to go get our stuff from my car—and werockedthis cupca—”
He sucks in a breath as I grab his shoulders and step right up to him, my lips aiming for his.
They don’t meet, though—he leans back so he can look at me with astonished, questioning eyes.
But I watch him realize what I was trying to do, watch stark relief take over his expression. He grabs me, too, his fingertips digging into my waist as he urges me up against him.
