AllFreeNovel
Share Us
His hands tenderly cup my face. “Hold that thought. There will be more of that later. I promise.”
Hands move swiftly from my cheeks to my waist, and he spins me around to face the desk. A surge of sadness and loss invade me. Even though he’s still close, I want to rewind to seconds before when our mouths were fused and hit pause.
But there’s no time to dwell on that when he grins at me like some kind of naughty Santa—ready to shower me with gifts—and pulls out a chair for me. I nip my bereft moan in the bud and park my desire.
Later. He promised.
He drags another chair next to mine. “And Percy helped with dinner.” He whips off the silver domes to reveal juicy burgers and fries from the Grill. My favorite.
“I’ve also got a chocolate milkshake for you in the cooler.” He points to a small one in the corner. “I wasn’t sure if you’d want that or wine.”
“Wow.” Still dazed and not fully understanding, I tip my head to one side and gaze at the spread before me. “What is all this?”
“Dinner.”
“Here?”
“I couldn’t think of a better place. Well, there is the treehouse.” He winks and hands me a napkin, then picks up a fry. “I know our memories in that makeshift wooden house are countless. All good, happy, and special, but the gym… It’s our beginning…”
He needn’t say more. Before I can tell him so, his expression morphs from playful to something more serious. “I can’t recreate that night, and truthfully, I wasn’t trying to. It was fucking fantastic as it was. But I wanted to celebrate and figured this was the best place for that.”
“You’re right. It’s perfect.” With a quick peck to his full lips, I pick up my burger with both hands then pause with it on its way to my mouth. “Wait. Does this mean we’re also sleeping here? And before you think I’m not down for it, it would be kind of fun?—”
“No. We’re going home. Eventually. After dinner…” He drops the fry and wipes his fingers on the napkin. “I’ve got a few other things in mind.”
His hand sweeps over the couch with the blankets and pillows. It looks like a warm, soft cloud that I want to dive into, and suddenly I’m overcome with hot embarrassment.
“Oh, God, please tell me you set that up after Coach, Mad, and Percy left?”
He chuckles and takes my hand. “Of course I did. We’re going to have a little fun. Create some new memories with one distinct difference.”
Oliver lifts my hand to his mouth and lightly brushes his warm, full lips along my knuckles.
Every single graze is a spark lighting my spine. I shiver in delight. “What?”
“This time…the lights stay on.”
Chapter30
Wren
Over the following days, my friends and family work tirelessly to pull everything together for today’s occasion. Forced to abandon public recognition or funding, Oliver and I devised a plan to make the program happen no matter what.
Armed with the truth and backing of all of those who truly matter, and of course, Oliver’s steadfast encouragement, I am officially launching the Bright Horizons program.
I place the flowers on the final table and pause to glance around the town hall. “This feels premature,” I say to no one in particular.
“Shush, you.” Reggie playfully swats my hand then goes back to setting up the poster with the QR code with all the information about the program.
We have several posters around the room with all the details. Pop and Percy set out the food on the long table running at the back of the room. If nothing else, people will show up for that. And Zoe walks over, stopping to take a few more candid shots of those working around the room. As promised, she’s captured all the setup and will take photos throughout the event.
“Why do you say that?” Oliver runs a firm hand down my arm.
“I don’t know.”
Truth be told, it isn’t that I don’t believe in the program but more the public spectacle of it all. This launch party will do double duty, and this isn’t really our thing. Neither Oliver nor I like to air our business in public. But Dot dragged our names through the proverbial mud and then some. This is our way of setting the record straight in one fell swoop.
“It’ll be all good and you’ll do great.” His lips gently press against my neck. “And remember, I’m right beside you. Through it all.”
