Page 26 of All My Love

I find a new freckle on her cheek beneath her left eye, her cheeks have lost some more of the fullness from being a kid, or maybe because her mom feeds them the ridiculous healthy stuff, and Stell hates it.

“I missed you so fucking much, Stella,” I whisper.

“I missed you too.”

“I want you to come in March. The label is sending us out for real this time. And to New York to record the next album next month.”

“Oh, my god, Rigg! It’s happening!” She’s so genuinely excited for us but still doesn’t get it.

“I want you to come with me. With us.”

“Riggins…”

“We leave for New York in a few weeks. We’ll be there for a month or so, then home for the holidays. Then we’re out to LA for a few months for press and whatnot. The album should come out in March. April, we go on tour.” There’s a pause before she smiles. “I want you to come. We’ll write around here, then you’ll come to New York with us. The guys and I already agreed; they’re cool with it.”

“You talked to them about it? About me coming?”

“I wouldn’t be asking without the band knowing. You know that, Stella.” She rolls her lips in on themselves, rubbing and rolling them together, deciding how to ask whatever it is she’s about to ask, deciding if she’s brave enough for it.

“What….” She clears her throat before speaking. “What would I be coming on tour as?”

As tends to be our way, I don’t have to ask her to clarify, to ask what she means.

“Mine,” I whisper, my hand moving to cup her cheek. “You’d come on tour as mine, Stella. The way you always have been since you were five years old, and you told me I was stupid because I was a boy and boys were inherently stupid.”

“I still stand by that,” she whispers, and I smile.

“Yeah, I know you do. But what about if that boy is so wildly in love with you that he can’t breathe when you’re not near? Can you make an exception for him?” Her eyes go wide, her mouth dropping open.

“You’re in love with me?” I laugh because I thought it was obvious, thought I wasalwaysobvious. I grab her and roll to my back until she’s above me, her body pressed to mine in a way I’ve dreamt of for some time.

“God, Stella. Have you gotten my letters? Or has your mom snatched them?

“I mean, I got most of them, I think. I’ve been following the tour dates, but I think a few were missing…” her words trail off.

“You’ve got all my love, little star. Always have, always will.”

And then I kiss her again, letting my lips tell her everything my words apparently can’t.

She was always better with words, anyway.

12 CRAZIER THINGS - CHELSEA CUTLER

NOW

STELLA

“Somethings never change, I guess,” Josie, the owner, says with a smile, looking from Riggs to me.

I smile at her before grabbing what she hands me and walking out the rear exit until we’re in the early summer cool night air.

“Sit,” I say, pointing to a curb.

“Stell, it’s not necessary?—”

“You keep throwing the wife thing in my face, so let me return the favor. You’re my husband. Let me take care of you.”

Something flares in his eyes, something I don’t want to notice, address, or even see, but he sits and holds his hand out to me, so let’s call it a win. I kneel before him and turn his hand over, looking at the knuckles before shaking my head.

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